H. Glendon Steel papers

Collection – Multiple Containers

Identifier: MS-0504

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

Classroom notes and lecture materials, poems, a diary, programs, and photographic prints of BGSU poet and English professor H. Glendon Steele.

Dates

Creation: 1933-1985

Extent

0.92 Cubic Feet (2 legal size archive boxes)

Creator

Steele, Harold Glendon, 1910-1985 (Person)

Scope and Contents

The core of the H. Glendon Steele papers lies in the volumes of poetry written by Steele throughout his life. The collection includes 225 poems, on a variety of subjects, some of which are found in a bound (unpublished) book entitled, "Songs of Indiscretion." The remaining poems are found in two black spring binders and a brown folder. The black spring binders are titled "A Further View" and "Volume II", respectively, and the brown folder is also titled "Volume II," but contains nine poems not found in the other works. Most of the poetry cannot be dated, although there is a date of 1942 given on the title page of "Songs of Indiscretion."

Enhancing this core collection are Steele's personal diary and materials that he presumably used in his class lectures as a Professor of Literature. The personal diary was kept by Steele on a daily basis during the following periods: June 1 to August 5, 1943, November 11 to December 1, 1944, and February 8 to April 24, 1946. In his personal diary, he reflects on issues that were causing conflict in his life, thus offering a glimpse of the inner life of a writer and a teacher. His diary offers us a view of him as a unique individual, troubled by love, his compassion for human kind, his friendships, his zeal for teaching, and how these often conflicting forces affected his life.

Of further interest to the researcher is a small collection of classroom materials, including two English 101 exams, a folder of poetry by famous authors, and a series of lecture notes.

H. Glendon Steele is brought to life most by his poetry and his diary, offering us a view of an intelligent, sensitive man with an almost overwhelming passion to help others. But these writings also reflect a man dealing with internal conflict, a perfectionist who became more critical of himself and his abilities as an instructor, writer, and friend.

Biographical / Historical

Harold Glendon Steele (1910-1985) was a writer and professor in literature. Steele was born in Jackson, Ohio, on June 13, 1910. He received his Bachelor's degree in 1932 from Northwestern University, Illinois and a Master's degree from Ohio State University in 1933. Steele performed one year of additional study at Ohio State University in 1935 and then moved to Buckhannon, West Virginia where he worked for ten years as an associate professor of English at Wesleyan College.

Steele was hired at Bowling Green State University as an instructor in 1946. In 1948 he became an assistant professor and was tenured on February 24, 1955.

Steele was a dedicated teacher. He specialized in creative writing, publishing several poems in anthologies. He also had a passion for world literature and taught a course on the Bible as literature.

Steele served as Assistant Dean of Liberal Arts for 12 years from 1952 to 1964, as well as Director of English Advising. Resigning from the post in 1964, he happily returned to his classroom. Steele had such a passion for teaching that it was common for him to teach courses in the summer without pay.

After 30 years of outstanding service to the Bowling Green campus, Steele asked for "early" retirement in 1976. He stated in his retirement letter that he had promised himself and his students that he would retire before he became ineffective as a teacher. Steele was an active volunteer at the Wood County Hospital after his retirement up until the day of his death, April 5, 1985.

Steele served as a teacher/instructor of Literature and Composition for 40 years. He was a member of Eta Sigma Phi, a national recognition society in classical languages. Steele was recommended to be awarded the status of Professor Emeritus on his retirement.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

Materials in English.

Additional Description

Separated Materials

Rare books from H. Glendon Steele's collection have been separately cataloged.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

H. Glendon Steele's collection of books as well as these manuscripts were donated to the Jerome Library after his death in 1985. The manuscripts and his rare books were then transferred to the Center for Archival Collections.