Kenneth Walter Cameron Papers 1938-1948, 1984, 1989-1994

Summary
Contents
Names/subjects
Using these materials
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Creator
Cameron, Kenneth Walter, 1908-2006
Size
0.25 linear feet (1 halfbox)
Call number
MC 00005
Access to materials

Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice.

The Kenneth Walter Cameron Papers relates to Cameron's career as a professor of English at North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University), as well as his work as a scholar of the American transcendental movement. This collection contains the text of his radio address on Memorable Teachers, personal and professional correspondence with students and colleagues, a letter transmitting Dr. Cameron's publication West Virginia University Sixty Years Ago - Memories of Louis Watson Chappell, and a letter notifying Cameron that he had received the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Emerson Studies. Also included are excerpts from Dr. Cameron's publication Emerson the Essayist, and a copy of Pen and Ink (Volume I, 1942), a literary publication written by students in Cameron's freshman composition class. Examples of student term papers, course handouts and grade books (1938 - 1943) round out the collection.

An educator, author, and scholar of the American transcendental movement, Kenneth Walter Cameron (1908-2006) was born on October 12, 1908, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, eldest son of Albert Ernest (1885-1938) and Zoe (1890-1957) Cameron. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from West Virginia University in 1930 and 1931, an S.T.B. from General Theological Seminary, New York, in 1935, and his Ph.D. from Yale in 1940. He was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1935. Cameron came to North Carolina as an instructor in English at North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University) and taught from 1938 to 1943. After working briefly in a teaching position at Temple University, he settled permanently at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1946. At North Carolina State, Cameron taught a course in composition and a course entitled The Bible as Literature. He was involved in teaching an English course in the Army Specialized Training Program (U.S.) (ASTP) during World War II. Cameron authored and edited numerous articles and books on Emerson, Thoreau, and their contemporaries. He served as editor for both American Transcendental Quarterly and Emerson Society Quarterly. Kenneth Cameron died on February 8, 2006.

Biographical/historical note

An educator, author, and scholar of the American transcendental movement, Kenneth Walter Cameron (1908-2006) was born on October 12, 1908, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, eldest son of Albert Ernest (1885-1938) and Zoe (1890-1957) Cameron. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from West Virginia University in 1930 and 1931, an S.T.B. from General Theological Seminary, New York, in 1935, and his Ph.D. from Yale in 1940. He was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1935. Cameron came to North Carolina as an instructor in English at North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University) and taught from 1938 to 1943. After working briefly in a teaching position at Temple University, he settled permanently at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1946. At North Carolina State, Cameron taught a course in composition and a course entitled The Bible as Literature. He was involved in teaching an English course in the Army Specialized Training Program (U.S.) (ASTP) during World War II. Cameron authored and edited numerous articles and books on Emerson, Thoreau, and their contemporaries. He served as editor for both American Transcendental Quarterly and Emerson Society Quarterly. Kenneth Cameron died on February 8, 2006.

Scope/content

The Kenneth Walter Cameron Papers relates to Cameron's career as a professor of English at North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University), as well as his work as a scholar of the American transcendental movement. This collection contains the text of his radio address on Memorable Teachers, personal and professional correspondence with students and colleagues, a letter transmitting Dr. Cameron's publication West Virginia University Sixty Years Ago - Memories of Louis Watson Chappell, and a letter notifying Cameron that he had received the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Emerson Studies. Also included are excerpts from Dr. Cameron's publication Emerson the Essayist, and a copy of Pen and Ink (Volume I, 1942), a literary publication written by students in Cameron's freshman composition class. Examples of student term papers, course handouts and grade books (1938 - 1943) round out the collection.

Arrangement

This collection is divided into three series:

  • MC 00005 Series 1. Personal Papers, 1938 - 1993
  • MC 00005 Series 2. Teaching Files, 1943 - 1948
  • MC 00005 Series 3. Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) Material, 1993 - 1994
.

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Kenneth Walter Cameron Papers, MC 00005, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Related material

Source of acquisition

Given by Kenneth W. Cameron, Hartford, Conn., in three stages:

  • November 9, 1983: 5 items
  • April 16, 1984: 5 items
  • March 9, 1989: 1 item

Processing information

Processed by: SCRC staff; Encoded by: Katherine M. Wisser, 2001.

Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

The collection is organized into three principal series:

Personal Papers 1938-1993 (MC 00005 Series 1)

This series contains correspondence about Cameron's publications and Pen and Ink, a literary publication produced by students. It also contains items relating to his publications about Ralph Waldo Emerson and other publications.

9 items

Letter from Cameron transmitting text of radio address"Memorable Teachers," which contains an anecdote about Charles M. Heck , Professor of Physics at NCSU March 20, 1989
Half box 1, Folder 1
Text of radio address"Memorable Teachers"
Half box 1, Folder 1
Letter from Cameron transmitting his publication"West Virginia University, Sixty Years Ago - Memories of Louis Watson Chappell," November 31, 1993
General note

Chappell was a folklorist of Appalachia and the Albemarle, born in North Carolina, and spent some of his later years in Raleigh.

Half box 1, Folder 1
Letter from The Ralph Waldo Emerson Society to Cameron notifying him of his receiving the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Emerson studies October 2, 1993
Half box 1, Folder 1
Announcements and excerpts of Cameron's publication"Emerson the Essayist" (an outline of his philosophical development through 1836) [1945]
Half box 1, Folder 1
Copy of excerpt from Contemporary Authors , v. 24 , listing Cameron's publications; also, Dr. Cameron's resume.
Half box 1, Folder 1
Letter from Cameron to the archivist transmitting"Pen and Ink," a student literary publication from 1942 November 7, 1983
Half box 1, Folder 2
"Pen and Ink," a collection of student essays and poems, v. 1 . Inscribed by Cameron inside the front cover: "the papers in this gathering were written by freshman students at N.C. State University between 1938 and 1942. They were all students of Prof. Kenneth W. Cameron." 1942
Half box 1, Folder 2
Announcement and information on the publication of"Pen and Ink," updated. News clippings on two"Letters to the Editor" about"Pen and Ink" updated that were published in the"Technician"
Half box 1, Folder 2
Teaching Files 1938-1948 (MC 00005 Series 2)

This series contains a few student papers, including one written by a British student during World War II. It also contains a copy of Cameron's grade books with student names but not the grades, 1938 - 1943, as well as copies of his student handouts, including course information, etc., 1939, 1940 and undated.

7 items

"Marriage in the Ancient World," English 102 May, 1943
Half box 1, Folder 3
"Druids," by W. T. Kirk , English 103 May, 1943
General note

Dr. Cameron's note: British student sent to U.S. during Nazi bombing of Britain.

Half box 1, Folder 3
"Astrology," by Julian Lawrence Robinson , English 103 June 12, 1943
Half box 1, Folder 3
"Liberal Eudcation for the American Doctor," by Giraud V. Foster December 18, 1948
Half box 1, Folder 3
Letter from Cameron to Maurice Toler , including an anecdote about one of his students from his Freshman English course November 5, 1993
Half box 1, Folder 4
Copy of Cameron's grade books which include students' names but not the grades 1938-1943
Half box 1, Folder 4
Copy of Cameron's course handouts, including course information, etc. 1939, 1940 and undated
Half box 1, Folder 4
Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) Material 1993-1994 (MC 00005 Series 3)

This series contains correspondence sent by Cameron to former Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) students. as well as writings about his experiences teaching English courses to the ASTP students during World War II.

6 items

Letter from Cameron to Maurice Toler transmitting a letter he wrote to former ASTP students September 20, 1993
General note

In the transmittal letter, Cameron talks about some family history papers which were compiled by his ASTP students.

Half box 1, Folder 5
Letter to former ASTP students read at a reunion of former ASTP students in Raleigh, on October 2, 1993 ; September 21, 1993
General note

Dr. Cameron reminisces about his experiences teaching English courses to the ASTP students during World War II.

Half box 1, Folder 5
Letter from Maurice Toler to Cameron discussing ideas for gathering material about the ASTP program and its students; also about his efforts to locate the family history papers which Cameron deposited at the "State Library or other agency in Raleigh" October 27, 1993
Half box 1, Folder 5
Letter from Cameron discussing the effort to gather material about the ASTP program and students; he also discusses a thank-you note he received from a former student who, with Cameron's encouragement, passed freshman English after failing it two previous times November 5, 1993
Half box 1, Folder 5
Letter from Cameron transmitting a copy of a letter from a former ASTP student who was not able to attend the October 1993 reunion March 17, 1994
Half box 1, Folder 5
Letter from Vincent W. Kafka to Cameron reminiscing about his experiences in the ASTP program and in particular taking Cameron's English course December 9, 1993
Half box 1, Folder 5
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

Access to the collection

Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice.

For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.

Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Phone: (919) 515-2273

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Kenneth Walter Cameron Papers, MC 00005, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.