Mythopoeic Society, Branch 18 (BGSU) records

Collection

Identifier: MS-0688

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The Mythopoeic Society, Branch 18 collection contains documents from an organization at Bowling Green State University called the Midgewater Marshes, which was a branch of the Mythopoeic Society. It also contains documents from the Mythopoeic Society, such as the group history, newsletters, correspondence, and membership information. The Branch 18 documents include meeting information, bylaws, correspondence, newspaper articles, and photographs. The dates for the entire collection span from 1968-1985, with Branch 18 years specifically from 1971-1976.

Dates

Creation: 1961-1985

Extent

0.46 Cubic Feet

Creator

Mythopoeic Society (U.S.). Branch 18 (Bowling Green, Ohio) (Organization)

Scope and Contents

This collection features information on BGSU’s Branch 18 of the Mythopoeic Society, Midgewater Marshes, and the national Mythopoeic Society. For the Society it has the group’s history, membership and publication information, newsletters, correspondence, and other printed materials. The BGSU branch materials include photographs, correspondence, meeting flyers, organizational bylaws, and newspaper articles. Also featured in the collection are copies of a short story by Inkling author, Charles Williams (with a commentary by fellow author, C.S. Lewis) and a poem by JRR Tolkien.

The correspondence in the collection highlights the interworking of the organization and features a petition for changes within the society. This shows the growth of the society as it was in the process of being firmly established, as it is today. News articles and photos emphasize the activeness of the BGSU branch. The printed materials in the collection provide numerous descriptions and details about the beginnings and growth of the society, so anyone with an interest in the history of the Mythopoeic Society, as well as the BGSU branch’s activity, will find it useful.

Biographical / Historical

Branch 18 of the Mythopoeic Society was established on May 11, 1971 at Bowling Green State University. It was founded by BGSU students Paul Ritz and John Leland. The branches often name themselves after various locations from JRR Tolkien’s fictional world, Middle Earth. Branch 18 dubbed themselves the Midgewater Marshes, due to the town of Bowling Green’s history as a swampland. The branch was active until and probably beyond 1978, which is, unfortunately, further than the scope of the documents in this collection for the BGSU branch. The Mythopoeic Society is, however, still an active organization.

The Mythopoeic Society began as a discussion group of fantasy literature, specifically focusing on British authors JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams, in 1967. It became an established, non-profit organization in 1971. The Society was started by then college student, Glen GoodKnight and slowly spread nationally. In 1972 the Tolkien Society of America merged with the Mythopoeic Society. There are currently four active discussion groups in the United States, and an active online community. It produces scholarly and fan-based publications, and hosts an annual convention, Mythcon, for mythopoeic scholarship and fun.

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.