Guide to the Harcourt Brown papers, circa 1935-2009

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2024

Collection Overview

Title:	Harcourt Brown papers
Date range:	circa 1935-2009
Creator:	Brown, Harcourt
Extent:	1.25 Linear Feet 3 document boxes
Abstract:	The Harcourt Brown papers contain correspondence, course materials, and office files dated from circa 1937 to 2009. Some of the correspondence is related to the periodical Annals of Science, edited by Professor Brown.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	OF.1UF.B4

Scope & content

The Harcourt Brown papers contain correspondence, course materials, and office files dated from circa 1937 to 2009. Series I, Brown files, includes course materials and information regarding students, especially graduate students, in the Department of French and the Department of Romance Languages at Brown University. Series II is comprised of correspondence. The third series, Annals of Science, contains correspondence, arranged alphabetically. Brown was the Associate Editor of Annals of Science from 1935 to 1974. Series IV, French plays, contains materials regarding the plays and includes student papers.

Access Points

Subject Organizations

• Brown University--Faculty

Subject Topics

• French language -- Study and teaching
• Science -- History -- Periodicals

Document Types

• Office files
• Letters (Correspondence)

Arrangement

The Harcourt Brown papers have been orgainzed into the following series:

Series I. Brown files Series II. Correspondence Series III. Annals of Science Series IV. French Plays

Biographical note

Harcourt Brown (1900-1990), a professor of French at Brown University, was born in Toronto, Canada, on May 30, 1900. He received his B.A. degree in modern languages in 1925 and his M.A. degree in French in 1926, both from the University of Toronto. He taught at Queen's College in Kingston, Ontario, and at Brooklyn College and the University of Rochester in the United States before earning his Ph.D. degree at Columbia in 1934. He taught at Washington University from 1935 until 1937, when he came to Brown as a professor of French language and literature. He became interested in the history of science, and his first book, written while he was at Columbia, was Scientific Organizations in Seventeen-century France (1620-1680). He became a member of the History of Science Society in 1934, and was its president in 1952. In 1938 he was awarded the Prix Moulin of the Academie des Sciences, Arts et Belles Lettres of Caen for his paper on French physician André Graindorge. He was one of the founders of the Annals of Science, and served as associate editor from 1935 to 1974. A collection of his papers, Science and Human Comedy: Natural Philosophy in French Literature from Rabelais to Maupertuis. was published in 1976. After retiring from teaching in 1969, he returned to Canada. Brown died on November 17, 1990 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Researchers are advised that express written permission to reproduce, quote, or otherwise publish any portion or extract from this collection must be obtained from the Brown University Library. Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it may not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Harcourt Brown papers, OF-1UF-B4, Brown University Archives.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Brown University Library staff
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-12-20.
Descriptive rules:	Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Sponsor:	Processing funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Additional Information

Inventory

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