Lyle Welser Dance Class Papers
Collection Scope and Contents
The Lyle Welser Dance Class papers contain materials believed to have been created by Ted Shawn who was a professor at the International YMCA Training School (now Springfield College) from 1932 to 1933. The collection contains a couple of newspaper articles on Ted Shawn and Dance. The newspaper articles are not dated, and one appears to have been published later, after Ted Shawn taught at Springfield College. In addition, there is a copy of the Ted Shawn Repertory Theatre program from the famous series of performances conducted by Ted Shawn and his dancers, some of which were from Springfield College, in Boston during the week of March 20, 1933. This is signed by Ted Shawn. Lyle Welser was one of 7 Springfield College students who danced at these performances, participating with other students on the Tuesday Evening Performance, performing “Osage-Pawnee Dance of Greeting” and “Calvary.” The bulk of the collection, though, are materials, including handwritten notes, the syllabus, and sheet music/dance directions, for what is believed to be one of the classes that Ted Shawn taught at Springfield College in the 1932-1933 school year.
Dates
- Creation: 1930-1960
Creator
- Wesler, Lyle, 1905-1991 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted
Conditions Governing Use
Rights status not fully evaluated.
Read our full copyright statement.
Biographical Note
Lyle Welser was born on July 31, 1905 in Kane, Pennsylvania. He spent most of his life advancing the sport of gymnastics on every level. Lyle invented an automatic electrical timer for use in track races known as the Welser Sports Timer. Lyle suffered from Parkinson’s disease and passed away from pneumonia at the age of 86 on August 27th, 1991.
Lyle Welser graduated from Springfield College in 1933. While there, he was a co-captain of the varsity gymnastics team for two years as well as a national tumbling champion and a tutor of gymnastics, specializing in tumbling and apparatus. While there, Lyle took at least one of the classes taught by Ted Shawn and was one of the seven Springfield College students who performed at the Repertory Theatre in Boston performances held during the week of March 20, 1933, which were some of the first performances where Shawn presented His Men Dancers. Welser participated in the Tuesday Evening Performance, performing “Osage-Pawnee Dance of Greeting” and “Calvary.”
After graduation, he directed a health club at the Bridgeport Connecticut YMCA, teaching gymnastics and paddleball. Lyle founded Georgia Tech University’s gymnastics program and headed it from 1946 to 1970. He organized the South’s first gymnastics exhibition, first gymnastics team, and the country’s first national gymnastics clinic in 1950 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Welser was a member of the United States Olympic Committee and president of the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastic Coaches. He is a member of the Helms Athletic Hall of Fame, Georgia Tech University Hall of Fame, and Springfield College Hall of Fame.
Written and Researched by Shelby Redman, February 11, 2015
Resources used:
The Lyle Welser Student Folder: The United States Patent, no.1,993,949, Welser Sports Timer documentation, and Obituary - undated and unknown newspaper, titled: “Mr. Lyle Welser, 86, gymnastics pioneer, former tech coach”
The 1933 Massasoit Yearbook
Extent
.25 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Metadata Rights Declarations
Abstract
The Lyle Welser Dance Class Papers contain materials believed to have been created for a dance class that Ted Shawn created and taught as a professor at the International YMCA Training School (now Springfield College) during the 1932-1933 school year. Lyle Welser was a student at Springfield College during this period, graduating in 1933, and took this class. Ted Shawn, often regarded as one of the fathers of modern dance, developed his famous Men Dancers troop using Springfield College students, including fellow student Wilbur McCormick (class of 1934). Lyle Welser was one of 7 Springfield College students who danced at the Repertory Theatre in Boston performances held during the week of March 20, 1933. These were some of the first performances where Shawn presented His Men Dancers. A copy of the program signed by Ted Shawn is within the collection. Also in the collection are a couple of newspaper articles on Ted Shawn and, making up the bulk of the collection, materials, including handwritten notes, syllabus, and sheet music/dance directions, from the dance class that Ted Shawn taught at Springfield College in 1932-1933 school year.
Arrangement
Materials were originally placed in a large envelope. There was no original arrangement. Materials were arranged for ease of use by the processor.
History of the Collection
Materials were received in October 1993 by the Babson Library. No note or letter was included in the materials.
Materials on a patent for the Automatic Electric Timing Device were separated from these materials and added to Lyle Welser student file because it was felt that the materials did not correspond to the materials in this collection.
Subject
- Springfield College (Organization)
- Shawn, Ted, 1891-1972 (Person)
- Jacob's Pillow (Organization)
- Title
- Lyle Welser Dance Class Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey Monseau
- Date
- 2016-02
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2022-07: Transferring information from the original Word document to ArchivesSpace.
Repository Details
Part of the Springfield College Archives and Special Collections Repository
Springfield College
Judd Gymnasia
263 Alden Street
Springfield Massachusetts 01109 U.S.A. US
413-748-3309
jmonseau@springfieldcollege.edu