Notes on Era 2 (1968-77)

I made an important timeline that covers much of this last year here

I'm starting this post to think about what I'm learning about Murray's years AFTER writing AWTW.

Important Dates:

• 1967-1970: NESDEC at Bowdoin
• 1971-74: Freshman English Director (WPA)--1971/72, 1972/73, 1973/74
• 1975-1977: Department Chairperson, 1975/76, 1976/77, 1977 (for confirmation of start date, see Annual Report, 1974-75)
• 1975/76 Annual Report Suggests a kind of turning point in reputation, etc. (IMPORTANT!)
• 1977 Letter to Dean Spitz also suggests significant turning point 

Other "Turning Point" items:

"Dear Walt" Letter (1970)

Letter to Himself (?) (1971)

1. A lack of patience with work with teachers and a desire to move on from writing about writing...or not

The seminars in Wellesley may stand untouched as the educational disaster of the decade. The Bowdoin programs were a success, but I shall hold them no more. I am too impatient to work well with teachers in in-service programs, and prefer to concentrate on developing written materials which other people may choose to use in such programs. (Sabbatical Report, 1970)

I cut down my speaking last year, and will continue to turn down more invitations than I accept. (Sabbatical Report, 1970)

I hope I have made some sort of contribution to the teaching of writing, but I hope by the end of this academic year to conclude most of my writing about writing and simply write. In the years ahead I hope to concentrate on poetry and fiction, and write more to interior demand rather than publishers' deadlines. (Sabbatical Report, 1970)

My most satisfying work this year has been in my continuing exploration of the writing process and how to teach it. (Annual Report, 1975-76, p. 3)

2. Increased interest in research, thinking like a researcher, graduate education advocating for writing research:

March 5, 1969: Don Murray meets at the Harvard Club in Cambridge with graduate faculty members who are supervising dissertations to describe Project Write to them, to explore the possibility of using the Specialist Training Program (NESDEC?) for research, and to indicate area in which research is needed. (Memo to Burt Albert/Judy Wood, 2/22/69)

With a great deal of support during the last year from one of my publishers, I may have developed the most complete library of books on writing and the teaching of writing in the country (more than 875 volumes), an extensive file of articles on writing and the teaching of writing (6 file drawers), and an unusual resource of quotations, mostly by writers, on the writing act (12 three-inch-think notebooks).(Sabbatical Report, 1970, p. 2)

Yesterday I gave my graduate students, who are interested in the teaching of writing, a packet of 17 articles. Many of them have evolved from last year's work. (Sabbatical Report, 1970, p. 4)

I have five graduate students whose masters papers I am directing. (Annual Report, 1973-74)

...one who is an education department graduate student who is participating in and observing the experiment in 501 as well as doing extra reading and a graduate paper (Annual Report, 1973-74)

My principal interest is in the creative process. I am submitting a CURF proposal this spring which will help me make better use of the library of materials on the writing process which I have accumulated through the years. I hope to complete a study in this area in the next five years. (Annual Report, 1973-74)

Follow up on CURF grant completion (and mention of seeds of what became, eventually, Shoptalk), Annual Report, 1974-75, p. 4. (CURF Acceptance Letter)

I am a reader of scholarly papers for ERIC and The Conference on English Education (Annual Report, 1973-74) Also here.

This letter is also helpful in outlining how Murray thought of himself as a researcher (3/30/71)

This memo mentions his work with graduate students in "education" (1974)

"I have also carried on an extensive research program with Professor Donald Graves at the Conval School District in Peterborough, New Hampshire..." (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 4).

Workshop (with Don Graves) in Concord, New Hampshire, for several hundred teachers, sponsored by the New Hampshire Schoolboards and School Administrators Association. (1977-78 Annual Report, p. 2)

Served as a member of a dissertation committee at Duke University (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 6 and Annual Report, 1977/78 ).

Serves on dissertation in Psychology Dept at UNH (1978/79 Annual Report)

Many of my professional activities are closely integrated with my academic interests in exploring the writing process and in developing methods of teaching writing more effectively. (Annual Report, 1978/79).--I'm just struck by how clearly he is articulating his academic interests by this point...

I am on two master's committees and on doctoral committees in our Pysch Department and at Duke, Buffalo, and the University of Massachusetts. (Annual Report, 1979/80)

Research on Writer's Testimony from summer CURF grant (Annual Report 1979/80)

3. Development and Expansion of Conference Teaching

Taught ENGL 501 with Fisher entirely by conference.

#I teach little in class, a great deal in conference. My students write every week and I read what they write overnight and am ready for confer the next day. That's he way it has to be. I don't teach my students in a bunch any more than my doctor can give everyone in the waiting room the same pill." (Letter to David Ellis, 10/9/72)

(Source)

See folder on Conference Teaching in OneDrive.

One 2-minute conference each student each week (Annual Report 1979/80)

See handout from when he taught at Wyoming (spring 1978)

This folder of materials.

4. MFA Proposal (failed)

"The Writers"

5. Director of Freshman English (w/staff of graduate students and doctoral students)

Murray seems to have taught something like a 2/2 or 3/3 with Independent Studies while director.

Accepts chairmanship (end of spring term, 1971)--see Faculty Annual Report, 1970-71

I consider the work which I did this year with the Freshman English staff, which will be reported below, really to be educational, for I saw my principal job as a teacher of the junior faculty and graduate assistant staff. (Annual Report, May 23, 1972)

I took over the chairmanship of Freshman English...We did an orientation program before school opened...During the year we had a weekly staff meeting which was really a course in the teaching of Freshman English, and I tried to create an atmosphere in which the staff was able to exchange ideas. I hope I created a productive diversity in the approaches to Freshman English, and was able to support individual teachers as they attempted to solve their own problems in the teaching of Freshman English. (Annual Report, May 23, 1972)

Freshman English has 37 sections, including extension, and a staff of 35 including extension teachers this semester. In addition to administering the course I also teach its staff through weekly meetings and almost daily conferences with the graduate assistants and young faculty who teach the course. (Letter to David Ellis, 10/9/72)

Chairman, Freshman English (staff of approximately 35, mostly teaching assistants) (Annual Report, 1973-74)

Doesn't want to become chairman of Freshman English, also ENGL 401 v. 501 from letter 3/30/71 (here)

See memo to Freshman English staff (1972)

6. Composition Program for Grade 3-6 (Reader's Digest)

"We are attempting for the first time to take what the writer knows and break it down in such a way that the elementary school child can learn to write" -- this makes sense as AWTW was more aimed at high school teachers. See Faculty Annual Report, 1970-71.

7. A first college-level Writing Textbook for students

I am under contract at Houghton Mifflin for a college text for Freshman and Sophomores which will present the ideas in my text for teachers, A Writer Teaches Writing, to students. See Faculty Annual Report, 1970-71.

Write to Know completed a text this academic year which is at a publisher. (Annual Report, 1972/73, May 18, 1973 letter)

More (only a little) in Annual Report, 1974-75.

8. UNH English Department Junior College Teachers MA program (w/Carnicelli)

A letter about teaching a seminar in composition for junior college teachers, "Dear John, this doc.

A mention in Annual Report, 1976-77, see "Talks, Workshops, and Other Professional Activities..." --Westbrook College, June 22, 1977.

9. Signs of Murray's Growth in National Reputation

An important point, while Murray has been giving workshops, addresses, and talks on writing and its teaching at gatherings around the region, in the 1970s his reputation in this regard went national. Further, in the 1970s, and starting around 1975/76, he began to be identified as a knowledgeable expert not on just the teaching of writing but in writing research and was targeted by research/scholarly-oriented organizations/events and invited to be a part of their work.

a. Engagement with Professional Organizations

Nominated as Director of the college section of NCTE, 3/30/71 (see this doc, p. 2)
I am a director of the National Council of Teachers of English. It is an unpaid position with a term of three years... (Report to Jack Richardson, 10/31/71-- in with 1970 Annual Eval).

Appointed an affiliate speaker of the CCCC of the NCTE in recognition of contributions to the understanding of the writing process. (1977-78 Annual Report, p. 2) Later: "Appointed Affiliate Speaker, an invitation extended each year to several persons interested in the teaching of composition by the CCCC and NCTE. (same report)

Chairperson, Task Force on Composition, New England Association of Teachers of English (Annual Report, 1977-78)

b. Reprints of articles (begins in 1970/71)

• Annual Report, 1970-71 ("Finding Your Own Voice," "Give Your Students the Writer's Five Experiences")
• Annual Report, 1971-72 (passages from A Writer Teaches Writing reprinted)
• Annual Report, 1973-74 ("Teach Writing as Process Not Product")
• Annual Report, 1974-75 (See Annual Report, p. 4, article not named)
• Annual Report, 1976-77, see "Talks, Workshops, and Other Professional Activities..." ("Description: The Dominant Impression")
• Annual Report, 1976-77, see "Talks, Workshops, and Other Professional Activities..." ("Teach Writing as Process...")
• Annual Report, 1977-78, see p. 3, there are two reprints.
• Annual Report, 1978-79, 1-2 reprints listed here
• Annual Report, 1979/80, four reprints listed here

c. Movement from regional to national reputation w/consulting on writing and pedagogy

• See Annual Report May 18, 1973, first trips to CA, TX, CO in spring 1973.
• See Annual Report for Semester II, 1977-78, Luncheon Address for Conference on English Education, March 1978.

d. Invitations

• Book Review invite, CCC and English Journal, 1973 (See Annual Report May 18, 1973)
• "Why Teach Writing--and How" an invited lead article in a special issue on writing, English Journal, Dec 1973
• Sharon Crowley invite, Arizona English Bulletin.
• The University of Buffalo invited twelve "authorities" in the English speaking world to investigate areas in the writing process and point out the direction research should take in the years ahead... Conference on Research and Composing (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 3-4).
• The paper at Buffalo led to an invitation to participate in a seminar at Rutgers University... (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 4).
• Invitation to participate in seminar at CCCC led by Richard Lloyd-Jones on "theoretical problems in rhetoric" (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 4).
• Invitation to participate in seminar at the Secondary School English Conference of NCTE in Boston (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 4).
• I am a reader of scholarly papers for ERIC and The Conference on English Education (Annual Report, 1973-74) Also here. Also a mention of ERIC in document called Chronological Account of Activities During the Academic Year 1975-76, in with 1975-76 Annual Reports.
• Invited paper by the Commission on Composition given at the annual convention of the NCTE in NYC (1977-78 Annual Report, p. 2).
• Two workshops on conference teaching and two workshops on teaching revision, sponsored by the NCTE, for 150 teachers from across the country at Cleveland, Ohio (1977-78 Annual Report, p. 2)
• Guest Lecturer at BU at the Institute on Current Issues in Reading and Language (see Sabbatical Report, in with 1977-78 Annual Report)
• Guest Lecturer for Bay Area Writing Project (see Sabbatical Report, in with 1977-78 Annual Report)
• On the faculty for an NEH Grant at UVM (1976/77?) (see Sabbatical Report, in with 1977-78 Annual Report)
• To edit a "department or column" in the English Journal (See Annual Report, 1978/79).
• Invited article by CCC (Annual Report, 1978/79)
• Invited chapter in book Teaching Composition: Theory into Practice (NCTE), Annual Report 1978/79.
• Invited chapter, "The Feel of Writing" in Aviva Freedman and Ian Pringle collection for Canadian Council of Teachers of English (Annual Report 1979/80)
• "Out of Silence, A Voice," Lead chapter in English in the '80s (published by National Education Association) (Annual Report 1979/80)
• Invited Paper at CCCC, 1980 (Annual Report 1979/80)

e. National Service Invitations

• Invitation to become editor of CCC (1972)

f. Self-Recognition

See Memo to Allan Spitz in clipped 1975-76 of Annual Reports for Murray's own recognition of his increased visibility and stature. 

g. Publishers

Paid consultant to St. Martin's Press (see materials with Annual Report, 1976-77).

Paid Consultant to Ford Foundation (see materials with Annual Report, 1976-77).
Reviewer for Harper and Row and Longman (see Annual Report, 1979/80)

h. UNH Colleagues Recognize His National Reputation

Don continues to be extremely active professionally and his national reputation for his work on the teaching of writing is growing rapidly. (See Annual Report, 1977-78 and note in the back Confidential letter from chairman about Don's performance)

i. Work being included in "primary bibliographical listing in the field"

See Sabbatical Report (in with 1977-78 Annual Report) for two articles of Murray's that were included on this list--Newkirk says that Murray is referring to
Reader for ERIC (see Annual Report, 1979/80)

10. Developing as a teacher of teachers

Leadership:

I have also been able to develop as a teacher of teachers, so that I can serve as Chairman of the Freshman English staff and as a staff member and the teacher of a key seminar in our new EPDA program in the training of junior college teachers. (Annual Report, May 23, 1972)

See this letter to Jean Kennard. 1979, sketching out plans for various courses (chairperson).

Instruction:

ENGL 817: Seminar in the Teaching of Writing: taught for the first time (See Annual Report May 18, 1973); spring terms, 1972/73, also fall 1973, summer 1975, fall 75

The new course I am teaching this year in the teaching of writing, which will help train teachers for the state public schools, elementary through college, has come out of the work I am publishing in this area. (Letter to David Ellis, 10/9/72)

See ENGL 501 experiment, "I am learning significant things from this experiment which I will pass on to my students in the teaching of writing..." (Annual Report, 1973-74)

Summer (1975) taught huge section of 817. "The seminar attracted 41 teachers from New Hampshire, southern Maine, and northeastern MA, as well as other parts of the country. It demonstrated the fact that there are many English teachers who would like in-service professional training during the summer.

Semester II, 1979/80, Murray taught a section of 817. Of this class he writes, "A fascinating mix of students: the head of the Somersworth High School English Department, a student from our doctoral program, another from our graduate writing program and four teachers on sabbatical including a professor from Australia who came here to take the seminar. (Annual Report 1979/80).

Brochure for Summer 1975 course ENGL 817: Seminar on Teaching Writing at UNH.

11. Growth and Expansion of ENGL 501

Another ENGL 501 experiment (Annual Report, 1973-74)

ENGL 501, a "radically different method" (this doc)

Chairman, English 501 (eight to nine sections usually taught)

See this document for early thinking about ENGL 501 and a kind of ENGL 501 proposal (1965)

See folder on ENGL 501 in OneDrive.

See note in Annual Report, 1974-75, p. 1-2.

....to the 501 staff (which I am to direct this next year) during its orientation (Sabbatical Letter, p. 4, see Annual Report, 1977-78).

Under "Administrative Responsibilities" Murray indicates that he is the chairperson of ENGL 501: Introduction to Prose, 34 sections (16 spring, 16 fall) and a bit more about the scope of his work (Annual Report 1978/79)

Revised Guidelines for ENGL 501.

This folder of materials.

12. Collaboration with Donald Graves

...and ran a special day-long workshop with Dr. Donald Graves of the Education Department for the New Hampshire Association of Teachers of English (Annual Report, 1973-74)

Two of the most stimulating activities I have participated in this year are a regular luncheon meeting with Professors Graves and Ackerman of the Education Department, where we discuss problems in children's language (Annual Report, 1973-74)

During this years I have also carried on an extensive research program with Professor Donald Graves of the Education Department... (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 4).

To get a sense of the developing collaboration between Murray and Graves, see "Talks, Workshops, and Other Professional Activities..." (in with Annual Report, 1976-77)--all their work together is tagged.

Panelist with Graves and Calkins at IRA (Hartford, CT)--see Sabbatical Report for Semester II, in with 1977-78 Annual Report)

See note about Graves (Sabbatical Letter, p. 4, see Annual Report, 1977-78).

Letter to Graves (1977) about Writing Process Lab

13. Writing Process Lab (and Ford Foundation)

• See items, here.
• First mention, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 4).
• Held a series of meetings with Don Graves and Jerry Pine to develop plans for a center for the study of the writing process (more, see 1975-76 Annual Report, p. 6)
• Writing Process Laboratory: "This group meets every two weeks to present papers exploring the writing process" (Annual Report, 1977-78, p. 1)

14. WAC Specialist (at UNH and abroad) -- only started tracking this in Annual Report 1978/79

See Annual Report 1974-75 for letter "Dear Bob" for mentions of WAC work with History and Forestry.

In his Annual Report 1978/79, Murray lists the following:

WAC at UNH: five gigs, Whittemore School (2), Institute of Natural and Environmental Resources, Home Economics Dept., School of Health Studies

WAC away from UNH: numerous gigs across the country during 1978/79 could have been WAC

Letter on WAC work in B-School at UNH from 1975.

Letter on WAC work with History prof at UNH from 1972.