IOWA CITY, IOWA

ALICE McMURRY (1908- )

PAPERS, 1993-2001

0.5 linear inches

ACQUISITION:	The papers (donor no. 827) were donated by Alice McMurry in 2001.
ACCESS:		The papers are open for research.
COPYRIGHT:		Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to The University of Iowa.
PHOTOGRAPHS:		In Folder 1.
PROCESSED BY:		Andrea Sheehan, 2003. [McMurryAlice.doc]

Biography

Alice Stewart was born to Sophie Marie Erickson and William Stewart in Hinton, Iowa on September 17, 1908. Stewart grew up with four sisters and one brother helping with various chores pertaining to the farms on which her family lived. She attended grade school at Woolworth School until 1923, when she attended a high school that was referred to as “the Castle on the Hill” in Leeds, Iowa. Stewart graduated from high school in 1925, and taught in Woodbury County from 1926 until 1929. From 1927 to 1928, Stewart also attended college at what is now the University of Northern Iowa, where she met Earl McMurry. They were married in May 1928, and had one son, Earl William McMurry. Alice McMurry taught all grades at a school in Wayne County between the years 1943 and 1950. She then taught in Promise City from 1950 to 1968. Her last teaching position was in Seymour, Iowa, where she taught kindergarten. In 1984, she served as assistant to the postmistress of Promise City. In addition to her occupational positions, McMurry wrote poetry, short stories, and memoirs.

Scope and Content Note

The Alice McMurry papers date from 1993 to 2001 and measure 0.5 linear inches. The papers consist of poetry and books written by McMurry including Through the Years and Eight Decades on the Prairie, and also newspaper clippings referring to McMurry. Through the Years is a compilation of short stories, both fiction and non-fiction. Eight Decades on the Prairie is an autobiography that explores personal and professional aspects of McMurry’s life. Both books have a photograph of Alice McMurry on their covers. In addition, the collection contains a short history of Promise City, two Des Moines Register articles written by McMurry about Promise City history, and four poems she published on poetry.com.