Max Ehrmann Papers, 1872-1945
DePauw University Class of 1894
DC 19-27, 758, 811 & 812
Archives of DePauw University
and Indiana United Methodism
Max Ehrmann Papers
Class of 1894
1872-1945
Size: 4.60 lf
Restrictions: none
Accession: none or unknown
Provenance: donor
Processed by: unknown
Biographical Sketch
Mr. Ehrmann was born in Terre Haute on September 26, 1872, the son of Max and Margaret von Ehrmann, and received his early education in the Terre Haute schools. He was graduated from DePauw University in 1894, majoring in literature and philosophy. Later Mr. Ehrmann engaged in two years of post graduate work in letters and philosophy at Harvard University and received the honorary doctor’s degree from that university. In 1937 DePauw conferred upon Mr. Ehrmann the degree of Doctor of Literature and that same year, at the centennial celebration of the founding of the university, he wrote the DePauw University Centennial ode in tribute to his alma mater. He was honored June 1945 when testimonials of his work as a poet and his genius for friendship were given by musicians, college teachers, artists and friends at a gathering at the Swope Art Gallery.
Collection Statement
This collection consists mainly of many poems and articles written by Max Ehrmann. Also included are letters, publicity reviews, programs, photographs, scrapbooks and clippings. Letters from Eugene Debs, George Ade, Charles Beard, Paul Dresser and Theodore Dreiser are part of the collection.
DC 19
Folder 1 “The Dream Home” Ms
2 “After the Play” Ms
3 “The Animals Drams” Ms
4 “Biography” Ms
5 “Criticism of Others” Ms
6 “Goodness” Ms
7 GRAF Ms
8 “The Great War” Ms
9 The Immortality Club I-IV Ms
10 The Immortality Club X Ms
11 “Now I Understand” Ms
12 “The Ocean” Ms
13 “Old Age” Ms
14 “On the Way Home with H__” Ms
15 “One Summer Afternoon” Ms
16 “The Partin of the Way” Ms
17 “Prophets” Ms
18 Notes and letter about Scarlet Woman Series
19 Scenes from “The Silent Hours” Ms
20 “Solitude” Ms
21 “Sunday Morning Walks” Ms
22 “Thoughts on an October Evening” Ms
23 “While Going to E__” Ms
24 “Who will Understand” Ms
25 “The Woman and the After Years” Ms
26 “Your Sorrow, Only Sorrows Shade” Ms
DC 20
Folder 1 “Eternal Male and Female”
2 “Tomorrow’s Spirit”
3 “Lifting the Veil” Ms
4 “Lifting the Veil” Printed form
5 The Journal - Introduction Ms
6 The Journal 1917 Ms
7 The Journal 1918 Ms
8 The Journal 1919 Ms
9 The Journal 1920-21 Ms
10 The Journal 1922 Feb.-June Ms
11 The Journal 1922 July Ms
Ehrmann, Max
DC 21
The Journal of Max Ehrmann 1917-1920
Manuscript form 1921-24
1925-1928
DC 22
The Journal of Max Ehrmann 1929-1931
Manuscript form 1932-1936
Index to Journal
Folder 1 Material used in writing the Journal
Clippings
“Humanist and Specialist” an address at the dedication of the Mason Hall
Of Languages, Brown University, Oct. 13, 1926 by Irving Babbitt
DC 23
Folder 1 First writing of Book of Wisdom Part I Ms
2 First writing of Book of Wisdom Part II Ms
3 Second writing of Book of Wisdom Part I Ms
4 Second writing of Book of Wisdom Part II Ms
DC 24
Notebook containing “Be Quiet, I’m Talking” Ms
Notebook containing “I will lift the Veil” Ms
Notebook containing “I will lift the Veil” Ms
Notebook containing “David and Bathsheba” the play
Book I and Book II Ms
Notebook containing “David and Batheshaba”
Book III Ms
Notebook containing “David and Bathsheba”
Book IV Ms
Folder 1 David and Bathsheba (printed copies)
DC 25
Folder 1 “A Voice” Ms
2 “DePauw University Centennial Ode” Ms
3 “DePauw University Centennial Ode”#2 Ms
4 “God” Ms
5 “In Youth’s Wild Pride” Ms
6 Wabash material
“On the Banks ...” Ms
“By the Wabash’s Lisping Flow” Ms
7 “Peace Shall Live” Ms8 Poems - Miscellaneous Ms
9 “Tell Us Philosopher” Ms
10 “Thoughts on a September Night” Ms
11 “War” Ms
12 “Worldly Wisdom” Ms
13 Distichs of Cato
Translated fro Latin by Wayland Johnson Chase
Used for study for writing “Worldly Wisdom”
14 DePauw Verses
DePauw Revisited
DePauw Revisited music and words (2 copies)
Program for exercises of the Senior Class, Asbury College of Liberal Arts
DePauw University, Class Day, Tuesday, June 12, 1894
Sonnet to John H. Harrison 1863-1930
More than the dust - from DePauw Centennial Ode
One Flaming Judgment
Germany
DePauw University Centennial Ode
Reprinted from Indiana Magazine of History (4 copies)
DePauw Revisited as it appeared in the DePauw Alumnus, January 1937
Folksong - Morgenrot (Dawn) - Cavalry song by Wilhelm Hauff, 1802-
1827 Literal translation from the German
The Centennial Ode as it appeared in the Alumnus (3 copies)
Folder 15 DePauw University Class of 1894
List of surviving members of Class of 1894 as of June 24, 1944
16 “Desiderata”
17 “A Prayer”
18 Max Ehrmann - family material
Birth and death dates of his family
Dates of Max Ehrmann’s life
Biography of Max Ehrmann 2 pages
Biography of Max Ehrmann 2 pages given at Kiwanis Club
Sketch of life of Max Ehrmann - 7 pages
Printed sketch of Ehrmann’s life
Printed sketch of Ehrmann’s life
Max Ehrmann by George Bicknell 7 pages
19 Notes on Lincoln by Jessie Weik Ms
20 Poems - Not Ehrmann’s
“Max Ehrmann’ (An appreciation) by
Arthur Stedman Pearce Ms
DC 26
Folder 1 Clippings 1906-1949
2 Poems Ehrmann’s Poems - clipped from newspapers, etc.
Love Some One
A Thought for Christmas
Terre Haute
Indiana
Thoughts on a September Night
I Ponder on Life
The Fool and the City of Content
Remembrance
Bewildered Years
The Greatest Gift
Young Man, Be Wise!
Money Matters, Twenty Centuries Ago
Washington, D. C.
Dream of Youth
After The Day’s Work
Tribute to Donors of Park (Crawford & Edward Fairbanks) And the Chamber of Commerce
Let me Remember
Once I lived on a High Mountain
Tribute to City’s Benefactors
My Native City
The Moon
Margaret Barbara
Mother
England 1940
Sanity and the War
Germans, Oh, Germans!
Independence Day
Alien Fires
The Awakening - An Easter Parable
Picture of a field of poppies in color
Europe: 1935
This High Resolve
The Kaiser
The Miracle
War
Decoration Day
Thou Whom We Call God - A New Year’s Prayer
Easter
Abraham Lincoln’s Sister Sarah (also called “Sarah Lincoln”) 3 copies
Meditation
A Prayer
Easter Meditation
A Woman rocking her child
Folder 3 Poems and Articles
A Prayer
My Meditation (also called a prayer in other places)
Ehrmann’s welcome to the Grand Army of the Republic, June 25, 1910, State Encampment at Terre Haute, Ind.
Card announcing the next meeting of the Terre Haute Literary Club - Max Ehrmann speaker
Max Ehrmann - Poet by George Bicknell taken from The Caxton
Also poems of Ehrmann’ which appeared in the edition are:
The Greater Heroism
The House of Fortune
Love Some One
An Artist’s Prayer
Lincoln’s Visit to Terre Haute
The Greater Heroism
Breaking Home Ties
A Fearsome Riddle
A New Year’s Thought
Birthday
Washington, D.C. 1924
A Christmas Thought to You
Peace Shall Live
More Than the Dust
Consolation in War-Time
A New Year’s prayer
Terre Haute
The Beloved Dead
The House of Fortune
Indiana 1816-1941
Happiness
Decoration Day
Away
Christmas Thoughts
The Greater Heroism
Indiana
War
Up From the Earth
Independence Day
Awake, Arise!
Max Ehrmann, Poet and Novelist
Leaflet describing “A Farrago”
The People, The Church and the Rich Profiteer
Sarah Lincoln
I Ponder on Life
Tolstoy, Nietzsche, and Jesus by Ehrmann as it appeared in The Outlook July 30, 1919
Love Some One
Washington, D. C.
A Teacher’s Ideal
A Prayer Printed in an editorial in Georgia Newspaper
A Prayer Boston Transcript Oct. 31, 1931
Mother
The Malady of Romanticism (page from original journal omitted in new journal)
Old Things
Away
The Greatest Gift
Dream of Youth
A Mother to her Son
Terre Haute
A Prayer
Mother Earth
Lincoln’s visit to Terre Haute
A Prayer
Lincoln
The Greater Heroism
Article about a program arranged by Max Ehrmann
The League of Nations
Birthday
Peace Shall Live
Tribute to City’s Benefactors
The Fool and the City of Content
Complacent Women
A Prayer in War-Time
Belated Greeting by Marion H. Gray (Birthday greeting to Max Ehrmann)
Bewildered Years
This High Resolve
Indiana Day
A Prayer
A Prayer for 1939 by Benj. R. Inman
Margaret Barbara
A Winter Prayer
O Sweet Content
Autumn
Remembrance
One Flaming Judgement
Europe 1935
Arise (also known as United Nations)
Thoughts on a September Night
Meditation
Easter Meditation
To the Soldiers
A Prayer
Greencastle
Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency by Max Ehrmann in Social Pathology
Inceptions: A footnote to the Psychology of Play writing by Ehrmann
As it appeared in The Drama, May 1919
Folder 4 Publicity and Programs
Reviews and publicity on Ehrmann’s poems and plays and books
Programs from various things
Folder 5 Reviews
6 Listings of Ehrmann’s Works in miscellaneous anthologies
7 Ehrmann Notes on “Essay at Definition” by Irvin Babbett
8 Certificates and Praises
Program for Fritz Krull, Baritone (He sang “Breaking Home Ties” by Ehrmann)
“Max Ehrmann a Recognition” The Sheldon Swope Art Gallery, June 24
Typed copy of newspaper article “Hoosier author given praise for work; Interesting episodes in Career outlined” by Olive Inez Downing
Certificate of Honorary Membership in the Terre Haute Junior Chamber of Commerce, April 11, 1941
Certificate of appreciation from Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and cities to Membership in its Distinguished Service Chapter, March 20, 1937
To Max Ehrmann from the National Arts Club asking permission to Propose his name for Associate Membership in the club, Aug. 1918
9 Gift of Plaque
Program “Bestowal of bronze plaque exhibiting the text of A Prayer by Max Ehrmann. Given to the city of Terre Haute and Sheldon Swope Art Gallery by Mrs. Max Ehrmann, Nov. 27, 1949
Speech of W. T. Turman, Nov. 27, 1949
Deed of Gift
Max Ehrmann, The Poet by Harry V. Wann being a part of a program entitled Max Ehrmann, A Recognition given at the Sheldon Swope Art Gallery, June 24, 1945
10 Bertha King Ehrmann
Clippings
Press Notices “The Worth of a Girl”
Review of “Max Ehrmann: A Poet’s Life” by Bertha K. Ehrmann - Indiana Magazine of History
Letter to Dr. Worth M. Tippy from Bertha K. Ehrmann
Brochure on King Classical School, Terre Haute, Ind.
Notes on her editing the Journal of Max Ehrmann
Brochure and program for “Redpath Brockway Chautauqua” 1914, Aug. 31 - Sept 6 Beaver Falls, Pa.
Brochure - “Bertha Pratt King, Lecturer”
Biographical sketch on Bertha Pratt King
Bertha King Ehrmann correspondence and materials
Letter to Eleanor Cammack from Reference Librarian of Emeline Fairbanks, Memorial Library at Terre Haute
Reminiscences of Max Ehrmann by Bertha K. Ehrmann, From Indiana Magazine of History, Sept. 1950
Copyright Office of the United States of America Class R No. 144062
Pages from Indiana Magazine of History, Sept. 1950
Vol. XLVI No. 3 “Reminiscences of Max Ehrmann
By Bertha K. Ehrmann
Also a book review for “The Wife of Marobius and Other Plays”
“The True Origin of Desiderata”
Biographical sketch of Bertha King Ehrmann
Photo of Mrs. Ehrmann
“The Worth of a Girl by Bertha Pratt King
Copyright Office - Certif. of registration for copyright Class AA No. 9691, 1946
Copyright certificate of registration , 1954
Letter to Mrs. Bertha K. Ehrmann from K. G. Merrill, President of M. B. Skinner
Co., South Bend, Ind. Jan. 21, 1955
Letter to Mrs. Max Ehrmann from K. G. Merrill, President of M. B. Skinner Co.,
South Bend, Ind., Feb. 21, 1955
Letter to Mrs. Bertha K. Ehrmann from E. D. Coleman, Coleman Instruments Inc.
Maywood, Ill., Feb. 4, 1955
Letter to Mrs. Berthas K. Ehrmann from Milton Clow, Manager James B. Clow &
Sons Chicago May 5, 1955
Listing of dates of publication of Max Ehrmann’s books & status of copyrights
Letter to “Together” from Copyright Office, March 30, 1966
Agreement between Bertha K. Ehrmann and Bruce Humphries Inc., Mar. 4, 1948
DC 27
Folder 1 Eugene V. Debs correspondence, Jan. 21, 1916 - May 1918
Folder 2 Theodore Dreiser correspondence, Dec. 19, 1923 - Jan. 22, 1934
Folder 3 Paul Dresser correspondence and materials, Nov. 24, 1923 - Oct. 7, 1922
4 Paul Dresser
Ehrmann’s notebook on Paul Dresser
5 Elbert Hubbard correspondence, May 13, 1905 - Mar. 10, 1916
6 Edwin H. Hughes correspondence, June 22, 1936 - April 26, 1937
7 Jack and Charmian London correspondence, April 3, 1915 - Mar. 26, 1918
8 Henry B. Longden correspondence, Dec. 27, 1933 - Sept. 24, 1942
9 Merrill Moore correspondence and materials, July 20, 1942 - Nov. 1944 (see also: DC 27: folder 19)
10 Letters from Mother, Oct. 21, 1894 - Jan. 23, 1895
11 G. Bromley Oxnam correspondence, Dec. 29, 1931 - Oct. 10, 1940
12 Cale Young Rice correspondence, Feb. 18, 1915 - April 5, 193?
13 James Whitcomb Riley, Easter 1904
Part of a poem of Riley’s with “With Greeting” and Riley’s signature
Easter 1904
Poem entitled “James Whitcomb Riley”
“James Whitcomb Riley” by Ehrmann
14 Upton Sinclair correspondence, April 28, 1926 - June 1, 1932
15 J. Vandervoort Sloan correspondence, Sept. 27, 1917 - Dec. 24, 1917
16 Clyde E. Wildman correspondence, April 2, 1937 - Oct. 5, 1940
17 Correspondence Miscellaneous A-B, Dec. 13, 1906 - Feb. 22, 1945:
George Ade, Eva Alden,
18 Correspondence Miscellaneous C-D
19 Correspondence Miscellaneous E-G
20 Correspondence Miscellaneous H-L
21 Correspondence Miscellaneous M-Z
22 Correspondence regarding radio & book use of poems
Ehrmann, Max
DC 758
Folder 1 Scrapbook 1911-1916
2 Scrapbook 1916-1931
3 Scrapbook 1931-1940
4 Scrapbook 1940's with some 1930's
DC 811
Book I Press Notices 1899-1903
Book II Press Notices 1903-1906
Rainbow - Harvard Magazine - Ehrmann Editor-in-chief Vol. 18
Folder 1: (in back of box)
An Invitation to You and Your Folks from Jim and Some More of the Home Folks compiled by George Ade Ehrmann, p. 20
Personal Impressions of Edward Carpenter by Mrs. Havelock Ellis
The Worth of a Girl by Bertha Pratt King N.Y., Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1916, 32 p.
Elbert Hubbard’s Scrapbook - Ehrmanns’ Prayer on page 37
Pins belonging to Ehrmann - Delta Tau Delta fraternity pin and Harvard; sign “Ehrmann”
Folder 2: (in back of box) Scrapbook, ca. 1904-1945
Folder 3: (in back of box) Photographs, ca. 1880-1945
DC 812
Folder 1 Correspondence 1965-66
2 Ehrmann Centennial
Excerpt from The Journal of Max Ehrmann- Invitation Sept. 26, 1973
Ehrmann Centennial Concert Program Sept. 23, 1972
Tickets to the Centennial Celebration at the Scottish Rite Cathedral Sept. 23, 1972
Centennial Schedule Sept. 18-23, 1972
Rough draft of script for slides “Max Ehrmann Centennial - 1972"
3 Ehrmann Centennial
Agreement between University Archivist and WTHI-TV for use of Ehrmann Recording Sept. 1972
4 Ehrmann Centennial - clippings and news releases
5 Clippings
6 Ehrmann Centennial correspondence
7 List of names and addresses of friends of Ehrmann
8 Listings of Ehrmann materials in Terre Haute
9 “Max Ehrmann: A Centennial Tribute” by Richard W. Dowell, Assoc. Prof.
of English, Indiana State University, Terre Haute.
10 Outline of David J. Olson’s speech given at the Ehrmann Centennial Luncheon
11 Staff Bulletin of Vigo County Public Library, Aug.-Sept. 1972, Jan. 1973
12 Sheet music for Desiderata
13 Ehrmann Poems in printed form
Happiness
Desiderata
A Prayer
Love Some One
Terre Haute
14 Ehrmann lawsuit correspondence
15 “Guideposts” Dec. 1982
16 Desiderata copyright question
17 Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History, Max Ehrmann: Terre Haute’s Poet, Prophet, and Philosopher by Fred D. Cavinder, Summer 2004
Ehrmann, Max
Appendix:
Flat file, drawer 6, item 20:
Recognition by Terre Haute, a petition signed by citizens of that city; Poems published in the “Saturday Spectator”: Spring, Summer, Winter, To You Who Come at Evening, A Christmas Thought to you. Also a letter from Ellen Terry to Ehrmann; “A Prayer” one mounted copy signed by Max Ehrmann to his brother.
[Ehrmann, Max]