Adrienne Curtis Collection, 1920-1972

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: MSS-117

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Adrienne Curtis Collection, 1920-1972 contains her Bachelor’s Thesis, correspondence, scrapbook materials containing original poems, postcards, items relating to the Cuala Press, as well as various printed materials collected by Ms. Curtis.

The items in this collection were too diverse to warrant division into series, instead six (6) folders were created and arranged alphabetically. [F1] Bachelor’s Thesis, contains Curtis’ 1923 Thesis: “Brand Whitlock and his Writings”, as well as two letters regarding it. The first is from Stratford Publishers accepting it for publication; the second is from the University of Toledo president praising it. [F2] Correspondence from Brand Whitlock, is comprised of a series of letters written by Mr. Whitlock to aid Ms. Curtis with her thesis on his life and his writings. [F3] Cuala Press Materials, is made up of items relating to the Cuala Press and Ms. Curtis’ involvement in it. It includes a signed letter from Ms. Elizabeth Yeats, as well as a newspaper clipping. [F4] Postcards, contains a number of postcards from Ms. Curtis’ travels in Europe. [F5] Printed Materials, is composed of poems collected by Ms. Curtis through the years as well as a 1922 copy of Ohio Woman’s Magazine containing a poem by Ms. Curtis. [F6] Scrapbook Materials, contains a scrapbook of original poems, varying in lengths written by Ms. Curtis.

Dates

1920 - 1972

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Materials may be accessed by request at the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections on the fifth floor of the William S. Carlson Library on the main campus of the University of Toledo. Materials do not circulate.

Conditions Governing Use

In most cases, the Canaday Center does not own the copyright and literary rights to items in its collections; it is the responsibility of the researcher to adhere to U.S. Copyright and Fair Use laws, including seeking permission from the copyright holder and payment of any royalty fees, in the reproduction and use of archival materials. Providing copies or scans does not constitute a license to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.

Biographical / Historical

Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1902, Adrienne Curtis received her formal higher education, first at the University of Toledo where she attained her Bachelor’s Degree in 1923, and then at Columbia University where she received her Masters. She began doctoral work at Ohio State University but never finished.

In the early 1920’s while living in Toledo, and working as a French teacher at Woodward High, Adrienne Curtis opened the “Bloomin’ Optimists’ Shop” where she sold books printed by the Cuala Press, an all women’s printing press run by Elizabeth Yeats.

She taught retailing for a number of years at Whitney Vocational High School, training young girls and placing them in positions at local department stores.

She traveled extensively, taking many trips to Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

She had a strong interest in poetry, involving herself in writing, reading, and selling it. She herself was published, among other places, in Ohio Woman’s Magazine.

She died in 1995 in Toledo, Ohio.