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A Guide to the Papers at the Indiana University Archives

Electronic finding aid encoded by Donald C. Force

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Norvelle, Lee Roy, 1892-

Title
Lee Roy Norvelle papers,1929-1980,  bulk 1941-1966

Collection No.
C56

Extent
2.4 cubic feet
(3 boxes)

Language
Materials are in English.

Abstract
Lee Roy Norvelle was an Indiana University Department of Speech and Theatre faculty member from 1925 until his retirement in 1963. The collection includes correspondence, manuscripts, research, and course materials.

Access Restrictions

One file containing letters of recommendation is closed to researchers at this time.

Advance notice is required for access.

Biographical Note

Lee Roy Norvelle, professor emeritus at Indiana University, was born in Pendleton, Kentucky on July 25, 1892. He received an A.B. degree in 1921 from Indiana University, a M.A. in Speech from the University of Iowa in 1923, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Indiana University in 1931.

Norvelle joined the IU speech faculty in 1925. He was interested in theatre and began making plans to expand the theatre curriculum and to produce plays. In 1930 he established the Indiana University Theatre in Assembly Hall, which was later moved to Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union. Finally in 1941 a new theatre was built and was heralded as "one of the most modern and best equipped buildings to be found anywhere in the United States." Norvelle remained its director until his retirement in 1963.

Norvelle became the head of the Department of Speech and Theatre in 1945 and served until 1958 when J. Jeffrey Auer became the new departmental head. Norvelle served on many committees and helped administer a new doctoral program in drama. Norvelle also oversaw departmental scholarships, two of which were given out to Charles Kimbrough, a Tony-nominated actor who played Jim Dial on TV's "Murphy Brown." In an effort to provide opportunities for students to work on theatre year-round, Norvelle, with Nashville businessman A. J. Rogers, founded the Brown County Playhouse in 1948. In 1959 Norvelle was instrumental in IU obtaining and setting up the Showboat Majestic, the last of the touring theatre riverboats along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Norvelle was appointed the director of the Showboat Majestic in 1960, but only remained active in this position for a year, leaving most of the administrative work to the head of the University Theatre, Richard Moody.

Norvelle also became involved in theatre on the national level. He was president of Theta Alpha Phi, a national theatre fraternity, from 1937-1952 and was given their "Outstanding Person" award in 1957. He also served as president of the National Theatre Conference and the American Educational Theatre Association. As president of the National Theatre Conference, Norvelle was instrumental in getting new plays produced, including Jim Dandy by Pulitzer-prize winner William Saroyan. In 1972 Lee Norvelle was awarded the Award of Merit from the American Theatre Association.

Norvelle was the author of a textbook on public speaking and dramatized Edgar Lee Master's Spoon River Anthology. He produced and directed Lincoln in Indiana adapted from Francesca Falk Miller's "Marked Corners" for the Sesquicentennial Celebration held at IU.

Lee Roy Norvelle died on February 29, 1984 in Bloomington, IN.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into five series: Associations; Committees; Research; Teaching; and Writings.

Scope and Content Note

The Lee Roy Norvelle Papers comprise 2.4 cubic feet and are organized into five series: Associations, Committees, Research, Teaching, and Writing.

The Associations series, 1929-1965, is the largest in the collection and is arranged alphabetically by name of the organization. Included are files pertaining to the National Theatre Conference, documenting their attempt to help produce the play Jim Dandy by William Saroyan. The series also includes records from Theta Alpha Phi, the national dramatic fraternity, the American Educational Theatre Association, and the American National Theatre Assembly.

The Committees series, 1945-1964, consists of records from various Indiana University committees on which Norvelle served. The series contains letters of appointment to various committees including the Athletics Committee, the Auditorium Series Committee, and the Commencement Committee. Several folders document trips taken on behalf of the Alumni Association.

The Research series, 1930-1935, the smallest in the collection, is arranged alphabetically and contains materials gathered on Shakespeare and on National and International theatre in Lima, Russia, and the United States. There is also a large folder detailing the history of the Oberamergau passion play.

The Teaching series, 1941-1967, is arranged alphabetically and consists of Norvelle’s annual faculty reports, materials created for classes taught by Norvelle at IU, including several files on the Broadway Theatre Tour that IU students could take for credit, and a folder of lecture notes, outlines, and clippings for a class on Leo Tolstoi taught at the Fort Wayne center. This series also includes a folder of materials from an outside corporation, the Mead Johnson Institute, where Norvelle taught a course on Business and Professional Speaking.

The Writings series, 1933-1980, is arranged alphabetically and consists of copies of manuscripts by Norvelle and speeches and articles written by Norvelle. This series includes copies of drafts of Speaking Effectively, his textbook on public speaking, and his dramatization of the Spoon River Anthology. The series includes a manuscript written under a pen name and correspondence for Two Martyrs. Also in this series is a published copy of Norvelle’s autobiography, The Road Taken.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Theatre and Drama --History --Sources.
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Speech --History --Sources.
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Speech and Theatre --History --Sources.
  • Norvelle, Lee Roy, 1892- --Archives.
  • Norvelle, Lee Roy, 1892- --Correspondence.
• • Topics
  • Forensics (Public speaking) --Study and teaching (Higher) --Indiana --Bloomington.
  • Theater --Study and teaching (Higher) --Indiana --Bloomington.
  • College theater --Indiana --Bloomington --History --20th century --Sources.

Separated Material

Photographs from the collection of Lee Norvelle filed under "Norvelle, Lee Roy - Accn. 99/043" in letter-size, and oversize drawers, and in oversize box at L5 R6. One photograph filed with photos under "McGee, Betty."

Lee Roy Norvelle's "Sagamore of the Wabash" award, awarded by the governor of Indiana 8 December 1962, is framed and hanging on the wall of the main floor of the Archives.

Related Material

Additional Norvelle papers are at the Lilly Library. The Norvelle mss., 1957- 1959, consist of the producer's copy of the play Lincoln in Indiana, 1816-1830 , adapted by Lee Roy Norvelle, 1892-1984. The Norvelle mss. II, 1920- , contain correspondence, travel memorabilia, typescript and galleys for Norvelle's autobiography, The Road Taken (IU Foundation, 1980), and five reels of tape recordings. The Lilly Library also houses the papers of Deborah Starr (Waters) Norvelle, the wife of Lee Roy Norvelle. The Norvelle, D. mss., 1911-1980, consist of correspondence, family genealogy, travel journals and memorabilia relating primarily to travel. Contact the Lilly Library for more information.

Administrative Information

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