Broom mss., 1940-1957
Summary Information
Repository
Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
Lilly Library
Indiana University
1200 E. Seventh St.
Bloomington, IN 47405-5500
Phone: 812-855-2452
Fax: 812-855-3143
Email: liblilly@indiana.edu
Creator
Broom, John J. W.,
1917-2000
TitleBroom mss., 1940-1957
Collection No.
LMC 1134
Extent
ca. 400 items
Language
Materials are in English
Abstract
The Broom mss., 1940-1957, consists
primarily of the correspondence of John Joseph Willard,
"Bill,"
Broom, 1917-2000, and his parents, Ida J. Broom and John J.W.
Broom, Sr., during Bill Broom's World War II military service. There are also a
substantial number of letters, 1944-1945, from his future wife, Dolly May Gantz, as
well as from other family members, hometown friends, and college acquaintances
throughout the collection.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Biographical Note
Broom attended Indiana University in the late 1930s, earning his Bachelor of Public School Music in
1939. He then began graduate work in music but joined
the armed forces in 1942 before completing the masters
program. Between 1942 and 1945
Broom served in the Army Air Force (later Air Force) Band stateside at Gunter Field,
near Montgomery, Alabama. Letters from Broom in early 1945 are from various cities in Ohio where he was on tour with
"Here's Your Infantry,"
a show that demonstrated
military maneuvers. In the latter part of that year the letters are from Louisville,
Kentucky where his band was stationed at Nichols General Hospital. Broom left the
service in February 1946.
After the war, Broom returned to Indiana University to complete his Masters of Music
in 1948. He then returned to Fort Wayne and served in the
Fort Wayne Community Schools for until his retirement as music director in 1984. He also conducted various community bands in the Fort
Wayne area and was an active member of the American Federation of Musicians, Local
58. Broom died in New Haven, Indiana, September 21,
2000.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into the following series: I. Correspondence with
parents; II. Letters from Dolly May (Gantz) Broom; III. General correspondence; IV.
Photographs; V. Clippings; VI. Printed.
Scope and Content Note
The Broom mss., 1940-1957, consists primarily of the correspondence of John Joseph
Willard,
"Bill,"
Broom, 1917-2000, and his
parents, Ida J. Broom and John J.W. Broom, Sr., during Bill Broom's World War II
military service. There are also a substantial number of letters, 1944-1945, from
his future wife, Dolly May Gantz, as well as from other family members, hometown
friends, and college acquaintances throughout the collection. Most of letters to
Broom describe relatively mundane events: weather, news about other relatives,
laundry, and local events or happenings made up the majority of topics discussed.
Rarely was there any mention of the war except in relaying information about someone
entering the service, though one particular letter was written on the back of a
newspaper flyer that announced the surrender of Japan. Included with many of the
letters sent to Broom by his parents and Dolly May were newspaper clippings from
Fort Wayne area newspapers and publications describing local news and activities.
Because of the sheer number of these clippings and because of the already advanced
acid migration from the newspaper to the letters in which enclosed, they have been
filed separately in the collection.
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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.
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Separated Material
Broom's correspondence and materials during his undergraduate years at Indiana
University are located in the Indiana University Archives.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Purchase. 2002
Usage RestrictionsPrior arrangements are not necessary before coming to the Library, however,
patrons from out of town are encouraged to communicate with the Library in
advance of their visits to ascertain availability of materials.
Photocopying permitted only with permission of the Curator of Manuscripts, Lilly
Library.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Broom mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
Series:
Box 1
I. Correspondence with parents
Folder 1
1940-1942,
Sept.
Folder 2
1942,
Oct.-Dec.
Folder 3
1943,
Jan.-Mar.
Folder 4
1943,
Apr.-June
Folder 5
1943, July
Folder 6
1943,
Aug.-Oct.
Folder 7
1943,
Nov.-Dec.
Folder 8
1944,
Jan.-Apr.
Folder 9
1944, May
Folder 10
1944,
June-Aug.
Folder 11
1944,
Sept.-Oct.
Folder 12
1944,
Nov.-Dec.
Folder 13
1945,
Jan.-May
Folder 14
1945,
June-July
Folder 15
1945,
Aug.-Sept.
Folder 16
1945, Oct.-1946,
Jan.
Series:
Box 1
II. Letters from Dolly May (Gantz) Broom
Folder 17
1944,
Jan.-Apr.
Folder 18
1944,
May-June
Folder 19
1944, July
Folder 20
1944, Aug.
Folder 21
1944,
Sept.-Dec.
Folder 22
1945,
Jan.-June
Series:
Box 1
III. General correspondence
Folder 23
1942,
Jan.-Aug.
Folder 24
1942, Sept.
Folder 25
1942,
Oct.-Dec.
Folder 26
1943,
Jan.-June
Folder 27
1943,
July-Dec.
Folder 28
1944,
Jan.-Apr.
Folder 29
1944,
May-June
Folder 30
1944,
July-Oct.
Folder 31
1944,
Nov.-Dec.
Box 2
Folder 1
1945,
Jan.-Mar.
Folder 2
1945,
Apr.-Dec.
Folder 3
1946,
1957
Folder 4
undated
Series:
Box 2
IV. Photographs
Folder 5
Man in uniform--Broom?
Series:
Box 2
V. Clippings
Folders 6-8
Enclosed in parents' letters, 1942-1945
Folder 9
Enclosed in Gantz letters, 1944-1945
Folder 10
Enclosed in General correspondence, 1942-1944
Series:
Box 2
VI. Printed
Folder 11
Indiana University related
Folder 12
miscellaneous