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Barnes personal papers, 1926-1998 (MS 491)

The bulk of these papers represent Marguerite Johnston Barnes’ writing and journalism career, from her early college years to her lengthy career at the Houston Post newspaper. Included are photocopies of her articles, columns, reviews and editorials, typescripts of her works, photographs, and a small amount of family and biographical materials. (12 boxes)

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Descriptive Summary

Biographical Note

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Series I: Family Materials, 1946-1998

Series II: Writing, 1931-1998

Series III : Photographs, 1963-1970, n.d.

Series IV : Awards, 1956-1997

Guide to the Marguerite Johnston Barnes Personal Papers, 1926-1998


Descriptive Summary

Repository: Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX
Creator: Barnes, Marguerite Johnston
Title Marguerite Johnston Barnes Personal Papers
Dates: 1926-1998
Extent 6 lin. ft. (12 boxes)
Abstract: The bulk of these papers represent Barnes’ writing and journalism career, from her early college years to her lengthy career at the Houston Post newspaper. Included are photocopies of her articles, columns, reviews and editorials, typescripts of her works, photographs, and a small amount of family and biographical materials.
ID MS 491
Language English.

Biographical Note

Born in Birmingham, AL, Barnes’ early journalistic experience was as assistant editor of her college newspaper at Birmingham-Southern College. She worked on the Birmingham News newspaper as a reporter and as Washington correspondent, and continued as correspondent for the Birmingham Age-Herald and the London Daily Mirror. She was accredited to the Senate and House Press Galleries and White House, and also as United Nations correspondent.

Barnes joined the Houston Post in 1947 as reporter and columnist, and added foreign news editor and assistant editor to her credentials. She served as writing lecturer and instructor for University of Houston and Rice University. She was the recipient of numerous awards from a variety of respected Texas groups, and was well known for her books Public Manners, A Happy Worldly Abode, and Houston, the Unknown City 1836-1936.

Marguerite Johnston Barnes passed away on December 13, 2005, in Houston, Texas.

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Scope and Contents

The Marguerite Johnston Barnes Personal Papers represent Barnes’ writing career, from her college years to her career at the Houston Post newspaper and a small amount of biographical family materials, calendars, financial records, and photographs. The bulk of the materials represent her writing career, from her book A Happy Wordly Abode, to her newspaper work for Birmingham, AL newspapers to the Houston Post (later purchased by the Houston Chronicle). Newspaper materials include notes relating ideas for news stories, photocopies of her articles, columns, reviews and editorials, typescripts of her works.

For papers related to Barnes' Houston, The Unknown City, 1830-1991, see Marguerite Johnston Barnes Research Materials for Houston, The Unknown City, 1830-1991, MS 455, Woodson Research Center.

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Arrangement

The Marguerite Johnston Barnes Personal Papers are divided into four series:

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

No access restrictions; this material is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish must be obtained from the holder of copyright on the articles, columns, the Houston Chronicle (parent company that purchased the Houston Post), or Marguerite Barnes.

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Related Material

See also Marguerite Johnston Barnes Research Materials for Houston, The Unknown City, 1830-1991, MS 455, Woodson Research Center.

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Index Terms

Subjects (Persons)

Barnes, Marguerite Johnston.

Subjects

Journalists - Texas.
Women journalists.

Titles

A Happy Wordly Abode -- archives.
Houston Chronicle newspaper -- archives.
Houston Post newspaper -- archives.

Formats

Calendars
Correspondence
Financial records
Newsclippings
Photographs
Typescripts

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Marguerite Johnston Barnes Personal Papers, 1926-1998, MS 491, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University

Acquisition Information

This material was donated by Marguerite Johnton Barnes in 2001-2003.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Series I: Family Materials, 1946-1998
Materials include biographical information on and photographs of Barnes, family ledgers, trip information.
Box Folder
1 1 Biographical
2 Photos and visual materials, including digitized version of ca. 1950s 16 mm family film footage, 1950s-1980s
3 Family personal, 1920s-1970s
4 Ledger #1, 1956-1961 (R.C. Johnston’s finances)
5 Ledger #2, 1961-1966 (R.C. Johnston’s finances)
6 Ledger #3, 1967-1973 (R.C. Johnston’s finances)
7 Correspondence, 1946-47, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1969-70, 1977, 1979, 1984, 1989-92, 1995, n.d.
8 Bonn, Germany visit, 1976
9 Text for speech on Houston, The Unknown City, Sept. 1997
10 Day books, calendars, 1957, 1960, 1962-63, 1998
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Series II: Writing, 1931-1998
Included are materials from the book, A Happy Wordly Abode, Birmingham, AL newspaper articles and columns, The Houston Post articles, reviews, editorials and columns, book collaboration, story/column ideas, proposals, and typescripts.
Subseries A: Early school writing
2 1 Early school writing, 1931, 1936, 1940
Subseries B: A Happy Worldly Abode
2 2 Research materials
3 Christ Church May Fete, 1982
4 Visuals
5 Bibliography
6 Partial typescript
7 Partial galley proof
8 Book reviews, 1966
9 Library of Congress catalog cards, 1965
Subseries C: Birmingham newspapers
3 1 Articles, 1937-1938
2 Articles, 1939
3 Articles, 1940
4 Articles, 1941
5 Articles, 1942
6 Articles, 1943
7 Articles, 1944
8 Articles, 1945
9 Articles, 1946
10 Articles, undated (1/2)
11 Articles, undated (2/2)
12 About Birmingham,” 1940s (1/2)
12 About Birmingham,” 1940s (2/2)
4 1 Weather-related articles, 1940s, n.d.
2 “Ration Diary,” 1943-45
3 Reviews, 1941-44
Subseries D: Houston Post
4 4 Articles, 1947
5 Articles, 1948
6 Articles, 1949
7 Articles, 1950
8 Articles, 1951
9 Articles, 1952
10 Articles, 1953
11 Articles, 1954
12 Articles, 1955
13 Articles, 1956
14 Articles, 1957
15 Articles, 1958
16 Articles, 1959
17 Articles, 1960
18 Articles, 1961
19 Articles, 1962
20 Articles, 1963
21 Articles, 1964
22 Articles, 1965
23 Articles, 1966
24 Articles, 1967
25 Articles, 1968
26 Articles, 1969
27 Articles, 1970
28 Articles, 1971
29 Articles, 1972
5 1 Articles, 1976
2 Articles, 1978
3 Articles, 1980s
4 Articles, 1990s
5 Articles, undated
6 Editorials, 1949-1983, n.d. (1/2)
7 Editorials, 1949-1983, n.d. (2/2)
8 Reviews, 1947-50, 1959-65, 1967-70, 1982, n.d.
9 “Prelude,” 1956
10 “Of Earth and High Winds,” 1947-1955
6 1 “Not to Change the Subject,” 1947
2 “Not to Change the Subject,” 1949
3 “Not to Change the Subject,” 1950
4 “Not to Change the Subject,” 1951
5 “Not to Change the Subject,” 1950s undated
6 “Not to Change the Subject,” undated
7 1 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1951
2 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1952
3 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1953
4 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1954
5 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1955
8 1 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1956
2 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1957
3 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1958
4 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1959
5 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1960
9 1 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1961
2 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1962
3 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1963
4 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1964 Jan.-June
5 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1964 Sept.-Dec.
6 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1965
7 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1966
8 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1967
9 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1968
10 1 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1952-1953 undated
2 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1953-1954 undated
3 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1954-1955 undated
4 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1955-1956 undated
5 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1956-1957 undated
6 “Marguerite Johnston,” 1957-1964 undated
7 Other newspaper articles, 1940s-1960s, 1998
8 Instruction for Your Baby (collaboration with Dr. Laura Bickel), n.d.
9 Public Manners, n.d.
10 Ideas for columns
11 Dior article notes Typescript proposal for sesquicentennial history of Houston, 1984
12 Typescript for future Houston airport, 1968
11 1 Typescripts for articles and columns
2 United Nations materials, 1946, 1948
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Series III : Photographs, 1963-1970, n.d.
Included are photos for related stories (mostly travel-related).
Box Folder
11 3 Denmark, 1970
4 Dusseldorf
5 Finland, Sweden
6 Italy, 1970
7 Japan and Bangkok, 1970
8 Mexico
9 Norway, 1970
10 Round Top, TX, 1963, 1968
11 Miscellaneous photos
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Series IV : Awards, 1956-1997
Box Folder
12 1 Houston Committee on Alcoholism, 1956
2 Houston Teachers Association, 1970, 1974, 1975
3 American Society of Safety Engineers, 1960
4 Houston Sportsmen’s Club, 1983
5 Alief/Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce, 1982
6 National Council on Alcoholism, n.d.
7 Yates Senior High School, 1964
8 Houston Professional Firefighters Association, 1980
9 Birmingham-Southern College, 1988
10 Texas Society of Architects, 1981
11 Garden Club of Houston, 1992
12 Population Action Council, 1981
13 East Texas Historical Association, 1992
14 Texas School Bell, 1973, 1974
15 Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, 1997
16 Texas Corrections Association, 1984
17 YWCA, 1977
18 Daughters of the Republic of Texas, 1997
19 San Jacinto Senior High School, 1997
20 Newsclips
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