WILLIAM ARTHUR AND ALBERTA TURNER

(PAPERS, 1941-1982)

SCOPE AND CONTENT

	The papers of William Arthur Turner document Turner's career as a teacher and
scholar as well as his service to the wider profession.  The biographical material (Series
1) contains only brief information of his personal life, concentrating more fully on his
professional activities.  The collection as a whole primarily illustrates Turner's scholarly
interests and writing as well as personal narratives regarding religion and his early life.

	The collection is divided into the following series: 1. Biographical File; 2.
Correspondence (Organized around his publications); 3. Correspondence (Non
Professional); 4. Writings; 5. Miscellaneous Material; 6. Files relating to Alberta Tucker
Turner.


SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series 1: Biographical File 1947-1981 

	The biographical information for William Arthur Turner includes photocopies of
articles from various newspapers and copies of photographs.  A copy of a faculty
biographical form for William Arthur Turner is contained in the folder, as well as copies of
letters announcing his retirement from Oberlin College.


Series 2: Correspondence, 1949-82  (9 Folders)

	This series consists of letters written to and by W. Arthur Turner regarding his
publications, both academic and narrative.  Publishers included in the correspondence
are The Odyssey Press, The MacMillan Company, Cambridge University Press, and
Harcourt, Brace and Company.  Publicity material for his professional publications is also
included.


Series 3: Correspondence, 1955-82 (Non-Professional)  

	This series is made up of W.A. Turner's personal correspondence with friends and
family (including Oberlin College's Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Robert M.
Longsworth), as well as letters regarding medical concerns.  Also included are a number
of letters written to news agencies, such as Time Magazine  and NBC, reflecting Turner's
views on various issues.


Series 4: Writings, 1943-80  (8 Folders)

	The writings are made up of both drafts and finished proofs of Turner's works, both
professional and narrative.  These include copies of  writings for The Odyssey Handbook
and Guide to Writing, The Methods of English Prose, and transcriptions of Milton's letters
for The Complete Prose Works of Milton.  A number of articles are also included, though
several of them are undated.


Series 5: Miscellaneous Material (General), 1941  

	This series is made up of W.A. Turner's course notes for a class on biographical
research he took with his thesis advisor, Mr. Parker, as a graduate student at Ohio State
University, as well as other (un-labelled) notes for classes with Mr. Wilson and Mr.
Walley.  Also included are copies of engravings, probably of historical literary figures.


Series 6: Files Relating to Alberta Tucker Turner, n.d.  

	This series contains copies of some of Alberta T. Turner's poems, as well as copies
of newspaper clippings (duplicates of those in W.A. Turner's Biographical file).


PROVENANCE

The Papers of William Arthur Turner were turned over to the Oberlin College Archives by
Prudence (Turner) Richards on November 10th and 15th, 1997, but were handled as one
accession (accession number 1997/142).

 

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[OC Archives]
Last updated: 1 July 1998