The DFMS archive on the American Church Institute (ACI) is largely focused on the years 1906-1967, although documentation on individual schools dates from 1867 (see AO-00-R0061-02 through AO-00-R0061-02-12). This set includes records of the oversight of Bishop Payne Divinity School, Petersburg, Virginia. Records in this series consist mainly of correspondence, especially from the ACI Treasurer’s office concerning the school’s building fund (1932-1948, 1951), and also correspondence of the Rev. George A. Wieland, Home Department Director and later ACI Director (1929-1930, 1942-1951). Board of Trustees meeting minutes and correspondence (1938-1944, 1947-1948), financial documents (1939-1965), and two school catalogs (1945, 1946) are also present.

This set of records contains by-laws of the school (1892, 1937) and records of the school’s Board of Trustees, including meeting minutes and correspondence (1940-1944), annual reports (1919-1921), and reports to the National Council (1933, 1941). Also present is considerable correspondence by the ACI Director (1940-1945) and Treasurer (1939-1944) on school matters. Financial records (1940-1945) and Calhoun pamphlets (1905, 1937) complete the series.