Thomas W. Sims was born in Viola, Illinois, on February 19, 1914. He received
his bachelor's degree in English at Augustana College in 1936. He served overseas
in the Army during World War II in the ordnance department. Upon his return
to the United States, Sims went on to receive his master's degree at the
University of Chicago in 1946. He married Albertina Herbert on December 19,
1948 in Abberville, Louisiana. Sims was Assistant Professor of English at
Southwestern Louisiana University for 20 years. Apart from his role as professor,
Sims also took part in extra-mural studies at Stratford-upon-Avon, where
he attended courses on Shakespeare; and University of London, where he completed
a month-long study titled: "Art, Literature, and Music in England, 1660-1780." In
1968, he became a reference librarian at Augustana College and was in charge
of the library's periodical collection until 1977 when he became a bibliographer. In
1980 Thomas Sims retired from Augustana as Professor Emeritus. Mr. Sims died
July 19, 1994, in Rock Island. |
The Thomas W. Sims papers date from approximately 1932-1994 and measure approximately
1 linear foot. The papers consist of three series: Personal, Correspondence, and Written Works.
The Personal series (1956-1994 and undated) includes his father's
obituary, financial documents, bills, various receipts, programs, certificates,
sketches, and one photograph. This series also includes an audiotape of the
memorial tea that was given in honor of Sims in 1994 following his death.
The bulk of the Correspondence series (1944-1965 and undated) includes
letters that Sims wrote to his parents while he was overseas during World
War II. This series also includes miscellaneous correspondence to or from
Sims.
The Written Works series (1932-1951 and undated) is by far the largest
portion of the papers. This series is divided into three sub-series: Cookbook
Manuscript, Coursework, and Miscellaneous. The cookbook manuscript includes
both handwritten and typed chapters of a cookbook focusing on domestic cuisine
of the city of Belley, France, birthplace of Jean-AnthelmeBrillat-Savarin.
The cookbook is written in English with some chapters in French that are
noted at the folder level. The Coursework sub-series includes undergraduate,
graduate, and miscellaneous work of Sims. If it was not clear from
the title or course number of the class, or if no course number is present,
papers have been labeled as miscellaneous and are organized alphabetically
by title at the end of the Coursework series. The coursework is primarily
work that was done in English classes, Sims's area of specialty. The Miscellaneous
sub-series is other written work done by Sims that can't be clearly identified
as coursework. This sub-series includes poems, plays, and other items. There
are some poems in German that are indicated at the folder level. |
Box 1
Personal
Certificates and
programs, 1947-1960
Miscellaneous
Memorial Tape, 1994
Newspaper Page,
French, 1945
Photograph, ca.
1980
Sketches, undated
Southwestern Louisiana
Institute Bulletin, 1960
University of Edinburgh
Students' Diary, 1969-1970
Correspondence
Miscellaneous,
1960, 1965, undated
World War II letters, 1944
World War II letters, 1945
Written Works
Cookbook manuscript
Preface & chapter 1, undated
Chapters 2-3, undated
Chapter 4, undated
Chapter 5, undated
Chapter 5 in French, undated
Chapter 6, undated
Chapters 7-8, undated
Chapters 7-8 preservation copy, undated
Chapter 8 in French, undated
Chapter 9 in French, undated
Chapter 10 in French, undated
Chapter 13 in French, undated
Chapter 14 in French, undated
Fragments, undated
Box 2
Undergraduate coursework
Advanced Composition, ca. 1932-1936
Browning, ca.1932-1936
Comparative Literature, ca. 1932-1936
English Drama, ca.1932-1936
English Literature, ca.1932-1936
Milton, ca.1932-1936
Notes for English 201, ca.1932-1936
Psychology 14, ca.1932-1936
Romantic Movement, ca. 1932-1936
Undergraduate Seminar, ca. 1932-1936
Graduate coursework
English 626, undated
English 654, undated
English 724, undated
English 772, undated
Miscellaneous coursework
"The Aesthetic of Melancholy in Arthur Schnitzler's Anatol," undated
"The British Empire as Idea and Organism," undated
"Charateristics of the Dramatic Monologue in Morris's
Defence of Guenevere," undated
"The Classic-Romantic Problem related to German and French
National Character," undated
"Coleridge's Christabeland the 'Wandering Penitent' Legend," undated
"Cynewulf and Cyneheard, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: 755," 1951
German Grammar, undated
History of Culture 308, undated
"In Defense of Cressida," undated
"The Development of Idea in Donne's Good Friday in its
Various Applications to a Central Image," undated
Box 3
Notes for English 364, undated
"The Other Side of the Leaf: A Re-examination of Whitman's
Political Ideology," undated
"The Race Question in Canadian Commonwealth Affairs,"
undated
"A Short History of Burgenland and the Esterhazy Family
Prior to Joseph Haydn," undated
"William Morris's Aesthetic for a Working Society," undated
Miscellaneous
Plays, undated
Poems, 1931-1936, undated
Other, undated |
