FRANK P. SMITH PAPERS
1919-1967

East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338

INTRODUCTION

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Provenance: The Frank P. Smith Papers were transferred to the Archives of Appalachia from the B. Carroll Reece Museum by Helen Roseberry, museum coordinator, August 26, 1983.

Access: The papers are open for research.

Processing Information: Scott Schwartz, Alice Cunningham, and Becky Tuthill completed processing, and the records were opened to researchers March 9, 1990.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Frank Prigmore Smith (1897-1972) was raised in Decatur, Tennessee and eventually became a leading proponent of education in Tennessee. He enrolled in East Tennessee State Normal School March 16, 1920 at the age of 23 and graduated from the normal course four years later. Smith continued his studies at East Tennessee State Teachers College and earned a

B.S. degree in 1927 with majors in English, history, and science. He later earned a masters degree in history from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville; his thesis was entitled "Military History of East Tennessee 1861-1865."

Upon graduation from East Tennessee State Teachers College, Frank Smith began teaching for the Meigs County (Tennessee) Schools and eventually became superintendent. His tenure with the Meigs County Schools lasted for twenty years. In addition to his career as an educator, Frank Smith served in the United States Army during both World Wars, was president of the East Tennessee State University Alumni Association, and acted as the chairman of the Jefferson County Chapter of Retired Teachers. He married Mary Elizabeth Smith July 20, 1944.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Frank P. Smith Papers contain personal research notes, reports, photographs, and East Tennessee State Normal School yearbooks and literary publications documenting the personal activities of Frank P.Smith while both a student at East Tennessee State Normal School and a Tennessee educator between 1919 and 1967. The reports and personal research notes describe frontier culture; these were used possibly by Smith for a research project while a student at East Tennessee State Normal School. The photographs are scenes of the Johnson City campus. The issues of the "Chalkline," "Old Hickory," and "Buccaneer" date between 1925 and 1938 and contain marginalia from friends and colleagues.

The collection is divided into two series; Series I, Personal Effects, 1924-1967 and Series II, East Tennessee State Normal School Publications, 1920-1947. Series I contains personal papers and reports documenting Frank Smith's varied activities as college student ETSNS and teacher in the Meigs County Schools between 1924 and 1967. Series II contains the East Tennessee State Normal School publications, "Chalkline," "Old Hickory," and "Buccaneer." This series is broken down into two sub-series; sub-series II-A: Chalkline, 1923-1924, and sub-series II-B: Old Hickory-Buccaneer Year books, 1920-1938. A subject index follows the Box and Folder list.

Important subjects covered in the collection include:

East Tennessee State Teachers College
East Tennessee State Teachers College. Alumni Association
Frontier and pioneer life--United States
Frontier and pioneer life--West (U.S.)
Smith, Frank P. (Frank Prigmore), 1897-1972
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

SERIES DESCRIPTION

*Click on the link to go to that series or subseries in the Box and Folder List.

Series I, PERSONAL EFFECTS, 1924-1967, Box 1.

Series I contains personal research papers and reports documenting Frank P. Smith's activities as a student, teacher, and administrator between 1924 and 1967. In addition to these records, there are pamphlets and photographs illustrating Smith's activities as a student and alumni of East Tennessee State Teachers College. The documents are arranged in alphabetical order according to type of content.

Series II, EAST TENNESSEE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS, 1920-1938, Box 1 and 2 yearbooks.

Series II contains the East Tennessee State Normal School's literary publications of the Chalkline, dating between 1923 and 1924 and the institution's college yearbooks, Old Hickory and Buccaneer, dating between 1920 and 1938 documenting Frank P. Smith's activities both as a student and alumni of East Tennessee State Normal School. All of the publications have marginalia written to Smith from his teachers and colleagues. The series is broken down into two sub-series; Sub-series II-A: The Chalkline, 1923-1924; and Sub-series II-B: Old Hickory and Buccaneer, 1920-1938. The records are arranged chronologically by date of publication.

Sub-series II-A, THE CHALKLINE, 1923-1924 Box 1.

Sub-series II-A contains one folder of Chalkline publications documenting both the literary activities of students and faculty of East Tennessee State Normal School and Frank P. Smith's work as the publications' editor dating between 1923 and 1924. The publications are arranged chronologically by date of publication within the folder.

Sub-series II-B, OLD HICKORY AND BUCCANEER, 1920-1938, Box 1 and 2 yearbooks.

Sub-series II-B contains the East Tennessee State Normal School yearbooks, Old Hickory and Buccaneer, documenting the general activities of the institutions' students and faculty between 1920 and 1938. The publications all contain marginalia to Frank P. Smith from friends and faculty. Many of the comments document Smith's activities as the advertising managing editor for the Old Hickory publications.

BOX AND FOLDER LIST

*Click on the link to go that series or subseries in the Series Description.

Series I, PERSONAL EFFECTS, 1924-1967, Box 1.

Box 1

1. Pamphlets: Annual Luncheon Alumni Association E.T.S.T.C., June 8, 1932.
2. Personal Research Notes, 1928.
3. Photographs: East Tennessee State Teachers College Scene, 1921.
4. Poem: "Thanksgiving" by L. A. Tubbs, ND.
5. Report: Screwball War, ND.
6. Report: Myths or Facts? Some Questionable Episodes of the Frontier, ca. 1966-67.
7. Report: Myths or Facts? Some Questionable Narratives of the Frontier, ca. 1966-67.

Series II,, EAST TENNESSEE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS, 1920-1938, Box 1 and 2 yearbooks.

Sub-series II-A, THE CHALKLINE, 1923-1924, Box 1.

Box 1

8. The Chalkline, December 1923-June 1924.

Sub-series II-B, OLD HICKORY AND BUCCANEER, 1920-1938, Box 1.

Box 1

8. Old Hickory, 1920-21.
9. Old Hickory, 1923.
10. Old Hickory, 1924.
11. Old Hickory, 1927.

Box 2

1. Old Hickory, yearbook, 1929.
2. Buccaneer, yearbook, 1938.

INDEX TO THE FRANK P. SMITH PAPERS

* The notations following the subject listings indicate the box and folder locations of the collection items.

American Civil War: 1-5.
American Frontier, History: 1-6, 1-7.
Buccaneer: 2-2.
Chalkline: 1-8.

East Tennessee State Teachers College Alumni Association: 1-2.
East Tennessee State Teachers College, Scenes: 1-3.
Old Hickory: 1-8, 1-9, 1-10, 1-11, 2-1.
Tubbs, L.A.L.: 1-4.

 

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MTC 12/00 - modified GKY 03/11/02