Collection: William S. Dye, Jr. papers (2024)

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Collection ID

00249

Catalog record

210298

ARK

ark:/42409/fa8x04t

Permalink

https://arks.libraries.psu.edu/ark:/42409/fa8x04t

Collection

Staff Only
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Summary

Abstract

Educator and Author. Teacher of English and Shakespeare at the Pennsylvania State College from 1907-1944, and member of the Modern Language Association of America, the Pennsylvania Historical Society, the English Society, The Shakespeare Association, Phi Kappa Phi and Acacia Fraternities. He served as National President of the Acacia Fraternity from 1922-1929 and was on the Board of Control of the Penn State Players Club from 1927-1938. The collection includes copies of Expository Writing, Father Penn, and Melodrama in England from 1800 to 1840; manuscripts of speeches and articles; minutes of the Board of Control of the Penn State Players; Pageant programs; programs; photographs; scrapbooks; and historical material on the Acacia Fraternity. Frequent correspondents include Fred L. Pattee, William L. Werner, Thomas Blaisdell, and J. E. Davis (American Expeditionary Forces in World War I).

Dates

Creation: 1906-1958

Extent

1.75 Linear Feet

Background

Biographical / Historical

William S. Dye, Jr. Was born in Philadelphia on July 9, 1880. He graduated from Central High School and attended Dickinson College. He go his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1905, His M.A. from the Pennsylvania State College in 1908, and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1915.In 1907, Dye became an instructor in English at the Pennsylvania State College. In 1908, he was made an assistant professor, in 1915, and associate professor. In 1920, he became a full professor. Dye became head of the Department of English Literature in 1926 and remained in that position until his retirement in 1944. Among the courses he taught were Rhetoric, Classics, Modern English and Shakespeare. He had, according to several sources, a flair for teaching Shakespeare.Dye was the author of several works including his Ph.D. thesis, Melodrama in England from 1800 to 1840; a pageant, Father Penn; and a textbook, Expository Writing. He was a member of the Modern Language Association of American, the Pennsylvania Historical Society, the English Society (of London, England), the Shakespeare Association, and of the Phi Kappa Phi and Acacia Fraternities. He served as national president of the Acacia Fraternity from 1922-1928.Drama was one of his favorite activities as well as a professional interest. He wrote and/or directed a series of pageants fro presentation during the summer session of PSC from 1914 to 1918. He was on the Board of Control of the Penn Sate Players Club from 1927-1938. He appears to have been in considerable demand as a speaker and spoke on many diverse topics. He wrote nostalgic articles for the Alumni News. When he retired in 1944, he expressed hopes that he would be able to devote more time to his painting. He died on June 17, 1960.

Scope and Contents

This is a collection of the papers, published works, manuscripts and correspondence of William S. Dye, Jr., a professor at the Pennsylvania State College from 1907 to 1944. They were donated to the Penn State Collection by his son, William S. Dye, III in July 1969. Most of the material is related to Dye's work at Penn State.

The papers include copies of his published works, Expository Writing, Father Penn, and Melodrama in England from 1800 to 1840 including the original copy. There are manuscripts for talks which he gave to groups on topics ranging from the State College Chapter of the Red Cross to patriotic speeches to discussion of history of drama, as well as uncorrected manuscripts for articles for the Alumni News on a variety of topics. There is extensive material on the Penn State Players including box office receipts and the official minutes of the Board of Control of which Dye was secretary. There is a set of complete and partially complete pageants which were performed during the summer sessions of 1914 to 1918, as well as a selection of programs for these pageants.

There is a series of correspondence to Dye fro the other members of the Department of English Literature including letters from F.L. Pattee, W.L. Werner and Thomas Blaisdell as well as interdepartmental directives. Included in this are a set of lectures taken in class by a stenographer. Among the general correspondence are a variety of financial papers, miscellaneous correspondence, job offers from other colleges, recommendations and retirement papers. Of special interest are the letters written by J.E. Davis while in the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, this is an eyewitness account from the trenches in France.

Other material includes material on the Acacia Fraternity, including the manuscript of Dye's 'History of the Penn State Chapter of the Acacia Fraternity.' There are also clippings, reprints, speeches and history relating to the Acacia Fraternity and the Masons. There are also two bound notebooks with rough drafts for articles and a collection of criticisms and reactions to books he had read. Notes from two philosophy courses that Dye took at the University of Pennsylvania are also included.

A scrapbook of Dye's of the Penn State Players is shelved in the scrapbook collection. It contains photographs and programs of plays done by the group during the years 1919-1923.

Arrangement

Series. Organized into six series. Arranged by subject and form of material.

Missing Title

English, Department
Education, Higher Pennsylvania History Sources.

Physical Location

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Penn State University Libraries catalog via the link above. Archival collections may be housed in offsite storage. For materials stored offsite, please allow 2-3 business days for retrieval.

Processing Information

Processed by Special Collections staff.

Using These Materials

Repository Details

Part of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library Repository

https://libraries.psu.edu/specialcollections

Contact:
104 Paterno Library
Penn State University
University Park 16802 USA
(814) 865-1793

spcollections@psu.edu

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Photocopies of original materials may be made available for research purposes at the discretion of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library. Photocopies or reproductions of original materials may be subject to fees as outlined by the Pennsylvania State University Libraries reproduction policies. Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. Patrons seeking advice on the availability of unpublished materials for publication should consult relevant copyright law and laws of libel.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], William S. Dye, Jr. papers, 00249, Eberly Family Special Collections Library, Pennsylvania State University.

Title: Guide to the William S. Dye, Jr. papers
Status: Published
Author: Prepared by Special Collections Library faculty/staff
Date: 2011
Description rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description: English
Script of description: Latin

Revision Statements

2021: As part of bulk updates, Benjamin Mitchell updated standardized notes to current standard

Citation

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