University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

Guide to the Herbert E. Arnston Papers, 1934-1983


Coll. 064





Finding aid prepared by processing staff

Finding aid encoded by ArchProteus, 2006
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html
 
Collection Number:
 

Coll. 064
 
Creator:
 

Arnston, Herbert E., 1911-1982
 
Title:
 

Herbert E. Arnston Papers
 
Dates:
 

1934-1983 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

14.5 linear feet
29 containers
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Herbert Edward Arnston (1911-1982) was an author, English professor, and musician. The collection includes manuscripts of books and short stories, poems, speeches and correspondence, which reflect his work.
 

Biographical Note

Herbert Edward Arnston (April 8, 1911-1982) is known for writing juvenile historical fiction. He was born in Tacoma, Washington. Arnston attended the University of Puget Sound for both his undergraduate and Masters degrees in English, and he completed his doctoral work at the University of Washington. He taught English at the high school and college level, and was head of the creative writing program at Washington State University for 28 years. Many of his stories center in and around Oregon's Willamette Valley in the mid-1800's, reflecting an influence of his early family history.

Content Description

The Herbert E. Arntson Papers consist largely of manuscripts of books and short stories, including his six published novels, his poetry and speeches. The collection also contains correspondence with publishers; tear sheets of stories and poems; miscellaneous book material, including reviews and royalty statements; biographical material; personal documents and teaching material from Washington State University. In the folder of biographical material is a certificate of recognition received in 1966 from the State of Washington signed by Governor Daniel J. Evans. There are also two reel-to-reel tapes of Dr. John Elwood of the WSU English faculty talking about two of Arntson's books, and reading from various chapters.

The collection contains a number of short stories and some novel length manuscripts. Several of the manuscripts have light to heavy holograph revisions. Some of the manuscripts are short scripts of dialogue.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following series:

  • Miscellaneous
  • Correspondence
  • Manuscripts, book length and short story
  • Manuscripts, poetry
  • Speeches
  • Tear sheets
  • Tear sheets, poetry
  • Book material
  • Washington State University material
  • Photographs

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

Gift of Herbert Arnston in 1968.

Processing Note 

Collection processed by Francis Keating.

Separated Materials 

Photographs in this collection are stored separately under call number PH061.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use 

Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation 

[Identification of item], Herbert E. Arnston Papers, Coll. 064, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Arnston, Herbert E., 1911-1982
Arnston, Herbert E., 1911-1982--Correspondence
Washington State University--Faculty
Authors, American--20th century
Authors, American--20th century--Correspondence
Historical fiction, American--Northwest, Pacific--Authorship
West (U.S.)--In literature
Western stories--Authorship
Young adult literature, American--Authorship
Manuscripts for publication
Photographs
Sound recordings
Western stories

Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Miscellaneous
 
Container(s)
Description
 
box
1		 folder
1
Biographical material
  
 

Correspondence
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1		 folder
2
Correspondence
   1934-1955
 
3
Correspondence
   1956
 
4
Correspondence
   1957
 
5
Correspondence
   January 1958-June 1958
 
6
Correspondence
   July 1958-December 1958
 
7
Correspondence
   1959
 
8
Correspondence
   1960
 
9
Correspondence
   January 1961-June 1961
 
10
Correspondence
   July 1961-December 1961
 
2 1
Correspondence
   January 1962-June 1962
 
2
Correspondence
   July 1962-December 1962
 
3
Correspondence
   1963
 
4
Correspondence
   1964
 
5
Correspondence
   1965
 
6
Correspondence
   1966
 
7
Correspondence
   1967
 
8
Correspondence
   1968
 
9
Correspondence
   1969
 
10
Correspondence
   1970-1971
 
11
Correspondence
   1972-1973
 
12
Correspondence
   1974-1977
 
13
Correspondence
   1978-1983; undated
 

Manuscripts: Book Length and Short Story
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
3		 folder
1
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Final typed, carbon draft, 209 p.


Dust cover
 
2
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Early rough, typed drafts
 
3
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Fragments
 
4
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Fragments
 
4 1
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Fragments
 
2
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Fragments
 
3
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Research notes
 
4
Adam Gray: Stowaway; A story of the China Trade
 
 
Page proofs
 
5
Album Leaf
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 6 p.


Rough, typed drafts 12 p.
 
6
Alp, the Adrian Renegade
 
 
Typed draft 2 p.


Rough 1 p.
 
7
An Accident on the Way to the Cemetery
 
 
Typed draft 5 p.
 
8
An Approach to Point of View
 
 
Typed draft, 4 p.


Rough draft 3 p.
 
9
Any Month is April, at the Right Time
 
 
Typed draft 1 p.
 
10
As the Horse Flies
 
 
Typed draft 3 p.
 
5 1
Aunt Matilda (Alternate title: Aunt Elsie)
 
 
Typed draft 107 p.
 
2
Aunt Matilda (Alternate title: Aunt Elsie)
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 107 p.
 
3-4
Aunt Matilda (Alternate title: Aunt Elsie)
 
 
Fragments


Illustrations 2 p.
 
5
The Bad Law That Helped to Win Us a State
 
 
Typed draft 1 p.
 
6
The Beaver Creek Mystery
 
 
Outlines


Fragments
 
7
Bigbone Woman
 
 
Typed draft 2 p.
 
8
Bowl of Soup
 
 
Four drafts, typed and holograph, 1 p. each
 
9
Breakfast
 
 
First draft 2 p.
 
10
The Brindle Cow, and Others
 
 
Typed draft 7 p.
 
11
Bystander
 
 
Typed draft 8 p.
 
12
Caravan to Oregon
 
 
Final typed draft 178 p.
 
6 1
Caravan to Oregon
 
 
Early typed draft 92 p. (missing p. 17-30)
 
2-3
Caravan to Oregon
 
 
Fragments
 
7 1
The Carved Snake
 
 
Typed draft 4 p.
 
2
Cast Bread
 
 
Typed draft 9 p.
 
3
Censored
 
 
Typed draft 9 p.


Typed, revised draft 9 p.


Typed draft 4 p.
 
4
Christmas Comes to the Duke
 
 
Typed draft 5 p.
 
5
The Cleanup of Dryhole Coulee
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 16 p.
 
6
The Coffin (alternate title: An Accident on the Way to the Cemetery)
  
 
Typed draft 5 p.


Typed draft 5 p.


Typed and holograph draft 3 p.


Typed and holograph 4 p.


Fragments
 
7
Cooked Oysters with Garlic Butter and Wine are Better Anyway (Alternate title: Cooked oysters, Raw)
  
 
Typed draft 9 p.


Typed, carbon draft 9p


Typed draft 9 p.


Typed, carbon draft 9 p.


Typed draft 4 p.
 
8
The Cornet King
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 5 p.
 
9
The Coroner's Proxy
 
 
Typed draft 24 p.


Typed, carbon draft 24 p.


Rough, typed draft 14 p.


Fragments
 
10
Cougar
 
 
Typed draft 7 p.


Typed draft 7 p.


Typed draft 9 p.


Outline 1 p.
 
11
Counterfeit
 
 
Typed draft 3 p.
 
12
The Cruise of the Dolphin
 
 
Typed draft 142 p.
 
13
Daddy Isn't Human
 
 
Typed draft 2 p.
 
14
Dark Water
 
 
Typed draft 10 p.
 
15
Death Plays a Fiddle
 
 
Typed draft 12 p.
 
16
Death Plays on Black Keys
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 17 p.
 
8 1
Die Mahler
 
 
Typed outline 1 p.


Fragments
 
2
Dreamer
 
 
Typed draft 3 p.


Typed draft 6 p.
 
3
Dreams are for April
 
 
Typed draft 24 p.


Typed, revised draft 24 p.
 
4
The Earthquake
 
 
Typed draft 6 p.


Rough drafts, typed and holograph
 
5
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
Typed draft 237 p.
 
6
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
Outlines
 
7
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
Fragments
 
9 1
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
Fragments
 
2
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
Fragments
 
3
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
Research notes
 
10 2-4
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
11 1
Eighteen Forty-Eight
 
 
2
Ellen #2
  
 
Rough drafts, typed and holograph
 
3
The Fall and Rise of Mr. Jones
 
 
Typed draft 30 p.
 
4
Falling Mirror
 
 
Typed drafts, 8 versions


Fragments
 
5
The Family (a play in three acts)
  
 
Typed draft 11 p.
 
6
A Fast Man with the File
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 2 p.
 
7
Fate has Plans of Her Own
 
 
Typed draft 4 p.
 
8
A Fifth of Frith
 
 
Rough drafts
 
9
Finger of Fate
 
 
Typed draft 8 p.
 
12 1
The Flying Bigelows and Others
 
 
Typed drafts, 4 versions
 
2
The Flying Buttress
 
 
Typed drafts, 6 versions


Fragments
 
3
Footnote
 
 
Typed draft 7 p.


Typed, carbon draft 7 p.
 
4
Frontier Boy (Original title: Jed's Boy)
  
 
Typed draft, printer's copy 105 p.
 
5
Frontier Boy
 
 
Typed, final draft 102 p.
 
6
Frontier Boy
 
 
Typed, revised draft 125 p.
 
7
Frontier Boy
 
 
Carbon draft 114 p.
 
13 1
Frontier Boy
 
 
Typed, carbon (early) draft 125 p.
 
2-4
Frontier Boy
 
 
Rough drafts and fragments, typed
 
14 1
Frontier Boy
 
 
Rough drafts and fragments, typed
 
2
Frontier Boy
 
 
Galley proofs
 
3
Für Elise
 
 
Rough, typed draft
 
4
The Grading Machine
 
 
Typed draft 6 p.


Typed, revised draft 6 p.
 
5
The Green Cadillac
 
 
Rough, typed drafts
 
6
Guilt
 
 
Typed draft 4 p.
 
7
The Guy in the Steam Car
 
 
Typed draft 29 p.


Typed, carbon draft 29 p.


Rough draft


Fragments
 
8
Hal Spoon
 
 
Typed draft 14 p.


Typed draft, early version 4 p.
 
15 1
Heron Island
 
 
Typed draft 142 p.
 
2
Heron Island
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 142 p.
 
3-4
Heron Island
 
 
Rough drafts


Research notes
 
16 1
The Hidden Cove
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 14 p.
 
2
Hog Butcher
 
 
Typed draft 4 p.


Typed, revised carbon draft 4 p.
 
3
Home Sweet Houseboat
 
 
Typed draft 12 p.
 
4
The Horn
 
 
Typed, revised draft 5 p.


Typed, carbon draft
 
5
How Well do you Read?
 
 
Typed draft 2 p.
 
6
Introduction (Story not identified)
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 9 p.
 
7
It's an Ill Wind
 
 
Typed draft 15 p.
 
8
The Ivory God
 
 
Typed, carbon draft 13 p.


Typed, carbon draft 15 p.
 
9
Jethro of Old Oregon
 
 
Typed draft 168 p.
 
10
Jethro of Old Oregon
 
 
Typed draft 63 p.


Outlines


Fragments
 
11
The Joys of Driving a Diesel-Burning Automobile, or My Pen Pals in the Liquid Fuel Tax Division, Department of Licenses, State of Washington, and the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Treasury Department
 
 
Typed draft 3 p.
 
12
Killer Shot
 
 
Typed drafts 2 p.
 
12A
Kaafir Derby
 
 
Typed draft 5 p.


Typed draft 6 p.


Typed draft 2 p.
 
13