Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Knute Skinner papers, 1953-2005
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Skinner, Knute
- Title
- Knute Skinner papers
- Dates
- 1953-2005 (inclusive)19532005
- Quantity
- 10.5 linear feet
- Collection Number
- XOE_CPNWS0056skinner (collection)
- Summary
- The papers document the life and activities of poet and Western Washington University Professor, Knute Skinner. The papers span the years from 1953-2005 and consist primarily of correspondence with some writings. Correspondence contains some materials related to the Bellingham Review and Signpost Press.
- Repository
-
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Knute Skinner, a native of the United States, has lived in Killaspuglonane, County Clare, Ireland, since 1964. Over his career, his poetry has been widely published throughout Ireland, Britain, Australia, and North America. In 1962, he was appointed to the faculty of the department of English at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington and for many years taught literature and creative writing there a part of each year. He attained the rank of Professor in 1973 and in 2000 retired from teaching and is currently a year-round resident of Ireland. Skinner founded the Signpost Press, a nonprofit corporation devoted to publishing contemporary literature, and he was a founder and editor of The Bellingham Review. He is the author of fifteen collections of poetry.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection consists of the writings and correspondence of poet, editor, and Western Washington University teacher, Knute Skinner, dating from 1953 to 2005.
Writings include individual poems, manuscripts and drafts and proofs of reviews, short stories, and poetry collections some of which later published. The anthology: Microphone On: Poetry from the White House Pub, contains the autographs and sentiments of many of its contributors.
The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence files organized chronologically within the categories of Personal and Professional correspondence and correspondence relating to the Bellingham Review / Signpost Press. Specific people and subjects contained within Skinner's personal and professional files include: publishers’ permissions for Stranger with a Watch and A Close Sky over Kallispuglonane, readings, F.W. Roberts from the Humanities Research Center, G.B. Morgan from Pierian Press, Poetry Society of America, Music from Home, Burton Press Book, Flame Room, Charles Seluski, Aquila / Northwoods Press, and Kenny's Bookstores. The Bellingham Review and Signpost Press files largely concern submission letters for the yearly chapbook contests.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Kunte Skinner papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The Knute Skinner papers are organized in accordance with the following series and sub-series arrangement:
- Series I: Writings, 1953-2005
- Sub-Series 1: Poetry, 1969-2004
- Sub-Series 2: Drafts and Proofs, undated, 1953-2004
- Sub-Series 3: Published Materials, 1970-2005
- Series II: Correspondence, 1964-2005
- Sub-series 1. Personal and Professional, 1964-2005
- Sub-series 2. Bellingham Review / Signpost Press Correspondence, 1976-1987
Custodial History
Knute Skinner donated materials to Western Washington University's Wilson Library. In 1999, the library transferred his papers to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
Acquisition Information
Knute Skinner made two additional donations of materials to the Center in 2003 and 2006.
Related Materials
Many of Dr. Skinner's published works from 1956 to 2013 are contained in the Knute Skinner Collection in Special Collections. An in-house inventory is available upon request - contact speccoll@wwu.edu for more information.
Processing Note
About Harmful Language and ContentTo learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series I: Writings, 1953-2005 Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Sub-Series 1
:
Poetry
|
1969-2004 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Poems |
1969-1974 |
| 1/2 | Poems |
1975-1984 |
| 1/3 | Poems |
1985-1986 |
| 1/4 | Poems |
1987 |
| 1/5 | Poems |
1988-1989 |
| 1/6 | Poems |
1990-1992 |
| 1/7 | Poems |
1993-1994 |
| 1/8 | Poems |
1995-1996 |
| 1/9 | Poems |
1997-1999 |
| 2/1 | Poems |
2000 |
| 2/1 | Poems |
2004 |
Sub-Series 2
:
Drafts and Proofs
|
undated, ; 1969-2004 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/3 | Short stories |
undated |
| 2/4 |
Stranger with a Watch
|
1953-1962 |
| 2/5 |
A Close Sky Over Killaspuglonane
|
1964-1969 |
| 2/6 |
A Close Sky Over Killaspuglonane, 2nd
edition |
1974-1975 |
| 2/7 | Introduction to Music from Home by Colleen J.
McElroy |
1974-1976 |
| 2/8 | Reviews |
circa 1980s |
| 2/9 | Reviews |
circa 1980s |
| 2/10 |
Learning to Spell Zucchini
|
circa 1960s-1980s |
| 2/11 |
Learning to Spell Zucchini
|
circa 1987 |
| 2/12 |
Hearing of the Hard Times
|
1981 |
| 2/13 | Proofs of individual poems |
undated,; 1990-2005 |
| 2/14 |
The Bears and Other Poems
|
1991 |
| 2/15 |
What Trudy Knows and Other Poems
|
1993 |
| 2/16 |
The Cold Irish Earth
|
1994 |
| 2/17 |
An Afternoon Quiet
|
1997-1998 |
| 2/18 |
Greatest Hits Gold
|
2000 |
| 2/19 |
Stretches
|
2002 |
| 2/20 |
Before and Behind Us
|
2004 |
| 2/21 |
The Other Shoe
|
2004 |
Help Me to a Getaway: a memoir
|
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/22 |
First draft of memoir with some revisions
|
Undated |
| 2/23 |
Second draft of memoir with some revisions
|
Undated |
| 2/24 |
Fifth draft of Section 1 Aboard Ship
|
Undated |
| 3/1 |
Sixth draft of Section 1 Aboard Ship
|
Undated |
| 3/2 |
Seventh draft of Section 3 Copenhagen
|
Undated |
| 3/3 |
Eighth draft of Section 3 Copenhagen
|
Undated |
| 3/4 |
Ninth draft of Section 3 Copenhagen
|
Undated |
| 3/5 |
“Help Me to a Getaway” A Memoir
|
Undated |
Fifty Years: Poems 1957-2007
|
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3/6 |
First set of proofs from Salmon Poetry
|
Undated |
| 3/7 |
Second set of proofs form Salmon Poetry
|
Undated |
| 3/8 |
Third set of proofs form Salmon Poetry
|
Undated |
| 3/9 |
MS. Prints of disks given to Jessie at Salmon Poetry
|
Undated |
| 3/10 |
Text for Fifty Years
|
Undated |
| 3/11 |
Home proofs
|
Undated |
| 4/1 |
Correspondence, notes working papers
|
Undated |
| 4/2 |
Literary paper
|
Undated |
| 4/3 |
Proof copies and correspondence
|
Undated |
Sub-Series 3
:
Published Materials
|
1970-2005 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 4/4 | Published Poetry |
circa 1970-2005 |
| Rolled Document | ||
| 1 | Poetry in Broadside Journal |
circa 1970s |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 4/5 | Autographed copy of chapbook: Sideways by
Richard Martin (w/ note to Knute and Edna Faye Kiel) |
2004 |
| 4/6 | Autographed copy of anthology: Microphone On: Poetry
from the White House Pub
|
2005 |
| 4/7 | Fifty Years – CD |
Undated |
Series II: Correspondence, 1964-2005 Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Sub-Series 1
:
Personal and Professional
|
1964-2005 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 4/8 | Correspondence |
1964, ; 1966-1967 |
| 4/9 | Correspondence |
1968 |
| 4/10 | Correspondence |
January 1969-July 1969 |
| 4/11 | Correspondence |
August 1969 -December 1969 |
| 4/12 | Correspondence |
1970 January 1970-May 1970 |
| 4/13 | Correspondence |
June 1970-December 1970 |
| 4/14 | Correspondence |
January 1971-June 1971 |
| 4/15 | Correspondence |
July 1971-December 1971 |
| 4/16 | Correspondence |
January 1972-June 1972 |
| 4/17 | Correspondence |
July 1972-December 1972 |
| 5/1 | Correspondence |
January 1973-June 1973 |
| 5/2 | Correspondence |
July 1973-December 1973 |
| 5/3 | Correspondence |
January 1974-June 1974 |
| 5/4 | Correspondence |
July 1974-December 1974 |
| 5/5 | Correspondence |
January 1975-June 1975 |
| 5/6 | Correspondence |
July 1975-December 1975 |
| 5/7 | Correspondence |
January 1976-June 1976 |
| 5/8 | Correspondence |
July 1976-December 1976 |
| 5/9 | Correspondence |
January 1977-June 1977 |
| 5/10 | Correspondence |
July 1977-December 1977 |
| 6/1 | Correspondence |
January 1978-June 1978 |
| 6/2 | Correspondence |
July 1978-December 1978 |
| 6/3 | Correspondence |
January 1979-June 1979 |
| 6/4 | Correspondence |
July 1979-December 1979 |
| 6/5 | Correspondence |
January 1980-June 1980 |
| 6/6 | Correspondence |
July 1980-December 1980 |
| 6/7 | Correspondence |
January 1981-June 1981 |
| 6/8 | Correspondence |
July 1981-December 1981 |
| 6/9 | Correspondence |
January 1982-June 1982 |
| 6/10 | Correspondence |
July 1982-December 1982 |
| 7/1 | Correspondence |
January 1983-June 1983 |
| 7/2 | Correspondence |
July 1983-December 1983 |
| 7/3 | Correspondence |
January 1984-June 1984 |
| 7/4 | Correspondence |
July 1984-December 1984 |
| 7/5 | Correspondence |
January 1985-June 1985 |
| 7/6 | Correspondence |
July 1985-December 1985 |
| 7/7 | Correspondence |
January 1986-June 1986 |
| 7/8 | Correspondence |
July 1986-December 1986 |
| 7/9 | Correspondence |
January 1987-June 1987 |
| 7/10 | Correspondence |
July 1987-December 1987 |
| 7/11 | Correspondence |
January 1988-June 1988 |
| 8/1 | Correspondence |
July 1988-December 1988 |
| 8/2 | Correspondence |
January 1989-June 1989 |
| 8/3 | Correspondence |
July 1989-December 1989 |
| 8/4 | Correspondence |
January 1990-June 1990 |
| 8/5 | Correspondence |
July 1990-December 1990 |
| 8/6 | Correspondence |
January 1991-June 1991 |
| 8/7 | Correspondence |
July 1991-December 1991 |
| 8/8 | Correspondence |
January 1992-June 1992 |
| 8/9 | Correspondence |
July 1992-December 1992 |
| 8/10 | Correspondence |
January 1993-June 1993 |
| 8/11 | Correspondence |
July 1993-December 1993 |
| 8/12 | Correspondence |
January 1994-June 1994 |
| 8/13 | Correspondence |
July 1994-December 1994 |
| 8/14 | Correspondence |
January 1995-June 1995 |
| 8/15 | Correspondence |
July 1995-December 1995 |
| 9/1 | Correspondence |
January 1996-June 1996 |
| 9/2 | Correspondence |
July 1996-December 1996 |
| 9/3 | Correspondence |
January 1997-June 1997 |
| 9/4 | Correspondence |
July 1997-December 1997 |
| 9/5 | Correspondence |
January 1998-June 1998 |
| 9/6 | Correspondence |
July 1998-December 1998 |
| 9/7 | Correspondence |
January 1999-December 1999 |
| 9/8 | Correspondence |
January 2000-December 2000 |
| 9/9 | Correspondence |
January 2001-December 2001 |
| 9/10 | Correspondence |
January 2002-December 2002 |
| 9/11 | Correspondence |
January 2003-December 2003 |
| 9/12 | Correspondence |
January 2004-December 2004 |
| 9/13 | Correspondence |
January 2005-December 2005 |
| 10/1 | Correspondence |
Correspondence, 2002-2006 (January 2006-December 2006) |
| 10/2 | Correspondence |
Correspondence, January 2007-December 2007 |
| 10/3 | Correspondence |
Correspondence, January 2008-December 2008 |
| 10/04 | Correspondence |
Correspondence, January 2009-December 2009 |
Sub-Series 2
:
The Bellingham review / Signpost Press
|
1976-1987 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 10/5 | Submission Letters |
January 1976-December 1976 |
| 10/6 | Submission Letters |
January 1977-June 1977 |
| 10/7 | Submission Letters |
July 1977-December 1977 |
| 10/8 | Submission Letters |
January 1978-December 1978 |
| 10/9 | Submission Letters |
January 1979-December 1979 |
| 10/10 | Submission Letters |
January 1980-June 1980 |
| 10/11 | Submission Letters |
July 1980-December 1980 |
| 11/1 | Submission Letters |
January 1981-June 1981 |
| 11/2 | Submission Letters |
July 1981-December 1981 |
| 11/3 | Submission Letters |
January 1982-June 1982 |
| 11/4 | Submission Letters |
July 1982-December 1982 |
| 11/5 | Submission Letters |
January 1983-June 1983 |
| 11/6 | Submission Letters |
July 1983-December 1983 |
| 11/7 | Submission Letters |
January 1984-June 1984 |
| 11/8 | Submission Letters |
July 1984-December 1984 |
| 11/9 | Submission Letters |
January 1985-June 1985 |
| 11/10 | Submission Letters |
July 1985-December 1985 |
| 11/11 | Submission Letters |
January 1986-June 1986 |
| 11/12 | Submission Letters |
July 1986-December 1986 |
| 11/13 | Submission Letters |
January 1987-June 1987 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- American poetry -- 20th century.
- Authors and publishers -- Correspondence -- Sources.
- Bellingham (Wash.) -- Intellectual life -- History -- Sources.
- Clare (Ireland) -- Intellectual life -- History -- Sources.
- Poetry -- Authorship.
- Poetry, Modern -- Periodicals --Sources.
- Poets, American -- Clair (Ireland) --History -- Sources.
- Poets, American-- Washington (State) -- Bellingham -- History -- Sources.
- Prose literature --Periodicals -- Sources.
- Publishers and publishing -- Correspondence -- Sources
Personal Names
- Skinner, Knute, 1929- -- Archives.
- Skinner, Knute, 1929- -- Correspondence.
Corporate Names
- Western Washington University -- Bellingham (Wash).
Geographical Names
- Bellingham -- Washington -- (State).
- Clare -- Ireland.
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- Signpost Press. (creator)
- The Bellingham review. (creator)
Finding aid prepared by Emiley G. Jensen
2006
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
