Burke Library has received a gift of communal society materials, an addition to Hamilton's Communal Societies Collection that will make it one of leading collections of material by and about the American Shakers and other intentional communities in the country. The collection, which includes approximately two thousand books and artifacts, will be given to Hamilton in five installments over a 10-year period by Dr. Walter A. Brumm, a retired sociology professor from California University of Pennsylvania.
Randall Ericson, the Couper Librarian, said, "Brumm's gift will significantly expand the library's holdings of printed works by the Shakers – many of which are notably rare – and more than triple the number of manuscripts in our collection." In addition to written works the gift contains a collection of ephemera relating to the Shakers and related groups and includes exceptionally rare 19th century seed and medicinal catalogues, product labels, broadsides, choice 20th century posters, and a selection of period photographs. In addition, the Brumm Collection includes a museum-quality selection of artifacts, including examples of Shaker furniture, swifts, textiles, fancy-goods, baskets, poplarware and tinware.
The Brumm collection is the largest and most important collection of printed and manuscript materials relating to the American Shakers in private hands in America, according to a knowledgeable Shaker book dealer. "This will make Hamilton a significant resource center for communal society research," said Ericson. "The acquisition of the Brumm collection will make Hamilton College's Communal Society Collection the leading and largest collection of its kind among American colleges and universities. In addition to the benefits to researchers, the addition of the Brumm material profoundly expands the possibilities for student research."
Brumm, in explaining his gift, said, "It is my intention that this gift enrich an already significant collection of such materials at an institution of higher learning, where there is an emphasis on innovative and rigorous academic programs, including interdisciplinary coursework, comparative studies, collaborative learning and an opportunity to promote the use of an extensive and rich archival resource."
Over the last 40 years, Brumm has built a significant print collection of Shaker and other communal materials. His interests are wide-ranging dealing with all communal groups and while his collection reflects this range of interests, its focus is on Shakers and secondarily the Harmonists.
Brumm elaborated further, "A collection of communal materials covering many groups can promote the search for behavioral patterns and generalizations." "As a sociologist I believe there is a need for research collections to meet the needs of scholars who do both descriptive and analytic social-historical research. Communal research, without this broader perspective, can be perceived as highly specialized and irrelevant," he said. "The collection to be formed can facilitate research on topics of general interest: leadership; community development; small group dynamics; gender roles; economic, familial, and religious practices; minority group relationships; worldviews; medical practices, and the impact of technology on group change," said Brumm.
Brumm has had an interest in communal groups for more than 40 years. He spent many summers at the Sabbathday Lake, Maine Shaker community (the last surviving community). He was personal friends with many of the Shakers, including Sister Eleanor Philbrook at Sabbathday Lake. Brumm also was acquainted with Shakers in other communities and many Shaker scholars. In addition to the Shakers, he is particularly interested in the Harmonists, who settled in western Pennsylvania under the leadership of George Rapp, then moved to southern Indiana to establish the settlement of New Harmony, only to return later to Pennsylvania and establish the village of Economy.