Arlan R. Coolidge (1902-1993), was a violinist, a professor of music, and served as Chairman of the Brown University Department of Music for thirty-one years. Coolidge graduated from Brown University in 1924, Phi Beta Kappa, and went on to study at the Julliard School of Music. In 1934, he married Sylvia Clark. Coolidge was a fellow at the Vienna Institute for Music, former Executive Director of United Arts Rhode Island, served as Chairman of several Governor's Commissions on fine arts, and was involved with the National Council of Arts in Education. He also helped to found the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. A reception parlor in Brown's Orwig Music Building is named in his honor.
The A.R. Collidge files have been organized into two series: I. Educational Survey of the University of Pennsylvania II. Office Files.
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.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
A.R. Coolidge files, OF-1UF-C3, Brown University Archives.
Additional materials related to Arlan R. Coolidge and his tenure at Brown can be found in the Brown University Department of Music records, OF.1ZMU.1, and in the Arlan R. Coolidge papers, Ms.91.19.
The A.R. Coolidge files include correspondence, photographs, clippings and programs, as well as materials gathered by Coolidge in support of his work on the Educational Survey of the University of Pennsyvlania, which was conducted between 1957 and 1959. The files have been orgainzed into two series:
Series I. Educational Survey of the University of Pennsylvania, is dated from circa 1957 to 1959. Coolidge was invited to participate in the University of Pennsylvania's academic review of the School of Fine Arts in 1957. He focused on the Department of Music. The materials gathered in the collection include correspondence with University of Pennsylvania Department staff, surveys, course documentation, and copies of Coolidge's final report.
Series II. Office files consists of limited administrative materials from the 1950s through the 1980s (box 2), as well as correspondence, clippings, photographs and printed ephemera (box 3). The correspondence is arranged alphabetically. These materials are dated from circa 1920 to 1982.