vihart00364A Guide to the Irene Munson Rouse Papers, 1947-1948 SC 0298Tiffany ColeJames Madison University Libraries Special Collections

July 2019

820 Madison DriveMSC 1706Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807Telephone: (540) 568-3612library-special@jmu.eduURL:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-08 07:07:15 -0400.Description is written in: English, Latin script.Describing Archives: A Content Standard James Madison University Libraries Special Collections Irene Munson Rouse Papers Rouse, Irene Florence Munson, 1928-2017 Root, Mary Munson Rouse SC 0298 /repositories/4/resources/608 0.16 cubic feet 2 folders 1947-1948 The Irene Munson Rouse Papers, 1947-1948, comprise printed ephemera and photographs documenting Rouse's time as a student at Madison College. English Access Restrictions

Collection open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

 Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Irene Munson Rouse Papers, 1947-1948, SC 0298, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

 Acquisition Information

This collection was donated by Mary Munson Rouse Root, daughter of Irene Munson Rouse, in May 2019.

 Processing Information

Per a note from the donor, the items comprising this collection were removed from Rouse's scrapbook which was "ruined by several adversities befalling it."

 Bio/Historical Note

Irene Florence Munson Rouse (1928-2017) was raised in Arlington, Virginia and graduated from Madison College in 1950 with a B.S. in Education. While a student, she was an active member of the YWCA, German Club, May Court, The Breeze, Sigma Phi Lambda, and Sigma Sigma Sigma. She was also selected to represent Madison College in the annual publication Who's Who Among Students In American Colleges and Universities. Rouse was an English teacher, children's librarian, and later went on to pursue a career as an antiquarian bookseller, successfully running bookshops in Northern Virginia and Virginia's Eastern Shore. Additionally, Rouse was an artist and poet. She hosted a poetry reading series, entitled "Positively Prince Street," in her Alexandria bookshop. Rouse married William Dashiell Rouse with whom she had five children.

 Scope and Content

The Irene Munson Rouse Papers, 1947-1948, comprise printed ephemera and photographs documenting Rouse's time as a student at Madison College. Programs related to the 1947 YWCA Cabinet Retreat, the 1948 Golden Anniversary Banquet of Sigma Sigma Sigma, May Day 1948, and Religious Emphasis Week 1948 are included. A 1947 invitation requests Rouse's attendance at a Big Roundup hosted by Sigma Sigma Sigma. Six black-and-white photographs primarily document Rouse's time as a student at Madison College. Three photographs document a group of students wearing paper "G" crowns. Two photographs depict unidentified men on campus. It is likely they are Madison College day students and/or suitors of female students. One photograph depicts Rouse with an unidentified man.

 Arrangement

The collection is arranged into two folders according to item type.

 Bibliography Obituary of Irene Munson Rouse, The Washington Post, December 12, 2017. Obituary of Irene Munson Rouse, DC Writers' Homes, https://dcwritershomes.wdchumanities.org/irene-munson-rouse/ (accessed July 11, 2019). The Schoolma'am, 1948. Harrisonburg (Va.): Madison College. The Schoolma'am, 1949. Harrisonburg (Va.): Madison College. The Schoolma'am, 1950. Harrisonburg (Va.): Madison College. Photographs Programs (documents) Printed Ephemera Invitations Harrisonburg (Va.) -- History Root, Mary Munson Rouse Madison College -- Students Madison College -- Students -- Social life and customs Madison College -- History James Madison University -- Students -- History Programs and invitations/repositories/4/archival_objects/192611947-194811Photographs/repositories/4/archival_objects/19262circa 1947-194812