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University of Chicago Library

Guide to the University of Chicago Awards and Prizes Collection 1898-1980

© 2013 University of Chicago Library

Descriptive Summary

Title:

University of Chicago. Awards and Prizes. Collection

Dates:

1898-1980

Size:

3 linear feet (6 boxes)

Repository:

Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center
University of Chicago Library
1100 East 57th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.

Abstract:

This artificial collection contains correspondence, announcements and publicity as well as winning entries for various University-administered competitions. Most are for scholarly or creative writing. The material dates from 1898 to 1980, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1940 to 1971.

Information on Use

Access

The collection is open for research.

Citation

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: University of Chicago. Awards and Prizes. Collection Papers Papers [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

Historical Note

The University of Chicago administers competitions that are sponsored both by the university itself and by outside groups or private endowments. The competitions represented in this collection are mostly privately-endowed prizes, awarded by the university to University of Chicago students. A brief account of some of the more notable prizes follows.

The Academy of American Poets Prize was established in 1955 by the academy for students at colleges and universities across the country. Participating schools can set certain standards for the competition, though no restrictions on poetic format/form are allowed. The prize is still in existence, but the University of Chicago no longer participates.

The Chicago Folklore Prize originally honored any contribution to folklore studies – essay, monograph, collection of material etc. It was established in 1904 by the American Folklore Society. The prize is still awarded, now for book-length works.

The David Blair McLaughlin Prize is an internal University of Chicago prize. It honors critical or scholarly essays in English prose in a range of subjects. The prize is named in memory of David Blair McLaughlin, 1895-1914, a University of Chicago student who died tragically in a diving accident. His parents established the prize in 1914; the first competition took place in 1916, and the award was $50.

Beginning in 1895, a handful of prizes were offered annually for essays in economics, adjudicated by a committee of professors from various universities including the University of Chicago. The prizes were sponsored by three Chicagoans and the competition was open to undergraduates and others throughout the country.

The Fiske Poetry Prize was established in 1920 by Horace Spencer Fiske, in memory of his father John Billings Fiske. Open to University of Chicago students, it was judged annually by the chair of the English Department, a prominent American poet, and an American literary critic. The prize is no longer offered.

The Florence James Adams Prize, first awarded in 1912, was for excellence in artistic reading, generally of poetry.

The Gellhorn Prize in Neurophysiology was established in 1963 by Ernest Gellhorn, a neurophysiologist at the University of Minnesota. It was administered by the University of Chicago's Physiology Department.

The Olga and Paul Menn Foundation Prize was established in 1949 in accordance with the 1946 will of Olga Menn. Four yearly prizes were offered originally, for short stories, novels, or plays, to University students between the ages of 20 and 26. The first prizes were awarded in 1950. By 1956 musical compositions were also accepted. Currently, one prized is awarded annually, for plays only.

Another early prize was offered by the New England Free Trade League, for an essay on the topic of trade protectionism. Prizes were offered at five colleges, and awarded in 1899.

The Political Institutions Prize began in 1918 as the Civil Government Prize, but was renamed in 1944. It was awarded annually to an undergraduate on the basis of an essay on a political topic. It appears that the award later became the Goettler Political Institutions Prize, and that it is no longer awarded.

The Ronald S. Crane prize in criticism was named for the founder of the Chicago School of Literary Criticism.

The Sergel Drama Prize is awarded by the University, but open to playwrights of any age, from anywhere in the world. The prize is awarded biennially. It was established in 1934 by the widow of Charles H. Sergel, a publisher and politician with a particular interest in drama. Awards are presented to plays of different specified sorts in different years. Winning plays are produced at the University. Judges of the competition have included Thornton Wilder and Frank O'Hara.

The Snowday Prize, named for Ronald H. Snowday, is also for criticism.

Scope Note

The collection is divided into 16 series.

Series 1, General, contains material detailing multiple university prizes and listing winners. Each subsequent series contains material dealing with one particular prize, as follows:

Series 2: American Academy of Poets Prize

Series 3: Chicago Folklore Prize

Series 4: Chicago Public Schools (awards for students)

Series 5: David Blair McLaughlin Prize

Series 6: Economics Prize

Series 7: Fiske Poetry Prize

Series 8: Florence James Adams Prize

Series 9: Gellhorn prize in Neurophysiology

Series 10: Menn Foundation Prize

Series 11: New England Free Trade League Competition

Series 12: Political Institutions Prize

Series 13: R. S. Crane Prize

Series 14: Sergel Drama Prize

Series 15: Snowday Prize

Series 16: Undergraduate Teaching Awards

Prizes (and thus series) are arranged alphabetically, and series contents are arranged chronologically.

Related Resources

Browse finding aids by topic.

Crane, Ronald S. Papers

Subject Headings

INVENTORY

Series I: General

Box 1    Folder 1

List and Descriptions of University Prizes, Fellowships, and Scholarships, undated

Box 1    Folder 2

Lists of Past Prize Winners, 1946

Box 1    Folder 3

Multiple Awards – Press Release, 1960

Series II: Academy of American Poets Prize

Box 1    Folder 4

Academy of American Poets Prize – List of Winners, 1955-1970, circa 1970

Box 1    Folder 5

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1955

Box 1    Folder 6

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1957

Box 1    Folder 7

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems, 1958

Box 1    Folder 8

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems and Library Copies, 1959

Box 1    Folder 9

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1960

Box 1    Folder 10

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1961

Box 1    Folder 11

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1964

Box 1    Folder 12

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1967

Box 1    Folder 13

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1968

Box 1    Folder 14

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1969

Box 1    Folder 15

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems (Library Copies), 1970

Box 1    Folder 16

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems, Memo Photocopy, 1971

Box 1    Folder 17

Academy of American Poets Prize – Winning Poems, undated

Series III: Chicago Folklore Prize

Box 1    Folder 18

Chicago Folklore Prize – Winner, Press Release, 1940, 1961

Series IV: Chicago Public Schools

Box 1    Folder 19

Chicago Public School Awards Winners – Assembly Program, 1957

Series V: David Blair McLaughlin Prize

Box 1    Folder 20

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Article Offprint, 1917

Box 1    Folder 21

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1934

Box 1    Folder 22

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1937

Box 1    Folder 23

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entries, 1939

Box 1    Folder 24

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1940

Box 1    Folder 25

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1942

Box 1    Folder 26

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1943

Box 1    Folder 27

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1944

Box 1    Folder 28

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1945

Box 1    Folder 29

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1946

Box 1    Folder 30

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1947

Box 1    Folder 31

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, Announcement, 1948

Box 1    Folder 32

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entries, 1949

Box 1    Folder 33

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1950

Box 1    Folder 34

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entries, Announcement, 1951

Box 1    Folder 35

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1953

Box 1    Folder 36

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, Announcement, 1955

Box 1    Folder 37

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entries, Announcement, 1959

Box 1    Folder 38

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entries, Memo, 1968

Box 1    Folder 39

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1969

Box 1    Folder 40

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entry, 1970

Box 1    Folder 41

David Blair McLaughlin Prize – Winning Entries, undated

Series VI: Economics Prizes

Box 1    Folder 42

Economics Prizes – Competition Announcements, 1913-1916

Series VII: Fiske Poetry Prize

Box 1    Folder 43

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1931

Box 1    Folder 44

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1934

Box 1    Folder 45

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1935

Box 1    Folder 46

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1936

Box 1    Folder 47

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1937

Box 1    Folder 48

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1939

Box 2   Folder 1

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcement, 1940

Box 2   Folder 2

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, Announcement, 1941

Box 2   Folder 3

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1942

Box 2   Folder 4

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1943

Box 2   Folder 5

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1944

Box 2   Folder 6

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, Press Release, 1946

Box 2   Folder 7

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, Clippings, Announcments, 1947-1959

Box 2   Folder 8

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, 1947

Box 2   Folder 9

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, 1943-1947

Box 2   Folder 10

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcement, 1948

Box 2   Folder 11

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcement, 1949

Box 2   Folder 12

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcemnt, 1950

Box 2   Folder 13

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcement, 1951

Box 2   Folder 14

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcement, 1952

Box 2   Folder 15

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, 1948-1952

Box 2   Folder 16

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1953

Box 2   Folder 17

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcement, 1954

Box 2   Folder 18

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, 1955

Box 2   Folder 19

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, 1956

Box 2   Folder 20

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Announcement, 1957

Box 2   Folder 21

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, 1953-1957

Box 2   Folder 22

Fiske Prize – Winning Poem, 1963

Box 2   Folder 23

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Memo, 1964

Box 2   Folder 24

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Memos, 1967

Box 2   Folder 25

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Memo, 1968

Box 2   Folder 26

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Memo Photocopy, 1969

Box 2   Folder 27

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Memo Photocopy, 1970

Box 2   Folder 28

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, Memo, 1971

Box 2   Folder 29

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, undated

Box 2   Folder 30

Fiske Prize – Winning Poems, undated

Series VIII: Florence James Adams Prize

Box 2   Folder 31

Florence James Adams Prize – Winner Announcements, 1965, 1970

Series IX: Gellhorn Prize in Neurophysiology

Box 2    Folder 32

Gellhorn Prize in Neurophysiology – Press Release, 1963

Series X: Menn Foundation Prize

Box 2   Folder 33

Menn Foundation Prize – Clipping, 1949

Box 2   Folder 34

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entry, circa 1950

Box 2   Folder 35

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entries, 1950

Box 2   Folder 36

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entries, 1951

Box 2   Folder 37

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entry, 1952

Box 3   Folder 1

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entry, Announcement, 1953

Box 3   Folder 2

Menn Foundation Prize – Announcements and Winning Entries, 1955

Box 3   Folder 3

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entries, Announcements, 1956

Box 3   Folder 4

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entries, 1957

Box 3   Folder 5

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entries, 1958

Box 3   Folder 6

Menn Foundation Prize – Posters, 1970

Box 3   Folder 7

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entry, Memo, 1970

Box 3   Folder 8

Menn Foundation Prize – Winning Entries, Memo Photocopy, 1971

Series XI: New England Free Trade League Competition

Box 3    Folder 9

New England Free Trade League – Competition Announcement, circa 1898

Series XII: Political Institutions Prize

Box 3   Folder 10

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1944

Box 3   Folder 11

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1945

Box 3   Folder 12

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1946

Box 3   Folder 13

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1947

Box 3   Folder 14

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1950

Box 3   Folder 15

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1951

Box 3   Folder 16

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1952

Box 4   Folder 1

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1953

Box 4   Folder 2

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entries and Announcement, 1954

Box 4   Folder 3

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entries, Announcement [1 of 2], 1955

Box 4   Folder 4

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entries [2 of 2], 1955

Box 4   Folder 5

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entries, Announcement, 1956

Box 4   Folder 6

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, Announcement, 1957

Box 4   Folder 7

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entries, 1958

Box 5   Folder 1

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entry, 1959

Box 5   Folder 2

Political Institutions Prize – Winning Entries, undated

Series XIII: R. S. Crane Award

Box 5    Folder 3

R. S. Crane Award – Winning Entry, 1969

Box 5    Folder 4

R. S. Crane Award – Winning Entry, Memo, 1970

Box 5    Folder 5

R. S. Crane Award – Winning Entry, Memo Photocopy, 1971

Series XIV: Sergel Drama Prize

Box 5    Folder 6

Sergel Drama Prize – Correspondence, Press Releases, Brochures, 1934-1972

Box 5    Folder 7

Sergel Drama Prize – Winner, Press Release, 1939

Box 5    Folder 8

Sergel Drama Prize – Winner, Announcements, 1940

Box 5    Folder 9

Sergel Drama Prize – Winner, 1942

Box 5    Folder 10

Sergel Drama Prize – Winner, Announcements, Correspondence, 1946

Box 5    Folder 11

Sergel Drama Prize – Winning Entries, Announcements, Correspondence [1 of 2], 1947

Box 5    Folder 12

Sergel Drama Prize – Winning Entry [2 of 2], 1947

Box 6   Folder 1

Sergel Drama Prize – Winning Entries, Announcements, 1949

Box 6   Folder 2

Sergel Drama Prize – Winning Entry, Announcement, 1951

Series XV: Snowday Prize

Box 6    Folder 3

Snowday Prize – Winning Entry, Memo, Entrant List, 1964

Box 6    Folder 4

Snowday Prize – Winning Entry, 1968

Box 6    Folder 5

Snowday Prize – Winning Entry, Memo, 1970

Box 6    Folder 6

Snowday Prize – Winning Entries, Memo, 1971

Box 6    Folder 7

Snowday Prize – Winning Entries, undated

Series XVI: Undergraduate Teaching Awards

Box 6    Folder 8

Undergraduate Teaching Prizes – Clipping, 1945