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Edward Strother papers

 Collection
Identifier: RG-04-01-09

Scope and Contents

This collection includes survey questionnaires and correspondence from Dr. Edward Strother in Evanston, Illinois in 1950 regarding Dr. Strother's research while working toward his PhD at Northwestern University. Dr. Strother's hypothesis was that during a presentation, an audience would be less hostile if the speaker carried greater prestige. The survey was designed with the purpose of discovering how various speakers handled audience hostility, and attempted to cover a cross section of leaders including: justices, congressmen, corporation heads, church officials, and members of the print media. The survey questionnaires and correspondence contain signatures and comments from various well-known persons.

Dates

  • 1950

Language of Materials

Materials in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.

Biographical Note

Dr. Edward S. Strother was a member of the Ball State University faculty for forty-one years, from 1946 to 1987. He served as professor and head of the Department of Theatre. He also served as administrative assistant to the chairman, and then as chairman of the Speech and Theatre Department before it was divided in July 1982.

Dr. Strother was a founder and/or director of the Ball State, the Muncie Civic, Little Shoestring, and Studio theatres. He wrote a number of plays, including several one-act productions, children's plays, and a full-length show, "The Man and the Water Works". An accomplished actor, Dr. Strother also performed in such plays as "On Golden Pond", and "Death of a Salesman".

Dr. Strother was one of the first recipients of the study-abroad grants for Ball State faculty and staff. He provided narration for six color filmstrips entitled "The History of Physical Education and Sports," which was produced by tow other university professors. He also co-authored three books: The Effective Speaker, Speech Education for Elementary Teachers, and The Practical Guide to Parliamentary Procedure.

A native of New Albany, Indiana, Dr. Strother received his bachelor's degree from Indiana University, and his master's degree and PhD from Northwestern University.

(from Ball State University biographical information)

Extent

0.2 Cubic Feet (1 box)

Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a gift from Dr. Edward Strother on 1989/01/30.

Related Archival Materials

Materials relating to this collection may be found in the following collections in Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie IN:

MSS.290: Dr. Edward Strother Theater History collection

PSC.339: Dr. Edward Strother Theater History photographs

Title
Dr. Edward Strother faculty papers
Status
Under Revision
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Ball State University Archives Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA
765-285-5078