Thomas
D. Howells was a Whitman College professor from 1938 to 1987. This collection
includes his literary manuscripts, published materials, lectures, tributes from his
former students and colleagues, and administrative records.
Thomas
D. Howells was born July 21, 1912 in DuQuoin, Illinois. He received Bachelor’s and
Master’s of Arts degrees from the University of Chicago. He also attended the
University of Southern Illinois and the University of Michigan.
He joined the Whitman College faculty in 1938, and was promoted to the rank of full
professor in 1957. He retired in 1978 but resumed teaching as an adjunct professor
from 1981 to 1987. He served as Director of Curriculum from 1954-1965, Chairman of
the English department from 1966-1974 and Chairman of the Faculty from 1974-1976.
In 1984, Professor Howells was presented an honorary Doctor of Letters degree at
commencement. He was honored then as a “distinguished teacher, caring colleague,
institutional as well as literary critic and writer.”
Professor Howells was one of five founders of the Walla Walla Little Theatre and was
Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Walla Walla Public Library.
His poetry, articles and book reviews were regularly published in literary magazines.
He also co-authored a history of the Walla Walla Symphony, Bringing the World’s Best Music. A collection of
lectures, Gods and Heroes, was published by Northern
Kentucky University following his appearance there in 1981. Howells died in January
1991.
Content Description
The
papers of Thomas D. Howells include Howell’s unpublished literary manuscripts, typed
manuscripts of lectures, a video of his lectures at Northern Kentucky University,
audio tapes of lectures, theater reviews, his files from his tenure as Chairman of
the Faculty, newspaper clippings, and students’ recollections of him gathered as a
tribute to him upon his retirement.
Use of the Collection
Alternative Forms Available :
Restrictions on Access :
None.
Restrictions on Use :
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. for copyright not
held by Whitman College.
Preferred Citation :
Thomas D. Howells Papers, Whitman College
and Northwest Archives.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
By series.
Location of Originals :
Acquisition Information :
Donated to the Whitman College and
Northwest Archives by Ada B. Howells in 1992.
Separated Materials :
Related Materials :
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series 1: Chairman of the Faculty
records, 1971-1976
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
1/13
Applications for department of art
1971-1972
1/20
College budget
1974
1/9
Faculty requests for financial assistance
1974-1975
1/10
Academic Council
1974-1975
1/19
Faculty minutes
1974-1975
1/2
President's Council
1975-1976
1/4
Committee of divisional chairman
1975-1976
1/5
General material while chairman of the faculty
1975-1976
1/6
General material while chairman of the faculty
1975-1976
1/8
General material while chairman of the faculty
1975-1976
1/7
Faculty meetings
1975-1976
1/27
Academic council
1975-1976
1/12
Letters regarding scholastic probation
1976
1/3
Budgets
1976-1977
1/29
Budget requests
1976-1977
1/1
Material concerning Martin Kopf
Undated
1/11
Letters regarding proposed change of grading system
Series 3: Lectures, Publications, Reviews, 1950-1985
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
3/22
“Contested Vigil” in Story
1934
3/20
"Sonnets": The John Billings Fiske Prize Poem
1936
3/23
“Status”, “The Equal Passion”, and “Vigil” in Poetry
August 1939
3/24
“Poetry and the Ecclesiastical Criticism” in Poetry
November 1939
3/25
“Plan” in Poetry
March 1940
3/26
Review of “Campion, Musical Poet” in Poetry
April 1940
3/27
Review “Where To, Where Now?” in Poetry
September 1940
3/28
Review “A Wide Range” in Poetry
May 1941
3/29
“Yvor Winters, Anatomist of Nonsense” in Poetry
November 1943
3/30
“Value in Poetry” in Interim, vol.
1, no.1
Summer 1944
3/33
“Darkness with Rain” in The University of
Kansas City Review
Autumn 1944
3/21
“Excursion” and “A Way of Dying” in Crescendo, vol.3
Autumn 1944
3/34
“Denial of Sunsets” in The University of
Kansas City Review
Spring 1945
3/31
“Walking at Night”, “Entreaty at a Point in Time”, and “Question
of Some Hour”“Walking at Night”, “Entreaty at a Point in Time”, and
“Question of Some Hour” in Interim, vol.1,
no.4
1945
3/35
“Seasonal” in Experiment
Winter 1945-1946
3/36
“Experiment, Revolution, and Tradition” in The New Mexico Quarterly Review
Winter 1946
3/32
“Toward Pluralism” in Interim, vol.
3, no.4
1949-1950
3/13
Letters, memos, AAUP Bulletin, and Revised Constitution and
By-laws of Whitman College, regarding the battle over tenure
1950-1953
3/14
Material regarding AAUP
1950-1977
5/9
“Kaloics” in Dark Horse, number 13
Fall 1977
3/5
Lectures on G.B. Shaw
1979
3/19
Bringing the World’s Best Music: A Short
History of the Walla Walla Symphony Society and the Walla Walla
Symphony Orchestra From 1907 to 1982
1981
3/6
Lectures delivered at Northern Kentucky University (including
video disc)
October 1981
3/7
Lecture, "Greek Realities in the Age of Pericles"
1982
3/9
Lecture, "Notes on Finnegans Wake"
1982
3/10
Lectures, "King Lear" and "Illusion and Reality in Macbeth"
1982
3/8
Aeschylus's "The Persians", translated by Howells
1983
3/4
Senior alumni college lectures
1985
3/3
Senior alumni college lectures
Undated
3/1
Lectures
Undated
3/2
Lectures
Undated
3/11
Material regarding the Little Theater
Undated
3/12
Material regarding AAUP
Undated
3/15
Comments on various individuals, including literary figures
Undated
3/16
Reviews of Harper Joy Theater and various publications
