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Spencer J. Palmer collection on the Shizutani School

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 8892

Scope and Contents

Collection contains materials concerning the Shizutani School located in the Okayama Prefecture of Japan. Materials in the collection include photographs which capture teachers performing a Confucius Ceremony. Also included are the correspondences of Brigham Young University professor of religion, Spencer J. Palmer, and other individuals concerning the Shizutani School located in the Okayama Prefecture of Japan. Subjects of the letters concern attendance and details of the Ceremony. Other materials include publications and ephemera, specifically tourist pamphlets concerning the school and the Okayama Prefecture. Materials date from approximately 1971-1975.

Dates

  • approximately 1971-1975

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials in English with some content in Japanese.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from the Spencer J. Palmer collection on the Shizutani School must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Coorinating Committee.

Biographical History

Walter L. Ames (1946-) is a professor at Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University in Utah, and had a career in Law.

Walter L. Ames was born in 1946 in California, where he spent his childhood. He moved to Provo to attend Brigham Young University in 1964. He deferred his education for two years to serve a mission to Japan. Upon his return to Provo, he continued his education in Anthropology and Asian Studies. He continued to study Anthropology at the University of Michigan, earning his PhD in 1976. He spent a few years around this time in Japan doing anthropological research regarding the police and law. He would eventually spend many more years in Japan. He then attended Harvard Law School, obtaining a Doctor of Law Degree. He used this to practice law for many years. He was also an associate professor of Anthropology at BYU and now is an adjunct faculty at Utah Valley University and at Brigham Young University.

Biographical History

Spencer J. Palmer (1927-2000) was a professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University.

Spencer J. Palmer was born in 1927 in Eden, Arizona. He was raised in Thatcher, Arizona. He attended Eastern Arizona College before transferring to Brigham Young University. He took two years during his time at BYU to serve as a missionary in California. He left Brigham Young with a bachelor's degree. He continued his education at the University of California, Berkeley, obtaining a master's in East Asiatic Studies and a PhD in Oriental history. He married Shirley Ann Hadley in 1956 before he returned to Brigham Young University to teach church history and doctrine as a professor and was a scholar of comparative religion.

Palmer served as a chaplain for the US military in Korea and Japan. He would continue his ventures in Asia in 1993 when the Chinese government asked him to teach comparative religion to Ethnic Minority Groups in China. Palmers death occured seven years later, on November 27, 2000.

Extent

1 half box (0.5 linear ft.)

Custodial History

Presumably donated by Spencer J. Palmer or member of the Spencer J. Palmer family.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated; Spencer J. Palmer or member of Spencer J. Palmer family.

Appraisal

LDS Scholarship and Historiography (20th Century Mormon and Western Manuscripts Collection Developmental Policy 5.III, August 2007.)

Processing Information

Processed; Amy Jacobs, student manuscript processor, and John M. Murphy, curator; 2016.

Title
Register of Spencer J. Palmer collection on the Shizutami School
Status
Completed
Author
Amy Jacobs
Date
2016 October 19
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English in Latin script.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States