Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Stanley Birchard letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Stanley Birchard letters
- Date
- 1917-1919 (inclusive)
- Creator
- Birchard, Stanley
- Extent
- 0.05 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Correspondence.
- World War, 1914-1918.
- Family.
- Military life.
- World War, 1914-1918 -- France.
- Basic training (Military education)
- Military supplies.
- Health
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0692: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Stanley Birchard letters, 1917-1919, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Stanley J. Birchard (1893-1974) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Almon Birchard (1858-1939) and Sarah Johnston (1864-1951). He had two siblings, Margaret (1896-1951) and Helen (1898-1990). In 1917, Birchard enlisted in the United States Army and was part of the 330th Infantry. In June of 1918, Birchard was deployed overseas to France; by October, he had attained the rank of corporal, and returned to the US in August 1919. He never married and remained in Cincinnati his entire life.
- American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The Stanley Birchard letters (dated 1917-1919; 0.05 cubic feet; 6 folders) comprises letters from Stanley to his family members that document his experience as a soldier in the army during World War I in Ohio and France. In his letters, Birchard writes about his thoughts on training, his worry about being told to be bloodthirsty when overseas, getting sick and being in the hospital, getting leave, receiving letters and packages, and running into friends in camp. Once overseas, he writes about the weather, different places he is sent to, his daily duties as a supply officer, being away from the front lines, the comradery between the French citizens and American soldiers, and his plans for what he will do when he returns to the United States.
- The Stanley Birchard letters collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American Letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Stanley Birchard to Mother, 1917
Stanley Birchard to Mother, 1918
Stanley Birchard to Mother, 1919
Stanley Birchard to Father, 1917-1919
Stanley Birchard to parents, 1917-1918
Stanley Birchard to parents and siblings, 1917-1919
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Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
