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Knute Skinner papers, 1953-2005

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Skinner, Knute
Title
Knute Skinner papers
Dates
1953-2005 (inclusive)
Quantity
10.5 linear feet
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0056skinner (collection)
Summary
The papers document the life and activities of poet and Western Washington University Professor, Knute Skinner. The papers span the years from 1953-2005 and consist primarily of correspondence with some writings. Correspondence contains some materials related to the Bellingham Review and Signpost Press.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

Knute Skinner, a native of the United States, has lived in Killaspuglonane, County Clare, Ireland, since 1964. Over his career, his poetry has been widely published throughout Ireland, Britain, Australia, and North America. In 1962, he was appointed to the faculty of the department of English at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington and for many years taught literature and creative writing there a part of each year. He attained the rank of Professor in 1973 and in 2000 retired from teaching and is currently a year-round resident of Ireland. Skinner founded the Signpost Press, a nonprofit corporation devoted to publishing contemporary literature, and he was a founder and editor of The Bellingham Review. He is the author of fifteen collections of poetry.

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Content Description

This collection consists of the writings and correspondence of poet, editor, and Western Washington University teacher, Knute Skinner, dating from 1953 to 2005.

Writings include individual poems, manuscripts and drafts and proofs of reviews, short stories, and poetry collections some of which later published. The anthology: Microphone On: Poetry from the White House Pub, contains the autographs and sentiments of many of its contributors.

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence files organized chronologically within the categories of Personal and Professional correspondence and correspondence relating to the Bellingham Review / Signpost Press. Specific people and subjects contained within Skinner's personal and professional files include: publishers’ permissions for Stranger with a Watch and A Close Sky over Kallispuglonane, readings, F.W. Roberts from the Humanities Research Center, G.B. Morgan from Pierian Press, Poetry Society of America, Music from Home, Burton Press Book, Flame Room, Charles Seluski, Aquila / Northwoods Press, and Kenny's Bookstores. The Bellingham Review and Signpost Press files largely concern submission letters for the yearly chapbook contests.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Kunte Skinner papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The Knute Skinner papers are organized in accordance with the following series and sub-series arrangement:

  • Series I: Writings, 1953-2005
    • Sub-Series 1: Poetry, 1969-2004
    • Sub-Series 2: Drafts and Proofs, undated, 1953-2004
    • Sub-Series 3: Published Materials, 1970-2005
  • Series II: Correspondence, 1964-2005
    • Sub-series 1. Personal and Professional, 1964-2005
    • Sub-series 2. Bellingham Review / Signpost Press Correspondence, 1976-1987

Custodial History

Knute Skinner donated materials to Western Washington University's Wilson Library. In 1999, the library transferred his papers to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.

Acquisition Information

Knute Skinner made two additional donations of materials to the Center in 2003 and 2006.

Related Materials

Many of Dr. Skinner's published works from 1956 to 2013 are contained in the Knute Skinner Collection in Special Collections. An in-house inventory is available upon request - contact speccoll@wwu.edu for more information.

Processing Note

About Harmful Language and Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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

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Subject Terms

  • American poetry -- 20th century.
  • Authors and publishers -- Correspondence -- Sources.
  • Bellingham (Wash.) -- Intellectual life -- History -- Sources.
  • Clare (Ireland) -- Intellectual life -- History -- Sources.
  • Poetry -- Authorship.
  • Poetry, Modern -- Periodicals --Sources.
  • Poets, American -- Clair (Ireland) --History -- Sources.
  • Poets, American-- Washington (State) -- Bellingham -- History -- Sources.
  • Prose literature --Periodicals -- Sources.
  • Publishers and publishing -- Correspondence -- Sources

Personal Names

  • Skinner, Knute, 1929- -- Archives.
  • Skinner, Knute, 1929- -- Correspondence.

Corporate Names

  • Western Washington University -- Bellingham (Wash).

Geographical Names

  • Bellingham -- Washington -- (State).
  • Clare -- Ireland.

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names

    • Signpost Press. (creator)
    • The Bellingham review. (creator)

Finding aid prepared by Emiley G. Jensen
2006

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

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