SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
& Hilton M. Briggs Library Special Collections

 
 


College of Arts and Sciences
English Department records
 

Administrative Information | Search Terms | Background Note | Scope and Contents Note | Arrangement | PDF of Finding Aid
 

COLLECTION SUMMARY

Title:     College of Arts and Science, English Department records

Dates:     1974-2007, [n.d.] (bulk 1978-1979)

Creator:     English Department, College of Arts and Science, South Dakota State University

Physical description:    0.42 linear feet—1 container, 3 photographs

Collection number:     UA 6.2

Language:     Collection material in English.

Repository:     South Dakota State University Archives, Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D.

Abstract:     Collection is composed of departmental records generated by the English Department such as newsletters, pamphlets, and promotional material for events and conferences. Also included are the Pioneer Women Papers which consist of original investigations of women writers in the region completed by students for the course "Women Writers of the Great Plains," taught during 1978-1979 school year.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION 

Provenance: The bulk of this collection was found in the Archives in 1997. There is no indication of where they came from or how they came to be here.

This is an on-going collection with material arriving through departmental records transfers, the university campus mail, or random donation by various individuals.

Access Restrictions: This collection is open to research without restriction. Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Copyright Status: Copyright 2008 by South Dakota State University and SDSU Archives. Please credit the SDSU Archives if you copy or reproduce material from this finding aid.

It is the responsibility of anyone reproducing material to determine the copyright holders and obtain permission from them if necessary. Archives staff will provide available copyright information on request. Please note that most collections, especially those received before 1997, may not have complete information on file. (Revised 15 SEP 2003)

Preferred citation: [Identification of item]. College of Arts and Science, English Department records, UA 6.2, South Dakota State University Archives, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D.

Processing information: This collection was processed by Crystal J. Gamradt on November 10, 1998 with revisions on August 11, 2008 (cjg).

SELECTED SEARCH TERMS

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the subject guide. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.

Persons:

  • Aldrich, Bess Streeter, 1881-1954.

  • Bones, Marietta.

  • Dahl, Borghild.

  • Gardner, Abbie.

  • Kohl, Edith Eudora.

  • Lewis, Faye C.

  • Ostenso, Martha, 1900-.

  • Sorenson, Alvida.

Subjects:

  • Frontier and pioneer life—South Dakota.

  • Indian women—North America.

  • Pioneers—South Dakota—History.

  • South Dakota State University—English and Speech Department.

  • South Dakota State University—English Department.

  • South Dakota State University—English Department—Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)

  • South Dakota State University—English Department—Congresses and conventions.

  • South Dakota State University—English Department—Courses.

  • South Dakota State University—English Department—Newsletters.

  • South Dakota State University—English Department—Periodicals.

  • South Dakota State University—English Department—Student projects and essays.

  • South Dakota State University—Great Plains Writers' Conference.

  • South Dakota State University—Northern Plains Conference on Earlier British Literature.

  • Women novelists, American—20th Century—South Dakota.

  • Women pioneers—South Dakota.

  • Women—South Dakota—History.

BACKGROUND NOTE 

From the opening of the College, English has been an established course of study.  In the early years, there were three courses in English listed: Course I, agriculture; Course II, the general college course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science; and Course III, civil engineering.  In each of these courses, the emphasis was on grammar, composition, speech, rhetoric, theory and practice, literature and history of English drama.  Through the years, similar courses have been taught, and continue to be taught today.

According to the 1998-2000 bulletin, courses in the English Department are divided into two areas: English and linguistics.  The department offers instruction in clear thinking and expression, in the history and use of language, in literature, in literary criticism; and in technical communications.  An English major prepares students for teaching careers; for writing and editorial work; for professional schools of law, business, theology, library science, and social work; and for any endeavor in which facility in the use of language is essential.

Related material:

Brandt, Bruce Edwin, ed., History of Proceedings of the Third Conference on Earlier British Literature, Brookings, S.D., English Department, South Dakota State University, 1995. PR7.D135 1995

South Dakota State University, English Dept., Oakwood, Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University, 1975-  PS571 S8 O2

SCOPE AND CONTENTS NOTE

This collection is composed of departmental records generated by the English Department such as newsletters, pamphlets, and promotional material for events and conferences. Also included are the Pioneer Women Papers which consist of original investigations of women writers in the region completed by students for the course "Women Writers of the Great Plains," taught during 1978-1979 school year.

ARRANGEMENT of the RECORDS 

The English Department sub-group is arranged into two series: Pioneer women papers and departmental records.

SERIES I:       Pioneer Women papers, 1978-1979, [n.d.]

These papers were completed as original investigations of women writers in the region for the course:  "Women Writers of the Great Plains," taught in 1978-1979 under a special grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education of the Modern Language Association for a project:  "Teaching Women's Literature from a Regional Perspective."  The course was taught by Dr. Ruth Alexander, Professor of English and supervised by Dr. Leonore Hoffman of the Modern Language Association office.

This series consists of papers written by students of this course, a press release, and news clippings.  The papers include notes by the instructor and a final grade.  Also included in the papers are some pamphlets and photographs.

Folders are arranged in alphabetical order mainly by the last name of the writer.

Box 1.

  1. Bess Streeter Aldrich by Eggebratten, Mary, [n.d.]

  2. Marietta Bones by Gereau, Rick, 1978

  3. Clippings, 1978-1979

  4. Borghild Dahl by Hawthorne, Joan, [n.d.]

  5. Description of course by Ruth Alexander, [n.d.]

  6. Abbie Gardner by Chesnik, Carrie, [n.d.]

  7. Indian Women by Keltgen, Jaciel, [n.d.]

  8. Edith Eudora Kohl by Saylor, Kathy, [n.d.]

  9. Faye C. Lewis by Martin, Dixie, [n.d.]

  10. Martha Ostenso by Bosch, Laura, 1979

  11. Press release, 1978

  12. Alvida Sorenson by Moss, Dennis, [n.d.]

  13. Women and Dakota Dress by Larson, Joyce, [n.d.]

  14. Women and Their Pioneer Childhoods on the West River Range by Braband, Rachel, [n.d.]

SERIES II:     Departmental records, 1951-2006

This series is composed of publications produced by the English Department. Material includes newsletters, pamphlets, and posters. Folders are arranged in alphabetical order.

Box 1.

  1. Department of English (newsletter), 1982 March-1992 Summer

  2. English at State (newsletter), 1990-1999

  3. English Dept. (newsletter), 1975-1989

  4. Great Plains Writers' Conference (promotional material), 1988-2008

  5. Oakwood (publication), 2000, 2002-2003

  6. Pamphlets (Department information), 2004, [n.d.]

  7. Posters (events), 1999-2003, 2007

  8. Proceedings of the 14th Northern Plains Conference on Earlier British Literature, 2006

  9. Sacerdotal Function (newsletter), 1974

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Updated 11 August 2008 by cjg

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Copyright 2007 by South Dakota State University and SDSU Archives.
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