Cage 451 Guide to the Davis Dunbar McElroy Papers 1950-1969 McElroy (Davis D.) Papers Finding aid prepared by Andrew J. Gregg Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2012
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/ mascref@wsu.edu
Finding aid encoded by Mark O'English 2003 Finding aid written in English. Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/ mascref@wsu.edu
Cage 451 McElroy, Davis Dunbar Davis Dunbar McElroy Papers 1950-1969 2 containers. 2 linear feet of shelf space. 3850 items. Research notes, typescript drafts and other papers relating to Scotland's literary clubs, published in part as Scotland's Age of Improvement, a Survey of Eighteenth Century Literary Clubs and Societies (1970). Collection materials are in English

Davis Dunbar McElroy was born in San Francisco, California on August 1, 1917. He served in the United States Navy from 1942-1946. After the war, he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley in 1949, and received his doctoral degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1952. From 1960 to 1962 McElroy was an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University. He served on Washington State University's English Department faculty from 1962 to 1970. Since 1970 McElroy has been Chairman of Humanities at Centralia College. His book Scotland's Age of Improvement, a Survey of Eighteenth Century Literary Clubs and Societies, based on his dissertation, was completed in 1969 and published by the Washington State University Press the following year.

This collection is arranged in three series: Typescripts, Rough Notes, and Reference Materials. The first series, Typescripts, consists of two sub-series: McElroy's typescript of his book, A Century of Scottish Clubs, 1700-1800, along with an extensive index to that typescript; and earlier typewritten drafts of the chapters (arranged alphabetically by title) which later became chapters of the book. The second series, Rough Notes, consists of research notes, both handwritten and typewritten, which were compiled by the author during the course of his work on the book. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject, and contains references to persons, places, and clubs which appear throughout McElroy's work. The types of materials found in this series include accounts of the various clubs taken from journals and newspapers of the day, club information taken from biographies and writings of famous members, and observations and opinions about the various societies found in the minutes of club meetings. The third series, Reference Materials, is comprised of other published works including Harry A. Cockburn's An Account of the Friday Club, Written by Lord Cockburn, Together with Notes on Certain Other Social Clubs in Edinburgh (1911), and a reel of microfilm containing extracts of biographical sketches and memoirs of the Alexander Monros: Primus, Secondus, Tertius.

The clubs McElroy described were not solely concerned with literature, social improvement, or debate. Many were convivial fraternities which emphasized camaraderie. According to the author, many of these societies were founded for the purpose of teaching Scots men of letters to write and speak proper English. Other clubs promoted improvement in agriculture, fisheries, industries, and conduct.

This collection is open for research use.

[Item Description]. Cage 451, Davis Dunbar McElroy Papers. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

The papers of Davis Dunbar McElroy were donated by him to the Washington State University Libraries in April 1979 (79-11).

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.

McElroy, Davis Dunbar, 1917- --Archives Scottish literature--Societies, etc. Scottish literature--18th century International Relations Colleges and Universities Scotland's age of improvement

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Typescripts A Century of Scottish Clubs, 1700-1800 1 1 Volume One (Text) 1 item. 1 2 Volume Two (Index) 1 item. Earlier Drafts 1 3 Academies of Art 1 item. 1 4 Achievement 1 item. 1 5 The Age of Improvement 1 item. 1 6 Bibliography 1 item. 1 7 Conclusion 1 item. 1 8 Fictitious Clubs and Societies 1 item. 1 9 Membership of the Literary Society of Glasgow 1 item. 1 10 Non-Literary Clubs and Societies of Literary Interest 1 item. 1 11 Period of Recognition 1 item. 1 12 Preparation 1 item. 1 13 Student Clubs and Societies 1 item. 1 14 Table of Contents and Introduction 1 item. Series 2: Rough Notes 1 15 Aberdeen and St. Andrew's Student Societies 1 item. 1 16 Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society 5 items. 1 17 Academies of Art, notes 10 items. 1 18 Academies and Arts Clubs 200 items. 1 19 Agricultural Economic Background 15 items. 1 20 Agricultural Societies 50 items. 1 21 American Physical Society 1794-1797 11 items. 1 22 Appendices of Thesis 8 items. 1 23 Appendix Materials on Carnival Clubs 100 items. 1 24 Beggar's Bennison, Hell Fire Club 50 items. 1 25 Belles Lettres Society 40 items. 1 26 Belles Lettres Society Members 1 item. 1 27 Bibliography 50 items. 1 28 Black (Joseph) and James Watt 25 items. 1 29 Books and Pamphlets in Scot's Magazine 1 item. 1 30 Boswell, James 25 items. 1 31 Burns, Robert 75 items. 1 32 Caledonian Unit 50 items. 1 33 Carnival Club 25 items. 1 34 Carnival Clubs 300 items. 1 35 Chapter Three, Materials 5 items. 1 36 Chapter Two, Materials 75 items. 1 37 Chemical Societies of Edinburgh 100 items. 1 38 Chirigo-Physical Society 1789-1791 5 items. 1 39 Cochrane's Political Economy Club 5 items. 1 40 Democratic Offshoots 25 items. 1 41 Discards, not useful 200 items. 1 42 Duncan, Andrew 15 items. 1 43 Early Improving Societies 100 items. 1 44 Edinburgh Clubs 3 items. 1 45 Edinburgh Improving Societies 35 items. 1 46 Edinburgh Review 1755 10 items. 1 47 Easy Club 100 items. 1 48 Fair Intellectual Club 25 items. 1 49 Ferguson (Robert) and the Cape Club 150 items. 1 50 Fictitious Clubs 80 items. 1 51 Foreign Societies and Scottish Clubs 35 items. 1 52 French Notes 10 items. 1 53 General Literary Background 10 items. 1 54 Glasgow Clubs 15 items. 1 55 Glasgow Societies 5 items. 1 56 Glasgow University Student Societies 50 items. 1 57 Griskin Club 35 items. 1 58 Grotesque Club 25 items. 1 59 Guilds 35 items. 1 60 Harveian Society 5 items. 1 61 Hibernia Medical Society 1 item. 1 62 Highland Society of Edinburgh 25 items. 1 63 Highland Societies of London and Glasgow 35 items. 1 64 Hodge Podge Club of Glasgow 5 items. 1 65 Hume, David 35 items. 1 66 Improving Clubs and Societies 55 items. 1 67 Introduction 10 items. 1 68 Journal of The Easy Club 1 item. 1 69 Legal Societies 15 items. 1 70 Libraries and Mechanical Institutes 25 items. 1 71 Literary Societies of Glasgow 10 items. 1 72 Literary Society of Glasgow 15 items. 1 73 Loose Notes 5 items. 1 74 Manuscript Notes, National Library of Scotland 3 items. 1 75 Masons 35 items. 1 76 Materials for Appendix A 50 items. 1 77 Material for supplement number one 45 items. 1 78 Members of the St. Andrew Society 1 item. 1 79 The Mirror 50 items. 1 80 Mirror Club 3 items. 1 81 Monro, Doctors 5 items. 1 82 National History Society 1 item. 1 83 Notes 2 items. 1 84 Oyster Club 10 items. 1 85 Pantheon Society 1 item. 1 86 Period of Recognition, notes 25 items. 1 87 Philalethic Society 2 items. 1 88 Philosophic Society of Aberdeen 50 items. 1 89 Philosophical Society 50 items. 1 90 Physical Society of Edinburgh 50 items. 1 91 Poker Club 50 items. 1 92 Poker Club-Minutes and Members 100 items. 1 93 Political Club 50 items. 1 94 Professional Societies 25 items. 1 95 Ramsay (Allen Jr.) and the Select Society 10 items. 1 96 Rankenian Club 75 items. 1 97 Religious Societies 25 items. 1 98 Right and Wrong Club 35 items. 1 99 Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh 25 items. 1 100 Royal and Philosophical Societies 45 items. 2 101 Ruddiman's Club 45 items. 2 102 Rush (Benjamin) and other Yanks 5 items. 2 103 Select Society 85 items. 2 104 Select Society to Teach English Speech 50 items. 2 105 Scott, Sir Walter 25 items. 2 106 Sinclair, Sir John 25 items. 2 107 Smith, Adam 45 items. 2 108 Societies of Antiquaries 75 items. 2 109 Society for the Reformation of Manner 50 items. 2 110 Source Materials on Scottish Clubs 75 items. 2 111 Speculative Society 50 items. 2 112 Sports Clubs 25 items. 2 113 Student Societies 100 items. 2 114 Useful Extracts 25 items. 2 115 Watt (James) and his Condensor 75 items. 2 116 Women's Clubs and Foreign Clubs 75 items. Series 3: Additional Published Materials 2 117 Old Edinburgh Clubs (book) 1 item. 2 118 Primus, Secundus, Tertius (microfilm) 1 item.