Finding Aid of the Gladys Ryland papers
0186
Finding aid prepared by Philip Meyer and Rebecca Hirsch
USC Libraries Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California, 90089-0189
213-740-5900
specol@usc.edu
2011 August
Title: Gladys Ryland papers
Collection number: 0186
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
4.13 Linear feet
8 boxes
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1930-1945
Date (inclusive): 1930-1970
Abstract: Materials pertaining to group dances collected by the social worker Gladys Ryland in the 1930s and 1940s.
creator:
Ryland, Gladys
Conditions Governing Use
The collection contains published materials; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers
on reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of researchers to acquire permission from publishers
when reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish,
quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], Gladys Ryland papers, Collection no. 0186, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern
California
Scope and Content
This collection contains the papers of Gladys Ryland. These papers include sheet music, periodicals, manuscripts of Ms. Ryland's
academic writing, books, booklets, scrapbook pages, and photographs. There is also a small set of index cards with sheet music
and choreographic descriptions and illustrations for various dances and dance productions. Though Ryland had earned degrees
in education and was a social worker by trade, most of the collection relates directly to dance, which she used extensively
in her practice of group social work.
Biographical Note
Gladys Ryland was born on June 30, 1900 in Pine Bluff, North Carolina to Henry and Effie Ryland and grew up in the coal towns
of Western Pennsylvania. Interested in the connection between physical activity and morale, she began studying physical education
in Battle Creek, Michigan. She moved to New York in 1921, where she earned her certificate in physical education in 1923 and
moved to Chicago, where she taught classes in sports and dance to women at the YWCA in the Loop. After stints at YWCAs in
Manchester, New Hampshire, and Buffalo, New York, she returned to New York City in 1927, where she earned a B.S. in education
from New York University.
Ryland returned to Chicago in 1931 to work as the Health Education Director at the West Side YWCA. She continued, as she would
for most of her life, to teach classes in sports and dance. In 1937, she joined the faculty of Western Reserve University's
School of Applied Social Sciences and then moved to the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, eventually becoming
an assistant professor and earning a master's degree in education in the Graduate School of Education. In Pittsburgh, Ryland
began to work seriously on developing a theory of group work. In 1949, she and Gertrude Wilson published their seminal work,
the textbook
Social Work Group Practice. In 1950, she moved to Tulane University, where she continued to teach and conduct group work in the community.
In 1965, Ryland retired to the mountains of Northern California with her lifelong friend, Ms. Wilson. She passed away on April
3, 1980.
Separated Materials
A list of the published items removed from this collection is attached to its accession record. These items can now be found
in USC's online public access catalog, Homer.
Acquisition
Donated by Gladys Ryland.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ryland, Gladys -- Archives
Dance--Archival resources
Manuscripts
Music and dance--Archival resources
Periodicals
Photographs
Sheet music
Social group work--United States--20th century--Archival resources
Social group work--United States--Archival resources
Social work education--United States--Archival resources
Women social workers--United States--Archival resources
Box 1, Folder 2
Bennington College Bulletin
1936
Box 1, Folder 3-4
Bennington School of the Arts
Box 1, Folder 6-7
Collected Writings of Gladys Ryland
Box 2, Folder 1-2
Dance - Dance Group History
Box 2, Folder 5
Dance - Dunham, Katherine
Box 2, Folder 8
Dance - Humphrey - Wiedman
Box 2, Folder 12
Dance - Kreutzberg, Harold
Box 2, Folder 14
Dance - Modern Dance and Music
Box 2, Folder 16
Dance - Office Workers Dance Group
Box 2, Folder 17
Dance - Outline of Dances
Box 3, Folder 8
Dance - Younger Dancers Group
Box 3, Folder 12
Dancing - Indian (American)
Box 3, Folder 13
English Fold Dance Music [Manuscript]
Box 4, Folder 1
Gladys Ryland - Photographs Childhood & Youth
Box 4, Folder 2
Gladys Ryland - Writings 1930-70 Bibliography
1930-1970
Box 4, Folder 5
Group Dances - Circle, Longways
Box 4, Folder 6
Group Dances - Square Dances
Box 4, Folder 8
Manuscript Music Boko - Kilpatrick 2
Box 5, Folder 1
NASW Oral History Project Transcript
1978 August
Box 5, Folder 2
Prospectus of Taylor Thesis with Biographical Material
Box 5, Folder 4
Retirement Correspondence
1965
Box 5, Folder 5
Ryland - Biographical Materials
Box 5, Folder 6
Ryland - Biographical Materials Photographs
Box 5, Folder 7
Ryland - Chapters of Biography, Correspondence, Misc. Papers
Box 6, Folder 2
Songs and Dances - Trades and Occupations
Box 7
Ryland Scrapbook Photo Pages