This collection is arranged into four series, with two further divided into subseries. Each series is organized chronologically.

Series 1, Presidential Papers, 1926-1927, 1930-1932

Subseries 1, Correspondence

Subseries 2, Reports

Subseries 3, Installation and Miscellaneous

Series 2, Southern Baptist Convention Correspondence, 1930-1932

Series 3, Writings

Subseries 1, Manuscript

Subseries 2, Published Material

Subseries 3, Diary, bound photocopy

Series 4, Scrapbooks

The William J. McGlothlin Collection consists of correspondence, reports, minutes, a diary, manuscripts, programs, scrapbooks, and articles covering McGlothlin’s last years as Furman University president and tenure as president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The majority of correspondence pertaining to Furman University covers 1926-1932 inclusive, with the bulk in boxes 2 to 5 covering 1930 to 1933. The correspondence from 1926-1927 stamped with a red “7” is in fragile condition likely due to previous storage issues. There is no correspondence for 1928, and only one letter for 1929. Correspondence is either original or carbon copies.

Series 2 Southern Baptist Convention Correspondence are mainly letters from the outstanding Baptists of the time, reflecting financial hardship caused by the nationwide depression. Chief subjects were financial plans and work, including the promotion of a yearly member canvass, a debt paying campaign and plans for the Fifth Baptist World Congress in Berlin in 1934. Also includes correspondence from foreign missionaries and matters related to race relations.

The William J. McGlothlin diary (177 pages) covers 1904-1920, during the time McGlothlin was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. McGlothlin wrote about his family life, holiday celebrations, a trip abroad, and World War I. He also discussed his work at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, his lectures and sermons, other writings, and speaking trips.

McGlothlin wrote a history of the Furman University in 1926 in anticipation of the centennial celebration. Series 3, subseries 1 contains the manuscript, "A Century of Educational History" that was re-titled and published as Baptist Beginnings in Education: A History of Furman University.

Series 4 contains two scrapbooks, one by Kathryn McGlothlin Odell about her father; the other about the university. Both contain newspaper clippings. The scrapbooks have been disassembled with pages foldered in page order. Loose materials were foldered.