Carol Martin Papers, 1977-1988

The Residencies for Writers program was a community-sponsored writers' reading series that brought nationally-known poets and authors to Idaho. The series was originated as the Boise Poetry Series by BSU English Professor Charles David Wright in 1976 and sponsored by the Boise Public Reading Consortium. After Wright's death in 1978 Carol (Mullaney) Martin headed the project. The 1979 series was named the Charles David Wright Poetry Series; in later years the program became known as the Residencies for Writers Program. Idaho State University joined to cosponsor the program in 1980. Dante Cantrill, a professor of English at ISU, worked with Carol Martin. The program received grant funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The correspondence files include letters both to and from Carol Martin. Most of the correspondents are authors, poets or professors. Topics include invitations to speak, travel arrangements, and personal affairs. Many files contain works by the correspondents and their vitae. The grant reports (Folder 33) contain summaries of the yearly series. Records relating to the Boise Poetry series chaired by Charles David Wright are found in his papers in Albertsons Library (MSS 86, Series 9). That series also includes records of Ruth P. Wright who chaired the series for 1983-1984.

A two-and-a-half week summer workshop on Cultural Diversity in Central America offered to junior high school students throughout Idaho. The program was financed by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Carol Martin was the project director. Instructors were Boise State University professors Errol Jones, Jon Dayley, Portland State University professor Ken Ames, and Capital High School instructor Phil Kimball. Students qualified based on transcripts, letters of recommendation, and written materials. They studied history, anthropology, and linguistics, focusing on the Spanish Conquest, colonial culture and current problems.

A highlight of the workshop was a trip to Herrett's Museum on the College of Southern Idaho campus in Twin Falls. The museum houses an extensive collection of Pre-Columbian and South American artifacts.

The collection contains the grant proposal and related materials, publicity and news clippings, and program evaluations submitted by the participants.

This project was funded by the Idaho Humanities Council to bring women in fields of literature and film to Boise to do presentations at the YWCA, Boise State University and local schools. Focus was on humanities content of literature and the dramatic arts. Directors of the program were Carol Martin and Ellen Jones of the YWCA. Professors Tom Trusky and Helen Lojek also assisted with this project. The program consisted of lectures, films, and readings by various authors. One eminent participant was the writer Gwendolyn Books. In 1950 she was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize.

The collection contains the grant applications, correspondence with participants, publicity materials and an evaluation of the program by Dr. Blossom Turk principal of Boise High School.) The work of silent filmmaker Nell Shipman (whose papers constitute MSS 81 in the Special Collections Department) was highlighted in 1987. There is also correspondence with Penelope Reedy (MSS 108) the editor of the Redneck Review of Literature. She gave a presentation to high school students and teachers. In her letters she offers suggestions of authors and some personal views on the event. Also located in the files is a letter from Alice Walker (the author of The Color Purple) declining the invitation to come to Boise and speak.