Skip to main content
Use the right side menu to identify relevant boxes and place requests.

Will Earhart Papers

 Collection 0073-SCPA
Will Earhart (1871-1960) was born in Franklin, Ohio. He began teaching in Ohio, and by 1888 he was music supervisor in the public schools of Greenville, Ohio. By 1898 he was Director of the Richmond (Indiana) High School Orchestra and helped establish the Richmond Civic Orchestra. In 1912, Earhart was Director of Music in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. A year later, Earhart founded and administered the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Public School Music. Earhart held several offices in the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), later known as the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), including vice president (1910) and president (1915-1916). This collection contains published and unpublished typescripts, articles, books, pamphlets, reviews, and music by or about Will Earhart. It also includes personal and professional letters and correspondence, addresses, and photographs.

Dates

  • 1895-1960
  • Majority of material found within 1934-1958

Use and Access to Collection

The collection is open for research use.

Duplication and Copyright Information

Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Contact the curator for an appointment: http://www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/contact

Extent

3.00 Linear Feet

Additional Description

Scope and Content of Collection

The Will Earhart Papers cover the period from 1895-1960; the bulk dates of the material cover the period from 1934-1958. This collection contains published and unpublished typescripts, articles, books, pamphlets, and music by Will Earhart. It also includes personal and professional letters and correspondence, addresses, reviews of Earhart's works, and photographs.

Biography

Will Earhart (1871-1960) was born in Franklin, Ohio. He began his professional teaching career in Ohio, and in 1888 he became music supervisor in the public schools of Greenville, Ohio. In 1898 he moved to Richmond, Indiana where he became Director of the Richmond High School Orchestra and helped establish the Richmond Civic Orchestra. In 1912, Earhart moved to Pittsburgh and became Director of Music in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. A year later, Earhart founded and administered the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Public School Music.

Earhart held several offices in the Music Educators National Conference, including vice president (1910) and president (1915-1916). He was a member of the conference's National Research Council (1919-1944, chairing for a portion of his tenure) and head of the Book and Music Reviews for the Music Educators Journal. During his career, Earhart wrote articles, gave addresses, and authored books, including The Eloquent Baton (c.1931), Music to the Listening Ear (c.1932), The Meaning and Teaching of Music (c.1935), and Choral Technics (c.1937). Earhart died in 1960. In 1986 he was inducted into the Music Educators Hall of Fame.

Arrangement

This collection has been divided into ten series:
  1. Series 1: Writings
  2. Series 2: Addresses
  3. Series 3: Reviews
  4. Series 4: Correspondence
  5. Series 5: Letters
  6. Series 6: Notes
  7. Series 7: Publications
  8. Series 8: Music
  9. Series 9: Collected Articles
  10. Series 10: Photographs

Custodial History and Acquisition Information

Gift of papers and materials from William C. Earhart, son of Will Earhart, was received in 1971. Letter dated August 23, 1977 confirming gift of books and letters made to the MENC Historical Center in 1971, located with collection in Box 1 and the current correspondence file of William C. Earhart.

Related Material

This material is part of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Historical Center, previously known as the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) Historical Center.

For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.

Administrative Information

Title
Will Earhart Papers
Status
edited-full-draft
Author
Processed by Stephanie J. Keller and Kevin Pace, July 2001. Revised by John K. Leupold II and Cassandra N. Berman, 2009.
Date
2009-09-01
Language of description
Finding aid written in English

Revision Statements

  • 2009-10-01: EAD markup checked and verified by Jennie A. Levine, October 2009.

Library Details

Library Details

Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library Library

http://www.lib.umd.edu/mspal
Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
8270 Alumni Drive
College Park MD 20742 United States

Useful Links


We proudly participate in development of ArchivesSpace, which powers this website. Learn more about this product and its development at archivesspace.org
Web Accessibility | Website Feedback

Contact Us

Special Collections and University Archives

Maryland Room
Hornbake Library
4130 Campus Drive
University of Maryland,
College Park, MD 20742

301-405-9212
Email
Hours

Special Collections in Performing Arts
International Piano Archives at Maryland

Lowens Room
Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library
8270 Alumni Drive
College Park, MD 20742

301-405-9217
Email
Hours