vihart00415A Guide to the Agnes Davis Shipley Papers, 1936 SC 0331Tiffany ColeJames Madison University Libraries Special Collections

April 2022

820 Madison DriveMSC 1706Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807Telephone: (540) 568-3612library-special@jmu.eduURL:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-08 07:07:34 -0400.Description is written in: English, Latin script.Describing Archives: A Content Standard James Madison University Libraries Special Collections Agnes Davis Shipley papers Shipley, Agnes Davis (1917-2013) SC 0331 /repositories/4/resources/677 0.2 cubic feet 3 folders 1936 The Agnes Davis Shipley Papers, 1936, comprise examples of sewing techniques and coursework created by Agnes Davis Shipley during her time as a student at the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg/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 #], Agnes Davis Shipley Papers, 1936, SC 0331, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

 Acquisition Information

The collection was donated by Janie Shipley, daughter of Agnes Davis Shipley, in April 2022.

 Biographical / Historical

Agnes Irene Davis (1917-2013) was born in McGaheysville, Virginia to N. Wilson Davis and Ethel Hensley Davis. Davis graduated from Madison College in 1940 with a degree in home economics. While a student, Davis was a member of the Sesame Club, Choral Club, YWCA, and the Grand-Daughters of Madison College in the 1950s, Davis received a degree in elementary education from Appalachian State Teachers College and was a public school teacher for more than twenty years. Outside of teaching, she was an avid flower gardener and seamstress.

Davis married Robert Gray Shipley Jr. in 1942 with whom she had four children including a daughter who died in infancy. Evan Peter Smith's Here by the Owl (2021) documents the love story between the couple specifically during Robert Gray Shipley's deployment to Ascension Island during World War II.

 Scope and Contents

The Agnes Davis Shipley Papers, 1936, comprise examples of sewing techniques and coursework created by Agnes Davis Shipley during her time as a student at the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg/Madison College. The coursework was created as part of Home Economics 131: Clothing, a course that provided a thorough drill in the principles of clothing construction on both hand and machine work with special emphasis on the use of the sewing machine and its attachments as well as the selection, alteration, and use of commercial patterns. The course was taught by Lois Pearman, Associate Professor of Home Economics.

A notebook titled "Stitches and Seams" includes sewing examples and notes on various types of stitches and clothing construction techniques. Loose pages include two examples of a convertible collar and a fabric book with sewn-in examples.

 Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two folders.

 Bibliography Bulletin of Information, March, 1937 , Vol. III, No. 2, Harrisonburg, (Va.): State Teachers College. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/118608083/agnes-shipley : accessed 29 April 2022), memorial page for Agnes Davis Shipley (26 Jun 1917–6 Oct 2013), Find a Grave Memorial ID 118608083, citing Cove Creek Cemetery, Watauga County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Victory (contributor 47205318). The Schoolma'am, 1940. Harrisonburg (Va.): Madison College. Notebooks Sewing (needleworking technique) Sewing Sewing machines Home economics -- Study and teaching Clothing and dress Universities and colleges -- Virginia -- Harrisonburg -- History Education, Higher -- Virginia -- Harrisonburg Harrisonburg (Va.) -- History State Teachers College at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- History State Teachers College at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- Alumni and alumnae State Teachers College at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- Students Madison College -- History Madison College -- Alumni and alumnae Madison College -- Students James Madison University -- Students -- History Stitches and Seams notebook/repositories/4/archival_objects/261841936 November 911Fabric book with sewing and stitching techniques/repositories/4/archival_objects/261851936 November 1212Loose examples of a convertible collar/repositories/4/archival_objects/26186193613