Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#1967
STURGIS ELLENO LEAVITT PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Sturgis Elleno Leavitt was born in Newhall, Me.,
in 1888. In 1917, he began his teaching career at
the University of North Carolina, advancing through
the ranks to Kenan Professor of Spanish and retiring
in 1960. He was a widely recognized expert in
Spanish literature and wrote and spoke extensively on
the teaching of Spanish and on Pan-American
international relations.
Materials relating to Leavitt's career, including a
small amount of general correspondence, 1923-1960s,
chiefly relating to awards Leavitt had received or to
trips he had taken or was about to take. Only a few
more substantive letters dealing with Spanish language
or literature are included. There are also lengthy
letters, 1911-1960s, that Leavitt wrote during his
travels. These letters document travels in Europe,
Latin and South America, and around the U.S. Also
included are a few speeches, essays, and reports
written by Leavitt, chiefly on the study and teaching
of Spanish literature, biographical materials,
clippings, materials relating to his 1952 trip to the
west coast of South America for the U.S. State
Department's Educational Exchange Program, materials
from the centenary celebrations Leavitt attended of
Cuban patriot Jos‚ Martˇ in 1953 and Chilean scholar
Jos‚ Toribio Medina in 1952, and items relating to
Leavitt's being named mayor for life of Zalamea de la
Serena, Spain, in 1959. There are also a few
photographs of Leavitt at various stages of his career.
Online Chile--Description and travel--1951-1980.
Catalog College teachers--North Carolina--History--20th
century.
Terms: Cuba--Description and travel--1951-1980.
Europe--Description and travel--20th century.
Latin America--Description and travel--20th century.
Leavitt, Sturgis E. (Sturgis Elleno), b. 1888.
Martˇ, Jos‚, 1853-1895.
Medina, Jos‚ Toribio, 1852-1930.
Spanish language--Study and teaching (Higher)--North
Carolina--History--20th century.
Spanish literature--Study and teaching (Higher)--North
Carolina--History--20th century.
University of North Carolina
(1793-1962)--Faculty--History--20th century.
University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill--Faculty--History--20th century.
Zalamea de la Serena (Spain).
Size: About 325 items (1.0 linear foot).
Provenance: Gifts of Stugis E. Leavitt in the 1960s and 1970s
and from Catherine McKnight of Chapel Hill, N.C.,
in January 1988.
Access: No restrictions.
Processing Note: This collection was rehoused under the
sponsorship of a grant from the National
Endowment for the Humanities, Office of
Preservation, Washington, D.C., 1990-1992.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
INTRODUCTION
Biographical Note
Sturgis Elleno Leavitt was born in Newhall, Me., in 1888.
He received his A.B. degree from Bowdoin College in 1908 and his
M.A. in 1913 and Ph.D. in 1917, both from Harvard University.
Also in 1917, he began his teaching career at the University of
North Carolina, advancing through the ranks to Kenan Professor of
Spanish and retiring in 1960. In 1941, he was named director of
the Institute of Latin American Studies at UNC, and, in 1947, he
help found the Southern Humanities Conference, which included
fifteen societies focused on Latin American interests.
Leavitt was a widely recognized expert in Spanish literature
and wrote and spoke extensively on the teaching of Spanish and on
Pan-American international relations. He also authored many
Spanish textbooks and compiled numerous bibliographies of Spanish
literature. He also served as editor of the South-Atlantic
Bulletin, the Revista Iberoamericana, and as associate editor of
the Hispanic Review. He was a member of the board of trustees of
the American Council of Learned Societies from 1946 to 1950 and
chair of the Southern Humanities Conference from 1948 to 1951.
He also served twice as president of the American Association of
Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and once as president of the
South Atlantic Modern Language Association.
Leavitt traveled extensively, especially in Spain and Latin
America. In 1953, he visited the west coast of South America
lecturing at cultural centers and universities under the auspices
of the U.S. State Department.
Throughout his long career, Leavitt received numerous
honors, including honorary degrees from Davidson College and
Bowdoin College. In 1959, he was made honorary mayor for life of
Zalamea de la Serena, Spain. In 1961, he received a National
Foreign Language Award from the National Federation of Modern
Language Teachers Associations. In 1972, he was selected as one
of the top ten scholars of Spanish in the U.S., and, in 1974, was
elected to the Mexican Academy and as one of the first members of
the Academy of Spanish Literature.
Leavitt was a member of the Mayflower Society and married to
Alga Leavitt (d. 1964), who coached Thomas Wolfe when he acted
with the Carolina Playmakers in the 1919 season.
Collection Overview
The collection includes a small amount of general
correspondence, 1923-1960s, chiefly relating to awards Leavitt
had received or to trips he had taken or was about to take. Only
a few more substantive letters dealing with Spanish language or
literature are included. There are also lengthy letters,
1911-1960s, that Leavitt wrote during his travels. These letters
document travels in Europe, South America, and around the United
States. Also included are a few speeches, essays, and reports
written by Leavitt, chiefly on the study and teaching of Spanish
literature, biographical materials, clippings, materials relating
to his 1952 trip to the west coast of South America for the U.S.
State
Department's Educational Exchange Program, materials from the
centenary celebrations Leavitt attended of Cuban patriot Jos‚
Martˇ in 1953 and Chilean scholar Jos‚ Toribio Medina in 1952,
and items relating to Leavitt's being named mayor for life of
Zalamea de la Serena, Spain, in 1959. There are also a few
photographs of Leavitt at various stages of his career.
The collection is arranged as follows:
Series 1. Correspondence
Subseries 1.1. General Correspondence
Subseries 1.2. Travel Letters
Series 2. Writings
Series 3. Other Items
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Correspondence
1911-1960s. About 210 items.
Series 1.1. General Correspondence
1923-1960s. About 80 items.
Arrangement: chronological by decade.
Letters chiefly relating to awards Leavitt had received or
to trips he had taken or was about to take. Only a few more
substantive letters dealing with Spanish language or literature
are included.
Folder 1 1923-1939
2 1940s
3 1950s
4 1960s
Series 1.2. Travel Letters
1911-1960s. About 130 items.
Arrangement: roughly chronological.
Chiefly lengthy letters that Leavitt wrote during his
travels. These letters document travels in Europe, Latin and
South America, and around the United States, and contain
Leavitt's observations on what he saw and did. Some of these
letters were addressed to specific persons (early ones often to
Leavitt's mother), but many were meant to be circulated among
friends and family and ultimately returned to Leavitt.
Folder 5 1911, Europe
6 1919, South America
7 1920, South America
8 1929, Spain
9 1930s, Mexico
10 1940s, Mexico
11 1950s, South America (excluding State Department
trip and centenaries)
12 1950s, eastern U.S.
13 1960s, eastern U.S.
Series 2. Writings
1950s-1960s. About 15 items.
Short writings by Leavitt, including typed copies of
speeches on various subjects, most having to do with the study
and teaching of Spanish literature; a printed letter to the
editor of the Chapel Hill Weekly on university teaching; and a
printed copy of Leavitt's essay called "Strip-Tease in Golden Age
Drama" (1966).
Folder 14
Series 3. Other Items
1930s-1960s. About 100 items.
Biographical materials, clippings, materials relating to
Leavitt's 1952 trip to the west coast of South America for the
U.S. State Department's Educational Exchange Program, materials
from the centenary celebrations Leavitt attended of Cuban patriot
Jos‚ Martˇ in 1953 and Chilean scholar Jos‚ Toribio Medina in
1952, and items relating to Leavitt's being named mayor for life
of Zalamea de la Serena, Spain, in 1959. There are also a few
photographs of Leavitt at various stages of his career.
Folder 15 Biographical materials, including award
citations and copies of programs from
conferences Leavitt attended.
16 Clippings, 1940s-1960s, chiefly documenting
Leavitt's activities.
17 Educational Exchange Program Trip, 1952,
consisting of materials relating to Leavitt's
trip to the west coast of South America under
U.S. State Department sponsorship.
18 Honorary mayor of Zalamea de la Serena, Spain,
1959, including background material on how
Leavitt became mayor.
19 Centenary of Jos‚ Martˇ, 1953, Havana, Cuba,
consisting of materials about the conference in
which Leavitt participated.
20 Centenary of Jos‚ Toribio Medina, 1952,
Santiago, Chile, consisting of materials about
the conference in which Leavitt participated.
P-1967/1-7 Photographs, 1940s-1960s, of Leavitt alone or with
colleagues, largely unidentified.
SHELF LIST
Box 1 Series 1.1. General Correspondence (folders 1-4)
Series 1.2. Travel Letters (folders 5-13)
Box 2 Series 2. Writings (folder 14)
Series 3. Other Items (folders 15-20)
Items separated:
P-1967/1-7