Parsons, Paul S., 1896-1970

Papers, 1918-1934

One box (135 items)

Paul S. Parsons was born on 18 July 1896 in Schuylerville, N.Y. and died on 9 March 1970 in Wallingford, CT. He prepared for college in Rhode Island and entered Trinity College in 1914 with the class of 1918. During World War I, he interrupted his college career to enlist (17 August 1917) in the Field Artillery and served over a year in England and France before his honorable discharge (9 February 1918).

Parsons earned a B.A. from Trinity in 1920 and an M.A. (English) in 1924. He taught French in West Hartford High School (February 1920-June 21), married Miriam Atwater Curtiss (September 1921), was Instructor in English, Trinity College (1921-25). He served as Director, Girl’s Department, Loomis Institute (later known as the Chaffee School), Windsor, CT (1925-1931). In subsequent years, he was employed in offices of the Connecticut State Employment Service, retiring in 1952 as manager of the Meriden office. Writings and publications: Thomas Hardy, Poet: An Essay. Thesis (M.A.), Trinity College, 1923 (unpublished); Lavengro, by George Borrow, Edited for Young People by P. S. Parsons (N.Y.: Houghton and Mifflin, 1926); General Language , Co-author with Benjamin H. Sanborn (s. n., 1926).

Organized in 4 series:

Series I: Background

Series II: Correspondence

A. Letters to, in French, from France, 23 Aug. 1918 - 27 Dec. 1922, and [19--?] (18 items)
B. Letters to, 13 Sept. 1916 - Sept. 1919 and [191-?] (12 items)

C. Letters to and from, 12 Feb. 1920 - 8 Oct. 1924 (20 items)

D. Letters to, 14 Jan. 1925 - 6 Oct. 1929 (30 items)

E. Letters to and from, and miscellaneous letters, 10 Feb. 1930 - 25 June 1934 and [193-?] (28 items)

Series III: Poems (26 items)

Series IV: Ephemera (2 items)

Correspondence, mostly letters to Parsons, both personal and business; poems attributed to Parsons. Correspondents include: F. S. Luther and R.B. Ogilby, presidents of Trinity College; Odell Shepard, professor of English at Trinity College and author; editors of Houghton Mifflin Co. and Harcourt Brace & Co.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prepared for electronic publication by Michael J. Breen '99, July 1999.