Iowa Women's Archives
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa

DOROTHY BONDURANT (1908-2002)

PAPERS, 1926-1999
3.75 linear feet

Collection Overview

Biography

Music educator Dorothy Bondurant was born September 29, 1908, in Waterloo, Iowa. She graduated from West High School in 1926. Bondurant received a Bachelor of Music degree in organ, piano, and composition at the American Conservatory, Chicago, in 1929. In 1932, she earned an M.A. at the University of Iowa. She taught music methodology at the University of Dubuque from 1930-1932. Bondurant also taught summer sessions at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and at the University of Nevada.

In 1935, Bondurant joined the Waterloo Community Schools as the Elementary Instrumental Music Supervisor. In the 1960s-1970s, she coordinated cultural programs for K-12 students in the Waterloo Schools. After retiring in 1976, Bondurant worked as Arts Coordinator at the Waterloo Recreation and Arts Center.

Bondurant published articles in a variety of state and national journals for music professionals. She also wrote and arranged music for instructing elementary school orchestras and bands. The Willis Music Company published this material in 1957 as Music of America. Bondurant also wrote about how to set up educational dance programs across the United States and worked with the Iowa Arts Council on evaluating Iowa arts programs.

Bondurant was involved in numerous community organizations. She served as president of the Waterloo Woman’s Club, the American Association of University Women, the Friday Study Club, and the B Natural Music Club. She was also active in the LMI Music Club, the Cedar Arts Forum, the Delta Omicron Music Sorority, and the United Way. Bondurant also served on the Friends of the Symphony board, the Goodwill Auxiliary board, the Junior Gallery board, and the board of the First United Methodist Church. She also played in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony for 27 years. When she retired to Friendship Village, Bondurant offered music appreciation classes to the residents. Bondurant passed away in 2002.

Scope and Content Note

The Dorothy Bondurant papers date from 1926 to 1999 and measure 3.75 linear feet. The papers are arranged in eight series: Teaching materials: Waterloo Community Schools; Waterloo Recreation and Arts Center: Biographical; Cultural explorations program; Iowa Arts Council; Photographs; Slides; and Scrapbooks.

The Teaching materials:Waterloo Community Schools series (1943-1983, and undated) includes music education journals, dance programs, directions for making instruments, newspaper clippings concerning cultural programs in the schools, and collections of music.

Newspaper articles, information about the “generation to generation” program, and one pamphlet concerning the Waterloo Recreation and Arts Center are contained in the series Waterloo recreation and arts center (1981-1982; 1998).

The Biographical series contains several informational pamphlets about Friendship Village, the retirement center where Bondurant lived; graduation programs, a descriptive list of Bondurant’s accomplishments and awards, and several newspaper articles about Bondurant; and Bondurant’s diploma from the University of Iowa, along with various certificates of accomplishment and appreciation.

The Cultural explorations program series (1972-1985, scattered) contains newspaper clippings, annual reports, student poems, and thank you letters while programs and meeting presentation notes are contained in the Iowa Arts Council series (1974; 1978, and undated).

The Photographs series contains portrait photographs of Bondurant and photographs of Bondurant at work, as well as two photograph albums containing mostly unidentified photographs of family and friends.

The Slides series consists of

two slide trays titled “Cultural expo elementary” and two trays titled “River Hills.”

The Scrapbooks series (1926-1993) constitutes the bulk of the Bondurant papers. Bondurant’s scrapbooks contain letters, photographs, newspaper articles, theater programs, and ticket stubs, many of which concern her teaching.

Box List

Box 1

Teaching Materials: Waterloo Community Schools

Grade school music festivals, 1943 & 1945 (2 folders) nstrument making, 1952 Music educator journals, 1952-1965; 1980 Music of America , 1957 Cultural Understandings through the Arts, 1964 Community Schools Make News, 1967-1971 Midland Schools, 1972 Dance programs, 1972-1977 Photographs of program participants, 1972-1989 Presentations, 1977, and undated Children with disabilities, 1981 Sepia arts, 1983 Elementary instrumental music, undated Music of our land, undated Music of our world, undated

Waterloo Recreation and Arts Center

Waterloo Recreation and Arts Center, 1981-1982; 1998

Box 2

“Generation to Generation,” 1982

Biographical

Accomplishments, 1932-1999 Certificates, 1930-1993 Friendship Village , 1990-1999

Cultural Explorations Program ( Waterloo)

Junior high school student poems, 1972-1977 River Hills arts program, 1983-1985 Children’s thank you letters, 1968-1976 Cultural explorations program, 1967-1976

Iowa Arts Council

Community arts councils of Iowa program, 1974 Annual state meeting presentation notes, 1978 and undated

Photographs

Portrait photographs, 1988; 1997-1998, and undated Teaching photographs, undated Photograph album, undated

Box 3

Photograph album, undated

Slides

Cultural expo elementary

1952; 1974-1976, and undated 1969-1976

River Hills

1952; 1974-1976, and undated 1981-1986, and undated

Box 4

Scrapbooks

1926-1934 1930-1932 1934-1968

Box 5

1930-1943

Box 6

1941-1993

Box 7

1951-1974

Box 8

1970-1971 1971-1972 1972-1973 1973

Box 9

1973-1974 1974 1976-1981

Box 10

1974-1976

Box 11

1976 [retirement]

Box 12

1981-1986

 

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