Call Number:

Ms. Coll. 1387

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

1.5 linear feet (2 boxes)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Walter Woodburn Hyde papers, 1910-1946, Ms. Coll. 1387, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

1910-1946 (inclusive)

Creator:

Hyde, Walter Woodburn

Form:

Drafts (documents), Writings (documents), Lectures, and Lecture notes

Abstract:

Walter Woodburn Hyde (1870-1966) was a professor of Greek and ancient history at the University of Pennsylvania from 1910 to 1940. This collection contains lectures and writings, largely from Hyde's time at the University of Pennsylvania, all related to his professional work and interests in Greek and Roman history and religion, and Olympic victor statues.

Walter Woodburn Hyde was born on May 4, 1870, in Ithaca, New York, to Orange Percy and Eloise Flower Davies Hyde. His sister, Florence Elise Hyde, was an author. In 1893, he earned his bachelor's degree from Cornell University, where he studied ancient history. He began his career as a Latin and history teacher at Westerly High School (probably in Westerly, Rhode Island) and Northampton High School in Northampton, Massachusetts. At Northampton, Hyde was appointed Vice Principal. Following a teaching stint at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and the American School of Classical Studies in Rome, Hyde continued his own education at the Universities of Geneva, Göttingen, and Halle, earning his doctoral degree from Halle with a 1902 dissertation entitled "De Olympionicarum Statuis a Pausania Commemoratis."

Hyde returned to the United States and continued teaching; first at the Latin Friends School in Baltimore (teaching Latin), then at the University of Tennessee as professor of Latin from 1908 to 1909, then at Cornell University as an instructor in Greek from 1909 to 1910, and finally at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught Greek and Ancient History from 1910 until his retirement in 1940. In 1948, he was awarded Litt. D. (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Throughout his career, he published more than 14 books and 160 articles on the topics of Greek archaeology, philology, literature, religion, geography, and law. A particular interest focused on Olympic victor statues.

Hyde married Mary Drever in 1955. He died in Philadelphia on February 15, 1966.

This collection contains lectures and writings, largely from Hyde's time at the University of Pennsylvania, from 1910 to 1940, all related to his professional interests in ancient history. The collection is arranged in two series: I. Lectures and II. Writings.

The lectures series is further divided into three subseries, Undergraduate lectures, Graduate lectures, and "Miscellaneous Lectures." Topics of lectures focus on Greek and Roman history and religion, with entire series of lectures relating to the Roman Dominate, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. In addition, there is a series of lectures on Topography and Monuments of Olympia, which was the topic of Hyde's own dissertation. For the most part, these lectures are undated. Where dates have been applied to folders, in many cases, the dates on the cover sheet were crossed off. The crossed off dates on the cover sheets may indicate that these lectures were used throughout the course of Hyde's career at the University of Pennsylvania; and the slips of papers which were attached to the original via straight pins may add credence to the theory. These slips of papers seem to include additions, corrections, and interesting background research that may have been collected over the years. The "Miscellaneous Lectures" were grouped together and titled by Hyde himself. He included a table of contents and topics of these lectures focus on high school curriculum, sports, Olympic victor statues, student life, the origin of liberties, Islam and its founder, travel observations, and ancient history and archaeology. Some of these "lectures" do not necessarily seem to be lectures, but instead were published and/or printed writings. It is possible that some of the true lectures were given outside of the classroom.

Series II. Writings includes Hyde's bibliography of published works and several seemingly unpublished writings by Hyde. It is unclear if any of the works included were completed; but the one entitled "Curious Lands and Peoples of Greek Historiographers" was clearly in draft form. Almost all of the writings have uncertain pagination--there are multiple sets of pages that are not in order. Researchers should be aware that processors did not change the order that was maintained by Hyde.

Researchers interested in the University of Pennsylvania's teaching of ancient history; lecture styles and methodology of teaching during the first half of the 20th century; and Greek and Roman history, more generally, may find this collection to be valuable.