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Brigham Young University. English Department

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1920-

Administrative History

The English Department (est. 1920) is an academic unit at Brigham Young University.

The Department of English includes classes of rhetoric and composition, advanced composition, short story writing, news writing, advanced narration, teacher's course in grammar, Anglo-Saxon, philology, Chaucer, Shakespeare's tragedies, Shakespeare's comedies, Milton, love and the light, the history and development of the English novel, the Romantic poets, modern continental European drama, modern British drama, the English modern novel, the American modern novel, Tennyson's minor poems, Tennyson's major poems, and Browning.

The Department of English was a part of the Church Teachers College until the college was split in 1920. The department was placed under the direction of the School of Arts and Sciences. The department was transferred in 1921 when the School of Arts and Sciences to the renamed the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1954 the department was transferred to the newly established College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and later in 1965 to the College of Humanities. Department chairs included Alfred Osmond (1920-1923), Parley A. Christensen (1923-1954), Leonard W. Rice (1955-1958), Ralph A. Britsch (1958-1960), Bruce B. Clark (1960-1966), Dale H. West (1966-1973), Marshall R. Craig (1973-1975), Richard H. Cracroft (1975-1981), John B. Harris (1981-1986), William A. Wilson (1986-1992), Neal E. Lambert (1992-1996), C. Jay Fox (1996-1999), John S. Tanner (1999-2004), Edward A. Geary (2004-2006), Gregory D. Clark (2006-2007), and Edward S. Cutler (2007-).

Citation:
Organizational History Project, Januarty 14, 2013 (Dept. of English; est. 1965; rhetoric and composition, advanced composition, short story writing, news writing, advanced narration, teacher's course in grammar, Anglo-Saxon, philology, Chaucer, Shakespeare's tragedies, Shakespeare's comedies, Milton, love and the light, the history and development of the English novel, the Romantic poets, modern continental European drama, modern British drama, the English modern novel, the American modern novel, Tennyson's minor poems, Tennyson's major poems, and Browning; Church Teachers College, 1920; School of Arts and Sciences, 1921; College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1954; Department chairs.

Found in 21 Collections and/or Records:

English Department records on English Composition

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1050
Scope and Contents

This collection contains English Composition's history from 1975-1983. The collection includes scrapbooks, papers, publications, poetry, etc.

Dates: 1975-1983

English Department test booklets

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1876
Scope and Contents

Test booklets on various topics from the English Department.

Dates: 1986

Vivia Hedquist papers

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231033900]
Identifier: UA 134
Scope and Contents

Collection includes handwritten and typewritten class notes, a 30 page handwritten paperbound music notebook, a 60 page handwritten paperbound English notebook and eight handwritten essays with the instructor's comments, written for a literature class taught by Juliaetta Bateman.

Dates: approximately 1908

Harold S. Madsen professional papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 7572
Scope and Contents

Contains eight cartons of professional papers regarding his time as a Professor of both English and Linguistics at Brigham Young University. Includes syllabi, papers, handbooks and various other materials dating 1960-1988.

Dates: 1960-1988

Harrison R. Merrill papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 132
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, essays, and clippings (photocopies) to and from Merrill concerning his publications in newspapers and periodicals, the Alpine Summer School, Brigham Young University athletics, curricula and religious atmosphere, 1924-1929.

Dates: 1924-1929

Don E. Norton papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 8779
Scope and Contents

Collection of letters, reminiscent accounts, memos, clippings, and other materials on the history of the Brigham Young University English Department, including discussion of feminism. Materials dated 1990-2015.

Dates: 1990-2015

Oral history interview with Dale H. West

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA OH 146
Scope and Contents

Interview conducted by Richard Poll as part of the Brigham Young University Archives Joint Oral History Project of the Brigham Young University Alumni Association Emeritus Club on April 29, 1988. West describes why he chose to teach English at BYU. He gives an account of his employment with the BYU English Department and describes different aspects of his career including the people who were influential in his professional life. Includes transcript and sound recording.

Dates: 1988

Oral history interview with J. J. Keeler

 File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2122
Scope and Contents

Includes memories of his grandfather, J. Marinus Jensen, who was a professor in the English Department at Brigham Young University, 1910-1945. Includes information on Jensen's personal and professional life.

Dates: 1992 January 2

Louise Plummer papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2060
Scope and Contents

Papers relating to two young-adult novels written by Plummer entitled: "The Romantic Obsession & Humiliations of Annie Sehlmeier" (1985-1987) & "The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman" (1995). Includes copies of the published books, correspondence between Plummer and publishers, and several manuscripts of the books.

Dates: 1985-1995

Ed M. Rowe papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 181
Scope and Contents

Contains card files concerning authors, especially English Romantics, biographies, notes on individual works, and bibliographies. Also includes newsclippings concerning history, politics, celebrities of the 1930s, correspondence with Heber J. Grant, theological notes, speeches, and addresses of missionaries and associates in Europe, 1924-1951.

Dates: 1924-1951

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Colleges and Universities 17
Education 17
Letters 8
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 5
Essays 4
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Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 3
Literature 3
Memorandums 3
Notes 3
English language -- Composition and exercises 2
English language -- Study and teaching -- Utah -- Provo 2
Examinations 2
Minutes (Records) 2
Oral histories 2
Outlines 2
Scrapbooks 2
Anthropology -- Study and teaching -- Utah -- Provo 1
Audiotapes 1
Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho) 1
Children's writings 1
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 1
College students' writings 1
College teachers -- Utah -- Provo 1
College teachers -- Utah -- Provo -- History 1
Compact discs 1
Courses and lectures 1
Curriculum 1
Diaries 1
Dissertations, Academic 1
Dowsing -- Study and teaching -- Utah -- Provo 1
Drafts (Documents) 1
Education -- Utah -- Grantsville -- History 1
Education -- Utah -- Provo 1
Educational technology 1
English 1
English language 1
English language -- 20th century 1
English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers 1
English language -- Study and teaching -- Utah -- Provo -- History 1
English literature -- 18th century -- History and criticism 1
English literature -- 19th century -- History and criticism 1
English teachers 1
Feminism -- Utah 1
Geography -- Study and teaching -- Utah -- Provo 1
Grantsville (Utah) -- History 1
Historians -- Utah -- Provo -- Interviews 1
Histories (Literary works) 1
Holocaust 1
Humanities -- Study and teaching -- Utah -- Provo 1
Language and Languages 1
Latter Day Saint authors 1
Latter Day Saint churches -- History 1
Latter Day Saint women 1
Latter Day Saints -- Songs and music 1
Lecture notes 1
Linguistics -- Utah -- Provo 1
Maps 1
Massachusetts -- History 1
Missions and Missionaries 1
Music 1
National socialism 1
Numerology -- Study and teaching 1
Photocopies 1
Photographs 1
Poetry 1
Postcards 1
Reports 1
Rexburg (Idaho) -- History 1
Scores 1
Transcripts 1
Universities and colleges -- Utah -- Provo 1
Universities and colleges -- Utah -- Provo -- Faculty 1
Universities and colleges -- Utah -- Provo -- Faculty -- Interviews 1
Wales 1
Young adult literature -- History and criticism -- Sources 1
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