J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections
Louise Degn papers
Degn, Louise
ACCN 2149
15.25 linear feet
33 boxes
1946-2015
The Louise Degn papers (1946-2015) consist of personal and professional correspondence, journals, sheet music, newspaper clippings, and various materials such as scripts and researchfrom her work as a reporter for KSL and a professor at the University of Utah. The collection also includes documents and internal KSL correspondence concerning to the controversial program "Mormon Women and Depression," which almost did not air.
English
.
Louise Degn was born in Logan, Utah on May 25th, 1946. She attended Ogden High School, graduated from Utah State University, and later received a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She worked for several years at KSL, a local news station, as the only woman broadcast news reporter in Utah. During her career as a television reporter, she produced the program "Mormon Women and Depression" for Dimension Five despite intense pressure against it from the LDS church. For this and other programs she produced, she won several awards praising her perspective on the lives of Utah women. In 1990, she began teaching at the University of Utah Communication Department where she produced a program on women's suffrage in the western United States, "Let the Women Vote!" Louise served a LDS mission at the Australia-Brisbane Mission in 1973; however, after the 1993 LDS Purges she helped run a small nondenominational religious group called "Sunday Gatherings." Throughout her life, she played and composed music, and performances of her compositions are maintained on her website. Despite her worsening physical condition later in her life, she continued to conduct for her local ward's choir until her death on May 8th, 2015.
The Louise Degn papers (1946-2015) consist of personal and professional correspondence, journals, sheet music, newspaper clippings, and various materials such as scripts and research related from work as a reporter for KSL and a professor at the University of Utah. The collection also includes documents and internal KSL correspondence concerning to the controversial program "Mormon Women and Depression," which almost did not air.
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.
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Box 1 was donated in 2005 (0.25 linear feet).
Box 2 was donated in 2006 (0.5 linear feet).
Boxes 3-5 were donated in 2007 (1.5 linear feet).
Boxes 6-33 were donated in 2016 (13 linear feet).
Processed by Roger V. Paxton, Samuel J. Passey, and Elizabeth Rogers in 2005-2006 and 2007.
Addendum processed by Sean Taylor in 2016.
Addendum processed by Kristina Barksdale in 2024.
Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.
See also the Louise Degn broadcast journalism audio-visual collection (A0747) and the Louise Degn photograph collection (P1160) in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.
Forms part of the Aileen H. Clyde 20th Century Women's Legacy Archives.
Degn, Louise--Archives
KSL (Television station: Salt Lake City, Utah)--Employees--Archives
University of Utah. Department of Communication--Faculty--Archives
Dimension Five (Firm)--Archives
Women television journalists--Utah--Archives
Women television producers and directors--Utah--Archives
Documentary television programs--Production and design--Utah
Television broadcasting of news--Utah
Documentary television programs--Utah
Latter Day Saint women--Attitudes
Latter Day Saint women missionaries--Australia--Archives
Sacred music--Specimens
Religious gatherings--Utah
Journalism
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Screenplays
Programs (Publications)
Interviews
Business correspondence
Diaries
Scrapbooks
Personal correspondence
Notated music
Radio scripts
Research (Documents)
Speeches
Awards
General materials
Summary
1
1
Desert Pack documentary
1970
1
2
In Whose Land documentary
1970
1
3
Coalville Tabernacle
1971
1
4
News Story Scripts
1969-1971
1
5-8
Broadcast news materials
Acoustics in Symphony Hall
2
1
Allred Slaying, LeBaron family research, Defense for Continued Polygamy
2
2
Broadcast news script archive
1976-1978
2
3
This folder contains and index of Degn's news stories done on assignment for KSL Television in Salt Lake City. The index lists story, air-date, an index terms for each story. The scripts mentioned in this index are contained in folders 4-8.
News script archive
1976-1978
2
4-5
Dimension Five, program scripts
1977-1980
3
Mormon Women and Depression
1978-1979
This series contains the research, notes, scripts, and correspondence about the controversial documentary
Mormon Women and Depression.
Transcripts and interview notes
1979
4
1
Scripts
1979
4
2
Notes on the controversy
1978-1979
4
3
Correspondence
1979
4
4-5
Articles in the news media
1979
4
6
Miscellaneous program documents
Articles on depression
1973-1979
5
1
International Women's Year
1977
5
2
Anthon, transcript story
1980
5
3
Bedroom births
1979
5
4
Building Inside a Building
1978
5
5
Juanita Brooks-Utah Historian
1979
5
6
Lorenzo Hill Hatch-Pioneer Bishop of Franklin
1979
5
7
Mormon History Association
1980
5
8
Life records and journals
Birth certificate
1946
6
1
Excerpts and notes on books
6
2
Note, Iris Degn
6
3
Journal
1972
6
4
Journal
1973
6
5
Notes, church lessons
1974
6
6
Journal
1976-1978
6
7
Retrospective on Gary Gilmore and exploration of her faith and career.
Notes, religion
1978-1980
6
8
Notes, death of Iris Degn
1993
6
9
Notebooks, music and sunday gatherings
1993-2002
6
10
Notes, Mormon history in Europe
2000
6
11
Notebooks, contacts and finances
2005
6
12
Notes, to read
2005
6
13
Notes, music and performing
2011
6
14
Notebook, physics of audio
2011
6
15
Memo notebooks
2012-2013
6
16
Notes, miscellaneous
2014
6
17
List of life events
2014
6
18
Planners
1975-1987
7
1
Calendar
1997
7
2
Planners
2014-2015
7
3
Correspondence
Correspondence with friends and family
1972-2014
8
Notes, Susan
1980
9
1
Family
1966-1977
9
2
Personal
1968-2015
9
3-6
Contacts, former students
1992-2005
9
7
Former students
1993-2012
9
8-10
Correspondence, documentaries and television
William Munns
1971
10
1
WCCO rejection
1971
10
2
Awards and thanks at KSL
1976-1977
10
3
KSL memos
1976-1979
10
4
KSL feedback
1976-1989
10
5
KSL
1976-1991
10
6
Reactions to "Mormon Women and Depression"
1979
10
7
Original cancellation of "Mormon Women and Depression"
1979
10
8
Mental health, education, and other professionals
1979
10
9
Internal memos regarding "Mormon Women and Depression"
1979
10
10
Personal stories
1979
10
11
KSL employment
1979-1983
10
12
Emily Lovering, "This Old House"
1980-1981
10
13
Jay Lloyd, IRIS award
1981
10
14
Ballet West
1982
10
15
KSL, personal
1983-1989
10
16
KSL policies
1983-1990
10
17
J. Spencer Kinard
1983-1991
10
18
Redwood Records
1985-1992
10
19
Ratings
1986-1988
10
20
Karen Merry, Paradigm distribution and promotion
1987-1989
10
21
"Lowell Bennion: A Life That Matters"
1992
10
22
"Utah Women Considered"
1995-1998
10
23
"Let the Women Vote!"
1998
10
24
McMurray, McMurray, Dale and Parkinson
1998
10
25
Correspondence, University of Utah
Chase Peterson
1990-1991
11
1
James Anderson
1990-1995
11
2
Application
1991
11
3
Fred Esplin
1997
11
4
Connie Bullis
1997-2001
11
5
J. Bernard Machen
1998-2000
11
6
David Ianucci
1999-2000
11
7
Patricia Hanna
2001
11
8
KUER
2001
11
9
Cards
2001-2012
11
10
Robert Newman
2002-2008
11
11
Ann Darling
2003-2008
11
12
David Pershing
2012
11
13
Correspondence, LDS Church, music, and miscellaneous
American Field Service Americans Abroad parent letter
1962
12
1
Laurence Burton
1965
12
2
Church use
1979
12
3
Ralph O. Bradley
1980
12
4
Newsweek
1980
12
5
Thomas Monson
1985
12
6
Thank yous for music
1989-2014
12
7
College admissions
1990
12
8
Rejections of music
1990-2000
12
9
The Olive Branch
1993
12
10
Lavina Fielding Anderson
1993
12
11
LDS Church
1995-2014
12
12
Composers Guild contest entries
1997-2001
12
13
Val Taylor, School of Natural Order
2000
12
14
Anya Silverman, Crones Council
2001
12
15
Donations to Utah State University
2005-2012
12
16
William Mathieu
2012-2014
12
17
Social Security
2014
12
18
Australia-Brisbane Mission and LDS Church
Correspondence, family
1973-1975
13
1-2
Correspondence, Barbara York
1975-1985
13
3
Journal, Australia-Brisbane Mission
1973-1975
14
1-2
Australia East Mission missionary handbook
1973
14
3
Speech, Ogden 43rd Ward
1973
14
4
Australia-Brisbane Mission personal goal record book
1974-1975
14
5
Sketches of Australia and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
1975
14
6
Temple recommends
1976-1981
14
7
Programs, various Wards
1995-2014
14
8
Speeches, Foothill 7th Ward
1996-2008
14
9
Announcements, Foothill 7th Ward
2007-2011
14
10
Programs, Foothill 7th Ward Events
2011-2013
14
11
Sunday gatherings
Nondenominational religious gathering organized by Louise and her friends.
Religious documents and articles
1974-1980
15
1
LDS doctrine
1977-2013
15
2
Contacts
1992-1994
15
3
Flyers
1993-1995
15
4
Organizational documents
1993-1999
15
5
Includes retrospective on the end of the gatherings.
Programs
1993-2000
15
6
Speech
1994
15
7
Music
Music manuscript books
1977-2011
16
1-3
"Compositions by Louise"
16
4
"Thinking of You"
1986
16
5
"Rain Trilogy"
1988-1989
16
6
"The Call to Serve in Joy and Sorrow Forever"
1989
16
7
"Animal Suite"
1990-1994
16
8
"Hymn"
1991-1992
16
9
"Waiting for the Child"
1991-2000
16
10
"Come to the Temple"
1992
16
11
"Niece Piece"
1992
17
1
"Don't Cry"
1992-2012
17
2
"The Meadow"
1994
17
3
"Millennial Light"
2000
17
4
"Teach Me"
2001
17
5
"Medley of Hymns Composed by Women"
2003
17
6
Various compositions by Louise
2013
17
7
"The Holy Spirit Guides Me," "Lace," "Just Friends," "Easy to Talk to," "Leaving," "Renewal," and "Sorrow."
Album notes
1993-1998
17
8
Awards, composition competitions
1998-2012
17
9
Sheet music
2011
17
10
Documentaries and news
Business cards
18
1
"TV Guide" listings
1970-1980
18
2
Scripts, documentaries
1970
18
3
"Desert Pack" and "In Whose Land."
Coalville Tabernacle story retrospective
1971
18
4
Scripts, WBBM Radio
1972-1973
18
5
KSL personnel directories
1975-1978
18
6
Script, CBS Afternoon News
1976
18
7
Research, depression
1976-1983
18
8
Research, crickets, seagulls, and sun tunnels
1976-2008
18
9
Finances, KSL
1977-1980
18
10
Research, International Women's Year and the Equal Rights Amendment
1977
18
11-12
Media event passes
1977-1982
18
13
Postmortems, KSL
1977
18
14
Scripts, Dimension 5
1977-1979
18
15
Includes supplemental material and research.
Transcripts, "Mormon Women and Depression"
1978
18
16
Scripts, "Mormon Women and Depression"
1979
18
17
Evaluations, "Mormon Women and Depression"
1979
18
18
Publicity, "Mormon Women and Depression"
1979
18
19
Research, home births
1979
18
20
Scripts, Dimension 5
1979-1980
19
1
Application, KSL archivist
1980
19
2
Research, Sonia Johnson
1980-1987
19
3
Research, Anton transcript
1980-2002
19
4
Research, Mark Hoffman
1986-2011
19
5
Contacts, KSL
1987-1990
19
6
Ratings
1988-1997
19
7
Programs, KSL events
1988-2012
19
8
Policy questionnaire, Bonneville International Corporation
1989
19
9
The Killing of KSL
1989
19
10
KSL performance appraisal form
1990
19
11
Contacts, Lowell Bennion documentary
19
12
Research, Lowell Bennion documentary
1992
19
13
Script, Lowell Bennion documentary
1992
19
14
Articles and publicity
1992-1997
19
15
Contacts, "Education: Parental Guidance Required"
1993
19
16
Script, "Education: Parental Guidance Required"
1993
19
17
Articles and publicity, "Education: Parental Guidance Required"
1994
19
18
Notes
1994
19
19
Participant release forms, "Utah Women Considered"
1994-1995
19
20
Script, "Utah Women Considered"
1995
19
21
John Armstrong, "Arch Madsen and the Rise of Bonneville International Corporation"
1996
19
22
Contacts, women's suffrage
1996
20
1
Pamphlets, women's suffrage
1996
20
2
Songs, women's suffrage
1996
20
3
References, women's suffrage
1996
20
4
Contracts, women's suffrage documentary
20
5
Research, women's suffrage
1997
20
6
Script, "Let the Women Vote!"
1997
20
7
Articles and publicity, "Let the Women Vote!"
1997-1998
20
8
VHS cover, "Let the Women Vote!"
1998
20
9
Programming Schedules, "Let the Women Vote!"
1999
20
10
Proposal, "Changing Lives: Women of the 20th Century"
1999
20
11
Public Radio Environment: Strategic Planning and Audience Research
1999
20
12
Pamphlets and newsletters, School of Natural Order
1999-2000
20
13
Research, School of Natural Order
1999-2000
20
14
Transcripts, School of Natural Order mini-discs
2000
20
15
Transcripts, spiritual directors interviews
2000
20
16
Scripts, TV stories
2002-2003
21
1
Documents, KUER
2004
21
2
Hard at Work: Women in the Utah Labor Force
2012
21
3
Research, Juanita Brooks
21
4
Redwood Records and Holly Near
Retrospective, "Lost Love" and Holly Near
1985
22
1
Reflection on sexuality, religion, and politics.
Publicity, Redwood Records and Holly Near
1986-1989
22
2
University of Utah
Curricula vitae and merit reviews
1971-2002
23
1
Promotion, review, and tenure
1991-2003
23
2
Finances
1991-2004
23
3
Tenure review
1997
23
4
Faculty sabbaticals
2001
23
5
Programs, U of U events
2003-2012
23
6
Post tenure review
2008
23
7
College of Humanities convocation
2012
23
8
Appointment as Associate Professor Emerita of Communication
2012
23
9
High school and college
High school assignments
1961
24
1
School notes, writing
1961
24
2
School notes, parliamentary procedures
1962
24
3
Speeches
1962-1964
24
4
Programs, Ogden High School events
1962-1964
24
5
School notes, American values
1963
24
6
Senate Youth Program qualifying exam
1963
24
7
Graded assignments
1964-1969
24
8
"Literary Harvest"
1964
24
9
"The Liar of Alpha Chi Omega"
1965-1968
24
10
"Senior Song: Beta Xi Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega"
1967
24
11
Programs, Utah State University events
1967-1968
24
12
Personality and vocational tests
1979-1996
24
13
LSAT answers and grades
1989
24
14
Reference letter
1990
24
15
Personal statement, Stanford Law School
1990
24
16
Business and Social Science Senator Card
24
17
Events, presentations, and performances
Programs, Frederic Dixon piano recitals featuring Louise
1958-1963
25
1
Flyers, Degn Bowl
1979
25
2
Programs and flyers, performances by and events with Louise
1992-2014
25
3
Flyers and programs
1992-2011
25
4
Audience 98: Public Service, Public Support
1998
25
5
Summer Institute in the Human Services
1998
25
6-7
The Thirty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Mormon History Association: Commemorating 150 Years of Mormonism in Continental Europe
2000
25
8
Awards
Mental Health Media Award for "Depression Among Women"
1979-1980
26
1
Various awards
1979-1984
26
2
Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards
1979-1988
26
3
Governor's Merit Award in the Humanities for "Utah Women Considered"
1996
26
4
American Women in Radio and Television Best of Show for "Utah Women Considered"
1996-2001
26
5
U of U Student Choice Award
1999-2004
26
6
Faculty Production Competition Radio Documentary for the School of Natural Order
2001
26
7
Articles and newspaper clippings
Obituaries
1981-2013
27
1
150th Wagon Train
1997
27
2
Business and organization
1995-2010
27
3
Comics, "Dilbert"
1994-2000
27
4
Comics, media
1993-1996
27
5
Community planning
1992-2008
27
6
Creativity
1988-1994
27
7
Financial security
1995-2014
27
8
Food
2003
27
9
Friends and family
1979-2011
27
10
Gardens and farms
1996-2011
27
11
High school
1963-1964
27
12
Home design
1988-2008
27
13
Horoscopes
1995
27
14
Human nature
1997-2013
27
15
KSL and news
1971-2012
27
16
LDS Church and politics
1974-2005
27
17
LDS excommunication and 1993 purge
1993-2013
28
1
Mormon history
1980-2014
28
2
Mormon life
1994
28
3
"Mormon Women and Depression"
1979-1980
28
4
Mormons and the Olympics
2002
28
5
Music and art
1998-2011
28
6
Music, career
1987-2005
28
7
Music, people
1987-2013
28
8
Music, types
1998-2005
28
9
Personal stories
1980-2004
28
10
Ratings
1987-1988
28
11
Religion and spirituality
1990-2008
28
12-14
Reporting from Israel
1970
29
1
Service
1992-2008
29
2
Television and news
1993-2012
29
3
Travel
1980-2005
29
4
Utahns
1995-2005
29
5
The Utes
1984-2000
29
6
Utah State University
1966-1968
29
7
Weight
1995-1998
29
8
Women
1997-2001
29
9
Miscellaneous
1981-2014
29
10
Miscellaneous
Childhood mementos
30
1
Congressional Record
1967
30
2
Susan Elizabeth Howe, poems and other writings
1977-1993
30
3
Poems by others
1991-1995
30
4
Spring City Historic District
1996
30
5
Trip itineraries
1996
30
6
Governor's Volunteer Summit
1997
30
7
Louise Degn, stories and writings
1997-2006
30
8
Interstate Road Atlas
2001
30
9
Contacts, Crone Counsel
2001
30
10
Programs, Crone Counsel events
2001
30
11
Information, Crone Counsel
2002
30
12
"Sunstone" gallery spotlight
2002
30
13
Louise's favorite thanksgiving dinner
2002
30
14
Ann Darling, "Lessons from Louise"
2012
30
15
Sketch, Louise playing piano
2013
30
16
Memorabilia, broadcasting
30
17
Commemorative stamps
30
18
Genealogy
30
19
Miscellaneous
30
20
Family history and certificates
1946
1954
1958-1962
30
21
Scrapbook
1952-1964
31
Painting, Volunteer Summit plaque, and KSL news poster
1977-1997
32
Signed KSL news poster
33