Contents


Collection Overview

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Organization of the Collection

Search Terms

Series 1: GENERAL RECORDS, 1879-1968

Series 2: ENGLISH 1-2 (Composition), 1939-1966

Series 3: ENGLISH 1-C (Composition), 1939-1942

Series 4: ENGLISH 11 (Writing), 1966-1977

Series 5: ENGLISH 12 (Reading), 1939-1972

Series 6: ENGLISH 19-20 (Introduction to Literature), 1942-1946

Series 7: ENGLISH 21-22 (Introduction to Literature), 1963-1966

Series 8: ENGLISH 23-24 (Advanced Composition), 1946-1965

English Department Records, 1879-1977 (bulk 1930s-1960s)

Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Sarang Gopalakrishnan, Peter Nelson.

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

© 2003

Collection Overview

Creator: Amherst College. Dept. of English.
Title: English Department Records
Dates: 1879-1977
Dates: 1930s-1960s
Abstract: Assignments, examinations, student papers, course descriptions, reading lists and excerpts, and other material pertaining to the English Department and its courses, chiefly 1930-1970.
Extent: 4 records storage boxes, 5 archives boxes, 5 half archives boxes(7.75 linear ft.)
Language: English.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Assignments, examinations, student papers, course descriptions, reading lists and excerpts, and other material pertaining to the English Department and its courses, chiefly 1930-1970.

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Search Terms

Return to the Table of Contents


Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into eight series:

Arrangement of the Collection

Note: Box numbering begins with 1 for each series. When requesting materials, please specify series number as well as box number.

Return to the Table of Contents


Series 1: GENERAL RECORDS, 1879-1968

Series 1, GENERAL RECORDS, 1879-1968, is divided into three sub-series:

Administrative (sub-series A) contains miscellaneous administrative material, including general information about department history, newsclippings and reports to trustees.

Course Information (sub-series B) consists of course descriptions, reading lists and related material, arranged by course.

Examinations (sub-series C) contains examinations in English, arranged chronologically.

Sub-series A: Administrative


Box

Folder

1 1
General information re: development and history n.d.

2
News clippings re department activities 1938, n.d.

3
New England College English Association: readings 1960 May 7

4
"A Proposal for a Reading Course" for the Institute for Springfield High School Teachers 1969

5
Report to Trustees by Joseph K. Chickering '69 1879

6
Reports to Trustees by H. Humphrey Neill '66 1883-1898

7
Miscellaneous administrative material n.d.

Sub-series B: Course Information


Box

Folder

1 8
Collateral course in English literature n.d.

9
Staff and class assignments 1945-1965

10
Course descriptions and related material (Baird) 1932-1933

11
English A Reading lists 1936-38, n.d.

12
English 0 Reading lists n.d.

13
English 1-2 Reading lists 1935-1937

14
English 3 Reading lists, examinations 1939, 1940

15
English 4 Reading lists n.d.

16
English 5/5C Reading lists n.d.

17
English 6 Reading lists, assignments, examinations 1927, 1930, 1931

18
English 7-8 Victorian Literature: Reading lists n.d.

19
English 9 Reading lists 1937/38, n.d.

20
English 10 Reading lists, quizzes, examinations 1935/36-1941/42(with gaps)

21
English 13-14 Reading lists, poems 1936, n.d.

22
English 13 News clippings 1938 Jan.

23
English 13 Ballad series: Rhyme sheet Nos. 1-3 1938

24
English 16 Course descriptions 1973, 1974, 1975

25
English 19 Exam, reading lists 1946 Jan 29, n.d.

26
[English 21-22] "Description of a Sophomore Course in English" n.d.

27
English 21 American Literature: Reading lists n.d.

28
English 22 Recent Authors, American and English: Reading Lists n.d.

29
English 43 1949/50 1949 Fall

30
English 61 Exercise 1969

31
English 70 Exercises n.d.

32
Public Speaking 7: Schedule for senior debates 1911-1913

33
Victorian Literature: Reading n.d.

Sub-series C: Examinations


Box

Folder

1 34
Admission Prize Examinations 1897-1898

35
English Entrance Examinations 1897-1899

36
English Entrance Examinations 1900-1901

37
Porter Prize Examinations 1900, 1932-1938

38
Examinations 1873-1918

39
Examinations: Semester and final 1923-1932

40
Examinations 1933-1935

41
Examinations 1936-1938

42
Examinations 1939-1941

43
Examinations 1942-1944

44
Examinations 1945-1948

45
Examinations 1949-1950

46
Examinations 1950-1951

47
Examinations 1954, 1956

48
Examinations 1959/60-1961/62

49
Examinations 1962/63-1963/64

50
Examinations 1964/65-1965/66

51
Examinations 1966/67-1967/68

52
Examinations: miscellaneous n.d.

53
Comprehensive Examination [1961/62?]

54
Comprehensive Examination 1963/64

55
Comprehensive Examination 1966 Jan 25-26

Series 2: ENGLISH 1-2 (Composition), 1939-1966

Series 2, ENGLISH 1-2 (COMPOSITION), 1939-1966, contains assignments, section notes, and other course materials for English 1 and/or English 2, the freshman courses in English composition.


Box

Folder

1 1A
Course material for department 1942

1B
Excerpts from description of English 1-2, usually read aloud on second day of class n.d.

1C
Administrative and practical matters [1950's], 1951

1
Boundaries: working paper for developing an assignment on. n.d.

2
Printed material: publications, history various

3
Printed material: "English 1-2: The Freshman English Course at Amherst College" by T. Baird: reprint from Amherst Alumni News 1952 May

4
"English 1-2 at Amherst College: A Definition" by Katz, John Stuart (graduate thesis, Harvard University Graduate School of Education) 1962 May 2

5
Wilking, S. Vincent to T. Baird re-reading of College freshmen 1941 Dec 4

6
"Statement for Publicizing the New Curriculum" by T. Baird 1946-47

7
"The English Department, the New Curriculum, and the Next Four Years" compiled by T. Baird 1947 Jul 4

8
["Material used for Visiting Committee"-folder label]. An examination and selected assignments. 1949 Oct 21

9
"Statement" by T. Baird 1959 Feb

10
Correspondence to T. Baird re course and adaptations 1965

11
Memo to the instructors 1960 Jul 19

12
Memos to the students n.d.

13
"GAC's blank century" [1950's]

14
Undated assignments n.d.

15
Student papers [1944-45], n.d.

16
Eng 1 Sec 5 "The Perfect Theme" n.d.

17
"ABC: What Do We Do in English 1?" by T. Baird 1950 Dec 12

18
"The Perfect Freshman Sees Stearns Church" n.d.

19
"When I See I Say. Oh Say Can You See?" by T. Baird 1954 Nov 9

20
Excerpts "The Art of Note-Taking" by S. & B. Webb in The Art of Social Study 1932

21
Excerpts "Articles of Faith" and "The Covenant" n.d.

22
Excerpts "The Craft of the Social Investigator" by S. & B. Webb in Methods of Social Study 1932

23
"Contra Anglican I" n.d.

24
Excerpts "A good teacher..." by J.J. Chapman in Memories and Milestones [195?]

25
Excerpts "Tools" in The Note-Books of Samuel Butler 1913

26
Excerpts "The Relativity of History" by C.W. Cole 1963

27
"Rules for Theme Writing" n.d.

28
Themes "My Day" 1942-43

29
Themes "Grandparents" [1950's]

30
Themes "Grandparents" 1951

31
Themes "Grandparents": manuscripts, Class of 1955 [1951-52]

32
Themes "Some Grandparents of Amherst '55" [1951-52]

33
Themes "Some More Grandparents of Amherst '55" [1951-52]

34
Themes "Early Recollections by 1956 Amherst Freshmen and Others" [1952-53?]

35
Folger Prize, 1936, '41-42, '47 1936-1947

36
"Influence of Theodore Baird" by Walker Gibson 1986 Fall

36A
"Thirty-Three Assignments per Semester: Theodore Baird and the Mystique of English 1-2 at Amherst College 1938-1966." Speech by Robin R. Varmin 1992

36B
Interview with Walker Gibson on teaching English 1-2 n.d.

36C
Journal of Advanced Composition Writer 1992 references to Theodore Baird and English 1-2 1992

37
Eng 2 Baird Working papers 1939-40

38
Eng 1 1942/43 Baird 1942-1943

39
Eng 2 1942/43 Sec 2a [Baird] 1943 Jan-May

40
Eng 1-2 Baird working papers for assignment development and class meetings 1943-45

41
Eng 1-2 1943/44 1943-1944

42
Eng 1-2 1943/44 "How to Study History from Hints Supplied by Members of English 2" [1944 Spring]

43
Eng 2 1943/44 Final exam 1944 Feb 4

44
Eng 2 1943/44 Final exam 1944 May 26

45
Eng 1-2 1944/45-45/46 Assignments and working papers [Baird] 1945

46
Eng 1 1945/46 Assignments "Brower and Castle" 1946 Spring

47
Eng 2 1945/46 Sec 2a [Baird] 1946 Spring

48
Eng 1-2 1946/47 Sec 1g [Baird] Assignments 1946-1947

49
Eng 1 1946/47 Sec E Gibson 1946-1947

50
Eng 2 1946/47 Sec E [Gibson] 1947 Feb-Jun

51
Eng 1-2 1947/48 Sec 101-5, Sec 102-5 [Baird] 1947-1948

52
Eng 1 1947/48 Sec 9 [Gibson] 1947-1948

53
Eng 2 1947/48 Sec 9 [Gibson] 1948 Jan-Jun

54
Eng 2 1947/48 Long paper assignment 1948 May 26-27

55
Eng 1-2 "Assignments as actually used" 1948-49

56
Eng 1 1948/49 Sec 1 [Gibson] 1948-1949

57
Eng 1 1948/49 Sec 5 Baird 1948-1949

58
Eng 2 1948/49 Sec 1 [Gibson] 1949 Jan-Jun

59
Eng 2 1948/49 Sec 5 [Baird] 1949 Feb-Jun

60
Eng 1 1949/50 1949-1950

61
Eng 1 1949/50 Sec 6 [Gibson] 1949-1950

62
Eng 2 1949/50 [Sec 5] [Baird] 1950 Feb-Jun

63
Eng 2 1949/50 Sec 6 Gibson 1950 Jan-Jun

Box

Folder

2 1
Eng 1 1950/51 Sec 2 [Gibson] 1950-1951

2
Eng 1 1950/51 Sec 5 [Baird] 1950-1951

3
Eng 2 1950/51 Sec 2 [Gibson] 1951 Jan-Jun

4
Eng 2 1950/51 [Sec 10?] [Baird] 1951 Jan-May

5
Eng 1 1951/52 "Revised list of assignments as used" -- 1951-1952

6
Eng 1 1951/52 Sec 6 [Gibson] 1951-1952

7
Eng 1 1951/52 Sec 10 [Baird] 1951 Sep-Dec

8
Eng 2 1951/52 "History assignments as used" 1952 Jan-Mar

9
Eng 2 1951/52 Sec 6 [Gibson] 1952 Jan-Jun

10
Eng 2 1951/52 [Sec 10?] [Baird] 1952 Jan-Jun

11
Eng 1 1952/53 Sec 1 [Gibson] 1952-1953

12
Eng 1 1952/53 Sec 5 [Baird] 1952-1953

13
Eng 2 1952/53 Assignments 1953 Feb-Jun

14
Eng 2 1952/53 Final 1953 Jun

15
Eng 2 1952/53 Sec 5 [Baird] 1953 Feb-May

16
Eng 1 1953/54 "Assignments as used" 1953-1954

17
Eng 1 1953/54 Sec 5 [Baird] 1953-1954

18
Eng 1 1953/54 Sec 10 [Gibson] 1953-1954

19
Eng 2 1953/54 Final 1954 Jan

20
Eng 2 1953/54 Sec 5 [Baird] 1954 Feb-Jun

21
Eng 2 1953/54 Sec 10 [Gibson] 1954 Jan-Jun

22
Eng 1 1954/55 "Assignments as used" 1954-1955

23
Eng 1 1954/55 Sec 5 [Baird] 1954-1955

24
Eng 1-2 1954/55 [Gibson](?) 1954-1955

25
Eng 2 1954/55 "History assignments" 1955 Feb-Mar

26
Eng 2 1954/55 "A draft of science assignments" 1955 Apr-May

27
Eng 2 1954/55 Final 1955 [Jun]

28
Eng 2 1954/55 Sec 5 [Baird] 1955 Jan-Jun

29
Eng 1 1955/56 "A possible sequence" 1955 Sep

30
Eng 1 1955/56 "Assignments as used" 1955-1956

31
Eng 1 1955/56 Sec 5 [Baird] 1955-1956

32
[Eng 2 1955/56] "Proposed history assignments" 1956 Feb-Mar

33
[Eng 2 1955/56] "Proposed science assignments" 1956 Apr-May

34
Eng 1 1956/57 "Assignments as used" 1956-1957

35
Eng 1 1956/57 [Sec 4?] [Baird?] 1956-1957

36
Eng 1 1956/57 Sec 10 [Gibson] 1956-1957

37
Eng 2 1956/57 "Assignments as used" 1957 Jan-Jun

38
Eng 2 1956/57 [Sec 4] [Baird] 1957 Jan-Jun

39
Eng 2 1956/57 Sec 10 [Gibson] 1957 Jan-Jun

Box

Folder

3 1
Eng 1 1957/58 "A set of proposed assignments" 1957 Aug

2
Eng 1 1957/58 Sec 4 [Baird] 1957-1958

3
Eng 2 1957/58 "A possible sequence" 1957-58

4
Eng 2 1957/58 "Assignments as used" 1958 Jan-Jun

5
Eng 2 1957/58 Sec 4 Baird 1958 Jan-Jun

6
Eng 1 1958/59 Proposed assignments 1958 Sep

7
Eng 1 1958/59 "Assignments as used" 1958-1959

8
Eng 1 1958/59 Sec 4 Baird 1958-1959

9
Eng 2 1958/59 "Assignments as used" 1959 Jan-Jun

10
Eng 2 1958/59 Sec 7 Baird 1959 Feb-Jun

11
Eng 1-2 1959/60 Proposed assignments: working papers of T. Baird 1959 Sep 8

12
Eng 1 1959/60 "Assignments as used" 1959-1960

13
Eng 1 1959/60 Assignments 1959-1960

14
Eng 1-2 1959/60 [McKeon] Assignments 1959-1960

15
Eng 2 1959/60 Proposed assignments 1960 Jan-Jun

16
Eng 2 1959/60 "Assignments as used" 1960 Jan-Jun

17
Eng 1 1960/61 "Assignments as used" 1960-1961

18
Eng 1 1960/61 Assignments 1960-1961

19
Eng 2 1960/61 "Assignments as used" 1961 Jan-Jun

20
Eng 2 1960/61 Sec 9 1961 Jan-May

21
Eng 2 [1960/61] [Assignments] [1961 Jan-May]

22
Eng 1 1961/62 "Assignments as used" 1961-1962

23
Eng 1 1961/62 Sec 4 or 7? [Sale?] 1961-1962

24
Eng 2 1961/61 "Assignments as used" 1962 Jan-Jun

25
Eng 2 1961/62 Assignments 1962 Feb-Jun

26
Eng 1 1962/63 "Assignments as used" 1962-1963

27
Eng 1 1962/63 Sec 4 [Baird?] 1962-1963

28-30
Eng 2 1962/63 "Assignments as used" (3 folders) 1963 Feb-Jun

31
Eng 1 1963/64 [Baird?] Assignments 1963-1964

Box

Folder

4 1
Eng 2 1963/64 "Assignments as used" 1964 Jan-Jun

2
Eng 2 1963/64 [Baird?] Assignments 1964 Jan-Jun

3
Eng 1 1964/65 "Assignments as used" 1964-1965

4
Eng 1 1964/65 [Baird] Assignments 1964 Sep-1965

5
Eng 1 1964/65 Jere Mead student papers written for the assignments in Professor Baird's class 1964 fall

6
Eng 2 1964/65 "Assignments as used" 1965 Jan-May

7
Eng 2 1964/65 Assignments 1965 Jan-Jun

Box

Folder

5 1
Eng 2 1965/66 [Craig?] "Assignments as used" 1966 Jan-May

2
Eng 2 1965/66 [Cody?] Assignments 1966 Jan-May

3
Eng 1 1965/66 "Assignments as used" 1965-1966

4
Eng 1 1965/66 [Baird ?] 1965-1966

Series 3: ENGLISH 1-C (Composition), 1939-1942

Series 3, ENGLISH 1-C (COMPOSITION), 1939-1942, contains assignments, examinations, and other course materials for English 1-C, a freshman course in English composition that predated English 1-2.


Box

Folder

1 1
"English 1-C" By T. Baird: reprint from Amherst Graduates Quarterly 1939 Aug

2
"Freshman English" By T. Baird in What the Colleges are Doing 1940 Jan

3
List of forbidden words -- 1939 Nov 1939 Nov

4
Grammar paper 1939-1940

5
Reading lists n.d.

6
Eng 1-C 1938/39 Final examination 1939 Jun 9

7
Eng 1-C 1939/40 Assignments and course material 1939-40

8
Eng 1-C 1939/40 [Baird?] Assignments 1939-40

9
Eng 1-C 1939/40 [Baird] Working papers 1939-40

10
"Reflections" on English 1-C by T. Baird 1940

11
Eng 1-C [1940/41?] "Correlation Papers in English 1-C" [1940-41?]

12
Eng 1-C 1940/41 Assignments and notes 1940-1941

13
Eng 1-C 1940/41 Sec C [Baird] 1940 Fall

14
Eng 1-C [Baird?] Assignments and notes [1941?]

15
Eng 1-C 1942 Assignments and notes 1942 Summer

Series 4: ENGLISH 11 (Writing), 1966-1977

Series 4, ENGLISH 11 (WRITING), 1966-1977, contains assignments and section notes for English 11, which was described as "an introduction to the literary discipline through a study of composition."


Box

Folder

1 1
Eng 11 1966/67 Assignments 1966-1967

2
Eng 11 1966/67 Baird Assignments 1966-1967

3
Eng 11 1967/68 Assignments 1967-1968

4
Eng 11 1967/68 Sec 5 Baird 1967-1968

Box

Folder

2 1
Eng 11 1968/69 [Baird] Assignments 1968-1969

2
Eng 11 1968/69 Assignments 1968-1969

3
Eng 11 1969/70 Final exam 1970 Jan 17

4
Eng 11 1970/71 Assignments 1970 Fall

5
Eng 11 1971/72 "Synopsis of assignments": revised and unrevised 1971 Sep-Dec

6
Eng 11 1972/73 Assignments 1972 Sep-Dec

7
Eng 11 1973/74 Memos and assignments [1973 May-Nov]

8
Eng 11 1974/75 Planning and administration 1974 Fall

9
Eng 11 1975/76 Planning and administration [1975 Jun-Sep]

10
Eng 11 1975/76 Assignments 1975 Fall

11
Eng 11 1976/77 Assignments [1976 Fall]

Series 5: ENGLISH 12 (Reading), 1939-1972

Series 5, ENGLISH 12 (READING), 1939-1972, contains examinations, section notes and assignments for English 12, an introductory reading course.


Box

Folder

1 1
Exam 1939 Mar 6

2
Eng 12 1966/67 Assignments 1967 Jan-Jun

3
Eng 12 1966/67 Sec 4 [Baird] 1967 Jan-Jun

4
Eng 12 1967/68 Assignments 1968 Jan-Jun

5
Eng 12 1967/68 Sec 5 1968 Jan-Jun

6
Eng 12 1968/69 Assignments (G. Armour Craig, Chair) 1969 Jan, n.d.

7
Eng 12 1971/72 Assignments 1972 Spring

Series 6: ENGLISH 19-20 (Introduction to Literature), 1942-1946

Series 6, ENGLISH 19-20 (INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE), 1942-1946, contains materials from English 19-20 instructors.


Box

Folder

1 1
Eng 19-20 1942/43 Materials from T. Baird 1942-43

2
Eng 19-20 1942/43 Materials from G. A. Craig 1943 Spring

3
Eng 19 1943/44 Materials from G. A. Craig and [R. Brower?] 1944 spring

4
Eng 20 1945/46 Sec A [Baird] 1946 Spring

Series 7: ENGLISH 21-22 (Introduction to Literature), 1963-1966

Series 7, ENGLISH 21-22 (INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE), 1963-1966, contains assignments, examinations and section notes for English 21 and English 22.


Box

Folder

1 1
Eng 21 1963/64 Assignments 1963-1964

2
Eng 22 1963/64 Assignments 1964 Jan-Jun

3
Eng 21 1963/64 Sec G Baird 1963-1964

4
Eng 21 1964/65 Assignments and final exam 1964-1965

5
Eng 21 1965/66 Assignments ("Last year course taught") 1965-1966

Series 8: ENGLISH 23-24 (Advanced Composition), 1946-1965

Series 8, ENGLISH 23-24 (ADVANCED COMPOSITION), 1946-1965, contains a class anthology and student papers written by Richard S. Humphries '64.


Box

Folder

1 1
Eng 23-24 "Ten Student Poems" 1946-1951

2
Eng 23-24 1957/58 Humphries Student papers 1957-1958

3
Eng 23-24 1958/59 Humphries Student papers 1958-1959

4
Eng 23-24 1959/60 Humphries Student papers 1959-1960

5
Eng 23-24 1959/60 Humphries Student papers (2) 1959-1960

6
Eng 23 1960/61 Humphries Student papers 1960-1961

7
Eng 23-24 1961/62 Humphries Student papers 1961-1962

8
Eng 23 1962/63 Humphries Student papers 1962-1963

Box

Folder

2 1
Eng 23 1963/64 Humphries Student papers and mid-term exam 1963-1964

2
Eng 24 1963/64 Humphries Student papers 1964 Feb-May

3
Eng 23 1964/65 Humphries Student papers 1964 Sep-Nov

4
Eng 24 1964/65 Humphries Student papers 1965 Jan-Apr