Houghton, James Russell, 1897-1981 | Theology Library Archives

Collection Overview

Title: Houghton, James Russell, 1897-1981

ID: 03/021

Extent: 26.0 Boxes

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection contains papers from the various activities during Dr. Houghton's life, primarily 1931-1964. Included are: Minutes of the Joint Hymnal Commission (1931-1934) with resource materials; Preliminary report of the Commission on Rituals and Orders of Worship (1944); Minutes of the Commission on Worship and the Arts (1955-56) and later Commission on Worship (1956-1960), including some correspondence; Minutes, correspondence and other resource materials from the Commission on Worship and Hymnal Committee (1960-64), with a collection of general Methodist resource materials. From Boston University, the collection includes: Programs and Handbills for the University Chorus and Glee Clubs (1936-1964); Seminary Singers programs and tour records (1936-1964); and other scattered music, programs, correspondence (mostly from 1937-38); Sermons from Dr. Stidger's radio program (1937-39) annotated with hymns presented, plus correspondence and fan letters to the New England Singers. Memorabilia and scrapbooks, mostly from the Glee Club and Seminary Singers.

Collection Historical Note

Born April 11, 1899 in Davenport, Iowa, he came to Boston University in 1927 as Instructor in Worship and Church Music, rising to Assistant Professor in 1929 and Professor of Church Music and Worship in 1937 following his graduation from Simpson College with the Mus.D. degree.

Prof." led the Seminary Singers and founded the Boston University Glee Club, served as Director of Music for the General Conferences of the Methodist Church (1939-1960), as well as serving on the Hymnal Committees (1935, 1964) and Worship Committees (1944, 1964). He created the New England Singers, which provided music for Dr. William L. Stidger's radio sermon program sponsored by Fleischmann's Yeast (1937-39). Dr. Houghton retired to California, where he died on May 2, 1990, at the age of 91.

Information from: http://socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu/ark:/99166/w6qz2nsx

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: 1905-1962],
[Box 2: 1933-1963],
[Box 3: 1927-1981],
[Box 4: 1932-1973],
[Box 5: 1937-1939],
[Box 6: 1911-1948],
[Box 7: 1925-1960],
[Box 8: 1898-1939],
[Box 9: 1941-1962],
[Box 10: 1949-1962],
[Box 11: 1939-1981],
[Box 12],
[Box 13],
[Box 14],
[Box 15: 1933-1981],
[Box 16: 1925-1944],
[Box 17: 1922-1981],
[Box 18: 1931-1985],
[Box 19: 1911-1945],
[Box 20: 1939-1968],
[Box 21: 1897-1979],
[Box 22: 1918-1980],
[Box 23: 1922-1981],
[Box 24: 1950-1977],
[Box 25: 1938-1952],
[Box 26],
[Box 27: Glee Club, Notes, Student notes, Programs, Correspondence],
[All]

Box 15: 1933-1981

Seminary Singers, Glee Club, BU Choir and Choral Art, Fleischman/Stidger, personal scrapbooks

Folder 1: BU Publicity - Glee Club carol singers, 1936
Folder 2: Glee Club correspondence and programs, 1936-1939
Folder 3: Glee Club correspondence and programs, 1940
Folder 4: Glee Club correspondence, programs, contracts, 1941
Folder 5: Glee Club correspondence, 1942
Folder 6: Glee Club correspondence and misc., 1948, 1950-1951
Folder 7: Glee Club correspondence, contracts, programs, 1952
Folder 8: Glee Club correspondence, contracts, programs, 1953-1955
Folder 9: Glee Club correspondence, contracts, programs, 1956-1959
Folder 10: Glee Club - Alaska Tour (1), 1957
Folder 11: Glee Club - Alaska Tour (2) - mostly expenses, 1957
Folder 12: Glee Club correspondence, programs, 1958, 1960-1964
Folder 13: Glee Club misc. undated, n.d.
Folder 14: Glee Club misc. undated, n.d.
Folder 15: Glee Club misc. newspaper clippings, 1941, 1952, 1955
Folder 16: Seminary Singers photographs, fall tour, 1933
Folder 17: Seminary Singers publicity programs and press, 1936-1948
Folder 18: Seminary Singers misc. press and class lists, 1953-1959
Folder 19: Seminary Singers undated misc. - press, itineraries, etc., n.d.
Folder 20: Misc. filed personal and BU correspondence, 1953-1958, 1982
Folder 21: Miscellaneous resources, notes, and programs (stated dates and undated), 1930-1981
Folder 22: BU Choir and Choral Art Society, 1946-1960
Folder 23: Audition cards: Chorus, Glee Club, Seminary Singers, 1953, 1955, 1957
Folder 24: Fleischman Program - hymn selections and correspondence, 1938
Folder 25: William Stidger's sermons, 1-21, Sept 27 - Oct 25 1938
Folder 26: William Stidger's sermons 22-43, "19" (mismarked - 44), Oct 26 - Nov 25 1938
Folder 27: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons 46-51, 53-55, 57-58, Nov 29 - Dec 15 1938
Folder 28: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons 61-67, 77-80, Dec 10 1938 - Jan 14 1939
Folder 29: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons 121-135, Mar 14 - Apr 1 1938
Folder 30: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons 176-190, May 30 - June 17 1938
Folder 31: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons 191-194, 197-205, June 20 - July 8 1938
Folder 32: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons 246-258, Sept 5-23 1938
Folder 33: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons, misc. (Numbers and dates don't match), December 1938
Folder 34: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons - unlabeled and undated - Possible duplicates in Fleischman series, n.d.
Folder 35: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons - unlabeled and undated - Possible duplicates in Fleischman series, n.d.
Folder 36: Fleischman - William Stidger's sermons - unlabeled and undated - Possible duplicates in Fleischman series, n.d.
Item 37: Notebook resource - sacred and secular song titles, n.d.
Item 38: Scrapbook - misc. programs, 1934-1945
Item 39: Notebook of resources and notes on worship service for Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, n.d.
Folder 40: Passion of Our Lord with annotations and programs, n.d.
Item 41: Lyrics scrapbook, n.d.