University of
Minnesota Libraries. University of Minnesota Archives [uarc]
University of Minnesota. Program in American
Studies.
American Studies
records
1943-2004
4 boxes (4.0 cubic
feet)
This collection
contains the records of the American Studies program at the University of
Minnesota.
uarc 890
Collection material in English
Administrative Information
Use of Materials
Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house
only.
Copyright
Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision
of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). Requests to publish should be
arranged with the University of Minnesota Archives.
Preferred citation
American Studies records, University Archives, University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Scope and Content
This collection primarily covers the period 1945 to 1959, with some
scattered correspondence shortly before and after these dates. Most pertains to
administrative matters, including dealings with such foundations as the
Carnegie Corporation, (which sponsored a seminar on science and technology in
the U.S.), the Danforth and the Ford Foundations, the activities of the
American Studies Association, summer activities of the American Studies program
and a seminar on the centenary of Harpers Ferry, at which Martin Luther King
was one of many notable individuals invited to speak. Tremaine McDowell's
personal and professional activities are well documented in this collection. He
was especially interested in American literature and conducted notable research
on the poet William Cullen Bryant.
Material of Mary Turpie, David Noble and Gayle Graham Yates, long-term
faculty members in the department, are represented in the collection. Materials
of Mulford Q. Sibley found in the collection have been removed and placed in
the Mulford Q. Sibley papers.
Historical Note
The American Studies program at the University of Minnesota was
established in 1945. Tremaine McDowell, who joined the University of Minnesota
English faculty in 1928, founded the American Studies program and served as
chair until he retired in 1958. The goal of the program was to bridge the gap
from the past and the present and draw upon the resources of many different
academic departments, including English, history, sociology, anthropology, law,
journalism, art, and political science, to form a curriculum to study American
culture. The undergraduate program at the University of Minnesota was one of
the first of its kind developed in the U.S. A Ph.D. program was established in
1946.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog
of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about
related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these
headings.
McDowell, Tremaine, 1893-1959.
Turpie, Mary C.
Noble, David F.
Yates, Gayle Graham, 1940-
University of Minnesota. Program in American Studies --
Archives.
Detailed Contents
The following section contains a detailed list of the materials in the
collection.
Abbott Hospital School of Nursing,
1964.
1
Correspondence relating to a humanities course taught at the
hospital.
American Council of Learned Societies,
1947-1950.
1
2 folders
American Literature Group,
undated, 1945-1947, 1950.
1
Group was part of the Modern Language Association.
American Quarterly,
undated, 1947-1961.
1
2 folders, 2 volumes
Correspondence, budget records, print copies.
American Quarterly Editorial
Board,
1970-1976.
1
Turpie, Mary C. Conference Room Dedication audio
cassette,
1
December 7, 1985.
"The American Scene,"
1949-1950.
1
3 folders
Transcript of weekly radio program broadcast over KUOM during the
academic year.
American Studies Association,
1953-1954, 1958, 1967-1971.
1
Miscellaneous correspondence.
American Studies Association, Spring conference,
1952-1959.
1
American Studies Association, Minnesota and Dakotas Spring
conference,
1960-1967.
1
3 folders
Constitution, by-laws,
undated, 1972.
1
American Studies, Committee on,
1946-1962.
1
Assembly minutes and agendas,
1972-1978.
1
Minutes - various committees,
1972-1974.
1
Committee on Doctoral Programs,
1972.
1
American Studies Institutes,
1946-1950.
1
American Studies national questionnaire,
1957.
1
Filled out by Tremaine McDowell, describes program in great
detail.
Plans for inaugurating program at other universities,
1964-1986.
1
American Studies reviews and
comments,
1948-1949.
2
Book written by Tremaine McDowell.
American Studies, University of Minnesota
2
Administration files, bound newsletters,
undated, 1950-1997.
1 folder, 2 volumes
2
International newsletters,
undated.
2
Courses and degree requirements,
undated.
2
Classes, lectures, and seminars,
1952-1999.
2
Undergraduate program,
2001-2004.
2
Faculty appointments,
1945-1950.
2
Film series,
1947-1951.
2
Inquiries concerning the department,
1949-1951.
2
Review of program by Graduate Committee for American
Studies,
1963-1964.
2
Revision of Ph.D. examinations procedures,
1952.
2
Review Report prepared by the Self-Survey Committee,
1975.
American Studies, Summer Session,
1946-1958, 1962.
2
12 folders
Sponsored by the Center for Continuation Study. Correspondence
concerning arrangements for visiting faculty. Invitations were extended to
Sinclair Lewis, Robert Frost, Thornton Wilder, August Derleth , Vannevar Bush ,
Marshall McLuhan , Lionel Trilling , Lewis Mumford, and A.B. Gutherie.
"Bryant in Massachusetts 1794-1825,"
circa 1957.
2
Typewritten manuscript by McDowell.
CLA self survey,
1954.
2
Self survey of American Studies program.
Carnegie Corporation. Consultants,
1955-1956.
2
Carnegie Corporation. Correspondence,
1946-1949, 1954-1960.
2
Carnegie Corporation. Fellowships,
1955-1958.
2
Carnegie Program on American Art,
1955-1957.
2
Communication (course),
1944-1945.
3
Correspondence,
circa 1940s-1960s.
3
7 folders
Arranged chronologically. Primarily dealing with the
administrations of the program.
Curricula in American Civilization, Committee on,
1946-1949, 1953-1954.
3
Danforth Foundation,
1959-1960.
3
Early American Studies Center,
1961.
3
Proposal, correspondence regarding establishment of Center at
University.
Early History of Religion in Minnesota conference,
1951.
3
Evaluation of American Studies program questionnaires,
undated.
3
"Father Secombe of St. Anthony,"
1944.
3
Typewritten manuscript by Tremaine McDowell, submitted to the
Minnesota Historical Society for publication as an article in
Minnesota History.
Films sponsored by American Studies and General Extension,
1950-1952.
3
Foreign programs in American Studies,
1947-1949, 1951, 1954.
3
Foreign scholars in American Studies,
1952-1954.
3
Foreign Teacher program,
1951-1955.
3
Foster, Charles,
1966-1969.
3
Foundations,
1948-1950.
3
Miscellaneous correspondence.
Fulbright National Committee,
1953-1965.
3
Harpers Ferry conference,
1959.
3
Organized to commemorate the Harpers Ferry raid; it was meant as
an occasion for scholarly comment on the raid and to examine its relevance to
the current civil rights situation. Hubert Humphrey and Harry Truman were
invited to participate, but declined. Carey McWilliams, editor of The Nation,
C. Wright Mills and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were among those who did appear.
A copy of King's and Mills' addresses are included in the folder.
Hill Professors
4
Nellie Wong,
1984-1985.
4
Michael Lesy: Workshop and Dossier,
1977.
4
Victor Turner,
1978-1980.
Humanities in the U.S.A. (course),
1943-1944, 1946.
3
Hurrell, John D.,
1964-1965.
3
Institute of Jazz Studies, Inc,
undated, 1952-1953, 1956.
3
Tremaine McDowell served on the Board of Directors.
Inter-University Program for Foreign Scholars,
1953.
3
Levenson, J.C.,
1963, 1970.
3
Louisiana College conference,
1950-1951.
3
McDowell, Tremaine,
1947-1948, 1955-1959.
3-4
10 folders
These folders contain materials pertaining to McDowell's personal
and professional activities. Includes correspondence concerning business trips
made in 1948, copies of form letters sent by him, correspondence concerning a
nationwide trip made in 1947, two folders of his publications and reprints,
arranged roughly alphabetically by title of publication, lists of his
publications, reviews by him, correspondence concerning his sabbatical in
1955-1956, talks given on the subject of American Studies, and tributes to him
at the time of his death in 1959 (including one in German, with an English
translation provided).
Mansfield, Luther,
1963-1964, 1966.
4
Minnesota Federation of Women's Republican Clubs,
1953.
4
The group criticized the American Studies program, saying that
"required reading is made up entirely of books completely contrary to our
American way or belittling it in as many ways as possible." McDowell's response
is included in this folder.
National Council of Teachers of English,
1945-1947.
4
Nevins Prize,
1962-1964.
4
4
Interview: Spraker interviewing David Noble,
1983.
4
David Noble - American Studies Relations,
1962-1968.
4
Keynote Address: David Noble Lecture,
1996.
4
"What is the 'Program' in American Studies: Organization,
Staffing and Governance",
undated.
Osmania Project (India),
1960-1963.
4
Project fell under provision of Public Law 480, which provided for
funds to be made available in foreign currencies for educational and cultural
exchanges.
Rockefeller Foundation,
1945-1946, 1950.
4
Rutman, Darrett,
1966.
4
Science and Technology in the United States (faculty
seminar),
1956.
4
8 folders, 1 volume
The Carnegie Corporation provided financial support. Folders
include correspondence, proposals and papers by J.W. Buchta, Leo Marx, William
Ogburn, Carl Polanyi, Arnold Rose and Philip Wiener. The publication is the
"Report of Pilot Seminar on Science, Technology, and American Culture."
Skard, Sigmund,
1957-1958.
4
Stratton, Julius Adams,
1955.
4
4
Report to the committee on restructuring Miss Turpie's
tasks,
undated.
4
Mary Turpie, Outstanding Achievement Award,
1985.
4
Turpie-Bowron donation letters,
1983-1985.
4
Mary Turpie scholarship fund, establishment of,
1976-1980.
4
Interview with Mary Turpie by Jean Spraker,
1983.
4
Mary Turpie correspondence,
1974-1992.
Weber, Brom,
1960, 1962-1963, 1967-1968.
4
Wiener, Philip,
1955.
4
Woodrow Wilson fellowship,
1959-1961, 1964.
4
4
Gayle Graham Yates bibliography project,
undated, 1984.
2 folders
Evaluations of the American Studies Program,
1974-1976.
4
American Studies Exchange,
1982.
4
Publication, vol. 1
Program in American Civilization for
Scandinavian and Dutch Teachers,
1953.
4
A Selected List of Buildings for the
Study of American Civilization,
undated.
4
Publication compiled by Mary Turpie.
A Selected List of Paintings for the
Study of American Civilization,
1965.
4
Publication compiled by Mary Turpie.
American Studies Program
Review,
1987.
4
2 volumes
Self Survey Report.
Selected Bibliography of Articles on Midwestern
Culture,
1977.
4