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Guide to the Records of The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter, 1965-2001

Arrangement

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Records of The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter
Creator
The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter
Collection Number
MSS#352
Extent
4.5 cubic feet (4 boxes and 2 shelf volumes)
Date
1965-2001
Abstract
The National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL), Pittsburgh Chapter, is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to creating opportunities for young artists in art, dance, drama, literature, and music. Mrs. Leroy L. Lewis and Mrs. John S. Tennant, II founded the NSAL, Pittsburgh chapter in January 1966. This collection contains three series, delineated for Competition Material, Minutes, and Topical. The Competition Material series include material pertaining to competitions held in art, dance, drama, literature and music. The Minutes series includes information pertaining to the minutes recorded at their meetings. The Topical series include material that concerns the local Pittsburgh Chapter on a local and national level.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
This guide to the collection was originally prepared by Robert O. Stakeley on February 14, 2002. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in Winter, 2001-2002.
Sponsor
This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

History of The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter

The National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL), Pittsburgh Chapter, is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to creating opportunities for young artists. Mrs. Leroy L. Lewis and Mrs. John S. Tennant, II founded the NSAL, Pittsburgh chapter in January 1966. The chapter comprises of a President and underlying officers, advisors, committee chairmen, and members. The Pittsburgh chapter and all other chapters adopt and follow the purpose, philosophies, aims and objectives set forth by the NSAL. The firsts of the Pittsburgh chapter are as follows: the first President was Mrs. Leroy L. Lewis; Vice-President, Mrs. H. Parker Sharp; Recording Secretary, Mrs. Richard S. Giese; Treasure, Mrs. Robert W. Holman; and Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Robert J. Thomas. The NSAL Pittsburgh chapter website can be viewed via the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine here: https://web-beta.archive.org/web/20110915000000*/http://www.artsnet.org:80/nsal/index.html.

Mollie Davis Nicholson and Francesca Falk Miller founded the NSAL in 1944. As of 2002, it has over 27 chapters and over 1450 members throughout the United States. Initiated in Washington D.C., it remains the location for their National Headquarters. The members are men and women who are engaged professionally in the arts, or who actively support the work of young artists between the ages of 14 and 30. The purpose of the NSAL is "to create and assist talented young people, and create opportunities for artistic endeavor." The aims and objectives of the NSAL are as follows: "To encourage and assist young artists. To give scholarships and awards to non-members after competition in any of the creative arts. To create opportunities for artistic endeavor and expression. To conduct or assist non-competitive exhibition in art, dance, drama, literature, and music. To encourage higher standards of professional ethics in the arts. To promote a greater public awareness in the creative arts."

To achieve these goals, annual competitions are conducted at both the chapter and national levels. NSAL holds the annual competition, the National Career Awards Competition, in one of the following disciplines: art, dance, drama, literature, or music. The Chapter Competitions may be held in different artistic categories including the one specified for the National Competition for that year. However, only the first place winners from the Chapter Competitions in this category advance to the National Competition. The awards rotate every five years among the categories. Various sub-categories exist within each one of these categories. The National Career Awards Competition is a featured part of the National Convention held each year. The NSAL National website is www.arts-nsal.org. The website allows one to view past and present officers and Presidents. It also allows one to view the list of the past competition award winners. The site also permits correspondence with the national headquarters and supplies links to the chapters as well.

Scope and Content Notes

The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter Records include articles, by-laws, correspondences, financial material, newspaper clippings, programs, scrapbooks and other material. The records deal with the day-to-day activities as well as with the annual competitions from the chapters' formation up until 2001.

Arrangement

The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter Records are arranged in three series. Series have been designated for Competition Material, Minutes, and Topical.

The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter Records, are housed in four archival boxes and contain two shelf volumes. Each series is arranged alphabetically and/or chronologically by folder title.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These items came in one accession on February 27, 2001.

Acc# 2001.0050 Gift of The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter and Carole K. Kamin, President of the Pittsburgh Chapter.

Preferred Citation

Records of The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter, 1965-2001, MSS# 352, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Robert O. Stakeley on February 14, 2002.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Robert O. Stakeley on June 25, 2002.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • The National Society of Arts and Letters, Pittsburgh Chapter

    Personal Names

    • Crosby, Bonnie S.
    • Kamin, Carole K.
    • Kennedy, Nina
    • Lewis, Mrs. Leroy L.
    • Miller, Francesca Falk
    • Nicholson, Mollie Davis
    • Tennant, Mrs. John S.

    Other Subjects

    • Art -- Pennsylvania -- Pitttsburgh
    • Art -- Competitions -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Artists -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Arts -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Arts -- Competitions -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Arts and Youth -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Associations -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Charitable societies -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Dancing -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Drama -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Literature -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Music -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Music -- Performance -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Societies -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Voluntarism -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh

Container List