Academics

MSS 40 – Teegarden, George Moredock, 1852-1936

Papers of George M. Teegarden, 1874-1936

Gallaudet University Archives

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Gallaudet University Archives

Call No.: MSS 40

Creator:

Title: Papers of George M. Teegarden, 1874-1936.

Quantity: 4.5 Linear Feet (9 document boxes)

Abstract:

Note: This document last updated 2006 January 10.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information:

Processed by: Carielyn Kelly. 1984 August 27.

Processing Note:

Conditions on Use and Access: This collection is open to the public with no restrictions. Photocopies may be made for scholarly research.

Related Material in the Archives

Deaf Rare

  • Personal and holiday poems / by T. G. Arden [i.e. George M. Teegarden]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Rare

Photographs

  • George M. Teegarden [picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Portraits
  • Photograph album of Alice Teegarden [picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Photograph Albums AL 11

SMSS

  • Alice May Teegarden, 1958-1967. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS

Vertical Files

  • George M. Teegarden. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Biographical

Biographical Sketch

1852 George M. Teegarden was born March 11 in Green County, Pennsylvania.
1863 At the age of 11 he became deaf from an attack of spinal meningitis.
1868 Five years later Teegarden entered the Iowa School for the Deaf, Iowa City.
1871 Teegarden graduated from the Iowa School for the Deaf.
1871 The same year he entered the National Deaf Mute College, Washington, D.C. (Now known as Gallaudet University).
1876 In four years, plus preparatory classes, Teegarden graduated from the National Deaf Mute College with his B.A. degree on April 26.
1876 Teegarden became the first teacher at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf at its new location in Turtle Creek.
1880 The Raindrop was published at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, of which G.M. Teegarden was the author of many of the stories.
1884 The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf was relocated again, this time to Edgewood Park.
1885 George M. Teegarden married Celia J. Maul, June 30.
1886 The Teegardens’ daughter, Alice May, was born on May 19.
1890 Teegarden started the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf paper, “The Holiday Gazette.”
1891 The following year the name of the school paper changed to “The Gazette” and printing began on a monthly basis.
1894 Reading Lessons in Natural History, Edgewood Park, School for the Deaf, was published.
1896 Stories Old and New, Edgewood Park, Pa., was published.
1915 This year In the Silent Hours was published. (Publisher not named.)
1924 Teegarden retired from the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.
1929 Vagrant Verse was published by The Fanwood Press, New York.
1936 Personal and Holiday Poems was published. (Publisher not named.)
1936 George M. Teegarden died on November 14.
1936 A citation and cash award was established in memory of Mr. Teegarden at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.
1959 The athletic field at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf was named the Teegarden Athletic Field on May 30.

Scope and Content

The collection contains several narratives relating to the boyhood days of Mr. Teegarden and the pioneer type move to Iowa. Several are written by Mr. Teegarden and one by Alice May Teegarden. Only brief mention is made of his admission to the Iowa School for the Deaf at Iowa City.

The only papers relating to his position for 48 years as a teacher in the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf are a Class Register, 1879 -1880; a class book, not dated and a speech to a teacher’s meeting. Several other speeches exist in the collection, but the occasion and date on which they were delivered is not specified.

The greatest strength of the collection lies in his published works of poems and children’s stories of which many original manuscripts were saved, which date from 1874-1936. Some were published under his pen name of T. G. Arden.

The correspondence in the collection date from 1887-1936. Included are letters from The Rev. John G. Brown, Frederick H. Hughes, Harley D. Drake, A.C. Manning, A.D. Bryant, Enoch Currier, Edward Allen Fay, Edward M. Gallaudet, Dudley W. George, Frank C. Holloway, John B. Hotchkiss, James H. Logan, J.A. McIlvaine, A.W. Mann, Andrew Mellon, Roy J. Stewart and Oliver J. Whildin. These letters are arranged alphabetically.

He was a reporter for “The Pittsburgh News” and “The Deaf Mute’s Journal” for many years, of which documentation in the Papers are lacking.

He was a member of the Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf, the National Fraternal Society of the Deaf, the National Association of the Deaf, the Duquesne Bicycle Club and was an active participant in the Edward Miner Gallaudet Memorial Fund. Only a few items of scattered dates are represented: P.S.A.D., 1890-1908; Duquesne Bicycle Club, 1893-1899: Edward Miner Gallaudet Memorial Fund, 1924-1931.

Nineteen address-memo-diary books dating from 1898-1932 are in the collection. The entries for the diary portions of the books are not consistent. Days, months and even years have been missed. A large portion of the diaries dwell on the problems of the household.

The collection contains 14 items relating to the Rev. John G. Brown, founder and President of the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, Turtle Creek.

Letters from Mr. and Mrs. Teegarden to their only child, a daughter, Alice May, date from 1893-1936 and are arranged chronologically. The letters do not document significant milestones in his life, but describe ordinary day to day events.

Mr. Teegarden saved memorabilia relating to birthdays, trips and events which were important in his life. There are ten items relating to the George M. Teegarden Award for Poetry at Gallaudet College, of which the information is sketchy.

Alice May Teegarden initially arranged and labeled the collection in 1959, prior to giving it to the Edward Miner Gallaudet Memorial Library.

Series Descriptions and Folder Lists

No Series

Box Folder Title of Folder Date
1 1 “The Raindrop” 1880
1 2 Poem Books (Manuscripts) Book III 1908-1917
1 3 Poem Books (Manuscripts) Book I 1905-1907
1 4 Poem Books (Manuscripts) Book II 1905-1908
1 5 Poem Books (Manuscripts) Book IV 1905-1916
1 6 Poem Books (Manuscripts) Book V 1920-1927
1 7 Poem Books (Manuscripts) Book VI 1935-1936
1 8 Poem published in newspapers 1931-1937
1 9 Poems for Christmas 1924-1927
1 10 Poem ‑ scraps 1883‑1935
1 11 Poems, “In the Silent Hours” 1906‑1915
1 12 Poem, “Personal and Holiday Poems” 1874‑1935
1 13 Poem, “Vagrant Verse” 1906‑1927
1 14 Poems to Alice by G.M. Teegarden 1908-1918
2 1 Membership in Organizations 1916-1933
2 2 Clerc Literary Association. 1883
2 3 Duquesne Bicycle Club of Allegheny County 1893-1899
2 4 The Edward Miner Gallaudet Memorial Fund 1924-1931
2 5 Gallaudet College Athletic Association 1927
2 6 Kappa Gamma 1935
2 7 Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf 1902-1908
2 8 PSAD – “Brief History of the Society” by G. M. Teegarden 1901
2 9 PSAD – Charter 1891
2 10 PSAD – Home for Aged and Infirm Deaf 1904
2 11 PSAD – List of Members: Addresses, Donation Day 1903‑1904
2 12 PSAD Conventions.15th and 17th 1900-1903
2 13 PSAD – Report, Board of Trustees to the Board of Managers 1902
2 14 Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Closing exercises. 1884
2 15 Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. 50th and 60th Anniversaries. 1919-1936
2 16 Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. 1899‑1946
2 17 List of Students 1876
2 18 Gallaudet College Presentation Day 1922
3 1 “Round the World,” D. Murray Smith. Published by T. Nelson and Sons, London 1868
3 2 “First Time of Everything, Full of Famous Facts,” published by Kickapoo Indian Medicine Co., New Haven, Conn. n.d.
3 3 Personality, December 1921, Vol. XII, No. 12 1921
3 4 “Handbook of English Synonyms, L. J. Campbell, Lee and Shepard, Boston 1881
3 5 Bible n.d.
3 6 Autograph Book: Entries are by students of the Western Penn. School for the Deaf 1881
3 7 Autograph Book 1876
3 8 “Beauties of the Bible” selected by J.H.B. Breed, Butler & Co. 1861
4 1 Published works of Mr. Teegarden. 1894-1958
4 2 Essay: Our Educational Progress 1875
4 3 Class Book (Manuscript) Stories n.d.
4 4 Class Register (Manuscript) 1879-1880
5 1 Address Book n.d.
5 2 Memo Book 1900-1901
5 3 Addresses, obituaries 1932
5 4 Addresses., obituaries n.d.
5 5 Addresses, etc 1906‑1908
5 6 Addresses, obituaries, social events 1928‑1929
5 7 Quotations, facts, etc 1928‑1929
5 8 Addresses ca. 1921
5 9 Diary 1900
5 10 Notes on the Spanish‑American War 1898
5 11 Diary 1899
5 12 Remarks of celebrities regarding events of the Spanish‑American War 1898
5 13 Quotations, poem, etc 1899
5 14 Addresses, Diary 1913‑1914
5 15 Addresses n.d.
5 16 Addresses, memos, notes for Journal 1930‑1931
5 17 Quotations; statistics, accounts, 1902‑1903
5 18 Quotations, jokes, definitions n.d.
5 19 Diary 1898‑1904
6 1 Accident Accounts 1886-1934
6 2 Architectural drawings n.d.
6 3 Art prints of various artists n.d.
6 4 Biographical Accounts 1920-1936
6 5 Birthday Celebrations n.d.
6 6 Conversation Scraps n.d.
6 7 Designs for Carvings n.d.
6 8 Materials re: Rev. John G. Brown 1911-1937
6 9 News clippings 1917-1958
6 10 Oil Paintings by Petrovits n.d.
6 11 Poems not written by G.M.Teegarden 1977
6 12 Quotations, Poems, Stories Collected 1918-1933
6 13 Real Estate and Stock 1918-1919
6 14 Reception Honoring G.M.Teegarden 1903
6 15 Retirement Party given by W. Pennsylvania School for the Deaf 1924-1925
6 16 Teegarden Award for Poetry 1938-1965
6 17 Trip to Ridgeview Park, Pa 1900
6 18 Trips ‑ George M. Teegarden 1922, n.d.
6 19 Birth of Alice M. Teegarden 1914
6 20 Wedding and 50th Anniversary 1885-1935
6 21 Scrapbook n.d.
6 22 Article: My Connection with and my activities at WPSD 1936
6 23 Articles published in the Deaf Mutes Journal 1891-1905
6 24 Articles Published in Various Papers 1873-1925
6 25 Speech: Only by doing hard things heartily can we gain power or win success n.d.
6 26 Speeches n.d.
7 1 Letter from A. D. Bryant 1936
7 2 Letter from E.M. Gallaudet 1906
7 3 Letter from Elizabeth Peet 1930
7 4 Letter from Parents 1893-1928
7 5 Letter from Parents 1929
7 6 Letter from Parents 1930
7 7 Letter from Parents 1931
7 8 Letter from Parents 1935
7 9 Letter from Parents 1935
7 10 Letter from Parents 1936
7 11 Letters from John G. Brown 1899-1904
7 12 Letter from Miscellaneous 1913-1946
8 1 Letter from A. D. Bryant 1936
8 2 Letter from Edith Cooley 1923-1937
8 3 Letter from Harrie M. Cook 1896-1910
8 4 Letter from A.L.E. Crouter 1894
8 5 Letter from Enoch Currier 1909
8 6 Letter from Edward Allen Fay 1891-1911
8 7 Letter from Edward M. Gallaudet 1890
8 8 Letter from Edward M. Gallaudet 1904
8 9 Letter from Dudley Webster George 1924
8 10 Letter from E. C. Harsh 1897
8 11 Letter from S. Henistreet 1930
8 12 Letter from Edwin A. Hodgson 1922-1928
8 13 Letter from F.C. Holloway 1928
8 14 Letter from John B. Hotchkiss 1913-1918
8 15 Letter from S. B. Linhart 1904
8 16 Letter from James H. Logan 1912-1914
8 17 Letter from Margaret P. Lowry 1935
8 18 Letter from J. A. McIlvaine 1908
8 19 Letter from A. W. Mann 1898
8 20 Letter from A. C. Manning 1922
8 21 Letter from Andrew Mellon 1935
8 22 Letter from Monroe & Cook (Editors of The Silent Educator) 1891
8 23 Letter from James L. Reider 1906
8 24 Letter from Malvina Scheider (Sec. to Mrs. F. D. Roosevelt) 1935
8 25 Letter from Roy J. Stewart 1931
8 26 Letter from George Taylor, Jr. 1930
8 27 Letter from Alice Teegarden 1893-1933
8 28 Letter from George W. Teegarden 1932-1933
8 29 Letter from G. M. Teegarden 1895
8 30 Letter from Ethel G. Wagner 1936
8 31 Letter from A. H. Walker 1908
8 32 Letter from Oliver J. Whildin 1931
8 33 Letter from Candice Yendes n.d.
8 34 Letter from Percival Hall to Harley D. Drake 1935
8 35 Letter to Annie Maul 1887
8 36 Letter to George and Alice 1898
8 37 Letter to Alice, Sara, and Brownie 1910-1930
8 38 Letter to Celia 1891-1923
8 39 Letter to Dr. Currier 1917
8 40 Letter to Dr. Gallaudet n.d.
8 41 Letter to The Macmillan Co., Publishers 1936
8 42 Miscellaneous notes n.d.
9 1 Funeral Expenses of Celia J. Teegarden 1944
9 2 G.M. Teegarden Fund, Gallaudet College 1945-1946
9 3 G.M. Teegarden Memorial Issue/Article 1937
9 4 Article: G.M. Teegarden Memorial Library 1937
9 5 Genealogy of the Teegarden Family 1929
9 6 In Memoriam, G. M. Teegarden 1936
9 7 Letters of Condolence to Alice M. Teegarden 1936
9 8 Letters of Condolence to Alice M. Teegarden from Her Pupils 1936
9 9 Obituary ‑ G. M. Teegarden 1936
9 10 Obituary ‑ Celia J. Teegarden 1944
9 11 Obituaries ‑ Family Members and Friends 1924–1933
9 12 Recipes ‑ Edible and Medicinal n.d.
9 13 Register of Friends from the Funeral Home n.d.
9 14 Resolutions 1936
9 15 Invoices and Receipts 1897-1932
9 16 Musical Recitals by Alice M. Teegarden 1896-1903
9 17 Speech by Alice M. Teegarden n.d.
9 18 Speech by Alice M. Teegarden 1957
9 19 Notes Written by Alice May Teegarden re: this collection n.d.
9 Scrapbook by Alice Teegarden n.d.

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