Arthur L. Williams Collection
Abstract
Arthur L. Williams was an active researcher and musician. He was appointed to the faculty of the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in 1928 and founded the Ohio Intercollegiate Band Festival and the Ohio School Orchestra Contests in 1929. In 1950, Williams was elected to the American Bandmaster's Association (ABA) and served as chairman of ABA Research Sub-Committee on Band Research Study Topics. The collection contains Williams' correspondence with ABA members regarding band research. Included are also programs from ABA conventions, music pamphlets, and his personal research on Percy Grainger.
Important Information for Users of the Collection
The collection is open for research use.
Arthur L. Williams Collection, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.
Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Contact the curator for an appointment: http://www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/contact
This collection is PROCESSED.
Historical Note
Arthur Lyman Williams was born on April 21, 1902 in Oberlin, Ohio. As a young man, Williams was a charter member of Jack Wainwright's Oberlin Boys Band. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor of School Music from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in 1925. From 1932 until 1933 he was a student of Gordon Jacob at the Royal College of Music in London. In 1943 Williams also earned a Master of Arts from the Western Reserve University Graduate School (now Case Western Reserve University).
Williams was highly active in music education, especially in Ohio. After teaching high school in Michigan, Williams was appointed to the faculty of the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in 1928. He founded the Ohio Intercollegiate Band Festival and the Ohio School Orchestra Contests in 1929. He served as President of the Ohio Music Education Association (1931-1932) and founded the state music education publication Triad. On June 23, 1932, Williams married Mary Eleanor Maltbie.
In 1950, Williams was elected to the American Bandmaster's Association (ABA) and served as chairman of ABA Research Sub-Committee on Band Research Study Topics. Williams worked closely with Paul Yoder, chairman of the ABA Research committee. In addition to his duties with ABA, Williams served as the official representative for History and Tradition of the band in Ohio. Williams died on February 19, 1973.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Arthur L. Williams Collection covers the period from 1914-1972; the bulk dates of the materials date from 1935-1970. The collection consists of both personal and professional papers including correspondence, programs, pamphlets, ABA Convention materials, and articles relating to Williams' personal interest in Ohio band history, Percy Grainger, and the ABA Research Sub-Committee on Band Research Study Topics.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
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Processing Information
Processed by Caitlyn Callahan, March 2008.
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access. Markup completed by Mary Crauderueff, February 2009.
Arrangement of Collection
This collection has been divided into seven series.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Correspondence, 1962-1970 (21 folders)
This series contains correspondence with various ABA members arranged in alphabetical order. Much of the correspondence is regarding Williams' position as chairman of ABA Research Sub-Committee on Band Research Study Topics.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABA Bulletins, 1952-1965 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| ABA Membership, 1955-1964 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| ABA Memos from Williams, 1967-1969 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| ABA/MENC Collections, 1969-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| ABA Officers, 1953-1964 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| ABA Research Center, 1967-1969 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Band Research Study Topics, 1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Brandenburg, 1968-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Council for Research in Music Education, 1965-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Herbert W. Fred, 1968-1969 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Capt. Dale Harpham, 1969-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Robert John- ABA, 1968-1969 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| Paul Lehman- ABA Research Center, 1968-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| James Neilson- ABA, 1967-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| Ostwald Contest, 1957-1965 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| John Phillip Sousa Memorial- Autographed Letters, 1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
| Gale Sperry- Journal of Band Research, 1969-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 17 | |
| Everett Timm, 1968-1969 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 18 | |
| Various, 1957-1960 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 19 | |
| Paul Yoder, 1964-1970 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 20 | |
| Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1924-1971 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 21 | |
Series 2: ABA Convention Materials, 1931-1972 (31 folders)
This series of 31 folders contains souvenir programs, concert programs, and event schedules for ABA Conventions that occurred between 1931 and 1972. Included in the series are materials from the ABA sponsored Sousa Memorial.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABA 2nd Convention, 1931 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| ABA 3rd Convention, 1932 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| ABA 14th Convention, 1948 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| ABA 16th Convention, 1950 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| ABA 17th Convention, 1951 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| ABA 18th Convention, 1952 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 6 | |
| ABA 19th Convention, 1953 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 7 | |
| ABA 20th Convention, 1954 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 8 | |
| ABA 21st Convention, 1955 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 9 | |
| ABA 22nd Convention, 1956 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 10 | |
| ABA 23rd Convention, 1957 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 11 | |
| ABA 24th Convention, 1958 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 12 | |
| ABA 26th Convention, 1960 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 13 | |
| ABA 27th Convention, 1961 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 14 | |
| ABA 28th Convention, 1962 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 15 | |
| ABA 29th Convention, 1963 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 16 | |
| ABA 30th Convention, 1964 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 17 | |
| ABA 31st Convention, 1965 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 18 | |
| Washington DC Convention/Sousa Memorial, 1965 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 19 | |
| Convention Materials- Sousa, 1965 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 20 | |
| ABA 32nd Convention, 1966 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 21 | |
| ABA 33rd Convention, 1967 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 22 | |
| ABA 34th Convention, 1968 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 23 | |
| ABA 35th Convention, 1969 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 24 | |
| ABA 36th Convention, 1970 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 25 | |
| Convention Materials, 1970 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 1 | |
| ABA 37th Convention, 1971 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 2 | |
| Convention Materials, 1971 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 3 | |
| ABA 38th Convention, 1972 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 4 | |
| Conventions 1950's- 1960's, 1950-1960 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 5 | |
| Conventions 1950's- 1970's, 1950-1970 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 6 | |
Series 3: School Curriculum, 1935-1969 (8 folders)
This series of four folders contains teaching guides and programs relating to school curriculum. Included are lists of books about music, an instrumental music guide, and a Highlights magazine.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music Teaching Material Catalogs, 1935-1961 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | |
| Highlights Magazine, 1967 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 2 | |
| Testing, 1927-1959 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 3 | |
| General Catalogs, 1969 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 4 | |
| Workshops/Education, 1950-1964 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 5 | |
| Education Materials, 1968 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 6 | |
| Teaching guides, 1940-1964 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 7 | |
| Lecture Materials, 1945-1961 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 8 | |
Series 4: Research Materials, 1947-1971 (7 folders)
This seven folder series consists mainly of discussion and input to a list of band research doctoral dissertation topics. There are also music review journals, a serial journal, and a Catalogue of the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABA Research Center, 1947-1969 | series 4 | box 4 | folder 9 | |
| ABA Topics, 1966-1970 | series 4 | box 4 | folder 10 | |
| ABA Research Center Reports, 1963-1971 | series 4 | box 4 | folder 11 | |
| Music Review Journals, 1954-1966 | series 4 | box 4 | folder 12 | |
| Serial Journal, undated | series 4 | box 5 | folder 1 | |
| Catalogue of the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments by Albert A. Stanley (book 1920; given to Arthur L Williams 1936), 1920 | series 4 | box 5 | folder 2 | |
| Other research, undated | series 4 | box 5 | folder 3 | |
Series 5: Percy Grainger Files, 1942-1972 (7 folders)
This series contains seven folders that include programs of Oberlin concerts with music by Percy Grainger, correspondence between Arthur L. Williams and Percy and Ella Grainger, photographs of Percy Grainger, and music by Percy Grainger. The series outlines interaction between Arthur L. Williams, Oberlin, and Percy Grainger.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biography and Music Notes, 1969 | series 5 | box 5 | folder 4 | |
| Programs, 1942-1970 | series 5 | box 5 | folder 5 | |
| Correspondence, 1944-1972 | series 5 | box 5 | folder 6 | |
| Photographs, undated | series 5 | box 6 | folder 1 | |
| Articles, 1944-1952 | series 5 | box 6 | folder 2 | |
| Publications, 1938-1962 | series 5 | box 6 | folder 3 | |
| Music, 1962-1965 | series 5 | box 6 | folder 4 | |
Series 6: Clippings, Brochures, and Newsletters, 1914-1971 (11 folders)
This series of eight folders contains newspaper, magazine, photo, and program clippings related to music. Also included are various pamphlets on subjects such as music education, music therapy, and music camps.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pamphlets and Brochures, 1945-1969 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 5 | |
| Newspaper Clippings, 1963-1968 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 6 | |
| Magazine Clippings, 1915-1967 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 7 | |
| Articles, 1914-1967 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 8 | |
| Music and Music Catalogues, undated | series 6 | box 6 | folder 9 | |
| ASCAP, 1963-1964 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 10 | |
| Programs, 1933-1970 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 11 | |
| G. Schirmer Newsletter, 1964-1965 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 12 | |
| Boosey and Hawkes Newsletter, 1965-1968 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 13 | |
| Music Herald, 1931 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 14 | |
| Young Audiences, 1960-1964 | series 6 | box 6 | folder 15 | |
Series 7: Oberlin College Band, 1928-1969 (6 folders)
This series of six folders contains information surrounding the Oberlin College Band. Included in the series are programs from Oberlin band concerts, photographs, and administrative documents. Also included is a script from a radio show featuring the Oberlin College Band and other ensembles.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programs and Paraphernalia, 1928-1941 | series 7 | box 6 | folder 16 | |
| Photographs, 1930-1941 | series 7 | box 6 | folder 17 | |
| Band Administration Documents, 1929-1938 | series 7 | box 6 | folder 18 | |
| Clippings, 1935-1966 | series 7 | box 6 | folder 19 | |
| Radio Script, 1930 | series 7 | box 6 | folder 20 | |
| Professional Development, 1938-1955 | series 7 | box 6 | folder 21 | |
Related Material
For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.