Bergan Evans Papers, 1921-1978.

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Bergan Evans Papers, 1921-1978.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/122605099

Arranged in eight main subseries: biographical materials, educational materials, correspondence, teaching materials, research and consulting files, addresses, television and radio program files, and publications. The biographical folders include many curricula vitae (some include schedules of lectures given outside Northwestern) and clippings concerning Evans' speeches and appearances on television and radio. Of special interest are two diaries kept by Evans. The general correspondence primarily includes incoming letters concerning Evans' writing, teaching and public appearances. Also in the general correspondence is material related to Evans' role in the television program, "The $64,000 Question." Of special interest are thirteen letters from Groucho Marx primarily concerning Evans' publications and Marx's appearance on Evans' television show, and a long exchange between Evans and Ashley Montagu. The teaching materials pertain primarily to Evans' enormously popular course, Introduction to Literature. In addition to his teaching at Northwestern Evans was a leading member of the faculty of the Famous Writers School from 1958 to 1972. The school prospered until an expose of its shortcomings by Jessica Mitford appeared in the ATLANTIC in 1970. The papers document Evans' central role in the School's public response to Mitford's accusations. The radio and television material deals primarily with "Words in the News" (1962-1964) and "Down You Go" (1951-1956, 1961-1963). The bulk of Evans' papers relates to his voluminous writings. These included columns or individual items for newspapers, articles for popular magazines and scholarly journals, and books. Of special importance, among material relating to his published books, are the substantial files on THE NATURAL HISTORY OF NONSENSE (1946) and THE SPOOR OF SPOOKS (1954). Materials concerning the DICTIONARY OF CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN USAGE, (1957), co-authored by Evans and his sister Cornelia, include not only much background material for this best-seller but also copious notes for a second edition. Included in the material pertaining to unpublished books is a substantial amount on the DICTIONARY OF SYNONYMS AND SIMILARS. Manuscripts of several unpublished works on language, e.g. "Book of English Usage", and "History of English Language", are also included.

24.9 cu. ft. (83 boxes).

Northwestern University

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SNAC Resource ID: 6785271

Northwestern University

Related Entities

There are 5 Entities related to this resource.

Montagu, Ashley, 1905-1999

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67f3n2c (person)

Chairman, anthropology department, Rutgers University. From the description of Correspondence to Maxwell Struthers Burt, 1943. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 122526480 Ashley Montagu (1905-1999) was a British anthropologist and social biologist, perhaps best known for his critical analysis of the question of race. Montague Francis Ashley Montagu was born Israel Ehrenberg in London, England on June 28, 1905. He studied at th...

Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968

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Upton Sinclair was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1878. Sinclair was an American author, novelist, journalist, and political activist who wrote many books in several genres. He is most well-known for his exposé, The Jungle regarding conditions in Chicago's meat packing plants, which influenced the passage of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. Much of Sinclair's writing was related to the economic and social conditions of the early twentieth century. He was heavily in...

Evans, Bergen, 1904-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6nw1kv9 (person)

Professor of English, Northwestern University, 1932-1974; short-story writer; radio/tv game show panelist; faculty member, Famous Writers' School; co-author, The Dictionary of Contemporary American Usage (1957). From the description of Bergan Evans Papers, 1921-1978. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122605099 Bergen Baldwin Evans was born on September 19, 1904 in Franklin, Ohio, the third child of Rice Kemper and Louise Cass Evans' six children. Evans joined the f...

Famous Writers School

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69w5d9g (corporateBody)

Marx, Groucho, 1890-1977

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Humorist and actor. Real name: Julius Henry Marx. From the description of Groucho Marx papers, 1930-1967 (bulk 1950-1965). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70982543 Biographical Note 1890, Oct. 2 Born Julius Henry Marx, New York, N.Y. 1920 Married Ruth Johnson (divorced 1942) ...