Fredericka Meiners' A History of Rice University research materials
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of materials used by Fredericka Meiners for writing her 1982 book A History of Rice University: The Institute Years, 1907-1963. In order of use in the process, there are audio cassettes of interviews conducted by Meiners of William H. Masterson on Oct. 11, 1977, and of Gaylord and Louise Johnson on Feb. 20 and March 27, 1978. Both sets of audiiotapes are accompanied by typed transcripts of the interviews.
Next are folders containing two typed copies, A and B, of the first draft of the book with a note that author’s preface and acknowledgements are to be added later. Labeling indicates that copy A was read by Frank Vandiver and G. H. Richter. Copy B was circulated to Norman Hackerman, Nancy Parker, Robert Herring, and Ray Hoagland.
In addition to these drafts, there are three typed versions, each representing a separate stage of correcting and revising. First is a draft with an editor’s preface written by Katherine Drew and Fredericka Meiners’ author’s preface and acknowledgements added. Next is a retyped draft incorporating earlier corrections and revisions and adding others (by Meiners), dated 1981. The third of these drafts is a plastic-bound copy noted “for estimate only.”
The collection next includes layout material representing book design by Richard Hendel of Chapel Hill, NC. This is followed by the full text printed with sheets folded and gathered but not bound. The remaining items include suggestions and criticisms from Eula Goss Wintermann addressed to Katherine Drew (dated Nov. 16, 1979), from Edwin P. Neilan, also addressed to Katherine Drew (dated Oct. 15, 1979), and from Ray Hoagland addressed to Katherine Drew (dated Dec. 28, 1979. Additionally, there are comments from Ray Hoagland addressed to Malcolm Lovett, dated Nov. 17, 1981. Included is a photocopied portion of the last 22 pages of the manuscript with critical comments by Ray Hoagland (dated Oct. 1981). In longhand on 33 pages of yellow legal pad are corrections and comments by Eula Goss Wintermann apparently intended for Fredericka Meiners.
The collection finally includes a small amount of publicity announcing publication of the book and a proof sheet of the copyright page with corrections.
Dates
- Creation: 1977 - 1982
Conditions Governing Access
This material is open for research.
Conditions Governing Access
Stored off-site at the Library Service Center. Please request this material via woodson@rice.edu or call 713-348-2586.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish material from the Fredericka Meiners’ A History of Rice University collection must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library.
Biographical / Historical
After graduating from Galveston’s Ball High School in 1959, Fredericka Meiners enrolled at Rice Institute, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1963. The following year she remained at Rice in order to earn a teaching certificate. A public school position as a history teacher followed. Meiners then returned to Rice in 1970 for graduate work, completing a master’s degree and in 1972, a Ph.D., also in history.
When a group of alumni reached a decision that a history of Rice should be written, they formed The Rice Historical Commission in 1975 and raised the funds necessary to commission a book-length history of the Institute years, 1907 to 1963. Fredericka Meiners became a research associate with the Department of History in order to undertake research for the proposed book.
As a preliminary to the writing, she conducted numerous audiotaped interviews with people important in the history of Rice. Included were former and then-current faculty members, administrators, and alumni, even at least one from the first graduating class in 1912.
A number of people, including President Hackerman, Professor of History Frank Vandiver, and Rice Historical Commission member Ray Hoagland, reviewed drafts of Meiners’ text, and the book was published in 1982.
Extent
1.25 Linear Feet (3 boxes)
0.5 Gigabytes (Nearline access: UA0297aip_001 (0.5 GB))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection is made up primarily of materials created by Fredericka Meiners in writing her 1982 book A History of Rice University: The Institute Years, 1907-1963. It includes multiple draft copies with corrections and revisions. There are audio tapes of three interviews with transcriptions. There are also pre-publication responses to the text from readers including Ray Hoagland, who recommended particular changes in style and content.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Box 1 received from Rice Office of Institutional Research in April, 1996 Boxes 2 and 3 received from Rice University Studies
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Fredericka Meiners' A History of Rice University research materials, 1977-1982
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Mary Tobin
- Date
- 2015
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas Repository
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA
713-348-2586
woodson@rice.edu