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Mildred Trivers collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-305

Scope and Contents

This collection includes personal papers, poetry, and audio and video from Mildred Raynolds Trivers in Muncie, Indiana ranging from 1934 to 2000 regarding her life and career as a poet and founder of the Humpback Barn Festival of Poetry and Arts.

Dates

  • 1934-2000

Language of Materials

Materials in English and German.

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

Mildred Raynolds Trivers was born on America`s birthday, July 4, 1912 in Columbus, Ohio. She moved to Akron, Ohio, where she graduated from Our Lady of the Elms High School. Mildred continued her education from Hollins College and attended graduate school at Radcliffe College. Mildred married Howard Trivers in 1934. After wedded, Howard and Mildred lived and traveled Greece, Germany, and Switzerland. Howard joined the Foreign Service, which led the family to live in Copenhagen, Berlin and Zurich where she actively wrote about activities surrounding the Berlin Wall. The family moved to Muncie in 1972, where Mildred became active in the First Presbyterian Church and various poetry groups. Trivers was the founder of the Humpback Barn Festival of Poetry and Art, Inc. which annually celebrates World Poetry Day with an integrated series of poetry readings, exhibitions, and performing arts. She was also featured weekly on WBST-FM, Muncie, Indiana as the Poet of Twin Ponds Lane. In addition to her videos and casts, she read and lectured in public settings including colleges and universities, schools, retirement homes, and hospitals. Her publications include: Circled Round with Awe, Flowers for Frill, Two Plus Seven, Winter Moon, For My Remembering and If You Want a Modern Mother. Trivers was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash acknowledging her commitment to making Indiana a better place to live and raise a family. She was also awarded a special merit by Lifestream Services in 2002. Trivers passed away on November 19, 2007 at the age of 95 in Muncie, Indiana.

Extent

3.1 Cubic Feet (7 boxes, 5 VHS tapes)

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series and subseries:



Series 1: Mildred Trivers personal writing, 1934-2000



Subseries 1.1: Poetry, 1957-2000

Subseries 1.2: Short stories, 1934-1991

Subseries 1.3: Sheet music, 1988-1997

Subseries 1.4: The Woman Weeping Where the Wall Will Be, 1990-2000

Subseries 1.5: Notebooks, 1962-1995



Series 2: Mildred Trivers subject files, 1991-2000



Series 3: Mildred Trivers audio recordings, 1989-2000



Subseries 3.1: WBST, Indiana Public Radio, Ball State University programs, 1989-1995

Subseries 3.2: The Woman Weeping Where the Wall Will Be audio, 1994

Subseries 3.3: Poetry and music, 1994-2000



Series 4: Mildred Trivers The Way of a Poet video recordings, 1994



Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation from Howard E. Trivers on 2010/08/01.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2010/12/01 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid created 2010/12/01 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid revised 2010/12/01 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid revised 2013/11/26 by Leslie Nellis.

Title
Mildred Trivers collection
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Stoeckel Archives of Local History Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA