details at Marquette UniversityThe collection of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973), professor of Old and Middle English language and literature at Oxford University, 1925-1959, contains the original manuscripts and multiple working drafts for three of the author's most celebrated books, The Hobbit (1937), Farmer Giles of Ham (1949), and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), as well as the original copy of the children's book Mr. Bliss (published in facsimile form in 1982). The collection includes books by and about Tolkien, periodicals produced by Tolkien enthusiasts, audio and video recordings, and a host of published and unpublished materials relating to Tolkien's life and fantasy writings.
Tolkien manuscripts reside at Marquette because of the vision of William B. Ready (1914-1981), director of libraries from 1956 to 1963. Ready was appointed with the understanding that he would aggressively collect material for the newly-constructed Memorial Library. He recognized The Lord of the Rings as a masterpiece soon after its publication, long before the work and its author gained enormous popularity. With administrative approval, Ready approached Tolkien in 1956 through Bertram Rota, a well-known rare book dealer in London. At the time, no other institution had expressed an interest in Tolkien's literary manuscripts. After a relatively brief period of negotiation, an agreement was reached whereby Marquette purchased the manuscripts for 1,500 pounds (or less than $5,000). The first shipment of material arrived in 1957; The Lord of the Rings manuscripts arrived the next year. Tolkien accepted offers to visit and speak at Marquette in both 1957 and 1959, but on each occasion he canceled the anticipated visit due to family concerns. Tolkien's personal and academic papers, as well as his other literary manuscripts (e.g. The Silmarillion and Leaf by Niggle), are at the Bodleian Library of Oxford University.
How did Marquette end up the outhouse it is today? It seemed to be thriving at least at some point in time, with the Joan of Arc chapel to the Mother Teresa visit - was there a specific event that lead to to her demise?
This is just amazing though. I have actually had a few people ask me if I am writing a book on Catholicism in Wisconsin. Finds like these make me think I should take the plunge.
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3 comments:
A book on Catholicism in Wisconsin (God's Country as the beer Old Style called our state)is a great idea. Just think, Wisconsin is...
1-The site of the only aproved Marian apparation in the USA.
2-Home to three major Marian shrines (in LaCrosse, at Holy Hill, and near Greenbay).
3-A place of major importance in the lives of two of the most influental figures in the Church today, Cardinal Raymond Burke and (soon to be) Cardinal Dolan, as well as quite a few other signifigant figures in the Church past and present (Bishop Bruskewitz in NB and Cadinal Stritch come to mind.)
4-Was explored by Jesuit missionaries such as Jaques Marquette (who I believe named the upper-Mississipi River "The River of the Immaculate Conception" upon discovering it.)
5-The site of the first (or one of the first) Polish Parishes in the USA (St. Stan's 1872).
6-Wisconsin was visited by the future Pope John Paul II in the 1970s and he worked with WI Gov. Drefyus to establish an exchange-student program between Wisconsin and Poland.
7-The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has a very interesting history since it was so long domminated by "German" bishops rather than Irish ones and in the 19th century there were very close ties between Milwaukee and Germany/Austria.
8-Conflicts between German and Polish Catholics in the 19th and early 20th century here were epic.
9-The Civil Rights movement in Milwaukee (Fr. Groppi etc.) is an interesting story.
As for MU, as you point out, the connections with Lord of the Rings, Joan of Arc,etc. are all fascinating stories.
As for pin-pointing Marquette's decline in terms of Catholic orthodoxy. This is a very good question.
I don't know how far back this goes but most of Marquette's problems comes from the "Campus Ministry" and it's desire to be P/C. You would think that even if most components of the university were to basically function in a way no different from a secular school the campus ministry could at-least be counted on to be a niche which presents robust and faithful Catholicism, at-least for those students interested in such a thing, or learning more about it. Of course it is also a proper duty for a Campus ministry at a diverse school to facilitate the religious practice of other students (for example providing information/access and supporting clubs for Protestant Students, Jewish Students etc.)
The Marquette campus ministry however is just so annoyingly politically correct and seems to have a sort of fear of orthodox Catholicism.
Right now on Campus Min's website they are offering...
"Roman Missal Survey
In Advent, we began using the prayers of the new Roman Missal. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to share their observations regarding the new translation of the Roman Missal by taking this brief survey."
What could be the purpose of this?
Then in the survey they have questions like
"With which gender do you identify?"
It's enough to make one wonder if the use of gendered nouns in Latin is what is behind the defacto ban on the Tridentine Mass on campus.
Sorry it got long winded here, but yes Badger Catholic write that book! Also keep Marquette accountable and true to it's proud history, there is still a lot of good there so we Catholics ought not give up! Shine light on both the good and the bad there, that the bad may shrink away and the good may flourish!
For your book don't forget Fr. Samuel Mazuchelli.
Thanks to both. I am seriously considering it.
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