Title: Elizabeth Margaret Kerr Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1910-1987

Creator:

• Kerr, Elizabeth Margaret, 1905-

Call Number: UWM Manuscript Collection 31

Quantity: 4.6 cubic ft. (10 boxes)
Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Papers of an English professor at the Wisconsin State College, Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee which include professional and personal correspondence, photographs, newspapers clippings, applications for research grants, reviews, notes, drafts of published works, and calendars. The calendars were used as a daily diary by Kerr. The majority of the collection concerns Kerr's study of the works of American author William Faulkner.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0031

Elizabeth Margaret Kerr was born in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan on January 25, 1905. She graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1922. She attended the State Teachers College in Superior, Wisconsin from 1922-1924. She transferred to the University of Minnesota in 1924, and received her B.A. in 1926, and her M.A. in 1927. She started as an English instructor at Tabor College in 1929, but returned to Minnesota to teach English in 1930. She functioned in this capacity during the years 1930-1937 and 1938-1943. In 1941 she received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, and from 1943-1945 she was an assistant professor at Rockford (Illinois) College. In 1945 she started as an instructor at the Wisconsin State College (Milwaukee). In 1956 the Wisconsin State College (Milwaukee) merged with the University of Wisconsin Extension (Milwaukee) to become the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. At this time she received the rank of associate professor. In 1959 she became a full professor. She retired from teaching in 1970. She was listed in The Writers Directory (1988), Who's Who in American Women (1991), Who's Who in the Midwest (1988), and Who's Who in the World (1989).

Papers of a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee English professor. The majority of the collection focuses on Kerr's professional activities and her study of the works of American author William Faulkner.

The collection consists of correspondence, photographs, copies of published papers, drafts of articles, newspaper clippings, and calendars.

There are numerous photographs in the collection, but not all of them are labeled. In most cases, either the date of the photograph, or the name of the subject is written on the back of the photograph. A large number of photographs are of Oxford, Mississippi. These photographs were taken in 1962, while Kerr was vacationing in the area. There are also photographs of William Faulkner, participants are Faulkner conferences, and Kerr's family members.

Kerr published a number of papers, and when possible, a printed copy of the published work has been included in the collection. When a printed copy was not located, the most recent draft of the work was retained. Drafts of published books were not retained, as the books are available in the UWM Libraries.

The newspaper clippings that were retained mostly deal with Kerr's study of the writings of William Faulkner.

The calendars in box six functioned essentially as diaries for Kerr, in that they chronicle her activities and personal observations on a daily basis.

Boxes seven and eight contain 3 x 5 inch note cards. Most of the cards contain bibliographic information, and are filed by the name of the author. The basic arrangement is alphabetical, but there are many deviations from this scheme.

There is a table of contents and an inventory for a William Faulkner Slide Collection, but the slides were not found while processing the collection.

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

Elizabeth Kerr's travel slides are located in the American Geographical Society Library.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

Ralph Aderman donated the collection to the Golda Meir Library sometime before 1989. Fred Olson donated a second accession on August 17, 1999. Additional calendars, likley part of the initial acquisition, were located in 2009.

Processing Information

Vincent Totka processed the collection in July and August 1992 at the Milwaukee Archives. Richard Shrake processed the additions to the collection in 2000. Ellen Engseth added additional calendars in 2010.

Box   1 Folder   1-2	Bibliography of a Sequence Novel, undated
Box   6	Calendars, 1923-1927, 1960, 1962-1965, 1969-1987, undated
Box   1 Folder   3	Carey, Joyce, Trilogy, 1959-1960
Box   1 Folder   4	Chronological Tables, undated
Box   1 Folder   5	Civil Rights, 1962
Box   1 Folder   6	Composition Committee, Minutes, 1946-1947
	Correspondence
Box   9 Folder   1	1923
Box   9 Folder   2	1924
Box   9 Folder   3	1925
Box   9 Folder   4	1926
Box   9 Folder   5	1927
Box   9 Folder   6	1928
Box   9 Folder   7	1929
Box   9 Folder   8	1930
Box   9 Folder   9	1931
Box   9 Folder   10	1932
Box   9 Folder   11	1933
Box   9 Folder   12	1934
Box   10 Folder   1	1935
Box   10 Folder   2	1936
Box   10 Folder   3	1937
Box   10 Folder   4	1938
Box   10 Folder   5	1939
Box   10 Folder   6	1940
Box   10 Folder   7	1941
Box   10 Folder   8	1942
Box   10 Folder   9	1943
Box   10 Folder   10	1944
Box   10 Folder   11	1945
Box   10 Folder   12	1946
Box   10 Folder   13	1947
Box   10 Folder   14	1948
Box   1 Folder   7	1929-1976
Box   1 Folder   8	1977-1987
Box   2 Folder   3	undated
Box   10 Folder   18	Copper Letter, 1936
Box   10 Folder   15	Elizabeth Kerr to Her Mother, 1925-1928
Box   1 Folder   9	Publication, undated
	Professional
Box   2 Folder   1	1960-1970
Box   2 Folder   2	1971-1980
Box   2 Folder   4	Drafts, Articles, undated
Box   2 Folder   5	Fairhaven Retirement Home, 1987
Box   2 Folder   6	Faulkner Conferences, 1976-1980
Box   2 Folder   7	Faulkner Slide Collection Inventory, undated
Box   2 Folder   8	Gothic Novel, undated
Box   2 Folder   9	Newspaper Clippings, 1962-1982
Box   7-8	Note Cards, undated
Box   3 Folder   1-2	Notes, undated
	Papers
Box   3 Folder   3	Absalom, Absalom, 1975
Box   3 Folder   4	All the King's Men, undated
Box   3 Folder   5	The American Gothic Novel, undated
Box   3 Folder   6	The Evolution of William Faulkner's Sanctuary, undated
Box   3 Folder   7	Evolution of Yoknapatawpha, undated
Box   4 Folder   1	Introduction to Yoknapatawpha, undated
Box   4 Folder   2	Invisible Man, undated
Box   4 Folder   3	The Reivers: The Golden Book of Yoknapatawpha County, undated
Box   4 Folder   4	Requiem for a Nun, undated
Box   4 Folder   5	The Women of Yoknapatawpha, undated
Box   4 Folder   6	Yoknapatawpha: Fact Versus Fiction, 1976
Box   4 Folder   7	Personal, 1915-1987
	Photographs
Box   4 Folder   8-9	undated
Box   10 Folder   16	undated
Box   4 Folder   10	Oxford, Mississippi, 1971
Box   4 Folder   11	Play, The Battle of Harrington Creek, 1976
Box   5 Folder   1	Poetry, undated
Box   5 Folder   2	Publishing Contracts, 1968
Box   10 Folder   17	Quarter Grade Report, 1928-1929
	Research Grant
Box   5 Folder   3	Applications, 1984-1985
Box   5 Folder   4	Reviews, 1983-1984
	Reviews
Box   5 Folder   5	"William Faulkner's Gothic Domain", 1978
Box   5 Folder   6	"William Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha: A Kind of Keystone in the Universe,"" 1983
Box   5 Folder   7	"Yoknapatawpha: Faulkner's Little Postage Stamp of Native Soil", 1976
Box   5 Folder   8	By Kerr, 1960-1980