Guide to the Donald E. Stanford Papers , 1933-1985 M0466
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
2015
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Donald E. Stanford Papers
creator:
Stanford, Donald E. (Donald Elwin)
Identifier/Call Number: M0466
Physical Description:
1.5 Linear Feet
Physical Description:
3 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1933-1985
Biographical Note
Donald Elwin Stanford was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on February 7th, 1913. He s obtained both his BA and Phd from Stanford
and his MA from Harvard all in English. Before embarking on his teaching career, Stanford was a free-lance writer, and a member
of the literary group known as the `Winters circle', centered around Yvor Winters himself. Winters helped the aspiring poets
and writers learn more about the art of creative writing, mainly through criticism of one anothers work.
In 1949 Stanford was appointed Instructor to the Alumni Professor of English at Louisiana State University and was promoted
to Professor of English in 1953 and then Alumni Professor Emeritus in 1979. He married Maryanna Peterson in 1953 and became
the editor of the
[unk] Review in 1963. In his capacity as editor of the
Review Stanford communicated with those writers and poets who had been an important part of his early writing career: Yvor Winters,
Janet Lewis, Elisabeth Bishop, J.V. Cunningham, Allen Tate and Ann Stanford, to name a few.
Throughout his career Stanford received several accolades. He was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in 1959, Distinguished Faculty
Fellowship in 1973 and Distinguished Research Master in 1982 He retired as Professor of English and editor of the
Southern Review in 1983.
Among his published works are:
New England Earth (poems) 1941;
The Traveler (poems) 1955;
The Poems of Edward Taylor 1960;
Edward Taylor 1965;
Nine Essays in Modern Literature 1965;
The Selected Poems of Robert Bridges 1974;
The Selected Poems of S. Foster Damon 1974;
Revolution and Convention in Modern Poetry 1983;
In the Classic Mode: The Achievement of Robert Bridges (2 vols.) 1983, 84;
John Masefield: Letters to Margaret Bridges 1984,
John Masefield Selected Poems 1984;
The Cartesian Lawnmower and Other Poems 1984.
Stanford also contributed to journals such as the
Southern Review, Hudson Review, [unk] Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Hopkins Quarterly, etc.
DONALD FLWIN STANFORD
Missing Title
| 1913 |
Born, February 7th, Amherst, Massachusetts. |
| 1933 |
B.A. Stanford University. |
| 1934 |
M.A. Harvard University. |
| 1949 |
Instructor to Alumni Professor of English, Louisiana State University. |
| 1953 |
Phd. Stanford University. |
| 1953 |
Professor of English, Louisiana State University. |
| 1953 |
Married Maryanna Peterson, August 14th, Reno, Nevada. |
| 1959 |
Guggenheim Fellowship. |
| 1961-2 |
Visiting Professor, Duke University, North Carolina. |
| 1963 |
Editor of the Southern Review, Louisiana State University. |
| 1973 |
Distinguished Faculty Fellowship. |
| 1979 |
Alumni Professor Emeritus, Louisiana State University. |
| 1982 |
Distinguished Research Master. |
| 1983 |
Retires as Professor of English and Editor of the Southern Review, Louisiana State University. |
| 1984 |
Visiting Professor, Texas, A & M University, College Station. |
Publications include
| 1941 |
New England Earth (poems). |
| 1955 |
The Traveler, (poems). |
| 1960 |
The Poems of Edward Taylor. |
| 1965 |
Edward Taylor. |
| 1965 |
Nine Essays In Modern Literature. |
| 1974 |
The Selected Poems of Robert Bridges. |
| 1974 |
The Selected Poems of S. Foster Damon. |
| 1983 |
Revolution and Convention in Modern Poetry. |
| 1983 |
Editor, Dictionary of Literary Biography, vols. 19 & 20. |
| 1983, 84 |
In the Classic Mode, The Achievement of Robert Bridges. (2 vols.) |
| 1984 |
John Masefield: Letters to Margaret Bridges. |
| 1984 |
John Masefield: Selected Poems. |
| 1984 |
The Cartesian Lawnmower and Other Poems. |
Contributed to: Southern Review, Hodson Review, Sewanee Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Hopkins Quarterly, etc.
Memberships: Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, PEN, MLA, SAMLA, SCM.
Scope and Content
The collection covers contains copies of correspondence, typescript poems, drafts of books, news clippings and a few photographs.
Correspondence makes up the bulk of the collection covering fifty-two years with as many correspondents, most of whom are
important twentieth century literary figures. The collection includes both incoming and outgoing correspondence and in many
cases the letters follow chronologically for a considerable time span, providing the reader with a clear, fully documented
picture of a certain period. The correspondence provides important biographical information about Donald Stanford as well
as valuable insights into the lives of the correspondents.
The subject matter stems primarily from Stanford's position as editor of the
Southern Review. Letters contain discussions of articles that are to be submitted and often enclosures of poems. In 1959 all correspondence
is concerned with a volume of poetry to be produced for Yvor Winters' sixtieth birthday, which was never published. Many letters
also discuss books that Stanford and his correspondents are writing, providing an additional source of information about published
pieces by these authors.
The papers from the early period, 1933-49 provide insights into Stanford's early life as a poet and provide information about
the `Winters circle'. The collection of letters from Yvor, five folders in all, portrays in detail the highs and lows of Stanford's
early career. Through Winters we learn that Stanford as a young, aspiring poet has a poor view of the teaching profession,
a profession in which he was to excel. Winters encouraged Stanford to become a teacher, at least to have a job other than
as a writer, and his view of those who write alone is in this letter written in September 1933: "There is [nothing] more pathetic
and in a way contemptible than the free-lance writer who [attempts] to live by writing and actually lives by borrowing from
his more provident friends."
The collection of Donald Stanford gives an important overview of the lives of many important twentieth century literary figures.
All material in this collection is photocopied. Originals reside at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge (http://lib.lsu.edu/special).
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item] Donald E. Stanford Papers , M0466, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford,
Calif.
Provenance
Gift of Donald E. Stanford, 1986.
Publication Rights
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94305-6064. Consent
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research
and educational purposes.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research use.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Stanford, Donald E. (Donald Elwin)
box 1, folder 1
Baker, Howard,
1937-1982
Physical Description: 27 leaves
Scope and Contents note
including 1 newsclipping, 1 photo
box 1, folder 2
Barth, R.L.,
1981-1985
Physical Description: 22 leaves
box 1, folder 3
Bishop, Elisabeth,
1933-1978
Scope and Contents note
includes 3 poems, 1 photo
box 1, folder 6
Blackmur,
1933-1963
Physical Description: 6 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem
box 1, folder 7
Bocock, Maclin,
1976-1982
Physical Description: 11 leaves
box 1, folder 8
Bowers, Edgar,
1958-1980
Physical Description: 44 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem, 1 letter from Peter Scupham, Sept. 1980
box 1, folder 10
Brooks, Cleanth,
1970-1981
Physical Description: 24 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 pamphlet
box 1, folder 11
Campbell, Kathleen,
1974
Physical Description: 5 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem
box 1, folder 12
Cassity, Turner,
1959-1980
Physical Description: 10 leaves
box 1, folder 13
Clark, Eleanor,
1972-1977
Physical Description: 12 leaves
box 1, folder 14
Cowley, Malcom,
1971-1984
Physical Description: 38 leaves
box 1, folder 16
Cunningham, J,V,m
1933-1982
Physical Description: 43 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem, 1 newsclippings
box 1, folder 18
Daryush,
1970-1977
Physical Description: 52 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem, list of works
box 1, folder 20
Davie, Donald,
1960-1984
Physical Description: 38 leaves
box 1, folder 22
Davis, Catherine,
1959-1972
Physical Description: 17 leaves
box 1, folder 23
Davis, Dick,
1979-1984
Physical Description: 9 leaves
box 1, folder 24
Fields, Kenneth,
1966-1980
Physical Description: 17 leaves
box 1, folder 25
Fitzgerald, Robert,
1940-1974
Physical Description: 6 leaves
box 1, folder 26
Fraser, John,
1969-1985
Physical Description: 209 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 newsclipping, drafts for anthology
box 1, folder 36
Fuller, Roy,
1972-1985
Physical Description: 99 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 newsclipping
box 2, folder 1
Gibbs, Barbara,
1933-1972
Physical Description: 13 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem
box 2, folder 2
Gordon, Caroline,
1964-1977
Physical Description: 58 leaves
box 2, folder 5
Guerard, Albert,
1934-1985
Physical Description: 55 leaves
box 2, folder 7
Gullans, Chalres,
1959-1983
Physical Description: 9 leaves
box 2, folder 8
Gunn, Thom,
1959-1981
Physical Description: 8 leaves
box 2, folder 9
Hayes, Ann,
1972-1963 ***********
Physical Description: 18 leaves
box 2, folder 10
Holt, Achilles (Tex),
1934-1936
Physical Description: 16 leaves
box 2, folder 11
Josephson,
1969-1977
Physical Description: 69 leaves
box 2, folder 15
Lewis, Janet,
1933-1985
Physical Description: 138 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 17 poems, 1 newsclipping
box 2, folder 22
Middlebrook, Diane,
1972-1980
Physical Description: 5 leaves
box 2, folder 23
Moore, Marianne,
1925-1959
Physical Description: 10 leaves
box 2, folder 24
Oates, Joyce Carol,
1971-1981
Physical Description: 26 leaves
box 2, folder 25
Oliver, Raymond,
1971-1984
Physical Description: 43 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem
box 2, folder 27
Peterson, Douglas,
1969-1982
Physical Description: 19 leaves
box 2, folder 28
Peterson, Margaret (Jan),
1959-1984
Physical Description: 26 leaves
box 2, folder 29
Pinkerton, Helen,
1970-1983
Physical Description: 30 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 2 poems
box 2, folder 31
Pitter, Ruth,
1972-1976
Physical Description: 5 leaves
box 2, folder 32
Powell, Grosvener,
1975-1985
Physical Description: 37 leaves
box 2, folder 34
Raine, Kathleen,
1971-1985
Physical Description: 19 leaves
box 2, folder 35
Ramsey, Henry,
1959-1984
Physical Description: 8 leaves
box 2, folder 36
Saroyan, William,
1968-1969
Physical Description: 5 leaves
box 2, folder 37
Sherry, Pearl Andelson,
1970-1981
Physical Description: 7 leaves
box 2, folder 38
Spencer, Theodore,
1935-1936
Physical Description: 4 leaves
box 2, folder 39
Stafford, Clayton,
1954-1975
Physical Description: 8 leaves
box 3, folder 1
Stanford, Ann,
1936-1984,
Physical Description: 75 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 2 poems, 1 newsclipping
box 3, folder 5
Steele, Timothy,
1971-1985
Physical Description: 23 leaves
box 3, folder 6
Tate, Allen,
1939-1978
Physical Description: 71 leaves
box 3, folder 10
Trimpi, Wesley,
1959-1981
Physical Description: 11 leaves
box 3, folder 11
Voegelin, Eric,
1969-1981
Physical Description: 33 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 photograph
box 3, folder 13
Warren, Robert Penn,
1963-1981
Physical Description: 71 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 1 poem
box 3, folder 17
Wilmer, Clive,
1978-1984
Physical Description: 19 leaves
box 3, folder 18
Winters, Yvor,
1933-1967
Physical Description: 100 leaves
Scope and Contents note
includes 20 poems
