Collection inventory

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William W. West Papers

An inventory of his papers at the Syracuse University Archives

Finding aid created by: Cara Howe
Date: 2010

Revision history:

Biography

William Walter West was born on August 26, 1925 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State College of Iowa in 1948 and a Master of Arts degree from the State University of Iowa in 1953. He also received a Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 1966, and it was there that West worked as a professor of education, teaching some of the subjects about which he was most passionate.

West began his career in education as a high school English teacher, working in high schools in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts. In the early 1960s, he moved to higher education, becoming Assistant Professor of English at State University College in Cortland, New York. In 1964, he also began working with Syracuse University’s English Education Program as a visiting lecturer. West joined Syracuse University full time just a year later, when the school appointed him Associate Professor of Education at the University’s Reading and Language Arts Center.

In teaching English education at Syracuse University, West explored ways to help young people make meaningful connections between their lives and their studies. He encouraged instructors to get their students emotionally engaged in writing and literature by first teaching them to value their own experiences, passions, and observations. He also frequently discussed contemporary issues in linguistics, a subject in which he specialized, and how developments in the field could be applied to education.

West’s efforts to further these values were not contained to Syracuse University. He presented at education conferences, advised local school committees as a consultant, and worked with education organizations, such as the National Council of Teachers of English. His views were also expressed in his writing, in such educational texts as On Writing, By Writers (1966), Exploring, Visualizing, Communicating: A Composition Text (1979), and Teaching the Gifted and Talented in the English Classroom (1980).

Scope and Content Note

The materials collected in the William W. West Papers, dating between 1963 and 1966, demonstrate much of the work West (and others) put into the 1966 book On Writing, By Writers. Intended for teaching older or more advanced high school students, this book encourages students to find fulfillment and enjoyment in reading literature, to be creative in their writing and in their lives, and to examine the significance of structure in the works they read.

West wanted to achieve these outcomes by having accomplished authors write about their own work in ways that would benefit students. He contacted at least fourteen writers, of various styles and genres, to discuss which short work or excerpt of theirs would be best to use for the book, how to obtain permission to use it, and the manner of commentary he hoped to have them contribute.

These efforts are collected in the Correspondence series of the William W. West Papers. This series contains correspondence from all of the writers featured in the published edition of On Writing, By Writers. The correspondence varies in scope, with some authors engaging in detailed exchanges about the project and others complying with West’s requests in a more straightforward way. Some authors of particular note represented in this series include Ray Bradbury, John Updike, Robert Penn Warren, Paddy Chayefsky, and John Berryman. Of those, Updike’s correspondence is perhaps the most unique, as he took a different approach to cooperating with West. Rather than comment upon his own work, Updike chose to edit and discuss West’s writing on his story selected for the book. In his correspondence, Updike offers questions, comments, and corrections on West’s writing, including a discussion about whether West is misrepresenting his approach to art.

West’s efforts to write about the works of the authors with whom he corresponded are featured in the series On Writing, By Writers - Manuscripts and Revisions. This series includes much of the work done on the book, ranging from its earliest stages as an outline of chapter headings for an unnamed textbook to the final published version itself. The most substantial materials in this series are a complete early draft marked with editing notes and a galley proof, similarly annotated with editor's notes. Also included in this series are drafts of two writer commentaries and a draft of the chapter on Updike which reflects some of the revisions suggested through correspondence.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

The Archives hold a clipping file for William W. West.

Selected Search Terms

Names

Berryman, John, 1914-1972.
Boyle, Kay, 1902-1992.
Bradbury, Ray, 1920-2012.
Bradley, Van Allen, 1913-.
Britton, Webster Earl.
Carruth, Hayden, 1921-2008.
Chase, Stuart, 1888-1985.
Chayefsky, Paddy, 1923-1981.
Ciardi, John, 1916-1986.
Gallico, Paul, 1897-1976.
McGinley, Phyllis, 1905-1978.
Stryk, Lucien.
Updike, John.
Warren, Robert Penn, 1905-1989.
West, William Walter, 1925-.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Associated Titles

On Writing, By Writers.

Subjects

Composition (Language arts) -- Study and teaching.
College teachers.
Higher education.

Types of Material

Correspondence.
Writings (documents)

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

William W. West Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

William West donated this collection to Syracuse University in 1966 at the request of the Archives.

Processing Information

Folders were arranged in series. Acidic newspaper clippings were copied and the originals were discarded.

Arrangement

The items are arranged in alphabetical order within series.

Table of Contents

Correspondence

On Writing, By Writers - Manuscripts and Revisions

Inventory