Charles H. Foster Papers, 1939-1995

Biographical Note:
Charles Howell Foster was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1913.  He received his B.A. from Amherst College in 1936, followed by his attendance at the University of Iowa, where he received his M.A. in 1937 and his Ph.D. in 1939.  Foster married Doris Van Denbergh and together they had four children: John W., Thomas H., Mary A., and David A.  Foster was a professor of English at Grinnell College from 1947-1958.

Provenance:  Received from David A. Foster, January and May, 2002.
 
Quantity:  1 box (5.5 linear inches)
 
Scope and Content Note:
This collection includes a variety of material written by, about, and for Charles H. Foster.  Included are copies of lectures given by Foster, book reviews written by and about him, and correspondence with colleagues and friends.  This collection contains copies of correspondence written by Foster to Robert Frost and also letters received by Foster from MacKinlay Kantor, Paul Engle, Perry Miller, Curt Harnack, and Joseph F. Wall.  Additionally, this collection includes unpublished manuscripts (one incomplete) by Foster.  Also included are two signed Perry Miller books that were given to Foster from Miller.

Related Materials:
A photograph of Foster and several of his publications are in the College Archives files. 
 
Suggested citation: Charles H. Foster papers, Grinnell College Libraries, Department of Special Collections, Grinnell, Iowa. Ms.01.78. 

Box Listing
Box 1:
Folder 1:  Talks and Lectures
“The Unapostolic Succession” manuscript for February 19, 1948 Chapel Talk
Welcoming Remarks and introduction of Robert Frost at 1949 Writer’s Conference (Frost was Foster’s teacher and mentor when Foster was in College at Amherst.)
“Ralph Waldo Emerson:  America’s Looking Glass” lecture given at Grinnell College, 1953
“On Being Intellectual,” November 3, 1954, Phi Beta Kappa address, later reprinted in Scarlet and Black (November 5, 1954), and op/ed page of Des Moines Register (November 14, 1954)
Notes on Talk to Men at Clark Hall, November 19, 1957
“The American Predicament” manuscript for 1949 Chapel talk, two draft versions
 
Folder 2:  Foster’s written works: Literary Reviews, Original Manuscript, and Other Documents
Carbon copy review of Robert Frost’s A Masque of Mercy, published in “The Tanager,” December 1947
Published “The Genesis of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s ‘The Minister’s Wooing,’” “New England Quarterly,” December 1948
Published book review of Edwin Cady’s The Gentleman in America: A Literary Study in American Culture, American Quarterly, Summer 1950
“The Shot Heard Round the World” text written by Foster for a brochure announcing 1951 George F. Baker Foundation Grant to Grinnell College, and its published version titled “A Quest for Leadership in Small Town Schools of America”
“Jonathan Edwards” carbon copy of original manuscript submitted to Broadcast Music, Inc. for “The American Story” radio program, letter of receipt March 6, 1958, check stub for $75m and radio script
Foster’s copy of September 10, 1955 “New Yorker” in which Edmund Wilson reviews his book, The Rungless Ladder.
 
Folder 3:  Letters From Paul Engle to Charles H. Foster
1.Handwritten early version of poem “Moving In” written to “Charlie and Doris” dated April 1, 1939.  This poem was later published in Poetry, LV, December, 1939.  (Note: wording is slightly different than published version.)
2. Letter dated February 3, 1946
3. Undated typed note over reprint of “Three Poems” in envelope post-marked January 7,1951
4. Letter dated January 12,1951
5. Letter dated June 15, 1955 and enclosed privately printed poem on Averell Harriman
6. Letter dated May 16, 1955
7. Letter dated December 22, 1955
8. Letter dated June 24, 1985 and copy of response from Foster dated July 1, 1985
9.1945 Engle Christmas card “For the Midwestern Dead”
10.1946 Engle Christmas card
11.“Book and Child,” three sonnets by Paul Engle printed for his and his family’s friends, Christmas, 1956
12.Undated Christmas card designed by Sara Engle
13. Undated Christmas card
14. Photograph of Engle child
15.April 29, 1962 Christian Science Monitor book review of Edmund Wilson’s Patriotic Gore by Perry Miller.  Engle has written at the top of the page “Dear Charlie, You’ve been vindicated, Paul” and marked Miller’s criticism that Wilson had not given proper acknowledgement of his use of Foster’s writings in his new book.  Although Wilson had reviewed The Rungless Ladder in the “New Yorker,” he seemed vague on his use of material from it in The Patriotic Gore to the dismay of Miller, Engle, and other scholars, as well as Foster.
16.Undated reprint of “A Name”
 
Folder 4:  Letters From Mackinlay Kantor to Charles H. Foster
1. Letter dated July 5, 1957
2. Letter dated July 16, 1957
3. Letter dated August 29, 1957
4. Letter dated December 30, 1957
5.“Something More Powerful,” The Alumni-Senior Chapel Address, June 8, 1957
 
Folder 5: Letters From Joseph F. Wall to Charles H. Foster (Note: At one point in 1957, Wall and Foster had planned to collaborate on abook on the Abolitionist movement.  The 1957 letters were written while Wall was on leave researching Andrew Carnegie and NY Senator Lehman, two projects that ultimately precluded the Abolitionist project.)
1.Letter dated March 21, 1957
2. Letter dated February 19, 1957
3. Letter dated May 1, 1957
4. Letter dated June 12, 1957
5. Letter dated July 15, 1957 with attached transcript of an item Wall found in the Carnegie papers in the Library of Congress
6. Letter dated August 15, 1957
7.Letter dated September 3, 1957?
8. Letter dated October 27, 1957
9. Letter dated December 8, 1957
10.Letter dated March 4, 1961 with a March 9 response from Foster
11.Wall’s Andrew Carnegie’s Hogmanay, 1970 with Christmas greeting from Joe and Bea
12. Letter dated July 10, 1980
 
Folder 6: Letters from Curt Harnack to Charles H. Foster (Note:  Novelist Harnack was also a former student of Foster at Grinnell College.)
1. Letter dated February 13, (1956?  Year is based on reference to Foster going to Minnesota to teach summer school)
2. Letter dated July 26, 1957 
3. Letter dated October 7, 1957
4. Lettr dated November 24, 1957
5. Letter dated January 6, 1958
6.Letter dated January 12, 1958
 
Folder 7:  Book sent to Foster by Curt Harnack (book includes Harnack’s first published story)
1.  “Mask of Snow,” The Antioch Review, Fall, 1957.  In envelope sent by Curt Harnack from Iowa City.  Foster has written on envelope “Curt Harnack’s first published story”

Folder 8: Copies of Letters to Robert Frost from Foster (Note: The original letters are in the Frost collection at Dartmouth.  Usage would require acknowledgement.)
1. Letter dated April 29, 1949
2. Letter dated January 15, 1951
3. Letter dated January 5, 1952
4. Letter dated July 15, 1953
5. Letter dated December 19, 1953
6. Letter dated February 12, 1954
7. Letter dated September 7, 1954
8. Letter dated January 1, 1957
9. Letter dated 1957
 
Folder 9:  Letters from Perry Miller to Foster
1. November 4, 1955
2.September 6, 1957 (Note: Letters from 1957 are all in regard to Fall Convocation “American Culture at Mid-Century” where Miller was a lecturer and received an honorary degree.  He and his wife stayed with the Fosters.)
3. September 21, 1957
4. September 29, 1957
5.October 9, 1957
6. November 5, 1957
7.January 25, 1958
8. July 1, 1962 and attached July 15 response
9. July 30, 1963
10. September 9, 1963 and September 23 response
 
Folder 10:  Letters from Foster to Perry Miller
1. August 28, 1957
2. September 15, 1957
3. September 26, 1957
4. October 5, 1957
5. November 17, 1957
6. January 28, 1958
7. June 7, 1962
8. July 25, 1963
9. August 6, 1963
 
Folder 11:  Related Perry Miller and Convocation Items
1.  “Sinners in the Hands of a Benevolent God.” Two drafts of address given by Miller at convocation which were sent to Foster for comment. Most handwriting is Fosters.
2.“Perry Miller” remarks by Foster upon awarding of honorary degree to Miller at convocation
3.“An Hour with Perry Miller,” Foster’s draft on planned discussion.
4.“Perry Miller,” Foster’s comments submitted for October 25, 1957 Scarlet and Black regarding Perry Miller and attached letter from S&B editor Lorna DeLay requesting material
5. Reese, William “Tentative Questions for Perry Miller”
6. Photo from Grinnell Herald Register of President Bowen with Convocation speakers James Sweeny and Perry Miller
7. Photo from Grinnell Herald Register of Convocation academic procession.  Doris Foster has written on picture identifying President Bowen, Joseph Welch, Tom Hauptman, Trustee Cowles, Charles Foster, Perry Miller, and a person delivering a telegram to Miller as procession walks across campus
8. Thank you note from Lorna DeLay to Foster, October 25, 1957
9. Letter from President Bowen to Foster, October 31, 1957 and resolution from Board of Trustees thanking those who planned Convocation
 
Folder 12:  Materials related to the hiring of Foster at Grinnell College
1.Letter from Stuart Gerry Brown, April 17, 1947 advising Foster that he may be offered Brown’s position by President Stevens and suggesting that he visit during the Writer’s Conference
2. Letter from President Samuel N. Stevens to Foster, April 18, 1947 asking of interest in position being vacated by Stuart Gerry Brown
3. Letter from Foster to President Stevens, April 21, 1947 accepting invitation to come to Grinnell for an interview
4.Telegram from Foster to wife Doris in Boulder, Colorado, April 25, 1947 announcing $5,000 salary offer plus $400 for moving costs
5. Telegram from Stuart Gerry Brown to Foster, April 19, 1947, saying he will meet Foster at train
6.Foster’s handwritten notes on first impressions of Grinnell and also of the Writer’s Conference, seeing visiting lecturers Paul Engle and John Crowe Ransom again, salary negotiations with Stevens.  Also attached is commentary on last day of teaching at University of Colorado.
7. Letter from Stevens to Foster April 25, 1947 with official offer accepted by Foster April 28, 1947
8. Telegram from Brown to Foster April 26, 1947
9. Letter from Brown to Foster, April 28, 1947
10. Foster’s letter of resignation from University of Colorado, May 1, 1947
11.Letter from Brown to Foster, May 2, 1947
12. Letter from Stevens to Foster, May 2, 1947
13. Letter from Stevens to Foster, May 9, 1947
14.Postcard from Stevens to Foster, May 10, 1947 giving Foster address of house college will be leasing to him, 1131 Park Street
15.Letter from Wright Thomas to Foster, May 18, 1947 enclosing copy of fall 1947 course catalog
16.Letter from Foster to Wright Thomas, May 24, 1947
17. Letter from Stevens to Foster, June 9, 1947
18. Letter from Louis Phelps, College Treasurer, to Foster, June 16, 1947
19.Letter from Foster to Louis Phelps, June 18, 1947
20.Letter from Louis Phelps to Foster enclosing lease for 1131 Park Street for $720 per year, June 24, 1947
21.Letter from Karl Dearborne to Foster, June 27, 1947
 
Folder 13:  Grinnell College compensation materials
1. Letter from college president Samuel Stevens to Foster, May 21, 1948
2. Letter from Stevens to Foster, June 21, 1950
3. Letter from Stevens to Foster, May 29, 1952
4. Letter from Foster to Stevens, October 18, 1952
5. College form signed by Foster, October 20, 1952
6. Letter from Stevens to Foster, September 14, 1953
7. Letter from Howard Bowen to Foster, July 28, 1955
 
 
Folder 14: Miscellaneous
1. Friar’s Coffee Hour, October 11, 1957 “Elements of American Culture that make it truly distinctive from other contemporary cultures”
2. Notes for International Relations Club, October 17, 1957.  “What are the implications in the field of foreign policy of David Riesman’s concept of ‘the other-directed man?’”
3. Statement for “An Hour with Perry Miller”
4. Flyer announcing 1956 Spring Chapel Series
5. Papers and correspondence related to application and award of American Council of Learned Societies fellowship, 1951-52
6. Invitation to Foster to become a member of the Society of American Historians, April 6, 1950
7. Announcement to Des Moines Register about Foster’s membership to the Society of American Historians (Newspaper clipping was copied onto Archival Bond paper and original clipping was discarded)
8. Invitation to first annual John Scholte Nollen Memorial Lecture given by Neal Klausner, February 11, 1954
9. Letter from Stuart Gerry Brown to Foster (in Boulder, CO) June 8, 1943
10.Official College Photograph of Foster, 1947
 
Folder 15: Letter, statement of intent for research, and list of publications regarding “Grace on the Crab-Stocks,” a manuscript written by Foster
 
Folder 16: “Grace on the Crab-Stocks,” pages 1-94
 
Folder 17: “Grace on the Crab-Stocks,” pages 95-194
 
Folder 18:  “Grace on the Crab-Stocks,” pages 195-296
 
Folder 19:  “Grace on the Crab-Stocks,” pages 297-373
 
Folder 20:  The Fosters in Grinnell, 1947-1958: Correspondence of Charles and Doris Foster.
 
Miller, Perry, The Transcendentalists, Harvard University Press, 1950, First edition, signed “For Charles-Who understands, Perry Miller, Grinnell Oct 26, 1957” and also signed “Charles H. Foster 1950”
 
Miller, Perry, Roger Williams, Bobbs Merril Company, 1953, First edition, signed “For Charles AND Doris once More!! Perry” and signed “Charles H. Foster”

 
Processed by Lisa Otte, February and May 2002.