Guide to the George Sherman Dickinson Papers, approximately 1909-1964 (bulk 1913-1914, 1955-1964)

Collection Summary

Biographical Note

George Sherman Dickinson (b. 9 Feb. 1888, St. Paul, MN; d. 6 Nov. 1964, Chapel Hill, NC) was an organist, choirmaster, professor of music and librarian. He did his undergraduate work at Oberlin College (A.B. 1909, Mus. B 1910) and his graduate work at Harvard University (A.M. 1912). He married Bessie May McClure in 1913. They spent the following year in Europe, mostly in Berlin where he studied with Hugo Kaun and Paul Juon. In 1916 he accepted a teaching position at Vassar College. His impact on the Music Department was profound. Not only he was a popular professor, he served as chair of the department from 1932-1944, planned the Belle Skinner Hall of Music, and was named Music Librarian in 1927. Dickinson retired from Vassar in 1953.

For more biographical details, see the Dickinson material in the Vassar College Biographical Files.

Scope and Content Note

This collection includes two main sets of letters. One set contains 25 letters from George Sherman Dickinson to author and theatre critic, Oliver M. Sayler, as well as 3 letters from Bess Dickinson to Sayler. Dickinson met Sayler when they were both undergraduates at Oberlin College. Most of the letters are from 1913-1914, when the Dickinsons were in Berlin. These letters are largely about travel arrangements, but there is some information about George Dickinson's studies, including a brief description of his work with Hugo Kaun and Paul Juon. 5 letters are from Dickinson's time at Vassar College and range in date from 1919-1931.

The second set of letters are from Dickinson to Joan Stambaugh (VC 1955), a former student who kept in touch after he retired in 1953. These letters include advice about living in Germany (Stambaugh held fellowships at Freiburg University from 1955-1961), news about Vassar College, reports on Dickinson's work, advice on Stambaugh's work in philosophy as well as music, and personal updates. There are 44 Stambaugh letters. They date from 1955-1964.

There is also a letter from Charles Gordon Post dated 22 Feb 1964, and a response to an invitation from the Vassar Class of 1917 to attend their opening of the Senior Parlor in Main Building in October 1916.

Access and Use

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Encoding Information

Encoded by Laura Streett, September 2008.

Administrative Information