]> Finding Aid for the James Sterling Tippett Papers, 1924 - 1966 Processed by: Archives Staff; machine-readable finding aid created by: Jason Alston University Libraries, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro 2009 Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: ; Description is in English Finding aid was prepared using DACS Finding Aid for the James Sterling Tippett Papers, 1924 - 1966 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Descriptive Summary James S. Tippett (1885-1958) was a teacher, administrator, professor, poet, and author of children's books. The James Sterling Tippett Papers date from 1924 to 1966 and contain manuscripts, illustrations, correspondence, notes, cards, clippings, and toys. James Sterling Tippett Papers, 1924 - 1966 Mss 017 Tippett, James Sterling 3.84 Linear Feet, 6 Boxes University Archives and Manuscripts English Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

 Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], James Sterling Tippett Papers (Mss 017), University Archives and Manuscripts, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC, USA.

 Acquisition Information

Gift of Martha Tippett, widow of the author, 1959 to 1966. Additional material came from Mr. Philip Schinhan of Chapel Hill following Mrs. Tippett's passing in June 1989.

Processing Information

Processed by Archives Staff

Encoded by Jason Alston, July 2009

 Biographical Note

James Tippett was born in Memphis, Missouri. When he was five, his family moved to a farm inherited from his maternal grandfather and remained there until he was thirteen, when they moved back to Memphis. Tippett began to teach upon graduation from high school, and attended the University of Missouri during the summers to earn his college degree.

In 1918 Tippett moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to become principal of the Peabody Demonstration School. Four years later, he left to join the Lincoln School at Teachers College in New York, as an instructor and special investigator. It was during this time that Tippett began to write books for children. His first book, The Singing Farmer (1927) was inspired by a classroom exhibit of a farm, which brought back happy memories of his childhood.

Tippett went on to teach in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and South Carolina, and continued to write books for children as well editing educational textbooks. Some of his other titles include I Live in a City (1927), I Go A-Traveling (1929), I Spend the Summer (1930), Busy Carpenters (1930), Toys and Toymakers (1931), A World to Know (1933), Henry and the Garden and Stories about Henry (1936), Shadow and the Stocking (1937), Sniff (1937), Counting the Days (1940), and Abraham Lincoln (1951). He also wrote a series called Understanding Science. The collection given to the library does not contain all of his work.

In 1939 Tippett and his wife Martha moved to Chapel Hill, where he remained a visiting professor of education at the University of North Carolina until his death in 1958. He continued to write books for children, as well as short stories, poems, and essays on education. In 1972 his name was added to the North Carolina Educational Hall of Fame.

 Collection Overview

This collection contains manuscripts and typescripts of some of Tippett's poems and children's books. There are also mounted illustrations from some of the works. There are a few personal essays, as well as some correspondence and a few news clippings. The collection also contains wooden toys and a notebook containing the Tippett's research notes for a proposed biography of John Pelham, an officer in the Confederate Army. Along with the notebook is a letter from Mrs. Charles Milham (10/6/53) whose late husband also wrote biography of John Pelham.

Collection Arrangement

Detailed Description of the Collection 1 Manuscript, Picture Poems, with color illustrations by Katharine Louise Keelor. New York City: The Home Press, 1924. Typescript, Anthology of Sonnets, From My Fields, Across the Fields. Manuscript, Apartment Homes and Houses, undated. Typescript, I Live in an Apartment House (Published as I live in a City), with author's original illustrations, circa 1920s. Galley Proof, I Live in a City (NY: Harper and Bros., 1927). Galley Proof, Toys and Toymakers (NY: Harper and Bros., 1931), with author’s corrections. Advertisements, Henry and the Garden, 1936 Monographs, The Picnic (NY: Gosset & Dunlap, 1936), with author's note on title page. Copy of edition published by E.M. Hale & Co., Milwaukee, in 1938. Galley Proof, Tools for Andy (NY: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951). Illustrations, Tools for Andy, by Kay Draper. 2 Galley Proof, Jesus Lights the Sabbath Lamp (NY: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1953). Galley Proof, reviews, and correspondence,Crickety Cricket (NY: Harper and Row, 1937). Notebook, John Pelham research. Notebook, miscellaneous poems. Typescript, Mister Mackgillygoil and Other Stories, undated. Typescript, I Like Christmas, with dedication by author, undated. Typescript, To the Rescue, with illustrations by author. Typescripts, miscellaneous prose and poetry. Publications, Pictures and Stories (Nashville, Tenn.: The Methodist Publishing House), Vol. 1, October 1941-December 1942. Publications, Pictures and Stories, Vol. 2, 1943. Publications, Pictures and Stories, Vol. 3, 1944. 3 Publications, Pictures and Stories, Vol. 4-5, 1945-1946. Publications, Pictures and Stories, Vol. 6, 1947. Publications, Pictures and Stories, Vol. 7-12, 1948- 1953. Publications, Story Parade, 1936, 1943, 1948. Publications, miscellaneous, 1949, 1965. Typescript, Teaching in a Democracy. Typescript, Units of Work for Elementary School Classes, includes photographs, Chapters 1-3. Typescript, Units of Work for Elementary School Classes, Chapters 4-5. 4 Typescript, Units of Work for Elementary School Classes, Chapters 6-7. Typescript, Units of Work for Elementary School Classes, Chapters 8-9. Bound typescript, Beavers, with photographs by the author. Miscellaneous materials on teachers and teaching. Biographical Materials, including an essay by Martha Tippett written for the Dictionary of National Biography. Christmas Cards, designed by the author. Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings, Articles, and Correspondence, 1929-1955. 5 Farm Scene: 3 Chickens, 2 Pigs, 2 Ducks, 2 Dogs, 1 Cow, Mountaineer and His Wife, 3 Girls, 1 Boy, Log Cabin, Kettle, Churn, Doll. Blue Elephant, Burro, Lionel Train Car, 2 People in Sleigh (Russian woodcarving), Small Silver Chair, St. George and the Dragon (unfinished carving), Giraffe. 6 Covered Wagon with Team of Oxen. Whirling Clown. Separated Material

The Singing Farmer. Yonkers, NY: World Book, 1927. Bound book. Toys and Toymakers. Bound Book. Henry and the Garden (Yonkers, NY: World Book, 1936) X 2. Bound Book Containing Author’s 1939 Revisions. Also 1936 English Edition from George G. Harrap & Co., Ltd., London. Stories about Henry (Yonkers, NY: World Book, 1936) Bound book. The Picnic E.M. Hale & Co., Milwaukee, in 1938. Sniff (NY: D.C. Heath, 1937) Bound Book. Christmas Magic (NY: Gosset and Dunlap, 1942) Bound Book. Tools for Andy. Bound Book. Crickety Cricket. Bound Book.

Related Material

See other literary manuscript collections held by UNCG, including more children's authors.

More James Tippet papers at the University of Minnesota.