taylor_warren

WARREN TAYLOR, 1903-92
PAPERS, 1924 (1925-73)-1987
SCOPE AND CONTENT

The papers of Warren Taylor document the multiple intellectual passions of one of Oberlin College's most popular teachers. They alsoreflect Taylor's interest in collecting evidence of what he considered his signal achievements. His friendships with students were important to him and are recorded in correspondence spanning forty years. Lecture notes used in his popular English and American literature courses are not present in the collection, although there is material relating to the academic programs Taylor initiated. There is virtually no information in these papers about Taylor's personal life.

The collection is arranged into the following records series: I. Correspondence; II. Writings; III. Files Relating to Special Academic Programs; IV. Professional Files; V. Miscellaneous Files; and VI. Photographs. Within series, files are arranged into subseries, and thereunder they are arranged chronologically or alphabetically by topic or type of material. Notes in Taylor's hand, explaining the contents of various files, are maintained as they were found.

The correspondence of Warren Taylor is both personal and professional in nature and consists mainly of incoming letters from colleagues and friends. Correspondents include Oberlin professors Frederick B. Artz (1894-1983), Andrew Bongiorno (b. 1900), Roger A. Jelliffe (1883-1970), Chester L. Shaver (1907-80), R. H. Stetson (1872-1950), Charles Henry Wager (1869-1939), and Vanderbilt University classmates Samuel Weingarten and Richard West. The correspondence housed in Subseries 3, Miscellaneous Correspondence, includes letters (1970) from students written during the Vietnam War requesting support for their status as Conscientious Objectors; letters from publishers of literary magazines, including one letter (1927) from the modernist French periodical, Transition; and incoming correspondence (1969-70) commenting on Taylor's review of John Barnard's book, From Evangelicalism to Progressivism at Oberlin College, 1866-1917 (Columbus: The Ohio State University Press, 1969). The incoming correspondence (1942-79) from Taylor's students, housed in Subseries 4, is among the richest of its kind. Letters dating from the nineteen-sixties and seventies are steeped in the idealism of those years and reveal the degree to which Taylor fostered that idealism in the classroom. Taylor's student correspondents include political philosophers Cecilia Kenyon (1922-90) and Sheldon Wolin. Correspondence from neuroscientist Roger W. Sperry (b. 1913) is filed with signed offprints of his writings in Series V.

Taylor's teaching career is documented by files pertaining to the Humanities Program at Oberlin, the Oberlin Dramatic Association, and the Twentieth Century Program at Hiram College. Records of the Humanities Program include articles and press releases (1947-49) announcing the establishment of the program, a nearly complete run of the lectures (1943-70) that formed the program's intellectual core (1943-70), and correspondence (1951-74) with guest speakers. The twentieth century component of the program was offered to Hiram College students from 1970 to 1974; course materials for this program are present here. Taylor's involvement in the Oberlin Dramatic Association is recorded in his drama reviews (1932-51) for the Oberlin Review, playbills, and a scrapbook (1932-47). Also preserved are several small watercolor drawings (1934) of costumes and stage designs for a production of Electra. For programs presented by Taylor and members of the Poetry Trio, consult the records of Series IV, Subseries 3. For Taylor's summations of his professional activities during the years 1931 to 1944, consult his annual reports to President Wilkins, housed in Series IV, Subseries 2.

Records relating to Taylor's faculty service include a valuable series of files, carefully assembled by Taylor, documenting the evolution of the modern faculty-trustee governance controversy from 1940 to 1985. Documentation includes correspondence, memoranda, historical chronologies, notes, and statements by Taylor setting forth his interpretation of the so-called "Finney Compact" and its legal establishment by the 1903 college by-laws. Files contain Taylor's 1945 statement on behalf of the General Faculty Council, issued in response to President Ernest Hatch Wilkins (1880-1966), who, with the support of trustee Erwin N. Griswold, had proposed delegating to administrative bodies what had been faculty council responsibilities: budget preparation, appointment of deans, and review of faculty salaries. Taylor addresses these and other issues relating to the power of the president and the role offaculty councils in a series of letters to Oberlin's presidents and trustees between 1945 and 1985. Also present are letters (1973) from Oberlin College trustee, Erwin N. Griswold, rebutting Taylor's views.

Taylor's fervent belief in academic freedom and the preservation of civil liberties is further reflected in papers (1944-70) documenting his work for the American Association of University Professors at the local and national levels. Files include correspondence (incoming and file copies), telegrams, and miscellaneous printed materials pertaining to A.A.U.P. business. Several files document the case of Fisk University professor Lee Lorch. Lorch was terminated by the University in 1955 and then sued the institution. Taylor was chairman of the special committee which investigated the case. Also present is correspondence relating to Taylor's service on the Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure and the Committee on Organization. Additional records pertain to various literary conferences held on the Oberlin Campus and coordinated by Taylor. Correspondence (1955) on the Ohio Conference on Intellectual Freedom includes an autograph letter from author Pearl Buck (1892-1973) and one from civil liberties scholar Walter Gellhorn (b. 1906).

This collection does not include a comprehensive run of Taylor's numerous articles; it does, however, include a bibliography listing his articles and reviews through 1971. Housed in Series II, Writings, are several published and unpublished articles, book reviews which appeared in The Nashville Tennessean during the late twenties, seven volumes of avant-garde poetry periodicals (1928-30, 1934-35) containing poems by Taylor, reprints and tear sheets, published and unpublished lectures and college assembly talks, and a manuscript designated as "Work in Progress."

The remainder of the collection includes miscellaneous newspaper clippings relating to Taylor, a series of files (1963) on the Barrows House controversy, commencement programs (1924, 1937) and photographs of various faculty and student activities, including Oberlin Dramatic Association productions, Poetry Trio members, and the Shakespeare Quadricentennial dinner.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I. Correspondence Files (Incoming and Outgoing), 1925-86, n.d. 2 l.f.

Correspondence of Warren Taylor, arranged into four subseries: 1. Correspondence (chronologically arranged); 2. Correspondence (alphabetically arranged); 3. Miscellaneous Correspondence (alphabetically arranged by subject); and 4. Letters From Students (chronologically arranged). The arrangement of Subseries 1 and Subseries 2 was established by the Archivist in 1968, while the arrangement of Subseries 3 and Subseries 4 was established by the Project Archivist in 1992.

Series II. Writings and Talks, 1928-87, n.d. .6 l.f.

Published and unpublished writings of Warren Taylor, including articles, book reviews, reprints, tear sheets, poetry, and talks. Arranged alphabetically by genre. For Taylor's drama criticism, consult Series III, Subseries 2, Oberlin Dramatic Association.

Series III. Files Relating to Special Academic Programs, 1930-74, n.d., 1.6 l.f.

Correspondence, memoranda, news releases, reports, playbills, drama reviews (photocopies of newspaper articles), one scrapbook,lectures (copies), and syllabi. Arranged into three subseries by name of program: Subseries 1. The Humanities Program at Oberlin; 2. The Oberlin Dramatic Association; and 3. The Twentieth Century Program at Hiram College. Within subseries, materials are arranged alphabetically by type of material.

Series IV. Professional Files, 1931-85, n.d. 2.3 l.f.

Annual reports, correspondence (originals, file copies, and photocopies), memoranda, minutes, and various proposals and reports. Arranged into three subseries: 1. Files Relating to the Trustee-Faculty Governance Controversy; 2. Files Relating to Faculty Business; and 3. Files Relating to Professional Activities and Affiliations. Within subseries, materials are arranged alphabetically by type of material.

Series V. Miscellaneous Files, 1924-83 .6 l.f.

Correspondence, signed petitions, clippings (originals and photocopies), commencement programs, and other printed materials. Arranged alphabetically by type of material.

Series VI. Photographs, 1955, 1964-67, n.d. .10 l.f.

Color and black and white photographs, depicting various faculty and student activities. Arranged alphabetically by subject.

PROVENANCE

The papers of Warren Taylor were transferred under deed of gift to the Oberlin College Archives in 1968 and 1988.

RELATED MATERIALS

For records of the English Department, consult Record Group 9/9. For Taylor's numerous contributions to the Oberlin Alumni Magazine, consult the index to the magazine in the Special Collections Department of the Oberlin College Library. Erwin N. Griswold's papers (30/101) contain additional documentation of the faculty-trustee governance controversy.