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This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | About 6000 items (9.5 linear feet) |
| Abstract | Poet Ronald H. Bayes (1932- ), resident of Laurinburg, N.C., began teaching creative writing at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in 1968. Bayes founded the St. Andrews Review and the St. Andrews Press, a magazine and small press dedicated to publishing both established and emerging writers, primarily poets, and created the St. Andrews Writers Forum. He published more than 16 poetry books and wrote reviews, poems, short stories, and a few plays. The collection contains correspondence, writings, and other materials, chiefly documenting Bayes's career as writer, editor, and college teacher. Cochran family correspondence includes letters exchanged by Cochran and Nessly family members, some in Oregon, chiefly about family news. There are also letters, mostly 1969-1972, from poets, Bayes's former students, editors, publishers, professors, friends, and politicians. Several of the letters have poems attached or included in the text. Correspondents include Carolyn Kizer, Dick Bakken, James Laughlin, Sam Ragan, Jo Slatton, Bill Butler, and Fred Parrott. Writings by Bayes, 1948-1999, are poetry chapbook manuscripts, single poems, book reviews, and a few plays and short stories. There are also writings edited by Bayes and writings by others, including poems submitted to Bayes for publication, a play by Romulus Linney, and short stories by Bill Butler. Collected publications include published anthologies and journals, most with contributions from Bayes; a few books, including several relating to Erza Pound; and a few newsletters. Also included are materials relating to the St. Andrews Review, the St. Andrews Press, the St. Andrews Writers Forum, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, and other topics; printed promotional materials, most relating to Bayes's career; clippings, some containing Bayes's writings; photographs; and audio and video recordings of Bayes at various speaking engagements. |
| Creator | Bayes, Ronald H., 1932- . |
| Curatorial Unit | Southern Historical Collection |
| Language | English. |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Biographical Information
Poet Ronald Bayes was born in Freewater, Ore., on 19 July 1932 to Floyd Edgar Bayes and Mildred Florence Bayes, but was raised by his maternal grandparents, Homer and Florence Cochran. He attended Eastern Oregon State College (E.O.S.C.) where he received his B.S. in English and Education in 1955. During the next year, Bayes taught at E.O.S.C. as an assistant professor of English while completing his master's degree. From 1956 to 1958, Bayes served in the United States Army Infantry and was stationed in Iceland. After being discharged, Bayes returned to teaching as a lecturer for the University of Maryland's overseas program in Japan. From 1959 to 1960, Bayes was enrolled in the Ph.D. program at the University of Pennsylvania as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow. Leaving the American literature program with all but his dissertation completed, Bayes returned to E.O.S.C. as an associate professor of English and taught there until 1968. During the 1966-1967 academic year, Bayes again taught in Japan for the University of Maryland. In 1968, Bayes accepted the position of writer-in-residence at St. Andrews Presbyterian College and moved to Laurinburg, N.C.
While at St. Andrews, Bayes founded and became executive editor of the St. Andrews Review and the St. Andrews Press, the former a literary magazine and the latter a small press dedicated to publishing both established and emerging writers, primarily poets. Bayes also established the St. Andrews Writers Forum, a weekly event that brought outside writers and poets to the college for readings and symposia. Bayes published more than 16 books of poetry, as well as writing reviews, plays, and short stories.
Throughout his career, Bayes was active both politically and socially. From 1967 to 1968, he was the chair of the GOP Central Committee for Union County, Ore., and again chair in Scotland County, N.C., from 1980 to 1981.
In 1982, the Universita Delle Arti in Termi, Italy, awarded Bayes the honorary degree of Litt.D.M. Other honors include a term as consultant in literature for the National Council for the Arts, 1969-1971; a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize, 1986; recognition as a master poet from the Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1988; the North Carolina Award for Literature, 1989; induction as a life member in the North Carolina Poetry Society, 1990; membership in the Oregon Poetry Society, 1990; and a certificate of honor from the North Carolina Poetry Council, 1994.
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Scope and Content
Correspondence, writings, and other materials, chiefly documenting Laurinburg, N.C., poet Ronald H. Bayes's career as writer, editor, and college teacher. Cochran family correspondence includes letters exchanged by Cochran and Nessly family members, some in Oregon, chiefly about family news. There are also letters, mostly 1969-1972, from poets, Bayes's former students, editors, publishers, professors, friends, and politicians. Several of the letters have poems attached or included in the text. Correspondents include Carolyn Kizer, Dick Bakken, James Laughlin, Sam Ragan, Jo Slatton, Bill Butler, and Fred Parrott. Writings by Bayes, 1948-1999, are poetry chapbook manuscripts, single poems, book reviews, and a few plays and short stories. There are also writings edited by Bayes and writings by others, including poems submitted to Bayes for publication, a play by Romulus Linney, and short stories by Bill Butler. Collected publications include published anthologies and journals, most with contributions from Bayes; a few books, including several relating to Erza Pound; and a few newsletters. Also included are materials relating to the St. Andrews Review, the St. Andrews Press, the St. Andrews Writers Forum, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, and other topics; printed promotional materials, most relating to Bayes's career; clippings, some containing Bayes's writings; photographs; and audio and video recordings of Bayes at various speaking engagements.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Correspondence, 1909-1999.
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Subseries 1.1. Cochran Family, 1909-1996.
Arrangement: chronological.
Ron Bayes was raised by his material grandparents, Homer and Florence Nessly Cochran. Most of the early Cochran family correspondence is between Florence Nessly Cochran and Nessly family members about family news. Letters from the 1940s are mostly from Bayes's uncle, Thomas Homer "Bud" Cochran, to his parents and Bayes regarding his service during World War II. Later letters are mostly between Ron and his "Mom," Florence Cochran. A few letters are from Bayes's uncle Bud and his wife Jean Cochran; his younger sister, Lorraine Bayes; and his niece Harriet. There are a few letters from Edith to her sister, Florence Cochran.
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Subseries 1.2. General Correspondence, 1948-1999.
Arrangement: chronological.
Letters, mostly 1969-1972, from poets, former students, editors, publishers, professors, friends, and politicians. Several of the letters have poems attached or included in the text. Correspondents include Carolyn Kizer, Dick Bakken, Ethel Fortiner, D. V. Smith, James Laughlin, Sam Ragan, Jo Slatton, Bill Butler, and Fred Parrott.
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2. Writings, 1968-1999.
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Subseries 2.1. Writings by Bayes, 1948-1999.
Mostly manuscripts of Bayes's poetry chapbooks, including The Casketmaker, Mt. Emily, History of the Turtle, and Porpoise. Also included are several single poems, some with multiple drafts; book reviews; and a few plays and short stories.
See also Series 6.
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Subseries 2.2. Writings Edited by Bayes, 1967-1971.
Working manuscripts, mostly of the poetry section of The Human Voice for which Bayes was poetry editor, 1970-1971. Also included is a working manuscript for Subterraneans, a Japanese poetry anthology, which lists Bayes as a contributing editor.
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Subseries 2.3. Writings by Others, 1968-1997.
Arrangement: chiefly by author name.
Poetry others submitted to Bayes for publication, with some personal poetry from friends. There are some larger works, including a play by Romulus Linney and short stories by Bill Butler. Also included are reviews of Bayes's books by others, reviews of works by other poets, and a few translated poems.
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Series 3. Collected Publications, 1964-1999.
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Subseries 3.1. Anthologies and Journals, 1964-1994.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Published anthologies and journals, most including contributions from Bayes. A few are anthologies sent to Bayes by former students.
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Subseries 3.2. Books, 1971-1998.
Chapbooks of others, including a pamphlet about the cantos of Erza Pound; two books by Mary de Rachewiltz, Pound's daughter; and an autographed first edition of Red Ghost by Joel Chace, recipient of the first Persephone Press book award.
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Subseries 3.3. Newsletters, 1970-1999.
Newsletters, mostly from St. Andrews with some professional newsletters and journals. Several have highlighted or underlined articles about Bayes, upcoming events, or persons known to Bayes.
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Series 4. Subject Files, 1968-1998.
Files relating to William Thrasher, who established the Theater Experiment Lab; local Republican Party political activities, 1984; the establishment of the St. Andrews Review; promotional materials for the St. Andrews Writers Forum; organizational materials for St. Andrews Presbyterian College; St. Andrews English Department materials about Bayes's efforts to confer an honorary degree on Erza Pound; the Discovery Grant Program, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, for which Bayes served as regional consultant on the South; and other topics.
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Series 5. Printed Material, 1964-1998.
Printed promotional materials, mostly relating to Bayes's publications and engagements. There are also announcements of others' publishing and engagements and some material from St. Andrews Presbyterian College regarding events connected with Bayes.
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Series 6. Newspaper Clippings, 1953-1998.
Arrangement: chronological.
Clippings about Bayes and articles written by Bayes. Most have been underlined or highlighted, and some have brief handwritten notes explaining why the article was saved.
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Series 7. Photographs, 1964-1998.
Arrangement: chronological.
Pictures sent to Bayes from friends, with a few early photographs of Bayes.
| Image Folder PF-4949/1 |
1954-1971 #04949, Series: "7. Photographs, 1964-1998." PF-4949/1 |
| Image Folder PF-4949/2 |
1982-1998 #04949, Series: "7. Photographs, 1964-1998." PF-4949/2 |
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Series 8. Audiovisul Materials, 1965-2002 and undates.
Audio and video recordings consist mostly of speaking engagements by or featuring Bayes.
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Items Separated
Items separated include oversize papers (OPF-4949/1), audiocassettes (C-4949/1-4), audiotapes (T-4949/1-10), videotapes (VT-4949/1-13), and pictures (PF-4949/1-2).
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