Bartholomew H. Burrell, born March 13, 1841, in Jackson County, Ind., graduated from Indiana University with a BS in 1864. Upon graduation, he taught school and studied law with Judge Frank Emerson before returning to IU to enter the Law Department, from which he graduated in 1866. He went on to practice law with Judge Emerson and was elected and served in the state senate for two years. In 1865, he married Maggie F. Throop of Bloomington, but census data indicates they divorced sometime between 1890 and 1900. Burrell died August 23, 1911 in Vallonia, Ind.

This collection consists of a single letter written by Burrell as an IU student to Mortimore Crabb, who resided in his hometown of Brownstown, Indiana. The letter, dated February 5, 1864, tells about the difficulties the campus literary societies, the Athenians and Philomatheans, were having with university administration over the level of control administration wanted to wield over the groups. Historically, the literary society halls were places where students could, within bounds, feel free to express themselves. However, due to a series of incidents the Board of Trustees became involved and adopted resolutions stating all literary society members were required to submit any speeches they planned to give at society meetings in advance to the faculty for review. Additionally, the faculty were to approve any and all outside speakers the students wished to bring in. It was a long struggle, but the Athenians finally acquiesced. The Philomatheans, to whom Burrell probably belonged (he was not found on the Athenian membership rolls), took a different tack, however. They decided to invite former IU President William Daily to serve as their fall commencement speaker. Daily, who had resigned from his presidency in 1859 amidst a scandal, was not a welcome visitor for the faculty. They begrudgingly accepted the Philos choice, however, and this incident in the student-administration history seemed to be finished.