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MSS 42 – Doctor, Powrie Vaux, 1903-1971

Papers of Powrie Vaux Doctor,1909-1979

Gallaudet University Archives

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Gallaudet University Archives

Call No.: MSS 42

Creator:

Title: Papers of Powrie Vaux Doctor

Quantity: 58.5 Linear Feet (117 document boxes)

Abstract:

Note: This document last updated 2005 December 1.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information:

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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: See ALADIN for complete listings

Films

  • Beyond silence [motion picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Film 2-8, 35-6
  • The Science report [motion picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Film 195-4
  • Amos Kendall [motion picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Film 122-4, 424-4
  • Psychology, educational psychology [motion picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Film 135-4
  • Activities of 1931-1932 at Gallaudet College [motion picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Film 75-4

Manuscripts

  • Collection of the Associations for Education of the Deaf, 1937-1987. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: MSS 158
  • Papers of Dr. Edward C. Merrill, Jr., 1928-1995. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: MSS 84
  • Collection of the International Congress on Education of the Deaf, 1960-1965. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: MSS 79

Photographs

  • Powrie V. Doctor. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Portraits
  • Photograph album of John V. Wurdemann [picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Photograph Album AL 52
  • Photograph album of Powrie V. Doctor [picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Photograph Album AL 35

SMSS

  • Margaret Elizabeth Daniels, 1964-1979. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
  • Adele Gertrude Jensen Krug, 1961-1971. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
  • Alice May Teegarden, 1958-1967. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
  • Powrie Vaux Doctor 1956. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
  • Olive Aida Whildin, 1953-1955. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
  • Edward L. Scouten, 1950-1971. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
  • Gallaudet family, 1824-1962. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
  • Powrie Doctor, 1924. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS

Biographical Sketch

1903 Powrie Vaux Doctor was born on August 7th in Belleville, Kansas.
1922 He graduated from the High School in Olathe, Kansas.
1927-1928 Doctor worked as an assistant instructor of English at the University of Kansas.
1928 He received a B.A. degree in English from the University of Kansas.
1928-1934 Soon after Doctor became a faculty member of Gallaudet College and taught English and History.
1930 He received an M.A. degree in Political Science from The George Washington University.
1931 Doctor also received an M.A. degree from Gallaudet College.
1934-1940 Powrie was promoted to assistant professor of English and History.
1940 He then received his Ph.D. degree in Political Science.
1940-1947 For seven years he worked as assistant editor of the American Annals of the Deaf.
1940-1953 Doctor was also promoted to professor of English and History at Gallaudet College.
1941-1971 For 30 years Doctor held workshops for teachers of the deaf in approximately 100 schools and universities in the United of States.
1948-1968 Doctor was then promoted to Editor of the American Annals of the Deaf.
1953-1967 He also worked as a professor of History and Political Science.
1959 Meanwhile he served as Project Director for “Guide Lines for the Establishment of Rehabilitation Facilities for the Deaf.”
1959 That same year he received a special Merit Key Award from the Kappa Gamma Fraternity.
1960 Shortly he would become Project Director for the “Workshop on Identification of Researchable Vocational Rehabilitation Problems of the Deaf.”
1960-1965 Doctor was also a member of the Board of Directors of “dsh Abstracts” published by Deafness Speech and Hearing Publications, Inc.
1961 Doctor was involved was the Coordinator for “Workshops for Catholic Personnel for the Deaf.”
1961 He was also the Coordinator for “Workshop for Episcopal Workers for the Deaf.”
1961 That same year he received Edward Allen Fay Award at the Conference of Executives of American Schools for the Deaf.
1962 Shortly thereafter he received a degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Gallaudet College.
1963 Doctor then began work as Project Director for “Workshop for Lutherans on Deafness and Rehabilitation.”
1963 He was also the Executive Secretary of the “International Congress on Education of the Deaf” held in Washington, D.C.
1963 The Alpha Sigma Pi Fraternity, Gallaudet chapter, named Doctor “The Man of the Year.”
1964 The following year he received the Kappa Gamma Alumni Centennial Award.
1967 Doctor attended the Fifth World Congress of the “World Federation of the Deaf” held in Warsaw, Poland.
1967-1971 He later became a Professor of Government at Gallaudet College.
1970 Doctor also attended the “International Congress on Education of the Deaf” held in Stockholm, Sweden.
1970-1971 During these years he was Acting Dean of the Graduate School at Gallaudet College.
1971 Doctor attended the Sixth World Congress of the “World Federation of the Deaf” held in Paris, France.
1971 Powrie Vaux Doctor died on July 31 in Paris, France, while attending the WFD Congress.

Scope and Content

The Powrie Vaux Doctor Collection consists of materials related to his work at Gallaudet College as an instructor and professor, editor of the American Annals of the Deaf, and as a member of the Nevil Trust. The collection also contains his personal papers.

The collection consists approximately 99,450 items dating from 1909 to 1979, but the collection contains photocopies of letters received from Amos Kendall from 1830 to 1852. The majority of the papers date from the 1940’s to 1971.

The bulk of the collection includes various addresses, correspondence, essays, grade books and scrapbooks. The collection is organized in the following series: American Annals of the Deaf (AAD), AAD Correspondence, State File, Foreign File, Essays, Conferences-Workshops, Gallaudet College, Nevil Trust, the World Federation of the Deaf, Colleges and Universities, Scrapbooks and Personal.

In the AAD series are addresses by Powrie V. Doctor, material related to the Conference of Executives of American Schools for the Deaf, General Correspondence, and International Congress on the Education of the Deaf. The AAD Correspondence, the State File and the Foreign File are arranged alphabetically. In those series one can find letters most relating to the American Annals of the Deaf.

There are also written essays by Powrie Vaux Doctor completed during his early years, some of which were published in the American Annals of the Deaf.

The collection includes information about conferences and workshops including the International Conference on oral Education of the Deaf, the Workshop on Interpreting for the Deaf, some religious workshops for Lutherans, Episcopalians and Catholics, Workshop on the Identification of Researchable Vocational Rehabilitation Problems of the Deaf and a workshop to Develop Guidelines for the Establishment of Rehabilitation Facilities for the Deaf.

The Gallaudet College series includes correspondence from various Presidents of Gallaudet College and members of the Student Body Government, reports of the Board of Directors of Gallaudet College and papers related to the Crotched Mountain Foundation. Also one can find some information about the Gallaudet Centennial Anniversary and Negro admissions to Kendall School.

The Gallaudet College series has 10 boxes which include Powrie V. Doctor’s work as an instructor and professor under the Departments of English and History and Political Science (presently Government), and the Graduate School. (The “Grade Books” are closed to the public. See reference staff for restrictions.)

The Nevil Trust series has only two boxes which are mostly photocopies of papers showing Powrie V. Doctor’s involvement as a member of the Girard Bank’s Advisory Committee. The papers of the World Federation of the Deaf include mostly papers related to the Fifth World Congress held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967. One can find abstracts of papers, general correspondence, and programs. Also there are the papers of the Sixth World Congress which was held in Paris, France in 1971.

The Colleges and Universities series includes papers related to the University of Kansas where Powrie V. Doctor graduated. In those folders are clippings, commencement programs, written essays and yearbooks. Powrie V. Doctor wrote his Master’s thesis on “A Comparison of College Entrance Tests” which is included in the folder for Gallaudet College. In one of the folders of The George Washington University, where Powrie V. Doctor studied history and political science, is his Master’s thesis entitled “French Public Opinion Regarding the American Senate”. The Georgetown University folders included correspondence, minutes, notebooks, and research papers relating to Amos Kendall’s political life which resulted in Powrie V. Doctor’s dissertation entitled “Propagandist of Jacksonian Democracy”.

Finally, in the Personal series one can find Christmas cards, convention pins, general correspondence, itineraries, postcards, and papers related to the Cosmos Club, fraternities of Delta Sigma Lambda, Kappa Gamma, Theta Chi and Theta Nu Tau, and items related to his European and world trips.

The Powrie V. Doctor is an excellent source for researchers doing biographical research or for researchers looking for information on important individuals.. The arrangement of the collection allows for easy access by last name within several series.

The register includes an index by box number and an index by folder heading.

Series Descriptions and Folder Lists

No Series

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