Finding Aid for the Carroll De Wilton Scott Collection, 1909-1964 LA.2010.800

Finding aid prepared by Kathy Elliott

San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library

4/18/2012

1788 El Prado, Balboa Park

San Diego, CA 92101

library@sdnhm.org

URL: http://sdnhm.org/science/research-library/

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library

Title: Carroll De Wilton Scott Collection, 1909-1964

creator: Scott, Carroll De Wilton, 1878-1970

Identifier/Call Number: LA.2010.800

Physical Description: 2.0 Linear feet

Date (inclusive): 1909-1964

Abstract: The Carroll De Wilton Scott Collection, ca. 1900-1964, consists primarily of nature writings of Scott, including diaries, poetry, children's stories and music, reflections, and descriptive prose. A smaller part of the collection includes articles, clippings, and illustrations collected by Scott.

Scope and Contents

Series I (approximately one-quarter of the collection) contains six volumes of nature diaries written by Scott from 1909 to 1949. The diaries are primarily manuscript. They record detailed personal observations of nature, including species lists and descriptive prose. The diaries also contain reflections on topics such as the future of humanity, historical information, and miscellaneous personal records on topics such as finances and progress on writing projects. A separate volume contains a cumulative typescript index prepared by the author. The series also includes manuscript and typescript lists of wildflowers in bloom and seeds collected at Scott's home in Pacific Beach, CA, from 1955 to 1957.

Approximately half of the collection (Series II) consists of various collections of poetry, children's stories and songs, reflections, and descriptive prose written by Scott. The documents are primarily typescript with manuscript notations by Scott. The collections were prepared, bound, and indexed by the author. This series also includes looseleaf typescript writings (e.g., "Summary of Mankind," 1945-1953), copies of publications that contain a poem or story written by Scott, lists covering topics such as Scott's literary output, and collections of source articles with notations by Scott.

Series III contains other materials collected by Scott, including miscellaneous nature articles, illustrations, and newspaper clippings. A letter of donation by his son, Robert S. (Bob) Scott, with autobiographical and biographical material, is included with this series.

Biographical/Historical

Carroll De Wilton Scott was a naturalist, educator, and prolific writer of poetry, stories, reflections, and articles about the natural world. Scott was born on December 2, 1878 in Stevenville, Texas, and moved with his parents to San Diego county in 1882. He graduated from Stanford University in 1902 and lived for one year in Nevada; he taught history briefly in San Mateo before taking up farming in Pacific Beach. In September 1910, he married Edith Mills and began teaching. He worked in the San Diego County public school system from 1914 to 1934, first as a teacher and later as Supervisor of Natural Study. He served as the first Director of Education for the San Diego Natural History Museum from 1920-1921, and for many years, he wrote weekly California nature articles for local newspapers. His publications include Manual of Nature Education for San Diego Elementary Schools (1927), Finding Real Fairies (1945), Looking for California Condors (1945), Story of Southern California Wildflowers (1955), Here's Don Coyote (1956), and California Nature Poems (1957). He died in San Diego on April 2, 1970.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers by appointment. Contact the Research Library Director, San Diego Natural History Museum.

Conditions Governing Use

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated to the San Diego Natural History Research Library by Robert S. Scott in November 2003.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Carroll De Wilton Scott Collection, 1909-1964. San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library, San Diego, CA.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Natural history literature--Study and teaching.

Natural history--California.

Nature--Poetry.

Series I: Nature Diaries 1909-1957

Physical Description: Six nature diaries and index, November 1909 to November 1949. Wildflower lists, compiled 1955-1957.

Nature Diary 1909-1949

Physical Description: 6 nature diary volumes, with index, written by Carroll De Wilton Scott, Pacific Beach, CA.

Nature Diary v. I: Spring 1914 - Autumn 1926 1914-1926

Nature Diary v. II: Autumn 1926 - Summer 1932 1926-1932

Nature Diary v. III: Autumn 1932 - Winter 1937 1932-1937

Nature Diary v. IV: Winter 1937 - Autumn 1943 1937-1943

Nature Diary v. V: Winter 1942 - Autumn 1949 1942-1949

Nature Diary v. VI: Supplement to Volumes I-V

Wildflower lists, compiled by Carroll De Wilton Scott, 1955-1957. 1955-1957

Series II. Nature Poetry, Stories, Songs, and Prose 362 various dates

Bird Rhythms. Collected poems and other writings by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Typescript (two copies), compiled by the author 1954

Trailing Furry Folk. Poems and stories by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Typescript, compiled by the author, n.d.

Story of the Wild Flowers of Southern California. Writings of Carroll De Wilton Scott, 1944-1955. Includes studies, observations, plant lists, photographs, and poetry. Typescript, compiled by the author, with manuscript notes, n.d.

Visiting Feathered Friends. Cover title: Bird Stories. Stories and poems by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Typescript, compiled by the author, with a preface, in 1937. 1937

400 Best Poems in 2 Vols: Vol II, Human Nature. Poems by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Typescript, compiled by the author, n.d.

Songs with Melodies, v. VIII. Songs and sheet music, lyrics and tunes by Carroll De Wilton Scott, 1914-1927; lyrics by Carroll De Wilton Scott set to popular tunes, 1898-1947. Manuscript and typescript, compiled by the author, n.d.

Animalogues. A collection of poems and stories by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Typescript, compiled by the author, n.d.

Poems for Children. A collection of poems by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Typescript, compiled by the author in 1954.

Animal Rhythms. Collection of poems and other writings by Carroll De Wilton Scott; a companion to Bird Rhythms. Typescript, compiled by the author, n.d.

Ballads and Ballades. Collection of poems by Carroll De Wilton Scott, 1903-1951. Typescript, compiled by the author in 1951. 1951

Finding Real Fairies. A story by Carroll De Wilton Scott, 1934. Typescript with manuscript revisions and preface by the author, 1945.

California Nature Poems. Collection of poems by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Typescript, compiled by the author in 1954.

Representative Poems. Collection of poems by Carroll De Wilton Scott. Cover title: Poems. Typescript, compiled by the author in 1947 for Herbert C. Kelly. Includes inserts: copies of two letters from the author to Kelly.

Looking for California Condors. Unpublished typescript containing stories and poems about and natural history of the California condor, by Carroll De Wilton Scott, 1935-1945, with introduction and preface by the author.

Publications. Collection of periodicals containing published writings of Carroll De Wilton Scott, 1921-1927.

Summary of Mankind. Commentary by Carroll De Wilton Scott, with supporting materials, n.d.

The California Condor: Research Report No. 4 of the National Audubon Society, by Carl B. Koford, 1953. Includes insert: copy of 1959 letter from Carroll De Wilton Scott to the author containing information about Scott's book Don Coyote.

Manual of Nature Education for San Diego Elementary Schools, by Carroll De Wilton Scott, c1927.

Series III. Photographs, Collected Materials, Lists, and Donation Letter

Physical Description: Photographs, illustrations, writings, miscellaneous clippings and lists. Includes donation letter with biographical information.

Wildflower photographs, taken by Carroll De Wilton Scott.

4 photographs, col.

11 negatives, col.

1 photograph and 3 negatives, b/w

17 negatives, b/w

5 negatives, b/w - April 4, 1937, Ocean Beach

Collected bird illustrations: scrapbooks and calendar. Compiled by Carroll De Wilton Scott.

v. I: Audubon plates and other images, with index

v. II: Audubon plates and other images, with index

Audubon Calendar of Birds, 1940 1940

Writings. List prepared by Carroll De Wilton Scott tracking and analyzing his poems written between 1894-1951, n.d.

My Poems (Not Publications). Lists prepared by Carroll De Wilton Scott tracking his poems, songs, books given away, and feedback by the recipients, n.d.

Geographics About Us Humans. Collection of articles published in National Geographic, 1925-1959. Compiled and bound by Carroll De Wilton Scott, n.d. 1925-1959

Miscellaneous Clippings and Lists. Miscellaneous newspaper clippings collected by Carroll De Wilton Scott and lists prepared by Carroll De Wilton Scott, n.d.

Donation letter with biographical information, by Robert S. Scott