de Grummond Collection

McCain Library and Archives
USM Libraries
The University of Southern Mississippi



MARTHA BENNETT STILES PAPERS

Collection Number
Collection Dates
Collection Volume
DG0939
1962-1993
1.50 cu.ft. (4 boxes)

Biographical Sketch | Scope & Content | Related Collections | Series & Subseries | Box Inventory

Provenance
Material was donated by Martha Bennett Stiles between 1974-1980.

Restrictions
Noncirculating; available for research.

Copyright
The collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. Code). Reproductions can be made only if they are to be used for "private study, scholarship, or research." It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials, other than that noted above.

Biographical Sketch


Martha Bennett Stiles was born in Manila, Philippine Islands, and grew up in Virginia. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1954, and married Martin Stiles, a chemistry professor, in the same year. She received Hopwood Awards for essays in 1956 and 1958, and Darkness Over the Land was named a notable book by Horn Book Magazine. Since 1962, she has written twelve books for children and young adults. Some of these, such as Dougal Looks for Birds, are picture books written for young children. Her other writing interest is historical fiction for young adults. She has also written numerous magazine articles.

Sources:


Related Collections

The John Bennett Papers (DG0080); The Larry Thomas Papers (DG1170); The Peter Parnall Papers (DG1203); and The Kurt Werth Papers (DG1040)

Scope and Content


The letters to the de Grummond Collection, in the "Correspondence" series describe in detail the background of several books and articles represented in this collection.

The material in the "Books" series is grouped by title and arranged within each title according to the probable order of creation.

Three of the books documented in this collection are works of historical fiction. The Strange House at Newburyport is a mystery set in early nineteenth century Massachusetts. Darkness Over the Land is the story of a young man's evolving relationship with the Nazi Party. Beginning as a loyal member of a Nazi youth group, Mark eventually becomes involved with the German resistance movement. A Star in the Forest is a mystery set in France during the sixth century, when plague and incessant warfare threaten both Germanic invaders and the older, Gallo-Roman population. The collection holds galleys for all three books, as well as typescripts for A Star in the Forest.

Dougal Looks for Birds and James the Vine Puller are both picture books for children. Tana and the Useless Monkey is a humorous story for older children about Tana's effort to obtain the Church's blessing for her pet monkey. There are typescripts for James the Vine Puller and Tana and the Useless Monkey. The collection holds folded and gathered sheets, and a press sheet for Dougal Looks for Birds.

The "Periodical Articles" series consists primarily of magazine issues which include an article by Ms. Stiles

Series and Subseries

A. Correspondence (1975-1993)

B. Books (1963-1979)

C. Periodical Articles (1962-1976)


Box Inventory


  Box/Folder 

A.  Correspondence (1975-1993)

     1/1     Correspondence with the de Grummond Collection, 1975-1993, 5 items.

             Article about Jane Wells Bennett, 2 pp.

             Resume and bibliography, 1 item.

B. Books (1963-1979)

     Darkness Over the Land by Martha Bennett Stiles (New York: Dial Press,
     1966).

     1/2-1/3 Galley, 

     1/2          pp. 1-37.

     1/3          pp. 38-96. 

     1/4-1/5 Galley, 

     1/4          pp. 1-34.

     1/5          pp. 35-96.

     1/6-2/1 Galley,

     1/6          pp. 1-20.

     1/7          pp. 21-46.

     1/8          pp. 47-73.

     2/1          pp. 74-96.
     
     Dougal Looks for Birds by Martha Bennett Stiles, illustrated by Iris
     Schweitzer (New York: Four Winds Press, 1972).

     2/2     Correspondence from Iris Schweitzer, 1 item. 

     2/3     Press sheet, 1 item.

     2/4     Folded and gathered sheets, 18 pp.

     2/5     Book jacket, 1 item.

             Illustrations, 2 items.

     James, the Vine Puller: A Brazilian Folktale retold by Martha Bennett
     Stiles, illustrated by Larry Thomas (Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 1974).

     2/6     Typescript, photocopy, 4 pp.

             Typescript, edited photocopy, 4 pp.
     
     2/7     Illustrations, photocopied, 3 pp.

             Illustration proofs, 2 pp.

     The Star In the Forest: A Mystery of the Dark Ages by Martha Bennett
     Stiles (New York: Four Winds Press, 1979).

     2/8     Correspondence, 1977, 1 item.

             Notes, 4 pp.

     2/9     Research material, 6 items.

     2/10-2/12 Typescript, edited, inconsistently numbered,

     2/10          Front matter, 11 pp., and 50 pp.

     2/11          90 pp.

     2/12          127 pp.

     3/1      Typescript, "early cuts," pp. 216-232.

     3/2-3/5  Typescript, with typesetter's marks, 

     3/2           Front matter, 6 pp., and pp. 1-68.

     3/3           pp. 69-141.

     3/4           pp. 142-221.

     3/5           pp. 222-285.

     3/6-3/8  Galley, 

     3/6           pp. 1-40.

     3/7           pp. 41-70.

     3/8           pp. 71-109.

     3/9      Article, 1 item.

     Strange House at Newburyport by Martha Bennett Stiles, illustrated by
     Kurt Werth (New York: Dial, 1963).

     4/1      Galley, 40 pp.

     4/2      Galley, 5 June 1963, 19 pp.

     Tana and the Useless Monkey by Martha Bennett Stiles (New York:
     Elsevier/Nelson, 1979).  

     4/3      Typescript, 4 April 1974, pp. 1-53.

     4/4      Typescript, photocopy, with typesetter's marks: front matter, 8 pp., 
              and pp. 1-82.

     4/5      Publicity material, 3 pp.


C.  Periodical Articles (1962-1976)

     4/6-4/10 Magazines featuring articles by Martha Bennett Stiles,

     4/6            "Hostage to the Indians," in Virginia Cavalcade, Summer
                    1962.        

                    Brigitte, 22 November 1966.

     4/7            "Yugoslavia on a Tightrope," Michigan Quarterly Review,
                    Spring 1967.

                    "John Frederick Herring," Thoroughbred Record, 25
                    October 1969.

     4/8	    "The Bel Canto Banquet," Stereo Review, April 1971.

                    "Racing at Deauville," Thoroughbred Record, 10 April
                    1971.

     4/9            "Van Berg's Girls," Thoroughbred Record, 20 October
                    1973.

     4/10           "The Case of the Missing Mascot," Thoroughbred Record, 
	            12 July 1975.
     
	            "Angels Have Feathers," Charleston, August 1976. 
     
     4/11      "The Harvesters," New Orleans Review, vol. 5, no. 2, 1976.

     	       Galley, photocopy, 10 pp.
     
               Photocopy of proof, 5 pp.

               New Orleans Review, vol. 5, no. 2, 1976.


Separation Note


Materials relating to Ms. Stiles' grandfather, John Bennett, have been moved to the John Bennett Papers (DG0080). This material includes photocopied newspaper clippings from the Chillicothe News Advertiser, as well as a marionette version of Master Skylark, adapted by Jean Mardin. In addition, there are some illustration proofs, a sketch of Martha T. Bennett, correspondence, articles about John Bennett, and miscellaneous items.

An oil illustration by Larry Thomas has been removed to the Larry Thomas Papers (DG1170). A reproduction of an illustration by Peter Parnall from The Nightwatchers has also been removed and placed in The Peter Parnall Papers (DG1203).


Processed: February 1998
Revised: July 2001

Biographical Sketch | Scope & Content | Related Collections | Series & Subseries | Box Inventory
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