The Edgar B. Gordon Papers consist of incoming letters, typewritten articles and addresses, handwritten and typewritten manuscripts, instructional books, reminiscences, biographical data, and scrapbooks. The letters which Gordon received are of two types. A number deal with his activities in music education. The remainder, sent to Gordon upon his retirement from the University of Wisconsin Faculty in 1944, are congratulatory. Several letters are also included in his scrapbooks. The typewritten articles and addresses and the handwritten and typewritten manuscripts are comprised primarily of Gordon's comments on and proposals for music and music appreciation and education. Three manuscript instructional manuals are in the collection--The Technique of Violin Playing (incomplete), Fundamentals of Musicianship, both written by Gordon, and Periodical Reference Material for Music Appreciation Course, compiled by Gordon. A series of news releases, programs, clippings, typescript comments and reports regarding Journeys in Music Land are included in Gordon's papers. The reminiscences describe his childhood, his activities in Chicago, Los Angeles, Kansas, and at the University of Wisconsin, and his work in radio music education. The remainder of the collection consists of biographical material, Gordon's religious observations, two scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, programs, and several letters, and a number of periodical articles written by or about Gordon.
