James Hayford (AC 1935) Papers, 1933-1972
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Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Amherst, MA
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Peter A. Nelson. 2012-09-05
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
James Hayford (AC 1935) Papers
Creation of James Hayford (AC 1935) Papers
Time of Creation of James Hayford (AC 1935) Papers
Hayford, James
Biographical History for: James Hayford (AC 1935) Papers
Biographical Note James Hight Hayford (AC 1935) was a noted Vermont poet. While a student at Amherst, he attracted the interest of Robert Frost, who, upon Hayford's graduation, awarded him with the first and only Robert Frost Fellowship in the amount of $1,000. It stipulated that he not attend graduate school and that he publish a book of poetry within twenty years. (Nevertheless, he earned a Master's degree in 1942 from Teacher's College of Columbia University, writing a thesis on Robert Frost.) As a poet, Hayford considered himself a "disciple" of Robert Frost, and his style is reminiscent of Frost's. His poetry is generally terse and formal, employing traditional meter and rhyme; rural and village life in Vermont was a predominant theme. In addition to his work as a poet, James Hayford was a teacher, part-time farmer, composer of piano music, and a political activist. He did all of these things in relatively non-traditional ways, preferring to shun the mainstream culture of literature, academia and politics. He joined the Progressive party and was a founding faculty member of Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont. Hayford's support of Henry A. Wallace, the Progressive candidate for President in the 1948, caused a controversy that led to his resignation from teaching. By the end of his life, Hayford was acknowledged by some as Vermont's unofficial poet laureate. A few weeks before his death on June 21, 1993, he was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Vermont.
Scope and Contents of the Collection Poetry notebooks and manuscript poems by Vermont poet James Hayford, 1933-1993. There is also a small amount of prose writing, including the text of his Bond oration at Amherst College in 1935, his M.A. thesis (1942) on Robert Frost, and an unpublished short novel. A small amount of correspondence is also included.
There is no restriction on access to the James Hayford (AC 1935) Papers for research use. Particularly fragile items are restricted for preservation purposes.
Requests for permission to publish material from the Papers should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.
At Amherst College:Catalogued books, including a posthumously published autobiography, Recollecting Who I Was: My Life and Work (2003)Collection of broadside poems, cards (most with drawings or poems by Hayford), and music. 1 folder. Archives and Special Collections: File / PS3558.A84 A6 Robert Frost Collection - Series I (copies of letters to Hayford) Hugo Saglio (AC 1931) CorrespondenceAlumni Biographical File - 1935 - HayfordAssorted prose and poetry published in the Amherst Graduates' Quarterly. See index At Other Repositories:James Hayford Papers, Bailey/Howe Library, University of Vermont. 10 cartons. (Copy of finding aid available in his Amherst College biographical file)
Processed ca. 1985. Reprocessed 2002 by Sarah Sorscher (AC 2005), Student Assistant, and again in 2012 by Peter Nelson, Archivist.
Poetry -- Sources.
lcsh
Frost, Robert.
lcnaf
Hayford, James.
series
Series 1: Prose and Music, 1935-1954 and n.d.
"The Plight of the Artist at the Present Time," Bond Oration, TS, 5 s 1935
"The Direction of Robert Frost: A Study in Cultural Orientation." M.A. thesis, Teacher's College, Columbia University 1942
"Preface: The Robert Frost Fellowship," TS with pencil annotations, 5 s. (Apparently never published, although the text refers to a book.) 1954
The Organ Works of James Hayford 1989
"To Seek His Fortune: a novel." TS. [1], iii, 179 s. n.d.
Series 2: Poetry Manuscripts, 1933-1972
The Academy at Brownington," 6 s. (also titled: "Homely," "Homemade," and "The Old Stone House at Brownington 1952
"Balance," 6 s. (also titled "Formal Facade," and "Formal Front") 1952
"The Bed," 5 s. 1972
"Fall Dance," 3 s. (also titled: "A Clear Advance") 1966
"Fieldstone Wall," 1972, 10 s. (also titled "The Stone," and "Stone Wall") 1972
"First Day of Summer," 6 s. 1952
"For Mr. Bentley," 11 s. (also titled "Mr. Bentley," "To Mr. Bentley," and "Not Two Snowflakes") 1968
"For Robert Frost," 13 s. 1963
"The Furniture of Earth," 6 s. 1950
"The Good Brother," 12 s. 1967
"Good Friday Noon" 2 s. 1933
"Inside Meets Outside," 5 s. 1966
"May Morning," 12 s. (Also titled "Quadrennial Appraisal," "Appraisal," and "A Tranquil Psalm") 1952
"A Moment in the Midst of my Time," 7 s. (Also titled "A Moment in the Midst of my Life.") 1952
Numbers," 14 s. (Also titled "Homage to Numbers," and "Homage to Meter 1964
"On the Opening of a Superhighway," 3 s. (also titled "Dedication of a Superhighway," and "On the Dedication of a Superhighway") 1957
"Our Beginnings," 16 s. (also titled "Beginnings") 1958
"The Roof," 4 s. (also titled "Incapable of Water," "Nursemaid's Song") 1952
"Sky Pond," 4 s. (also titled "A Winter's Price") 1957
"Sonata III," 9 s. (also titled "Paper Frame") 1960
"Spring Prom," 9 s. (also titled "Academic Heights") 1961
"Star in the Shed Window," 11 s. (also titled "On Seeing a Star in the Shed Window") 1935
"To Learn to Swim," 7 s. 1953
"To Poets," 3 s. (also titled "Imperial Worth," "Imperial Demand," and "To Writers") 1950
"To Sum Up," 6 s. (Also titled "Show," "The Aging Artist," and "Late Love") 1950
"To Write" 9 s. (also titled "To Sing") 1951
"The Total Scene," 4 s. 1949
"Transactions," 7 s. (also titled "Useful Commerce," "Thrifty Business," "Economy Enough," and "Economy") 1963
"The Winter Lamb," 3 s. 1950
"Working Model," 15 s. (also titled "Room Inside," and "In") 1962
Poetry Journals, (1935-1993)
Poetry journals kept by Hayford. Gap in coverage for the years 1939-1945. 1935-1993
Correspondence (photocopies),ca. 1957-1993
Photocopies provided by Hayford's wife Helen Hayford, presumably on the occasion of a memorial celebration of James Hayford's life. They consist mainly of incoming correspondence but also include some clippings and other printed matter.