l’Athénée Louisianais records, 1834-1987 | Louisiana Research Collection

By Jazmin Smith

Printer-friendly |

Collection Overview

Title: l’Athénée Louisianais records, 1834-1987

Predominant Dates:1870-1885

ID: LaRC/Manuscripts Collection 108

Primary Creator: Athénée louisianais (New Orleans, La.)

Extent: 3.0 Boxes. More info below.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged by topic as follows: early organizational history, correspondence, manuscripts, literary contests, and manuscripts and printed material.

The collection consists of 3 boxes. It is 1.5 linear feet.

Subjects: Athénée louisianais (New Orleans, La.), Clubs -- Louisiana -- New Orleans., French language -- Louisiana., French language -- United States -- History., French literature -- United States., New Orleans (La.) -- Intellectual life., New Orleans (La.) -- Social life and customs.

Forms of Material: Broadsides., Circulars (fliers), Clippings (information artifacts), Correspondence., Invitations., Manuscripts for publication., Membership lists., Minutes., Souvenir programs.

Languages: English, French

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection consists of the early papers of the l’Athénée Louisianais, an organization established in New Orleans in 1876 devoted to perpetuating the French language and scholarly French literature in Louisiana. The society held meetings several times a month, the minutes of which were published in the Comptes-Rendus de l’Athénée Louisianais, its journal, usually in addition to transcriptions of the notable lectures given at the meetings. It sponsored a yearly literary contest; the winning essay was published in the journal. The society also encouraged the support of foreign members, many of whose letters and essays appeared in the journal and were read at meetings. All of these categories of papers are represented in the present collection, both published and unpublished essays, stories, and poems. There are also some pieces dealing with internal matters, such as the series of letters, in 1880-81 dealing with the resignation of the president, Armand Mercier, over a dispute with the editorial committee concerning the publication of one of his speeches.

Biographical Note

The Athénée Louisianais was an organization established in New Orleans in 1876, devoted to perpetuating the French language and scholarly French literature in Louisiana. It had the following goals: 1) To perpetuate the French language in Louisiana; 2) To concern itself with literary, artistic and scientific works, and to protect them; and 3) to organize itself as an Association of Mutual Assistance. Among the founding members were the first president, Dr. Armand Mercier, Dr. Alfred Mercier, Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard, Dr. Charles Turpin, Olivier Carrière, Léon Queyrouse, Dr. Just Touatre, Judge Arthur Saucier, Dr. J. G. Hava, August Jas, and Paul Fourchy. The organization held meetings several times a month, the minutes of which were published in the journal, Comptes-rendus de l'Athénée louisianais, usually in addition to transcriptions of the notable lectures given at the meetings. It sponsored a yearly literary contest; the winning essay was published in the journal. The society also encouraged the support of foreign members, many of whose letters and essays appeared in the journal and were read at meetings.

Subject/Index Terms

Athénée louisianais (New Orleans, La.)
Clubs -- Louisiana -- New Orleans.
French language -- Louisiana.
French language -- United States -- History.
French literature -- United States.
New Orleans (La.) -- Intellectual life.
New Orleans (La.) -- Social life and customs.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Alternate Extent Statement: 1.5 linear feet

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Preferred Citation: l’Athénée Louisianais records, Manuscripts Collection 108, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Processing Information: Collection originally processed in 1978. First created in Archon on 5/3/2010. Updated with creator and subject headings on 7/27/2010.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid information entered in Archon by LAC Group in 2011. Revised by LAC Group 4/21/11.

Other Note: OCLC Number: 637032150

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Early organizational history, correspondence, manuscripts],
[Box 2: Literary contest],
[Box 3: Manuscripts and printed material],
[All]

Box 1: Early organizational history, correspondence, manuscripts

Folder 1: Membership list, 1885: A list of early members of the society and a circular advertising for subscriptions to the Compte-Rendus, 1885.
Folder 2: Projects pertaining to the University of Louisiana and the Athénée
Folder 3: Correspondence, 1876-1907: Included are the letters pertaining to the resignation of Armand Mercier, 1880-1881. Of interest are a letter from Joseph Jones to General Beauregard concerning Dr. Augustus de Plongeon, an explorer, 1884, and a long letter from a young woman who signs herself as Margoton du Cypre Mort and calls herself uneducated, 1882.
Folder 4: Letter from Pierre Latour, 1834: Latour, of Plaquemines Parish, to the unnamed author of a recent history of the state, complaining that the use of verses of Casimir Delavigne, French poet, were inappropriate for a Louisiana history, and giving some suggestions for improvement. Fragile.
Folder 5: Two letters to J.G. Hava from Charles Bacarisse and an issue of "Le Grande Stenographe", 1880
Folder 6: Scientific manuscripts: Including essays on Dyspepsia, the Hydrology of the Mississippi River, the Philosophy of Solar Heat, Alimentary Substances, the Telephone, Tasmanian Insectivorous Plants, etc.
Folder 7: T. Guyot letter on the barometer, 1877
Folder 8: General papers submitted to the Athénée Louisianais: Included are the English version of J.C. Delavigne's review of George Cable's writing, an essay on the danger of intermarriage, the discourse of a hanged man.
Folder 9: Henri Dubos
Folder 10: Professor E.J. Edmunds
Folder 11: Guy deMoraut manuscript

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Early organizational history, correspondence, manuscripts],
[Box 2: Literary contest],
[Box 3: Manuscripts and printed material],
[All]

Tulane University Special Collections