Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
William M. Purdy photograph collection, 1980-1990
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Purdy, William M.
- Title
- William M. Purdy photograph collection
- Dates
- 1980-1990 (inclusive)19801990
- Quantity
- 214 items
- Collection Number
- P0696
- Summary
- William M. "Bill" Purdy (1921-1993) was a Utah educator and historian who served as headmaster of Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School in Salt Lake City, Utah, from 1968-1981. This collection consists primarily of slides related to Purdy's professional activities as an educator and historian.
- Repository
-
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860
Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
William Maurice "Bill" Purdy was born on June 21, 1921 in Evanston, Wyoming to Mae R. Sharp and William Moroni Purdy. Purdy grew up in Superior, Wyoming, where his father worked as a mine foreman. The Purdy family were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Due to the economic impact of the Great Depression on the mining industry, the Purdy family moved to Wattis, Utah, when Bill Purdy was thirteen. Purdy graduated from Carbon County High School in Price, Utah in 1939.
Purdy served in the United States Air Force during World War II. He was discharged in 1946 and subsequently spent several years working in coal mines in Price before entering college. He graduated from Westminster College in 1950 and the University of Utah in 1951. On September 28, 1951, Bill Purdy married Anna Huggins (1931-2001).
After graduating, Purdy entered a career in education. He taught and served as Superintendent for Daggett County School District; he also taught at Jackson Junior High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. Purdy then taught at the St. Marks School for Boys. In 1969, when St. Marks merged with Rowland Hall, Purdy was appointed headmaster of the merged schools, a position he held until retiring in 1981. After his retirement, Purdy wrote articles and book reviews about the history of hte American West, many of which were published in the Utah Historical Quarterly.
William Maurice "Bill" Purdy died on March 2, 1993.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The William M. Purdy photograph collection consists of 1 box containing 214 items. The original donation (1995) consisted of one photograph of William Purdy and unidentified man, found in Box 2 Folder 7. The addendum (2012) consists of 213 color 35mm slides; these were kept in original order. The images depict Purdy's professional activities, including research trips into areas in Utah and Wyoming, and his role as headmaster of Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the William M. Purdy photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: William M. Purdy photograph collection, P0696, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library. Salt Lake City, Utah.
Following Citations: P0696.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged by subject
Acquisition Information
Donated by Ann Purdy in 1995, addendum by daughter in 2012.
Processing Note
Processed by Special Collections staff.
Separated Materials
See also the William M. Purdy papers (ACCN 1509) in the Manuscripts Division of Special Collections.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | |
| 1 | 1 | Brown's Peak |
| 1 | 2 | Green River |
| 1 | 3 | Kids manila |
| 1 | 4 | Manila and Linwood |
| 1 | 5 | Daggett |
| 1 | 6 | Saint Mark's trips |
| 1 | 7 | William M. Purdy and unidentified man |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Private schools--Utah--Salt Lake City
Personal Names
- Purdy, William M.
Corporate Names
- Rowland Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Form or Genre Terms
- Color slides
Finding aid created by Mary Ann Curtis, updated by Claire A. Kempa
2022
