Call Number  MS-14

Name:  A finding aid and inventory to the artificial collection of Valdosta, Georgia, history held in the Valdosta State University Archives

Dates:  1960-1976

Size:   Six folders and oversized items listed below as folder 7

History/Biography:                 

Valdosta is a city located in the south central portion of Georgia. It is the county seat of Lowndes County and was incorporated December 7, 1860. The city was originally located in Troupville, named for Governor George Troups country homes. The name Valdosta originated from the name of a province in Italy called Valley d Aosta. Valdosta is the home of two state-operated schools, Valdosta Technical Institute and Valdosta State University. Valdosta State University, founded in 1906, was originally a normal college for women, but eventually became a part of the University system of Georgia in 1950.

Scope and Content:                 

The folders predominantly consisted of papers concerning the arts in Valdosta, Georgia. The only items which strayed from the arts theme were the photos of downtown Valdosta, Valdosta State University, and the Lowndes county courthouse. There were six folders total and some oversized loose items categorized below as folder seven. A majority of information was packed into folders five and six which contained data about a program called Childrens Authors: Their Impact on Human Values, and a organization named Arts, Inc.

The folder labeled Arts, Inc. was focused around defining the scope of the organization, especially in letters describing functions of the operations committee and displaying specific advancements through typed letters of gratitude from churches and clubs in the Valdosta area and general letters of correspondence between those involved with Arts, Inc. Most of the letters direct attention towards funding specific areas of the arts such as Valdosta Childrens Theatre, the String Development Program, or the Youth Orchestra, while others direct attention towards legality issues of accepting funds and taxation (see John N. Peeples attorney at law). Correspondence includes letters typed to the Chairman of National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C., National Council on the Arts, and memos written to the board members of Arts, Inc.

The folder labeled Valdosta City Schools Childrens Authors was organized similar to the Arts, Inc. folder. The Childrens Authors Seminars was a proposal submitted by Valdosta City Schools for meetings with children authors such as Dorris Buchanan Smith and Elaine Konigsburg. A formal program proposal was submitted March 24, 1975 but there were letters of correspondence dating back to late 1974 and biographical information of those involved as early as 1973. A bulk of the information was based around the creation of the seminars. Valdosta State College was directly involved in development of the seminars. VSC was involved in expenses such as making duplications of the program handout and travel expenses for author Dorris Buchanan Smith. The folder contains rough drafts of the program handout, biographical information, list of expenditures and receipts by VSC, letters of correspondence, invitation list, and newspaper clippings.

Subject Headings:

Lowndes County Courthouse

Valdosta Youth Orchestra

Childrens Authors: Their Impact on Human Values

Worsley, Dale

Valdosta Symphony Guild

Fallon, Richard G.

National Endowment For The Humanities

Theres Fun with Kids and Strings?

Valdosta Theatre Guild

Peeples, John N.

Smith, Dorris Buchanan

Focus on Valdosta

Valdosta Musical Association

Tallahassee Youth Orchestra

Gandy, Thomas W.

Funding for the Arts

Teasley, Luke

Valdosta Opera Guild

Konigsburg, Elaine

Chronology of 2001

Arts, Inc.

Valdosta Childrens Theatre

Crazy Poems Foster Creativity

Pictorial Display of Downtown Valdosta/VSU

Inventory:

Folder 1:           Courthouse Contains postcard, 1904 photograph, and a letter describing the photo by Guy Bryant.

Folder 2:           Bancshares vol. 2, No. 3 Summer 1982 issue---Contains 1982 magazine with picture of courthouse on cover.

Folder 3:           The Seven Last Words of Christ---Contains a musical program called The Seven Last Words of Christ no date specified.

Folder 4:           Arts, Inc.---Contains description and scope of Arts, Inc. organization, letters of correspondence dealing with funding, newspaper articles, and programs of specific performances. [1960-1966]

Folder 5:           Valdosta City Schools  Childrens Authors---Contains proposal, expenditures, debts, receipts, of the Childrens Authors program including biographical sketches of personnel involved, contact information, letters of correspondence, and newspaper clippings. [1973-1976]

Folder 6:           From Lowndes County Historical Society---Contains 42 photographs depicting the growth and development of downtown Valdosta and Valdosta State University. Dates of the photographs ranged from early Valdostan history to more recent years.  

Folder 7:           Oversized items---Consists of 1993-1994 Valdosta Symphony Guild appointments calendar, 2001 Valdosta Daily Times Chronology advisement magazine containing short city history and lifestyle of Valdosta (late 1990s or early 2000), program for theatrical presentation of Paradise Revisited (April 20, 2001), and Kingston Trio program.

Processing Date: March 3, 2005

Author of Finding Aid: Kent Howell Hughes