Anne Walters Papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 171-Mss 1596.1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Anne Walters Papers have been organized into four series: Correspondence, Writings, Manuscripts, and Subject files. The Correspondence Series runs from 1930 to 1984. Included are letters from her daughters, Margaret (Maggie) Wilson discussing dreams and organization involvement, and Patricia O'Hara about everyday life, plus several letters from other friends, relatives, and admirers about Anne's writings, political views, and the past. The Writing Series contains Choice (1945, typed and original short story) which is the story of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, mention of God, the human race, and German machinery. I Remember, I Remember (typed and original) is the story of a North Dakota childhood. Anne writes of settlers getting the grain to market, living on credit from the local store until harvest, winter blizzards, early frosts, rain, and the harvest, government subsidies, and people's endurance. Old girls haven't a thing to wear (1980) is a newspaper article written by Anne discussing disappearing waistlines and problems older women have in finding something to wear that looks good on them. The poetry file includes copies of: You (typed and original) about race, nationality, religion, time, and mystery; Aged "P" (typed and original) on what it's like to age and your children are in their fifties; Waiting List (typed and original) about aging and preparing to meet God; My Tree (typed and original) tells of an oak tree, morning coffee, morning light, and the scarring of the trunks; Prayer (typed and photocopy, 1983) about aging; and Birthday (typed and photocopy, 1985) telling of being ninety years old, looking back, heaven or hell, passing through death's door and wondering what's on the other side. The Manuscript Series includes Signature regarding the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Haig Roots tells of the Haig family history traced back to Scotland and showing the Haig Coat of Arms. The Long Run contains a series of essays prepared by Anne Walters on the general theme of the evolution of consciousness. It was used as a basis for discussion by a group under the Pasadena Liberal Arts Center. Anecdotage documents memories of a North Dakota childhood which include homesteading, prairie schooner, the threshers, a country school, Cando and Starkweather, N.D., "Yust overs," the dry years, remembering mama, Maud Muller, the claim shack near Cando, farm life, a woman's life on the prairie, travelers coming by covered wagons and trains, harvesting, Dunkard settlement, living away from home so Anne could attend high school, the railroads, horses, wagons, and sleighs, the immigrants, drought, college years and World War I. The Day After Tomorrow (typed and bound) is a play which moves through the consciousness of Brooks Farrington who is dead but is no longer limited by time and space. In addition there are programs from The Day After Tomorrow, performed at Columbia University, The Playbox, The Playshop at John Hopkins University, The Repertory Players, and the Strand Theatre London; and But Grandmother, performed at the John Hopkins University Playshop with a biography on Mrs. Walters. The Subject File Series contains newspaper clippings of Mrs. Walters winning the Theodore Marburg Prize offered by John Hopkins University's drama department; a review written by Anne on the book Indomitable Nellie Cornish; and other miscellaneous news articles. The scrapbook contains family photographs, photographs of the Philippines, newspaper clippings, and letters.

Dates

1910-1984

Creator

Walters, Anne, 1892- (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection remain with the Institute for Regional Studies.

Biography

Anne May Buck Walters, prized playwright and dramatist, was born December 11, 1892 at Webster, North Dakota. Her parents, William and Ernecia (Haig) Buck, homesteaded near Cando, North Dakota in 1893 where she attended a country school. Mrs. Walters attended one year at Cando High School and eventually graduated from Starkweather High School in 1910. She graduated in 1915 from Jamestown College with an interest in drama and acting. She taught for two years at Oakes, North Dakota and graduated from Columbia College of Expression, Chicago, Illinois in 1918. In 1920 Anne Walters moved to the Philippines where she married Dallas Mansfield Walters who had also attended Jamestown College. Mrs. Walters taught speech and drama at Silliman University in Dumaguete. They returned to the United States in 1933 and she then attended summer school at Boulder, Colorado doing her first professional writing, a play, entitled Head-Ax of Ingfell. Anne Walters moved to Pasadena, California where she was active in the Pasadena Liberal Arts Discussion Group and the Pasadena Playhouse. Anne wrote several plays and books: The Day After Tomorrow (full length play), Proud Heritage (North Dakota play), But Grandmother (play), The Signature (television script), The Long Run (written for the Pasadena Liberal Arts Association Discussion Groups), Beyond Endurance (book written with her son-in-law Jim Marugg), Choice, Anecdotage, The Haig Roots (Haig family history), I Remember, I Remember, Time Passes But Life Is, The Man Who Woke Up, Voice Out of the Whirlwind, Direction for Living (radio script), Gimme Time (one act play), High Hopes (play), Last Night's Paper (one act comedy play), Me (from the autobiography I Remember, I Remember), and The Ultimate Weapon (one act play). Mrs. Walters had fellowships from the Huntington Hartford Foundation and Yaddo, Saratoga, New York. She was elected a member of the Gamma Sigma Honor Society of Jamestown College March 28, 1947. Mrs. Walters later moved to Glendora, California and while living there she wrote several poems: Age "P", You, Waiting List, My Tree, Prayer, and Birthday. Anne died on August 4, 1990 and her body was donated to the USC Dental School. Anne had four children: Margaret (Maggie) Wilson, Santa Barbara, California; Patricia O'Hara, Laguna Hills, California; Sylvia Marugg, Pasadena, California; and Jackson Walters, Glendora, California.

Extent

.4 Linear Feet (.4 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

A prized playwright and dramatist from Webster, North Dakota who wrote several full length plays and books. Includes her works 'Choice' which is the story of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and 'I Remember, I Remember,' a story of a North Dakota childhood. There are also her poetry files, numerous manuscript stories. The 'Anecdotage' manuscript documents memories of a North Dakota childhood which include homesteading, prairie schooner, the threshers, a country school, Cando and Starkweather, N.D., "Yust overs," the dry years, remembering mama, Maud Muller, the claim shack near Cando, farm life, a woman's life on the prairie, travelers coming by covered wagons and trains, harvesting, Dunkard settlement, living away from home so Anne could attend high school, the railroads, horses, wagons, and sleighs, the immigrants, drought, college years and World War I.

Provenance

Donated by Anne Walters, 1984, (Acc. 2118).

Separation Record

The following non-manuscript items were removed from the Anne Walters Papers and have been sent to the sections indicated.

Photographs (Institute Photograph 2111)

45 photographs consist of family pictures, the Philippines (scenery, Silliman University, and the native people), claim shack, Jamestown College (class of 1915), Boulder, Colorado (professor and students), and Haig family home in New York.

Diplomas (Institute Mss 1596.1)

Starkweather High School, June 3, 1910 to Anna Buck

Jamestown College, June 17, 1915 to Anne Buck

Columbia College of Expression, Chicago, Illinois, August 10, 1918 to Ann Buck

Jamestown College, March 20, 1947 to Anne Walters (Gamma Sigma Honor Society)