Literature

P

William Peden Interview, 1968 (C3344)
0.02 cubic feet (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

Transcription of interview with William Peden, an English professor and fiction writer. Peden gives his views on advantages and disadvantages of various literary forms, especially novel and short story, in terms of writing process and effectiveness; effects of television on short story market, as well as comparison of academic literary journals with sophisticated, mass-circulated magazines. He discusses the literacy potential of Missouri environment, especially Boone County, and the literary circles in St. Louis, 1910-1925. The interview concludes with major literary influences upon Peden.

Charles Lincoln Phifer Papers, 1880-1908 (C3527)
0.2 cubic feet (13 folders)

 Finding Aid

The papers contain two unpublished novels. The County Editor is autobiographical; The County Judge, or the Osceola Fox is about the repudiation of fraudulent railroad bonds in St. Clair County, Missouri, in the 1860s.

Counties

Janet Gale Price Papers, 1996-2002 (K0806)
0.11 cubic foot (6 folders)

 Finding Aid

This collection includes materials related to Janet Gale Price and her family. The collection also includes materials related to Mucolipidosis Type IV, a genetic disease prevalent among Jewish families.

Counties

Gloria Pritchard Papers, 1910-1983 (S0150)
1 cubic foot, 254 photographs

 Digitized Materials

 Finding Aid

The papers of Gloria Pritchard contain correspondence, photographs, and newspaper clippings pertaining to Pritchard's life and career as an African-American radio host and activist. Prichard was known for her radio shows, "World of Women (1957-1965) and "Great Negro Artists" (1960-1961) on KATZ. She was also active in Democratic politics, African-American Women's Clubs, and Civil Rights groups.

Counties

William Allen Pusey Papers, 1938 (C2779)
0.02 cubic feet (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

Poem of six verses, DE SENECTUTE (without apologies to Cicero or Emmerson), by a Chicago dermatologist; photograph of Pusey.

Q

Martin P. Quigley Papers , 1930-1996 (S0589)
1.2 cubic foot, 70 folders

 Finding Aid

This collection contains writings by novelist Martin Quigley; Neurotica Volume 1, Numbers 1 (Spring 1948) 4, (Spring 1949) and Volume 8 (1951); Bound volumes of Midwest Motorist, 1971-1996; interviews with Bing Devine and Bob Costas; and writings by Fran Landesman.

Counties

Quill Club of Kansas City Records, 1920-1980 (K0509)
8 c.f.

Organizational files of a writers club in Kansas City, MO Includes minutes, financial records, scrapbooks, manuscript writings of members and other records.

Counties

R

Jerry Rabushka Papers, 1975-2020 (S0299)
11.5 cubic feet

 Finding Aid

The Jerry Rabushka Papers contain diaries, scrapbooks, script, program bills, posters and VHS tapes documenting Rabushka's career as a playwright, author, and musician. Materials of interest include scrapbooks and photographs of Rabushka's original plays, including Full Frontal Nudity, Gaywatch, and Woof! The Road Show.

Counties

Jack Leonard Ralston Papers, 1874-1996 (K0424)
21 c.f.

 Finding Aid

Research materials, magazine articles that Ralston wrote, books, and sheet music for the Organ that he collected and some he wrote. Much of the material is religious in nature. Also correspondence, scrapbooks, and material that discusses Ralston's personal life and career as music librarian.

Counties

Mildred Kittell Ray Collection, 1857-1973 (K0024)
0.19 c.f. (10 folders)

 Finding Aid

Letters written by John Taylor, Mrs. Ray's great grandfather, and his brother, James Taylor, to their parents in Oldham, England, about their experiences in Kansas City, 1857-1863, as well as letters from Mrs. Ray's mother and grandmother. It also includes research notes and writings by Mrs. Ray concerning the Taylor and Fisher families, including notes on diaries kept by Abel Fisher concerning his trip to California and his early days in Kansas City, 1855-1858

Counties

Opie Read Papers, no date (C0395)
0.1 cubic feet (5 folders)

 Finding Aid

Two manuscripts, a contract, and a newspaper obituary of Opie Read, humorist and novelist. Manuscript of four-act play, "Young Abraham," based on the romance of Abraham Lincoln and Ann Rutledge. The other manuscript is a short story. Both were written by Read.

The Readers (Columbia, Mo.) Papers, 1926-2022 (CA6651)
0.3 cubic feet

Addition of correspondence, minutes, membership lists, programs, constitutions, memorials, and miscellaneous material, 1926-2022. See also C3638.

Counties

The Readers (Columbia, Mo.) Papers, 1925-2012 (C3638)
0.8 cubic feet (23 folders)

 Finding Aid

The origins, history, minutes, and memorials of The Readers, a Columbia, Missouri, club for women started in 1925. The club’s emphasis is the reading and discussion of books.  Profiles of women from this club give a useful comment on the concerns of educated women in the early twentieth century.

Counties

"The Republic of Missouri," W.L. Webb, no date (C1286)
0.16 cubic feet (1 volume)

 Finding Aid

History of Missouri by an Independence, MO, newspaperman.

Counties

Paul Joseph Revitt Papers, 1940-1990 (K0849)
14 c.f.

Personal and professional papers of Revitt, professor in the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. Includes research and final drafts of his master's thesis and doctoral dissertation and other articles and books; daily expense books and diaries; travel scrapbooks; and printed, and published material.

Counties

Fannie A. (Mrs. Sidney) Reynolds Scrapbook, 1880-1911 (K0411)
0.1 c.f.

 Finding Aid

Clippings of poetry, stories (religious, holiday, morals, children), news stories from around the United States and Europe, stories of famous people, histories of various things (animals, potatoes, gold leaf, etc) Grover Cleveland, and homilies.

Russell Robert Rine Papers, 1974 (K0348)
0.01 c.f.

 Finding Aid

"The Snow Fox", a fictionalized history of the Rine family before and during Revolutionary War times, written by Rine.

Counties

Robinson Family Papers/Kansas City Social Register Records, 1880-1998 (K0774)
19 c.f.

 Finding Aid

Papers of a prominent Kansas City family, and publishers of the Social Register. Includes correspondence, genealogical files, reference notecard index, biographical data, printed and published material, clippings, and photographs.

Counties

Hamline E. Robinson Papers, 1877-1879 (C1219)
0.2 cubic feet

 Finding Aid

Papers of Hamline E. Robinson, a Maryville, MO, book collector, consisting of a diary, a catalog of his occult library; and a volume that includes a "Sketch of the Life of Thomas Taylor, the Platonist" and a biographical account of Taylor's works.

Counties

"Roderick, Last of the Goths," A.W. Scharil, 1853 (C1244)
0.08 cubic feet (1 volume)

 Finding Aid

The collection contains a tragedy in five acts written by a St. Louis lawyer, editor and publisher. Scharil was a member of the American Bar Association, editor and publisher of The American Banner, Union Banner, Mississippi Valley Farmer, Mississippi Sun, and other publications.

Counties

Rolla Chamber of Commerce Collection, circa 1931 (R1212)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

This is a promotional booklet for Rolla, the seat of Phelps County in south-central Missouri. Although undated, it includes data from the 1930 census and a view of the Edwin Long Hotel, which opened in 1931. Also included is a poem, "In the Ozark Hills of Old Missouri", by Dr. J. Curtis Lyter.

Counties

Frank A. Root Letter, 1925 (C2781)
0.02 cubic feet (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

To Brentano's, Inc., Chicago, IL, from Topeka, KS, June 8, 1925. Letter concerning publishing THE OVERLAND STAGE TO CALIFORNIA in 1901; biographical information; and offer of two copies of one book for sale at $40 and $35.

Malcolm Leviatt Rosholt Papers, 1930-1990 (K0389)
1 c.f.

 Finding Aid

Noted journalist in 1930s China, intelligence officer for the Flying Tigers, Wisconsin local historian and author. Includes research notes and writing by Rosholt on China and the Far East.

David Reid Ross Manuscript, 2000 (K0925)
0.03 c.f. (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

Manuscript, Kansas Abolitionists Fight Confederates in Missouri written by Ross.

Counties

Larry Rottmann Collection, 1960s-2000s (CA5858)
107.35 cubic feet, audiovisual material, oversize material

 Finding Aid

Compilation of correspondence, subject files, manuscripts, publications, newspaper clippings, teaching material, production material, organizational records, and audio and video recordings related to Vietnam, the Vietnam War and anti-war activity, veterans, and conflict literature.

Elaine Baum Ryder Papers, 1908-2006 (K0701)
1 c.f.

National Register of Historic Places forms written by Ryder while a researcher for the Kansas City Landmarks Commission, booklets, books, newspaper clippings and magazines, and photographs.

Counties

S

Rhea Silverbery Salasche-Kaseff Papers, 1952 (K1144)
0.01 cubic foot (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

The Rhea Salasche-Kaseff Papers contain a May 1952 edition of the Beth Shalom Sunday School newsletter, "The Comet."

Counties

Harold David "Hal" Sandy and Wilda Barmore Sandy Collection, 1974-1995 (K0718)
3 c.f.

Research notes, photographs, draft manuscripts for various local history writings by the Sandys. Includes Articles, promotional materials, working drafts, photographs, slides and talks concerning their book, "Here Lies Kansas City," articles, correspondence, taskforce report, notes, and resolutions relating to various historic preservation projects.

Counties

Marshall Bryan Saper Collection, 1984-1991 (K1065)
16 c.f.

 Finding Aid

Saper was a clinical psychologist in private practice an author, lecturer and radio talk show host on KCMO. Includes audio recording of his popular call-in radio program.

Counties

Alma Sioux Scarberry Papers, 1899-1990 (C3913)
3.0 cubic feet (107 folders), 41 audio cassettes, 14 audio discs

 Finding Aid

The papers of Alma Sioux Scarberry, a reporter, novelist, script writer, publicist, and entertainer, include correspondence, clippings, photographs, newspaper serials, books, manu­scripts, sheet music, audio tapes, and material documenting her career and personal life.

Scarritt-Royster-Swinney Family Papers, 1818-1989 (K0632)
71 c.f.

 Digitized Materials

 Finding Aid

Family papers of three prominent families of Kansas City and Glasgow, MO. Includes a wide variety of materials including letters, postcards, speeches, newspaper articles, poetry, photographs, family items, business and personal papers, tributes to various individuals and historical papers and recollections.

Counties

Morris Schlozman Papers, 1953-2004 (K1092)
0.2 c.f.

Schlozman was Business Manager and General Manager of Box Office, an international film trade journal. Includes materials pertaining to Congregation Beth Shalom (commemoration books, memories of Rabbi Gershon Hadas) and a articles and other materials from renowned Jewish scholar Irving Levitas.

Counties

F.L. Schofield Papers, 1912 (C3569)
0.02 cubic feet (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

The papers of F.L. Schofield contain a copy of of a letter from Schofield on behalf of commission to erect a Mark Twain monument and marker, to Albert Bigelow Paine, Twain's biographer, and Paine's reply. Identity of the house in which Twain was born, and appropriate inscriptions for the monument and marker are discussed.

James H. Scott Papers, 1880s, 1887 (R1495)
0.25 cubic foot (2 volumes)

 Finding Aid

The James H. Scott Papers contain two volumes with the writings of James H. Scott. The volumes include the published and writing drafts of Scott’s poetry and inspirational writings.

Counties

James W. Scott Papers, 1930-2007 (K0554)
4.5 c.f.

 Finding Aid

Correspondence, paperwork, political cartoons, various notes and booklets written and/or collected by Scott, reporter, editor, and later vice president of the Kansas City Star Company.

Counties

Laura Redden Searing Papers, 1846-1963 (C2290)
4.0 cubic feet (142 folders)

 Finding Aid

The papers of Laura Redden Searing, a poet and author whose works appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and Searing’s writings.  Also included are correspondence, publicity clippings, and photographs of Searing’s daughter, Elsa Searing McGinn.

Don Secrease Papers, 1971-2020 (S0370)
2.3 cubic foot

 Finding Aid

The collection contains St. Louis-area published stripzines, comic books, and original storyboards documenting Don Secrease's career as a comic book artist and publisher. Materials of interest include issues of Swashbucklers, a comic book Secrease published with Rick Burchett and Paul Daly, and ran for four issues from 1980-1982. Also included in the collection are original storyboards Secrease created for Swashbucklers.   

Counties

Elizabeth Seifert Papers, 1944 (C0401)
0.1 cubic feet (5 folders)

 Finding Aid

Manuscript of DOCTOR WOODWARD'S AMBITION (originally called "The Hospital"), published by Dodd, Mead & Company in 1945. Also notes, clippings, and two letters from the publishers.

Counties

William A. Settle Jr. Papers, c. 1920-1987 (C3896)
2.5 cubic feet (102 folders), 5 rolls of microfilm

 Finding Aid

Papers of a University of Tulsa history professor related to his research of the Missouri outlaws Jesse and Frank James, consisting of correspondence, research notes, bibliographies, newspaper clippings, photographs, and ephemera.

Severance Book Review Club (Columbia, Mo.) Records, 1931-2000 (C4364)
0.4 cubic feet (9 folders)

 Finding Aid

The records of a literary club contain constitutions, minutes, and membership lists of the club.

Counties

Charles E. Sexton Papers, 1938-1973 (C4519)
2.0 cubic feet (48 folders)

 Finding Aid

Unpublished and published manuscripts, consisting of mostly historical fiction with some non-fiction, by writer and civil engineer Charles E. Sexton.

Subjects

Shakespeare Club (Clinton, Mo.) Minutes, 1892-1911 (C2477)
0.14 cubic feet (3 volumes)

 Finding Aid

The collection contains minutes of the meetings of a ladies' cultural improvement club. Members are listed and the lesson for each meeting described.

Counties

Everett D. Shelton Poems, 1927 (C1253)
0.01 cubic feet (1 volume)

 Finding Aid

"The Missourian" and other poems.

Everett D. Shelton Poems, 1936-1939 (C3218)
0.02 cubic feet (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

Six handwritten booklets of poetry.

Sophie Beatrice ""Bee"" Kurs Sherman Papers, 1941-1986 (K0893)
0.07 cubic foot (7 folders, 1 photograph)

 Finding Aid

The Sophie Beatrice "Bee" Kurs Sherman Papers contain columns, scripts, and song lyrics written by Bee Sherman, a member of Kehilath Israel Synagogue, as well as a certified copy of Sherman's birth record, a photograph, and two newspaper clippings.

Counties

Ralph J. Shoemaker Papers, 1920-1964 (C3350)
2.45 cubic feet (106 folders, 1 card file, 2 oversize volumes)

 Finding Aid

The papers contain correspondence, transcriptions of speeches, and pamphlets about newspaper libraries; correspondence and news coverage about publication of The President’s Words; reports; copies of Subject Classification for Clipping and Picture Files by Shoemaker; and World War II photographs.

Ralph J. Shoemaker Papers, 1965-1980 (CA4298)
6 cubic feet, 1 oversize volume

 Finding Aid

Postcard collections, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous writings. Shoemaker was a newspaper librarian.

Shoemaker-Mathews Family Scrapbook, no date (C4284)
1 folder

 Finding Aid

The Shoemaker-Matthews Scrapbook is a collection of poetry and writings collected by the Shoemaker and Matthews family.

"Show Me: The Great Gallery of Missouri and Missourians", 2020-2024 (C4506)
358 MB of digital files (1 docx, 78 jpgs)

 Finding Aid

The collection contains an unpublished digital illustrated manuscript by Larry W. Waterfield featuring original artwork in celebration of Missouri’s Bicentennial in 2021. Also includes individual image files for some of the illustrations.

Stanley C. Smith Papers, 1951-1971 (C3607)
0.4 cubic feet (34 folders)

 Finding Aid

Papers of a newspaper editor, tavern operator, teacher, and close friend of the poet John G. Neihardt. Smith managed one of Neihardt’s public speaking tours and the two corresponded regularly for twenty years. The papers consist primarily of letters from Neihardt to Smith, but also include records related to the 1965 speaking tour, newspaper clippings, and photographs.