RG XVIII: Daedalus, “Twentieth-Century Classics Revisited” (Vol. 103, No. 1, Winter 1974)
Historical Note
Daedalus is the quarterly journal published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Winter 1974 volume of Daedalus, “Twentieth-Century Classics Revisited” (Vol. 103, No. 1), examines books deemed classic by the various authors in the issue. In his preface, Editor Stephen R. Graubard acknowledges the seemingly impossible task in the twentieth century of designating a single, relatively small group of books as “classics” amidst the age of growing academic and professional specialization.
Efforts to organize the issue began in 1973. Unlike many other volumes of Daedalus, this issue was not preceded by a conference. The development of this issue instead took place through letters and memos between Graubard and many academics, some of whom decided to write while others declined but suggested Graubard recruit others who then contributed to the issue. After classics were selected by the authors, with the input of Graubard, the manuscripts were edited by Manuscripts Editor Joan S. Carberg (who contributed an essay to the issue as well). This issue was not referenced in the 1973 or 1974 Reports of the Editor published in the Academy’s annual Records of the Academy.
Funding for this issue was provided by the Ford Foundation.
Scope and Content
The series is contained within the Academy Archives’ Record Group XVIII: Academy Publications – Daedalus. This series contains administrative and author records, both related to the Daedalus issue “Twentieth-Century Classics Revisited”. These records were maintained by the office of Graubard and collected in 1973. Administrative planning and author records both include typed and handwritten correspondence, airmail, telegrams, memos between editorial staff, and typed drafts.
Administrative planning records largely concern the timelines of various authors and potential contents of the issue, with some publications from outside the Academy. Author records also include handwritten drafts and have some correspondence with Graubard that is unrelated to this issue of Daedalus. Some author records were made for authors who began but did not finish writing for this issue (see Bell, Black, and Cohen). Other folders in this collection contain personally identifiable information and are subject to review.
Arrangement
Processing for this series utilized “More Product, Less Process” (MPLP) principles: thus, minimal preservation steps were taken, and folder titles listed in the finding aid appeared as written on the original folders. Where lacking, dates have been ascribed in brackets.
The series is arranged into 2 subseries: Subseries 1: Planning Records, 1972-1973 and Subseries 2: Author Records, 1973. The arrangement of the first subseries is generally chronological and kept in original order. The author files in the second subseries have been alphabetized by author last name.
Subseries 1: Planning Records, 1972-1973
Arrangement: Original order, generally chronological
Box 1
| Folder 1 | PENDING Classics Revisited [1973] |
| Folder 2 | CLASSICS REVISITED WINTER 1974 ISSUE INVITATION LETTERS [Folder 1 of 2] [1973] |
| Folder 3 | CLASSICS REVISITED WINTER 1974 ISSUE INVITATION LETTERS [Folder 2 of 2] [1973] |
| Folder 4 | [INVITATIONS: DECLINED Classics Revisited] [1973] |
| Folder 5 | REFUSALS [Preface] Classics Revisited [1973] |
| Folder 6 | GENERAL Classics Revisited [Folder 1 of 3] [1972-1973] |
| Folder 7 | GENERAL Classics Revisited [Folder 2 of 3] [1973] |
| Folder 8 | GENERAL Classics Revisited [Folder 3 of 3] [1973] |