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Inventory of the William A. Owens Papers (Part One) LIT/Owens MSS 00088., 1922-1979

Title: Inventory of the William A. Owens Papers (Part One) 1922-1979

William A. Owens, noted folklorist, author, and educator, was born in Pin Hook, Texas on November 2, 1905, the son of Charles and Jessie Ann (Chenault) Owens. He spent his childhood on the small cotton farms around tiny rural communities of Pin Hook, Novice, Faught, and Blossom. In an effort to finance his education, Owens undertook numerous odd jobs as a farmer's hired hand, stock clerk, and for a short time, combination waiter and dishwasher at Dallas University. In 1924 he entered East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce. Owens earned a high school diploma and elementary teaching certificate. After graduation, however, there were few jobs available in country schools and Owens lacked the qualifications to teach in the larger school systems. After two years teaching in country schools, Owens returned to college. He attended Southern Methodist University where he received the BA degree in 1932 and the MA degree in 1933. In 1941, he received his Ph.D. from the State University of Iowa. With the completion of the Master's degree, Owens began his profession in earnest, compiling an enviable record as an academician with legions of grateful former students. While his career as teacher, lecturer, and administrator has been full, he is more widely known as a gifted author. In addition to numerous articles, reviews and short stories, his books serve as monuments to his craft. His works include (1936); (1950, revised in 1976); (1953); (1954); (1958); (1963); (1966); (1969); (with Mody C. Boatright, 1970); (1973); and (1975). The William A. Owens Papers consist of sixty-nine boxes and eight volumes occupying approximately twenty-nine feet of shelf space. The papers are in excellent condition. They have been divided into eight general categories which include: Correspondence (Series, 1-5); Research materials, manuscripts and drafts for books by Owens (Series. 6-19); Other writings by Owens including articles, short stories, book reviews, and speeches (Series. 20); Personal data including newspaper articles and photographs (Series. 21-23); Miscellaneous material written by other authors (Series. 24); Aluminum discs of recordings made by Owens (Series. 25); Owens' books (see list with Inventory of the William A. Owens Papers (Part Two) 1940-1980 - LIT/Owens MSS 00089); and Oversize materials kept in map cases as items separated. The papers document Owens' teaching and writing career from 1928 to 1979. Items of special interest in the collection include lyrics to many folksongs and recordings made by Owens in the 1930's and 1940's of folksingers as well as recorded readings of Robert Frost, interviews of early oil pioneers of Texas, legal papers for concerning magazine's plagerism of and letters of Roy Bedichek, J. Frank Dobie, Walter Prescott Webb, and Mody C. Boatright Swing and Turn: Texas Play-Party Games Texas Folk Songs Slave Mutiny: The Revolt on the Schooner Amistad Walking on Borrowed Land Fever in the Earth Look to the River This Stubborn Soil Three Friends: Bedichek, Dobie, Webb Tales From the Derrick Floor A Season of Weathering A Fair and Happy Land Owens vs. Fawcett Publications, Inc. and David Holland True Slave Mutiny,

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