Grace Warren Landrum, a prominent figure in the history of William and Mary, was born in Providence, Rhode Island on July 18, 1876. After receiving a B.A. from Radcliffe in 1898 and a Masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1915, she began teaching English at Westhampton College. In 1927, after nine years at Westhampton, she came to the College of William and Mary. She held two positions, Dean of Women and professor of English. When she retired in 1947, she received an honorary Doctorate in Literature from the University of Richmond. After leaving William and Mary, she taught for a year at Redlands College in California.
Landrum was a member of many organizations including the American Association of University Women and Phi Beta Kappa. She studied several literary figures, but concentrated on Chaucer and Spenser. She was known for her love of nature and English literature as well as the care and attention she gave to each student she taught.
In 1951, after being hospitalized in Columbus, Ohio for several months due to an illness she had for almost a year, she passed away. A memorial service was held for her at The College of William and Mary in the Wren Building on April 27 of that year.
Landrum Hall, a women's dormitory at the College of William and Mary, was named in honor of Grace Warren Landrum on February 9, 1959. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki:
Gifts received from Richard L. Morton on 08/10/1956 and Mrs. Robert (Elizabeth) Matthews on 07/27/1964. This material was assigned Acc. 1980.125 when it was transferred to the University Archives. Additional material was donated by Mrs. Duncan E. Weatherill on 3/11/1959.
This collection was processed by Patricia Sanabria, SCRC Staff, in October 2009. Other unknown SCRC staff previously arranged and described the collection as well.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Grace Warren Landrum Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Hugh Jones Papers (UA 6.010); University Archives Artifact Collection (UA 13); Althea Hunt Papers (UA 6.028); Gladys Monroe Papers (UA 5.084); University Archives Photograph Collection (UA 8).
The collection is arranged into four series: Series 1: Personal Papers, 1890-1995 and undated; Series 2: Course Notebooks, 1927-1946; Series 3: Writings, 1921-1950 and undated; and Series 4: Young Women's Club of Williamsburg, Virginia Scrapbook, 1952-1954.
This collection contains biographical materials, correspondence, notebooks, scrapbooks, and other material related to former College of William and Mary Dean of Women Grace Warren Landrum from 1890-1995. Also included in the collection are dance and banquet programs; information about the dedication of Landrum Hall; and programs, news clippings, and photographs relating to the Matthew Whaley School from 1931-1932.
This series includes correspondence, clippings, biographical information, notebooks and other material about Grace Warren Landrum. Included in the series are programs and publications from the Mathew Whaley School in Williamsburg, Virginia.
This journal documents the death of Grace Warren Landrum's parents. It contains news clippings, memorial service programs, and correspondence.
The journal is separated into seven sections. Each section is dedicated to a family member, except for the last, which is titled, "Miscellaneous." This journal contains news clippings that document the achievements of Grace Warren Landrum's relatives and acquaintances, news pertaining to the College of William and Mary, obituaries, wedding announcements, and news pertaining to Grace Warren Landrum. There is also correspondence from Margaret Watkins and other relatives as well as invitations to various academic events, memorial services, and funerals and telegrams that announce deaths, births, and weddings.
Bird Watching Notebook 1 Date: 1908-1915 This notebook contains Grace Warren Landrum's bird watching records. Specific locations are given next to the dates of the entries. Bird Watching Notebook 2 Date: 1916-1923 This is the second bird watching notebook kept by Grace Warren Landrum. It was bought in Dublin on December 30, 1915.
This journal contains documentation, kept by Grace Warren Landrum, of books, plays, essays, and poems. The date of the completion of the reading, a reflection, and a summary of the work are included. It was purchased in November of 1918.
Bird Watching Notebook 3 Date: 1924-1934 This is the third bird watching notebook kept by Grace Warren Landrum. The records are from observations made in Richmond. Bird Watching Notebook 4 Date: 1948 This is the fourth bird watching notebook kept by Grace Warren Landrum. The records are from observations made in the Redlands of California.
This journal contains a record of literature bought and read by Grace Warren Landrum. There are notes about the authors as well as Grace Warren Landrum's personal summaries and reviews of the works.
This journal contains summaries and reviews of events on campus including plays, concerts, and other performances.
This journal contains a record of literature read and owned by Grace Warren Landrum. She includes her personal summaries and reviews of the works.
This series contains notebooks from Grace Warren Landrum's days as an English professor at the College of William and Mary. The bulk of the notebooks are from her English classes. Most notebooks contain lecture outlines and topics covered in the specific course.
This journal contains the outline for an English course, about Chaucer, taught by Grace Warren Landrum. Written inside are summaries of the stories in The Canterbury Tales, lecture outlines, and lists of assignments. There is also an article about Chaucer tucked in the journal on page 78 from the May 31, 1930 issue of a newspaper titled, The Saturday Review of Literature.
This journal contains Grace Warren Landrum's notes for teaching an English 408 course. The journal was kept from1929 to 1932. There are notes on the readings, lecture outlines, and lists of assignments.
This journal contains Grace Warren Landrum's notes for teaching an English 403 course. The class was available during the first semester from 1931 to 1934. There are lists of assignments, papers, and outside readings as well as notes on the readings, and lecture outlines and schedules.
This journal contains Grace Warren Landrum's notes on teaching an English course in the summer of 1932. As described in the index, there are notes on assignments, texts, reports, and tests.
This journal contains Grace Warren Landrum's notes on teaching an English 408 course. There are lists of assignments, lecture outlines, personal notes on the readings, and a syllabus. Pasted onto the last two pages of the book and the back cover are a paragraph written in Latin titled "To Sleep," and two publications that discuss The Canterbury Tales.
This journal contains Grace Warren Landrum's notes on teaching an English course in the summer of 1932 and another in the second semester of the 1934-1945 school year. Inside there are "charts" that map out readings, notes for her lectures, and lists of assignments.
This journal contains lecture schedules and notes and paper topics for English courses taught by Grace Warren Landrum.
This journal contains syllabi, paper topics, tests, and lecture notes for English courses taught by Grace Warren Landrum.
This journal contains syllabi, lecture outlines, and lecture notes for the English 400 and the English 200-210 courses taught by Grace Warren Landrum.
This series contains correspondence, speeches, and other documentation of articles written and collected by Grace Warren Landrum.
This series contains a scrapbook kept by Grace Warren Landrum that includes photos, clippings, and newsletters about the Young Women's Club of Williamsburg, Virginia from 1952-1954. See also material in Series 1.