Founder's Capers Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection contains four boxes related to the original musical “Founder’s Capers” performed at the Vanderbilt Faculty Club, specifically related to their 1961 performance. The complete cast was comprised of Vanderbilt professors, family members, and students.
The collection contains three archival boxes which amount to 1.251 linear feet in addition to one flat box which is 0.083 linear feet. Within each box there are Sheet Music, Scripts, One vinyl Founder's Capers Record, and Paintings.
Dates
- Creation: 1961 - 1962
Conditions Governing Access
The physical materials in this collection may be viewed only in the reading room of Special Collections in the Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Materials should be requested 2-3 days prior to visiting to facilitate easier access. Contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu to schedule an appointment.
Historical Note - "Founder's Capers" Musical performed at the Vanderbilt Faculty Club
The Vanderbilt Faculty Club was a gathering place for faculty and their spouses to socialize and relax. Occasionally groups would gather to perform, one such outlet was this original musical “Founder's Capers.” This collection specifically contains the sheet music and scripts from their 1961 performance of “Founder's Capers”. The complete cast was comprised of Vanderbilt professors, family members, and students.
The Vanderbilt faculty that participated in the performances are:
John M. Aden- Associate Professor of English
Samuel F. Babbitt- Lecturer in English
Natalie Babbitt- Music and Lyrics (Samuel Babbitt’s wife)
Robert A. Baldwin- Assistant Professor of Drama
John Compton- Associate Professor of Philosophy
Dwight L. Freshley- Associate Professor of Speech
Langdon Gilkey- Professor of Theology and Director of Graduate Studies in the Theological Field
James Glasse- Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Field Work
Philip Hallie- Professor of Philosophy
Thomas W. Martin- Associate Professor of Chemistry
Elliott Newman- Joe and Morris Werthan Professor of Experimental Medicine
William Pursell- Orchestration
Lawrence Ratner- Associate Professor of Mathematics
Robbie Shackleford- Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Ronald E. Sleeth- Professor of Preaching
Joseph E. Wright- Professor of Speech and Drama, Chairman of the Department, and Director of the University Theatre
There was also a chorus of Faculty wives, students, and anonymous ghost writers that contributed to these performances.
Full Extent
3.34 Linear Feet (3 legal Hollingers, 1 oversize box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains four boxes related to the original musical “Founder’s Capers” performed at the Vanderbilt Faculty Club, specifically related to their 1961 performance. The complete cast was comprised of Vanderbilt professors, family members, and students.
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Founder's Capers Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives Repository
Special Collections Library
1101 19th Ave. S.
Nashville TN 37212 United States
specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu
About this Site
This site contains collection guides, or finding aids, to the archival collections held by Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives, the History of Medicine Collection, and the Scarritt Bennett Center. Finding aids describe the context, arrangement, and structure of archival materials, allowing users to identify and request materials relevant to their research.
Requesting Materials
Each finding aid contains a link to request materials from the collections. Collections can also be requested by emailing the repository directly through the library website. Each repository has its own location, hours, and contact information. Please consult the repository with questions about using the materials. Collections are non-circulating and must be used in the repository’s reading room. In many cases, the collections are stored off-site and require advance notice for retrieval.