Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Cage 229
Fisher, Vardis, 1895-1968
Vardis Fisher Papers
1922-1970
2 Linear feet of shelf space
4 Boxes
The papers are comprised of correspondence, interviews,
articles, scholarly works by and about the author Vardis Fisher.
Collection materials are in English
Vardis Alvero Fisher was born March 31, 1895, at Annis, Idaho, of Mormon parents. He
received an A.B. degree in English at the University of Utah (1920). He followed
this up with graduate work at the University of Chicago where he received an M.A.
(1922) and Ph.D. (1925). He subsequently taught at the University of Utah, New York
University, and the University of Montana. In 1928 his first novel was published, a
forerunner of a long and productive writing career. By 1935 he had retired from
teaching to continue his writing. Within a few years, as an impoverished author, he
eagerly accepted the position as director of the Idaho Guide project, a part of the
depression-based Works Progress Administration. Fisher's directorship produced the
first state guide published. It was written almost entirely by Fisher as none of his
relief workers were writers. Following his experiences with government relief
projects Fisher returned to his own writing, moving to a ranch near Hagerman, Idaho.
His writings include a twelve volume series The Testament of Man, the four volume
Vridar Hunter tetrology, and a score of other works. He died at his home near
Hagerman July 9, 1968, and was survived by his wife Opal.
Inez Puckett McEwen, 1899-1987, was born in Oyens, Iowa. Her parents then moved to
Wyoming, Idaho, and California while she was still a child. McEwen went to school in
California, attending USC, Pomona, and Scripps, and earning a B.A. in dramatics and
also winning an art scholarship. After her formal education, she became a newspaper
reporter and feature writer, radio reporter and private speech instructor. She also
taught school both in California and later in Alaska. In 1943 McEwen moved to a
ranch in Idaho with her husband and it was there that she wrote the popularly
acclaimed book, "So This Is Ranching". She also wrote scripts for a serial program,
"Hodgepodge," that ran on a Twin Falls radio station. McEwen also spent the early
1960s in Somalia, Africa from where she penned her impressions of a culture
different from her own. Moving in circles with regional writers, McEwen became
acquainted with Vardis Fisher, the Idaho novelist. Apparently the two became
romantically involved, as suggested by correspondence included in the papers.
Born in 1942, Ronald Warren Taber was a graduate student in the American Studies
Program at Washington State University when he first approached Vardis Fisher in
1965 with the idea of basing his dissertation on Fisher's historical novels.
Eventually changing his topic to a study of the Federal Writer's Project, Taber
continued his contact with Fisher through correspondence and interviews, especially
regarding Fisher's role in the project. The title of his dissertation, presented in
1969, was
The Federal Writer's Project in the Pacific Northwest: a case
study. In addition Taber wrote Vardis Fisher and the Idaho Guide:
Preserving Culture for the New Deal, which appeared in Pacific Northwest
Quarterly, v. 59 (April 1968). While these studies were based in part on the
material in the present collection, additional material was compiled by Taber in
contemplation of a full-length biography of Fisher.
The papers are comprised of correspondence, interviews, articles, scholarly works by
and about the author Vardis Fisher. Also included are: correspondence, notes and
other papers about the Federal Writers Project; papers compiled and collected by
Ronald Warren Taber as part of his research on Fisher and the Writers' Project;
letters from Fisher and his wife, Opal Laurel Holmes Fisher, to Jasper and Inez
Puckett McEwen. Other correspondents of note are Frederick Manfred and Alan Swallow.
The papers are arranged in two main series: the papers of Inez Puckett McEwen and the
papers of Ronald Warren Taber. The subject and main correspondent of both series is
Vardis Fisher.
The McEwen material consists of letters received from Fisher and diary entries about
Fisher.
The Taber material is more complicated, reflecting his concern with his dissertation
research, of which Fisher was only a part, and his correspondence with Vardis
Fisher. This correspondence eventually transcended the usual biographer and subject
relationship. Taber's material consists, then, of correspondence received from
Vardis and Opal Fisher; correspondence about Fisher, western literature, and the
Federal Writer's Project; notes and tapes of interviews; Taber's class papers; notes
and photocopies of manuscript and archival collections; copies of Fisher's clippings
and unpublished scholarly theses; as well as copies of other published and
unpublished material about Fisher.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions may apply.
[Item description]
Vardis Fisher Papers, 1922-1970 (Cage 229)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The papers of Vardis Fisher, Northwest author, were received from two
separate sources. The first was from the papers of Idaho author Inez Puckett
McEwen who was one of Fisher's correspondents. These were separated from the
McEwen Collection in January, 1969, with the approval of Mrs. McEwen. The
second part resulted from the efforts of Ronald W. Taber to utilize Fisher's
efforts on the Idaho Guide as a major part of his dissertation. These papers
were the gift of R. W. Taber to the Washington State University Library in
February, 1974.
Part of this collection was seperated from the Inez Puckett McEwen Papers, 1885-1985 (Cage 48)
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Fisher, Vardis, 1895-1968 -- Archives
McEwen, Inez Puckett, 1899-1987
Manfred, Frederick Feikema, 1912-1994
Swallow, Alan, 1915-1966
Fisher, Opal L. (Opal Laurel), 1913-
Taber, Ronald Warren, 1942-
McEwen, Inez Puckett, 1899-1987
Federal Writers' Project (Idaho)
Authors, American -- 20th century -- Correspondence
Literature
Idaho
Series 1: Inez Puckett McEwen
Papers
1
1-2
Correspondence, between Vardis Fisher,
Opal Fisher, Richard J. Pead and I. P. McEwen
1949-1955
203 items.
1
3
Fisher, Vardis. The miracle of
electricity
1952
11 p. typescript (carbon)
1
4
Diary fragments, of Inez Puckett McEwen,
concerning V. Fisher.
1948-1962
38 l. holograph and typescript.
1
5
Photocopies of Fisher material in the
McEwen Papers.
Series 2: Ronald Warren Taber
Papers
Letters of Vardis and Opal Fisher to R. W.
Taber.
1
6
1965-1966
53 items.
1
7
1967-1970
65 items.
1
8
Photocopies of the Fisher-Taber
correspondence.
129 l.
2
9
Correspondence, of Ronald Warren Taber,
about Fisher, the American Guide Project, and western literature.
Correspondents include: Caxton Printers, Alan Swallaw, Wallace Stegner,
Leslie A. Fiedler, Frederick Manfred, Nard Jones, Archie Binns, Virginia
McConnell, Kenneth Larson, the Pacific Northwest Quarterly, Herbert N.
Harris, and Awilda Shorter.
1965-1968
50 items.
2
10
Notes, clippings and other papers of
Ronald Warren Taber about Fisher and the American Guide
Project.
47 items.
2
11
Taber, Ronald Warren. Remembrance as
technique: form and matter in autobiographical fiction.
May 31, 1967
16 p. typescript (photocopy)
2
11
[Taber, Ronald Warren]. Vardis Fisher:
New directions for the historical novel.
1967
[17] p. typescript.
2
11
Taber, Ronald Warren. John Winthrop and
the managed economy: But it held not long.
January 23,
1968
17 p. typescript (mimeo)
2
12
Interview notes and transcripts, with
Vardis Fisher, Richard Pead, Edward Langworthy, the Lawsons and
others
1966-1967
16 items.
2
13
Notes on manuscript and archives
collections concerning Vardis Fisher and the American Guide
Project
92 3 x 5 cards, 164 4 x 6 cards, 36 5 x 8
cards
2
14
Fisher, Vardis. Vardis Fisher Says
[newspaper column], clippings
1966-1968
125 items.
3
15
Phonotapes of interviews and panel
discussions
1966-1968.
3
15
Fisher, Vardis. Interview by R.W. Taber,
Hagerman, Idaho
April 12,
1967
Phonotape. 2 reels (5 in.) 3 3/4 in. per
sec.
3
15
Fisher, Opal Laurel Holmes. Interview by
R.W. Taber
August 13,
1968
Phonotape. 1 reel (5 in.) 3 3/4 in. per
sec.
3
15
Mead, Irene Fisher. Interview by R.W.
Taber
August 14,
1968
Phonotape. 1 reel (5 in.) 3 3/4 in. per
sec. Dual track recorded on both.
3
15
Discussion between Carl Hayden, Bob
Gardner, John LeMagne, Jim Barlogi, Opal Fisher and Ron W.
Taber
August 13,
1968
Phonotape. 2 reels (5 in.) 3 3/4 in. per
sec.
3
15
Symposium on the Historical Novel,
Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
November 11-12,
1966
Phonotape. 3 reels (5 in.) 3 3/4 in. per
sec.
Reel one contains:
The Western Voice in American
Literature with panelists Frederick Manfred, Archie Binns,
Alan Swallow, Warren Clare, moderated by Charles Blackburn. Reels two
and three contain: What is a Historical Novel? A discussion of
the use of history for literary purposes. with panelists
Vardis Fisher, C. L. Sonnichsen, Alan Swallow, Ron W. Taber and
moderated by George Watkins.
3
16
Photocopies from the Robert E. Burke
Papers, University of Washington
68 l.
3
17.
Photocopies from the Mary Farquharson
Papers, University of Washington
101 l.
3
18
Photocopies from the Washington Writer's
Project Records, Washington State Historical Society
40 l.
4
19
Letters, of Vardis Fisher, to Mary and
Robert Lawson.
1961-1963
19 l. (photocopy)
4
20
Letters, of Vardis Fisher, to Herbert C.
Roseman.
1965-1968
14 l. (photocopy)
4
21
Fisher, Vardis. London low life and Daniel
Defoe. Master's thesis, University of Chicago.
1922
121 p. (photocopy)
4
22
Fisher, Vardis. George Meredith's literary
reputation: 1850-1885. Doctoral dissertation, University of Chicago.
1925
285 p. (photocopy)
4
23
Rein, David. Vardis Fisher: challenge to
evasion. Preface by Vardis Fisher. Chicago, Normandie House.
1938
pp. 1-9, 38-63 (photocopy)
4
24
Crandall, Allen. Fisher of the Antelope
Hills. Manhattan, Ks., The Crandall Press.
1949
38 p. (photocopy)
4
25
Flora, Joseph Martin. Vardis Fisher's
story of Vridar Hunter: a study in theory and revision. Doctoral
dissertation, University of Michigan
1962
pp. 1-31, 198-222. (photocopy)
4
26
Publications by and about Fisher, his
work and his critics. Including George Kellog's bibliography of Fisher
(1961), the Vardis Fisher number of American Book Collector (1963) and
Vardis Fisher: a critical summary (1939) a promotional pamphlet
published by Caxton.
8 items.