Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries
Guide to the Davis Dunbar McElroy Papers
1950-1969
Cage 451
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries
- Creator
- McElroy, Davis Dunbar
- Title
- Davis Dunbar McElroy Papers
- ID
- Cage 451
- Date [inclusive]
- 1950-1969
- Extent
- 3850.0 items.
- General Physical Description note
- 2 linear feet of shelf space.
- Language
- English
- Abstract
- Research notes, typescript drafts and other papers relating to Scotland's literary clubs, published in part as Scotland's Age of Improvement, a Survey of Eighteenth Century Literary Clubs and Societies (1970).
Preferred Citation note
[Item Description]. Cage 451, Davis Dunbar McElroy Papers. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Biographical/Historical note
Davis Dunbar McElroy was born in San Francisco, California on August 1, 1917. He served in the United States Navy from 1942-1946. After the war, he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley in 1949, and received his doctoral degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1952. From 1960 to 1962 McElroy was an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University. He served on Washington State University's English Department faculty from 1962 to 1970. Since 1970 McElroy has been Chairman of Humanities at Centralia College. His book Scotland's Age of Improvement, a Survey of Eighteenth Century Literary Clubs and Societies, based on his dissertation, was completed in 1969 and published by the Washington State University Press the following year.
Arrangement note
This collection is arranged in three series: Typescripts, Rough Notes, and Reference Materials. The first series, Typescripts, consists of two sub-series: McElroy's typescript of his book, A Century of Scottish Clubs, 1700-1800, along with an extensive index to that typescript; and earlier typewritten drafts of the chapters (arranged alphabetically by title) which later became chapters of the book. The second series, Rough Notes, consists of research notes, both handwritten and typewritten, which were compiled by the author during the course of his work on the book. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject, and contains references to persons, places, and clubs which appear throughout McElroy's work. The types of materials found in this series include accounts of the various clubs taken from journals and newspapers of the day, club information taken from biographies and writings of famous members, and observations and opinions about the various societies found in the minutes of club meetings. The third series, Reference Materials, is comprised of other published works including Harry A. Cockburn's An Account of the Friday Club, Written by Lord Cockburn, Together with Notes on Certain Other Social Clubs in Edinburgh (1911), and a reel of microfilm containing extracts of biographical sketches and memoirs of the Alexander Monros: Primus, Secondus, Tertius.
The clubs McElroy described were not solely concerned with literature, social improvement, or debate. Many were convivial fraternities which emphasized camaraderie. According to the author, many of these societies were founded for the purpose of teaching Scots men of letters to write and speak proper English. Other clubs promoted improvement in agriculture, fisheries, industries, and conduct.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries © 1982
http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/mascTerrell Library
P.O. Box 645610
Pullman, WA, 99164-5610
509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Conditions Governing Access note
This collection is open for research use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
The papers of Davis Dunbar McElroy were donated by him to the Washington State University Libraries in April 1979 (79-11).
Controlled Access Headings
Personal Name(s)
- McElroy, Davis Dunbar, 1917- --Archives
Subject(s)
- Colleges and Universities
- International Relations
- Scottish literature--18th century
- Scottish literature--Societies, etc.
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Typescripts |
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A Century of Scottish Clubs, 1700-1800 |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Volume One (Text) 1.0 item. |
1 | 1 | ||
|
Volume Two (Index) 1.0 item. |
1 | 2 | ||
Earlier Drafts |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Academies of Art 1.0 item. |
1 | 3 | ||
|
Achievement 1.0 item. |
1 | 4 | ||
|
The Age of Improvement 1.0 item. |
1 | 5 | ||
|
Bibliography 1.0 item. |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Conclusion 1.0 item. |
1 | 7 | ||
|
Fictitious Clubs and Societies 1.0 item. |
1 | 8 | ||
|
Membership of the Literary Society of Glasgow 1.0 item. |
1 | 9 | ||
|
Non-Literary Clubs and Societies of Literary Interest 1.0 item. |
1 | 10 | ||
|
Period of Recognition 1.0 item. |
1 | 11 | ||
|
Preparation 1.0 item. |
1 | 12 | ||
|
Student Clubs and Societies 1.0 item. |
1 | 13 | ||
|
Table of Contents and Introduction 1.0 item. |
1 | 14 | ||
|
|
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Series 2: Rough Notes |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Aberdeen and St. Andrew's Student Societies 1.0 item. |
1 | 15 | ||
|
Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society 5.0 items. |
1 | 16 | ||
|
Academies of Art, notes 10.0 items. |
1 | 17 | ||
|
Academies and Arts Clubs 200.0 items. |
1 | 18 | ||
|
Agricultural Economic Background 15.0 items. |
1 | 19 | ||
|
Agricultural Societies 50.0 items. |
1 | 20 | ||
|
American Physical Society 1794-1797 11.0 items. |
1 | 21 | ||
|
Appendices of Thesis 8.0 items. |
1 | 22 | ||
|
Appendix Materials on Carnival Clubs 100.0 items. |
1 | 23 | ||
|
Beggar's Bennison, Hell Fire Club 50.0 items. |
1 | 24 | ||
|
Belles Lettres Society 40.0 items. |
1 | 25 | ||
|
Belles Lettres Society Members 1.0 item. |
1 | 26 | ||
|
Bibliography 50.0 items. |
1 | 27 | ||
|
Black (Joseph) and James Watt 25.0 items. |
1 | 28 | ||
|
Books and Pamphlets in Scot's Magazine 1.0 item. |
1 | 29 | ||
|
Boswell, James 25.0 items. |
1 | 30 | ||
|
Burns, Robert 75.0 items. |
1 | 31 | ||
|
Caledonian Unit 50.0 items. |
1 | 32 | ||
|
Carnival Club 25.0 items. |
1 | 33 | ||
|
Carnival Clubs 300.0 items. |
1 | 34 | ||
|
Chapter Three, Materials 5.0 items. |
1 | 35 | ||
|
Chapter Two, Materials 75.0 items. |
1 | 36 | ||
|
Chemical Societies of Edinburgh 100.0 items. |
1 | 37 | ||
|
Chirigo-Physical Society 1789-1791 5.0 items. |
1 | 38 | ||
|
Cochrane's Political Economy Club 5.0 items. |
1 | 39 | ||
|
Democratic Offshoots 25.0 items. |
1 | 40 | ||
|
Discards, not useful 200.0 items. |
1 | 41 | ||
|
Duncan, Andrew 15.0 items. |
1 | 42 | ||
|
Early Improving Societies 100.0 items. |
1 | 43 | ||
|
Edinburgh Clubs 3.0 items. |
1 | 44 | ||
|
Edinburgh Improving Societies 35.0 items. |
1 | 45 | ||
|
Edinburgh Review 1755 10.0 items. |
1 | 46 | ||
|
Easy Club 100.0 items. |
1 | 47 | ||
|
Fair Intellectual Club 25.0 items. |
1 | 48 | ||
|
Ferguson (Robert) and the Cape Club 150.0 items. |
1 | 49 | ||
|
Fictitious Clubs 80.0 items. |
1 | 50 | ||
|
Foreign Societies and Scottish Clubs 35.0 items. |
1 | 51 | ||
|
French Notes 10.0 items. |
1 | 52 | ||
|
General Literary Background 10.0 items. |
1 | 53 | ||
|
Glasgow Clubs 15.0 items. |
1 | 54 | ||
|
Glasgow Societies 5.0 items. |
1 | 55 | ||
|
Glasgow University Student Societies 50.0 items. |
1 | 56 | ||
|
Griskin Club 35.0 items. |
1 | 57 | ||
|
Grotesque Club 25.0 items. |
1 | 58 | ||
|
Guilds 35.0 items. |
1 | 59 | ||
|
Harveian Society 5.0 items. |
1 | 60 | ||
|
Hibernia Medical Society 1.0 item. |
1 | 61 | ||
|
Highland Society of Edinburgh 25.0 items. |
1 | 62 | ||
|
Highland Societies of London and Glasgow 35.0 items. |
1 | 63 | ||
|
Hodge Podge Club of Glasgow 5.0 items. |
1 | 64 | ||
|
Hume, David 35.0 items. |
1 | 65 | ||
|
Improving Clubs and Societies 55.0 items. |
1 | 66 | ||
|
Introduction 10.0 items. |
1 | 67 | ||
|
Journal of The Easy Club 1.0 item. |
1 | 68 | ||
|
Legal Societies 15.0 items. |
1 | 69 | ||
|
Libraries and Mechanical Institutes 25.0 items. |
1 | 70 | ||
|
Literary Societies of Glasgow 10.0 items. |
1 | 71 | ||
|
Literary Society of Glasgow 15.0 items. |
1 | 72 | ||
|
Loose Notes 5.0 items. |
1 | 73 | ||
|
Manuscript Notes, National Library of Scotland 3.0 items. |
1 | 74 | ||
|
Masons 35.0 items. |
1 | 75 | ||
|
Materials for Appendix A 50.0 items. |
1 | 76 | ||
|
Material for supplement number one 45.0 items. |
1 | 77 | ||
|
Members of the St. Andrew Society 1.0 item. |
1 | 78 | ||
|
The Mirror 50.0 items. |
1 | 79 | ||
|
Mirror Club 3.0 items. |
1 | 80 | ||
|
Monro, Doctors 5.0 items. |
1 | 81 | ||
|
National History Society 1.0 item. |
1 | 82 | ||
|
Notes 2.0 items. |
1 | 83 | ||
|
Oyster Club 10.0 items. |
1 | 84 | ||
|
Pantheon Society 1.0 item. |
1 | 85 | ||
|
Period of Recognition, notes 25.0 items. |
1 | 86 | ||
|
Philalethic Society 2.0 items. |
1 | 87 | ||
|
Philosophic Society of Aberdeen 50.0 items. |
1 | 88 | ||
|
Philosophical Society 50.0 items. |
1 | 89 | ||
|
Physical Society of Edinburgh 50.0 items. |
1 | 90 | ||
|
Poker Club 50.0 items. |
1 | 91 | ||
|
Poker Club-Minutes and Members 100.0 items. |
1 | 92 | ||
|
Political Club 50.0 items. |
1 | 93 | ||
|
Professional Societies 25.0 items. |
1 | 94 | ||
|
Ramsay (Allen Jr.) and the Select Society 10.0 items. |
1 | 95 | ||
|
Rankenian Club 75.0 items. |
1 | 96 | ||
|
Religious Societies 25.0 items. |
1 | 97 | ||
|
Right and Wrong Club 35.0 items. |
1 | 98 | ||
|
Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh 25.0 items. |
1 | 99 | ||
|
Royal and Philosophical Societies 45.0 items. |
1 | 100 | ||
|
Ruddiman's Club 45.0 items. |
2 | 101 | ||
|
Rush (Benjamin) and other Yanks 5.0 items. |
2 | 102 | ||
|
Select Society 85.0 items. |
2 | 103 | ||
|
Select Society to Teach English Speech 50.0 items. |
2 | 104 | ||
|
Scott, Sir Walter 25.0 items. |
2 | 105 | ||
|
Sinclair, Sir John 25.0 items. |
2 | 106 | ||
|
Smith, Adam 45.0 items. |
2 | 107 | ||
|
Societies of Antiquaries 75.0 items. |
2 | 108 | ||
|
Society for the Reformation of Manner 50.0 items. |
2 | 109 | ||
|
Source Materials on Scottish Clubs 75.0 items. |
2 | 110 | ||
|
Speculative Society 50.0 items. |
2 | 111 | ||
|
Sports Clubs 25.0 items. |
2 | 112 | ||
|
Student Societies 100.0 items. |
2 | 113 | ||
|
Useful Extracts 25.0 items. |
2 | 114 | ||
|
Watt (James) and his Condensor 75.0 items. |
2 | 115 | ||
|
Women's Clubs and Foreign Clubs 75.0 items. |
2 | 116 | ||
|
|
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Series 3: Additional Published Materials |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Old Edinburgh Clubs (book) 1.0 item. |
2 | 117 | ||
|
Primus, Secundus, Tertius (microfilm) 1.0 item. |
2 | 118 | ||
|
|
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