TABLE OF CONTENTS
Guide to the William B. Davis Papers, 1892 - 1940
Special Collections and ArchivesOlin Library
Wesleyan University
252 Church Street
Middletown, CT 06457 USA
(860) 685-3864
(860) 685-2661
Email: sca@wesleyan.edu
URL: http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/schome/
Descriptive Summary |
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| Repository | Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University |
| Creator | Davis, William B. |
| Title | William B. Davis Papers, |
| Dates | 1892 - 1940 |
| Linear Feet | 0.5 |
| Archival Boxes | 1 |
| Abstract | William Butler Davis (1871-1937) was a graduate of the Wesleyan University class of 1894 and a musician. He served as a choirmaster, organist, and music teacher in Connecticut during his career. |
| The William B. Davis Papers consist mostly sheet music hand-written by William Butler Davis, Wesleyan class of 1894 and composer of the Wesleyan alma mater, "Come Raise the Song." Davis composed what he referred to as a "light opera" called "The Girl and the Graduate." The piano, vocal, and orchestral sheet music is included in this collection, as well as some other pieces Davis composed. He was a member of the Glee Club while at Wesleyan and he kept a scrapbook of Glee Club programs and news clippings that mentioned himself or the Glee Club from 1892 to 1895. | |
| Call Number | 1000-150 |
| Location | For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Special Collections & Archives staff. |
| Language of Material | Material in English |
Biographical Note
William Butler Davis was born in Middletown, Connecticut, on September 27, 1871 and died on November 16, 1937, in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. He attended Wesleyan University where he earned his bachelor of philosophy in 1894. He then attended Trinity College where he earned his bachelor of music degree in 1918. Most of his life was focused on music: from 1894 to 1927, Davis was the choirmaster and organist of The Church of the Holy Trinity in Middletown; from 1908 to 1928, director of the Glee Club; from 1892 to 1917, an instructor in church music at the Berkeley Divinity School of Yale University; and in 1917, he was the music instructor at Middletown High School. In 1907, Davis along with fellow Wesleyan alumnus, Kenneth Goode, class of 1904, wrote a comic opera called "The Girl and the Graduate." It was first performed locally in 1907 and later performed at the Berkley Theater in New York City to a standing-room only audience. Davis never married, but he was very involved in his teaching, especially while teaching at Middletown High School, where each year, he would chose two students whom he would sponsor for four years at Wesleyan. In 1928, Davis moved out of Middletown to Old Saybrook, but continued to teach at Middletown High School until he died.
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Collection Overview
The William B. Davis Papers consist mostly sheet music hand-written by William Butler Davis, Wesleyan class of 1894 and composer of the Wesleyan alma mater, "Come Raise the Song." Davis composed what he referred to as a "light opera" called "The Girl and the Graduate." The piano, vocal, and orchestral sheet music is included in this collection, as well as some other pieces Davis composed. He was a member of the Glee Club while at Wesleyan and he kept a scrapbook of Glee Club programs and news clippings that mentioned himself or the Glee Club from 1892 to 1895.
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Restrictions
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright Notice
Copyright for Official University records is held by Wesleyan University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
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Online Catalog Headings
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], William B. Davis Papers, Collection #1000-150, Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA.
Acquisitions Information
Acquired prior to 1980.
Processing Information
Processed by Kate Levy, July 2008
Encoded by Valerie Gillispie, July 2008
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