Troy Lovett papers

Abstract

The Troy Lovett papers (dated 1960-2020, undated; 6.29 cubic feet, 7 boxes; 6.32 GB; 17,984 digital files) comprise the correspondence, journals, books, and Highland Hospital subject files gathered and created by Troy Lovett documenting his life and mental health.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Troy Lovett papers
Date
1960-2020 (inclusive)
Creator
Lovett, Troy
Extent
6.29 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Baseball -- Kentucky.
Education -- Study and teaching.
Mental health
Mental illness
North Carolina
Psychiatric hospital care -- Kentucky.
Childhood
Psychiatric hospital patients -- Kentucky.
Schizophrenia
Williamsburg (Ky.)
Lovett, Troy
Highland Hospital (Asheville, N.C.)
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by format in five series: Correspondence, Journals, Books, Subject files, and Digital records.
Finding Aid Author
Kaitlyn Moran
Preferred Citation
2021ms020: [identification of item], Troy Lovett papers, 1960-2020, undated, University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Vernon Troy Lovett was born in 1945 to Virginia Johnson and Eugene Adkins Lovett, a book keeper, in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Lovett attended Williamsburg High School, class of 1964. He graduated from Cumberland College with a degree in Mathematics in 1969 and continued his studies at Western Kentucky University during the mid-1970's. Lovett taught at Fern Creek High School in Louisville from 1969-2000 as a teacher of mathematics in both the junior and high schools. From 1997-2015, he taught, as an adjunct professor, calculus at Indiana University Southeast-Purdue in New Albany, Indiana. In 1972, Lovett wed Karen Kidd; to their marriage two children were born. In 2014, Lovett married Robbie Roth.
Troy Lovett identifies as a person with borderline schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. At age fifteen, November 7, 1960 to December 15, 1960, he began psychiatric treatment at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Later, he was a patient at Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina from March 8, 1961 to June 9, 1962.
Throughout Lovett's academic life and career, he has been an active community member and received various awards and honors including:
Williamsburg High School President, Senior Class President, Junior Class President, Beta Club President, Co-Ed-Y Club President, Youth Center Council President, Methodist Youth Fellowship Basketball team, 5 years Co-Captain, Basketball team Band, 7 years Salutatorian University of Kentucky award for Outstanding Senior "Mr. Jacket", Class of 1964 Cumberland College Student Government Association; Methodist Student Movement Band, Campus Choir, Chorale; President of Band; Outstanding Bandsman, 1969 "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities" (Twice) Cumberland Alumni Board Alumni Chapter Representative (Kentucky-Indiana) Alumni Association Hall of Honor-one of 100 outstanding graduates honored at Centennial Celebration, 1988 Fern Creek High School Television Resource Teach for Junior High Math, 9 years Judge for Middle School Math Bowl, several years Assistant Basketball Coach under Stan Hardin, 1971-1972 Helped develop and implement innovative Team Teaching of Calculus, 1990-2000 Served on school's first SBDM Council Longtime Master of Ceremonies for Fern Creek Honors Night and Hall of Fame Dinner University of Kentucky, College of Education "Teacher Who Made a Difference" Award Nominated for Disney Outstanding Teacher Award and Ashland Teacher Award Three times recipient of Jefferson County Brotherhood/Sisterhood Recognition Award Named as Honorary Graduate of Fern Creek High School, 1999 Elected to Fern Creek High School Hall of Fame, 2000 United Methodist Church Member of Christ Church, 48 years Lay Delegate; Pastor-Parish Committee; District Superintendent's Committee Pianist for Vesper and Early Service, 1980-2010 The Thoroughbred Chorus 29-year member with 4 competition medals Served on Board of Directors for over 25 years as President, Membership V.P. Director's Award, 1992, 1996 President's Award, 1998, 2009 "Thoroughbred of the Year", 1999 Chorus Counselor and Unofficial Historian Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016
Sources: Biographical information provided by collection donor, Troy Lovett, in 2022.
Scope and Content
The Troy Lovett papers (dated1960-2020, undated; 6.29 cubic feet, 7 boxes; 6.32 GB; 17,984 digital files) comprise the correspondence, journals, books, and Highland Hospital subject files gathered and created by Troy Lovett documenting his life and mental health.
The correspondence is mainly to Troy Lovett, from friends and family who wrote to him while he was being hospitalized in 1960 and 1961 for obsessive compulsive disorder. The journals he wrote during and after his hospitalization, up until 1977. They document his life in the hospital, and life at home after hospitalization, including his last years in high school, family life, college, romantic relationships and marriage, and eventually his job as a high school mathematics teacher. The books primarily contain transcripts of all of the journals plus commentary, highlights of the journals, photos, and notes.
The digital records consists of digital copies of Troy Lovett's bound volumes as well as research files, photographs, and scans of correspondence. The digital records were organized by Troy Lovett and remains in their original order.

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

Correspondence, 1960-1974

Scope and Contents

The Correspondence series (1960-1974) comprises the mailed letters sent from Troy Lovett's family and friends primarily while he was being hospitalized.

Letters, 1960 June-July

  • Box 1, folder 1
To top

Letters, 1960 November 10-14

  • Box 1, folder 2
To top

Letters, 1960 November 14-17

  • Box 1, folder 3
To top

Letters, 1960 November 17-25

  • Box 1, folder 4
To top

Letters, 1960 November 25-30

  • Box 1, folder 5
To top

Letters, 1960 December

  • Box 1, folder 6
To top

Letters, 1961 March 10-20

  • Box 1, folder 7
To top

Letters, 1961 March 22-31

  • Box 1, folder 8
To top

White textile (possibly handkerchief) and card, 1961 March 28

  • Box 1, folder 9
To top

Letters, 1961 April 1-10

  • Box 1, folder 10
To top

Letters, 1961 April 11-20

  • Box 1, folder 11
To top

Letters, 1961 April 21-29

  • Box 1, folder 12
To top

Letters, 1961 May 1-15

  • Box 1, folder 13
To top

Letters, 1961 May 16-31

  • Box 1, folder 14
To top

Letters, 1961 June 1-12

  • Box 1, folder 15
To top

Letters, 1961 June 13-21

  • Box 1, folder 16
To top

Letters, 1961 June 22-30

  • Box 1, folder 17
To top

Letters, 1961 July 1-4

  • Box 1, folder 18
To top

Letters, 1961 July 5-8

  • Box 1, folder 19
To top

Letters, 1961 July 10-31

  • Box 2, folder 1
To top

Letters, 1961 August 1-15

  • Box 2, folder 2
To top

Letters, 1961 August 16-29

  • Box 2, folder 3
To top

Letters, 1961 September 1-15

  • Box 2, folder 4
To top

Letters, 1961 September 16-29

  • Box 2, folder 5
To top

Letters, 1961 October 2-16

  • Box 2, folder 6
To top

Letters, 1961 October 16-31

  • Box 2, folder 7
To top

Letters, 1961 November 2-14

  • Box 2, folder 8
To top

Letters, 1961 November 15-31

  • Box 2, folder 9
To top

Letters, 1961 December 1-15

  • Box 2, folder 10
To top

Letters, 1961 December 16-23

  • Box 2, folder 11
To top

Letters, 1962 January

  • Box 2, folder 12
To top

Letters, 1962 February 2-13

  • Box 2, folder 13
To top

Letters, 1962 February 15-28

  • Box 2, folder 14
To top

Letters, 1962 March

  • Box 2, folder 15
To top

Letters, 1962 April

  • Box 2, folder 16
To top

Letters, 1962 May-June

  • Box 2, folder 17
To top

Letter, 1974 September

  • Box 2, folder 18
To top

Journals, 1963-1978

Scope and Contents

The Journals series (1963-1978) comprises the personal journals of Troy Lovett chronicling his hospitalization and beyond.

Journal, 1963 March-June

  • Box 2, folder 19
To top

Journal, 1963 July-August 9

  • Box 2, folder 20
To top

Journal, 1963 August 8-1964 January 9

  • Box 2, folder 21
To top

Journal, 1964 January 11-June 6

  • Box 2, folder 22
To top

Journal, 1964 June 9-November 2

  • Box 2, folder 23
To top

Journal, 1964 November 4-1965 April 4

  • Box 2, folder 24
To top

Journal, 1965 April 5-September 1

  • Box 2, folder 25
To top

Journal, 1965 September 4-December 25

  • Box 2, folder 26
To top

Journal, 1965 December 26-1966 June 15

  • Box 2, folder 27
To top

Journal, 1966 June 18- 1967 January 1

  • Box 3, folder 1
To top

Journal, 1967 January 2-August 16

  • Box 3, folder 2
To top

Journal, 1967 August 22-1968 January 30

  • Box 3, folder 3
To top

Journal, 1968 February-November 15

  • Box 3, folder 4
To top

Journal, 1968 November 18- 1969 September 26

  • Box 3, folder 5
To top

Journal, 1969 September 28-1970 June 2

  • Box 3, folder 6
To top

Journal, 1970 June 3-1971 March 12

  • Box 3, folder 7
To top

Journal, 1971 March 13-November 23

  • Box 3, folder 8
To top

Journal, 1971 November 28-1972 September 10

  • Box 3, folder 9
To top

Journal, 1972 September 11-1973 July 4

  • Box 3, folder 10
To top

Journal, 1973 July 9-1974 February 23

  • Box 3, folder 11
To top

Journal, 1974 February 26-1975 January 1

  • Box 3, folder 12
To top

Journal, 1975 January 3-December 31

  • Box 3, folder 13
To top

Journal, 1976 January-October 15

  • Box 3, folder 14
To top

Journal, 1976 October 16-1977 July 19

  • Box 3, folder 15
To top

Journal, 1977 July 20-1978 April 25

  • Box 3, folder 16
To top

Bound volumes, 2002-2020

Scope and Contents

The Books series (2002-2020) is primarily comprised of bound, annotated transcripts of Troy Lovett's journals and letters, along with commentary, photographs, and notes. Additionally, the series includes a volume of his wife's father's WWII letters as well as his own history of Williamsburg, Kentucky, his home town.

Dancing in the Dark - Volume 1: 1961, 2014

  • Box 4, item 3
Scope and Contents

Dancing in the Dark is an annotated transcript of Lovett's journals while in the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Dancing in the Dark - Volume 2: 1962, 2014

  • Box 4, item 4
Scope and Contents

Dancing in the Dark is an annotated transcript of Lovett's journals while in the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Dancing in Paradise: The High School Journal, 2002

  • Box 4, item 5
To top

Dancing in the Moonlight - 1964-1965, 2007

  • Box 4, item 6
To top

Edge of Chaos - 1966-1967, 2010

  • Box 4, item 7
To top

Dancing with the Devil - 1968-1969, 2012

  • Box 4, item 8
To top

Morning Train - 1970-1971, 2015

  • Box 4, item 9
To top

The Music of Time - 1972-1973, 2017

  • Box 4, item 10
To top

A Dream Remembered - 1974-1975, 2017

  • Box 5, item 1
To top

Celebration with a Wary Eye - 1976-1977, 2019

  • Box 5, item 2
To top

Shadow Dancing - Volume 1: 1960-1962, 2005

  • Box 5, item 3
To top

Shadow Dancing - Volume 2: 1963-1970, 2005

  • Box 5, item 4
To top

Dream Dancing - Volume 1: 1961-1962, 2008

  • Box 5, item 5
Scope and Contents

"Dream Dancing" is an annotated transcript of the letters Lovett received while at the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Dream Dancing - Volume 2: 1963-1965, 2009

  • Box 5, item 6
Scope and Contents

"Dream Dancing" is an annotated transcript of the letters Lovett received while at the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Dream Dancing - Volume 3: 1966-1969, 2011

  • Box 5, item 7
Scope and Contents

"Dream Dancing" is an annotated transcript of the letters Lovett received while at the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Dream Dancing - Volume 4: 1965-1971, 2019

  • Box 5, item 8
Scope and Contents

"Dream Dancing" is an annotated transcript of the letters Lovett received while at the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Dream Dancing - Volume 5: 1972-1977, 2020

  • Box 5, item 9
Scope and Contents

"Dream Dancing" is an annotated transcript of the letters Lovett received while at the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Freddie Goes to War - Fred Roth: War Letters, 2013

  • Box 6, item 1
To top

Grace Notes - 1961-2019, 2020

  • Box 6, item 2
To top

Music of the Night - 1961-1976, 2018

  • Box 6, item 3
To top

Run to Glory: A Remembrance - 1966-1969, 2006

  • Box 6, item 4
To top

Christianity and the Point of God's Action - 1961-1976, 2017

  • Box 6, item 5
To top

Williamsburg - O, My!: Volume 1: 1961-1966, 2018

  • Box 6, item 6
Scope and Contents

Troy Lovett's account of the history of Williamsburg, Kentucky.

To top

Williamsburg - O, My!: Volume 2: 1966-1976, 2018

  • Box 6, item 7
Scope and Contents

Troy Lovett's account of the history of Williamsburg, Kentucky.

To top

Subject files, 1962, undated

Scope and Contents

The Subject files series (1962, undated) comprises research material about Highland Hospital and its 1938 fire, along with a copy of Lee Edwards High School's newspaper from 1962 and a Cincinnati Baseball Club pamphlet.

Highland Hospital, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
To top

Highland Hospital fire, undated

  • Box 4, folder 2
To top

Cincinnati Baseball Club and Lee Edwards High School newspaper, 1962

  • Box 7
To top

Digital records, 2005-2020

Scope and Contents

The Digital records series (dated 2005-2020; 6.32 GB; 17,984 digital files) consists of digital copies of Troy Lovett's bound volumes as well as research files, photographs, and scans of correspondence. The books compiled by Troy Lovett consist of transcripts of letters and journals along with annotations and contextual material. The material was organized by Troy Lovett and remains in the original order.

Actual letters

  • DigitalFolder 2021ms020_01
Scope and Contents

Digital scans of the correspondence Lovett received while at the Highland Hospital. The scans were organized by Lovett by sender.

To top

Dream Dancing, 2008-2020

  • DigitalFolder 2021ms020_02
Scope and Contents

Consists of a digital copy of "Dream Dancing", an annotated transcript of the letters Lovett received while at the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

To top

Journal books, 2005-2019

  • DigitalFolder 2021ms020_03
Scope and Contents

Consists of digital copies of the following books created and edited by Troy Lovett. Additionally, the files include supporting photographs, primary sources, and research. The files include the digital manuscript of Dancing in the Dark, an annotated transcript of Lovett's journals while in the Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. Other manuscripts included are Grace Notes; Dancing in Paradise; Dancing in the Moonlight; Dancing on the Edge of Chaos; Dancing with the Devil; Waiting for the Morning Train; Dance to the Music of Time; A Dream Remembered; Celebration with a Wary Eye; and Music of the Night.

To top

Other books, 2006-2017

  • DigitalFolder 2021ms020_04
Scope and Contents

Consists of digital copies of books compiled by Troy Lovett as well as supporting material, such as photographs and research. Includes Run to Glory; Freddie Goes to War; Christianity and the Point of God's Action; Williamsburg, Oh My!.

To top

Shadow Dancing various letters, 2006-2020

  • DigitalFolder 2021ms020_05
Scope and Contents

Consists of digital copy of Shadow Dancing and scanned letters.

To top

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.

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.



Submit a request for SCRC materials.




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.