| Title: | Southern Conservatory of Music | |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1899-1929, with a few items from later dates | |
| Extent of Materials: | 2 boxes | |
| Location: | Cupboard 4 | |
| Donor: | Nora Crowell Bryant Monroe, Maxine Bryant Johnson/Brady, presented by Mrs. Dorothy Newsom Rankin | |
| Scope and Content: | The Southern Conservatory of Music Collection, 1899-1929, consists of catalogues, programs, photographs documenting the history of the Southern Conservatory of Music as well as photographs, clippings, papers, and personal effects of founder Gilmore Ward Bryant and his immediate family. The Southern Conservatory of Music, located in Durham, was a famed institution of music education. The first box of the collection includes original school catalogues, a freshman harmony exam, programs, and other memorabilia accompanied by photographs of students, faculty, and buildings. The second half of the collection contains photographs, papers, and other personal items belonging to Gilmore Ward Bryant, founder and director of the Conservatory; his wife Mattie Bullard Bryant, director of voice; his son Max Bryant, cellist; his son Gerald Bryant, violinist; and Nora Lee Crowell Bryant, wife of Max Bryant. | |
| Restrictions: | The collection is open for research | |
| Organization of Collection: | Box 1 items pertaining to the Conservatory, E. G. catalogues, programs, photographs, etc. | |
| Box 2 Items pertaining to Gilmore Ward Bryant, founder and director of the Southern Conservatory of Music, and to other members of his family connected with the Conservatory. | ||
| Mrs. Rankin’s lists, in Box 1, give detailed information about many of the items. | ||
| Container List: | BOX 1 | |
| Folder 1—General Items | ||
| calendars (catalogs) 1901-2, 1903-4, 1928-9, copies of a few pages | ||
| announcements and clippings about the Conservatory and its curriculum | ||
| freshman harmony exam, undated | ||
| public school music course list | ||
| Elkin Course on Physical Culture | ||
| photographs of students and buildings | ||
| bus token and a bill | ||
| pennant decal | ||
| obituary of W. H. Overton, former secretary of the Conservatory | ||
| review of 1897 concert featuring Alexander Findlay, violinist, who later taught at the Conservatory | ||
| Folder 2—Recital and commencement programs, with a few reviews | ||
| 1889, 1901, 1903, 1907-18, 1922, 1926 | ||
| one undated program | ||
| program for concert in Louisburg, 1932, after the Conservatory moved there | ||
| Folder 3—Large photographs, some dates approximate. Most of these have detailed notes on the back provided by Mrs. Rankin | ||
| undated: | postcard of original building | |
| practice hall, with students | ||
| sitting room, old building | ||
| 1902-3 | students and faculty | |
| 1903-7 | the orchestra | |
| 1906 | graduates with some of the faculty | |
| 1909 | graduates with some of the faculty | |
| 1914-15 | student body and faculty | |
| 1916-18 | graduates | |
| 1919 | graduates | |
| 1923 | new building on Alston Avenue | |
| 1925-6 | Kate Dodson, graduate and teacher | |
| 1926 | Ila Lee Howerton, graduate in voice | |
| 1927 | cast of musical show on the stage in the new building | |
| Folder 4—Mrs. Dorothy Rankin’s lists and notes, which give detailed information about many of the items in boxes 1 and 2 | ||
| BOX 2 | ||
| Folder 1—Gilmore Ward Bryant, founder and director of the Conservatory | ||
| packet of programs and cards dating from years before Bryant came to Durham | ||
| Bryant’s credentials | ||
| photographs and an engraving plate with Bryant’s name | ||
| portrait photograph of Bryant | ||
| newspaper clippings and about Bryant | ||
| letter from Percy Goetschius (famous music theorist and author of widely used textbooks) | ||
| short sketch of Bryant as a composer | ||
| ink-stamp featuring Bryant’s name | ||
| Folder 2—Works of Gilmore Ward Bryant | ||
| essays and speeches | ||
| copyrights | ||
| manuscript: Counterpoint | ||
| manuscript: Arpeggio Studies | ||
| reviews of “Romance,” a pedal study, and “A Little of Everything,” a comprehensive exercise piece | ||
| 3 poems, unpublished | ||
| published works: | ||
| piano solo: “Reverie Poetique” | ||
| voice and piano, with words by Bryant: | ||
| “April, May, and June” | ||
| “Saying No but Meaning Yes” | ||
| Folder 3—Mattie Bullard Bryant (Mrs. Gilmore Ward Bryant), director of voice | ||
| photographs | ||
| fragment of portrait photograph | ||
| portrait | ||
| souvenir program of Chime concert, inscribed to Mattie Bullard Bryant | ||
| copy of “chanson provencale” by Dell’Acqua | ||
| obituaries of Mattie Bullard Bryant | ||
| Folder 4—Max Bryant, cellist, and Gerald Bryant, violinist, sons of the Bryants | ||
| Max’s baby book and symphony card, with photographs | ||
| photograph of Max, 5 ½, playing the cello | ||
| account of wedding of Max to Nora Lee Crowell | ||
| photograph of Max and Gerald with Edgar Toms | ||
| photographs of Gerald, Gerald’s funeral service program | ||
| information about the Bryant Trio (Max and Gerald with Lester Rea, piano) | ||
| Folder 5—Nora Lee Crowell Bryant | ||
| bachelor of music diploma | ||
| family photographs | ||
| announcement of wedding to Max Bryant | ||
| newspaper clippig about pupils’ recital | ||
| photograph of NLCB and others at recital | ||
| photograph of NLCB’s students at recital | ||
| program of Duke Chapel service featuring Max and Nora with Alice Hundley | ||
| review of Erwin Mills concert, 1945 | ||
| resume of Nora Bryant Monroe, daughter of Nora and Max Bryant | ||
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