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George Stephens papers

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Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

George Stephens (alternately spelled "Stevens," "Steevens," "Stevinz," etc.) is a fictitious individual with a nebulous connection to Haverford College. Stephens was created when Haverford students Jim Booth (class of 1973), Roger Easton (class of 1972), David Sloane (class of 1972), Ron Norris (class of 1971), Bob Schwartz (class of 1971), Carl Tannenbaum (class of 1971), and Steve White (class of 1971) were studying for a history exam and one of them asked "who was George Stephens?" The group crafted an identity for Stephens and from there the legend grew. They formed the George Stephens Memorial Association in 1969. The first George Stephens Memorial Dinner was held in 1970, at which time the first gift of "Stephensiana" was presented to the College and displayed in the Sharpless Gallery of Magill Library. At the 1977 Memorial Dinner, President John R. Coleman was presented with the first George Stevens Unmentionable Award and Bequest; photographs of this award ceremony are included in this collection. Edwin B. Bronner, Professor of History and Librarian of the College, was also the first Curator of the George Stephens Memorial Collection.

Tales of George Stephens's exploits grew more numerous over the years. Some stories identify him as a Haverford student while in others his connection to the College is unclear. The most popular story about Stephens identifies him as Ethiopia's goalie in the 1876 World Cup match against England. Due to various distractions and his own incompetencies, Stephens allowed England to score a single goal to win the match. Other tales identify Stephens as General George Custer's scout, implicate him in Rutherford B. Hayes's electoral victory over Samuel J. Tilden in 1876, and indicate that he sent William McKinley a faulty bulletproof vest that he was wearing at the time of his assassination in 1901. Stephens purportedly had relationships with several notable women, including journalist Margaret Fuller, trombonist Marguerite Dufay, and the also-fictitious Bryn Mawr Ice Cream Lady.

This collection consists of items related to and purportedly created by fictitious individual George Stephens (also spelled Stevens, Steevens, Stevinz).

The collection is divided into five series. The first includes works supposedly created by George Stephens, including correspondence, poetry, scholarship, and memoirs. Some of these items were created by Haverford students, faculty, and staff posing as Stephens while others were created by real people named George Stephens.

The second series consists of items about George Stephens, including artwork, poetry, photographs, correspondence, and Haverford lore. Most of these materials were created by Haverford College students, faculty, and staff to expand the mythos surrounding the fictitious George Stephens, but some items relate to real people named George Stephens or George Stevens, including a 2nd Lieutenant in a Civil War Union regiment and an American film director.

The third series contains materials related to the George Stephens Memorial Dinner, held from 1970 until at least 1986. These items include invitations, responses from invited guests, and photographs of the dinners. A series of photographs from the 1977 Dinner show President John R. Coleman being awarded the George Stevens Unmentionable Award and Bequest.

The fourth series includes materials related to the creation of the George Stephens collection. Many of the items in this series pertain to Edwin B. Bronner, Librarian of the College and the first Curator of the George Stephens Memorial Collection. There are also captions from various exhibits featuring the George Stephens Memorial Collection.

The final series consists of items purportedly belonging to George Stephens and other Stephens-related artifacts. Highlights of this series include George Stephens' diploma, his Haverford College soccer jerseys, his Ethiopian World Cup soccer jersey, a "fossil" of his prized race horse, and a "Save with Stevens" wooden bank.

The materials in this collection are arranged into series based on their relationship to George Stephens and their format.

Processed by Elizabeth Jones-Minsinger; completed November, 2019.

Publisher
Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
Finding Aid Author
Elizabeth Jones-Minsinger
Finding Aid Date
November, 2019
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).

Collection Inventory

Archival Resource Key. Memoirs of George Stevens.
Box 1 Folder 1
Archival Resource Key. From Capetown to Ladysmith.
Box 1 Folder 2
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens thesis.
Box 1 Folder 3
Archival Resource Key. The Complete Works of George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 4
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens Literary Masterpiece.
Box 1 Folder 5
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens letter to Kumari.
Box 1 Folder 6
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens letter to Margaret Fuller.
Box 1 Folder 7
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens letter to Edwin Bronner, 1985.
Box 1 Folder 8
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens post card from England.
Box 1 Folder 9
Archival Resource Key. Thoughts on Nancy Magnuson.
Box 1 Folder 10
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens poem.
Box 1 Folder 11
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens manuscript discovered by David Fraser.
Box 1 Folder 12
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens, The Runic Hall.
Box 1 Folder 13
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens letter to Matilda Drazenovich.
Box 1 Folder 14
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens tribute to D.H. Lawrence.
Box 1 Folder 15
Archival Resource Key. Audio recording of George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 16
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens' impersonation of Tom Foyle.
Box 1 Folder 17
Archival Resource Key. George Stevens Address to the Alumni of Dartmoor Prison.
Box 4 Folder 1

Archival Resource Key. Turner watercolor featuring George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 18
Archival Resource Key. NCAA letter to Bryn Mawr regarding George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 19
Archival Resource Key. Bill of sale for champagne and letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Box 1 Folder 20
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens climbing Debre Damo.
Box 1 Folder 21
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens in Poland.
Box 1 Folder 22
Archival Resource Key. John R. Coleman research on George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 23
Archival Resource Key. Jonathan Stevens, "That Day in Abyssinia, with George Stevens in the Net", 1977.
Box 1 Folder 24
Archival Resource Key. Letter of support for George Stephens' medical school application.
Box 1 Folder 25
Archival Resource Key. Christopher Morley on George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 26
Archival Resource Key. Elizabeth Green poetry about George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 27
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens announcement from the Board of Managers, 1989 April 1.
Box 1 Folder 28
Archival Resource Key. Information on George Stephens from the Ethiopian Royal Observatory.
Box 1 Folder 29
Archival Resource Key. The History of the Feeding Ceremony.
Box 1 Folder 30
Archival Resource Key. Greg Kannerstein, "In Memoriam: George Stevens III", 2000.
Box 1 Folder 31
Archival Resource Key. Research on George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 32
Archival Resource Key. Sigmund Freud on George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 33
Archival Resource Key. A Voice of Thunder: The Civil War Letters of George E. Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 34
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens' involvement in the Hayes-Tilden affair.
Box 1 Folder 35
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens' involvement with Marguerite Dufay.
Box 1 Folder 36
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens' relationship with the Bryn Mawr Ice Cream Lady, 1974-1976.
Box 1 Folder 37
Archival Resource Key. George Stevens, Director.
Box 1 Folder 38
Archival Resource Key. George Stevens, Scholastic All-American Director.
Box 1 Folder 39
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens cultural impact.
Box 1 Folder 40
Archival Resource Key. "Sinistericon" by Tamara Brooks.
Box 4 Folder 2

Archival Resource Key. Memorial Dinner, 1970.
Box 1 Folder 41
Archival Resource Key. Slides of George Stephens at the 1974 Memorial Dinner, 1974.
Box 1 Folder 42
Archival Resource Key. Memorial Dinner, 1977.
Box 1 Folder 43
Archival Resource Key. Memorial Dinner, 1978-1982 and undated.
Box 1 Folder 44
Archival Resource Key. Memorial Dinner, 1986.
Box 1 Folder 45

Archival Resource Key. Edwin B. Bronner correspondence, 1975-1994.
Box 1 Folder 46
Archival Resource Key. Collection of Stevensiana by John R. Coleman, 1986.
Box 1 Folder 47
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens exhibit captions and collection information.
Box 1 Folder 48

Archival Resource Key. Roberts Rules of Order Revised.
Box 1 Folder 49
Archival Resource Key. Books belonging to George Stephens, 1957, 1962.
Box 1 Folder 50
Archival Resource Key. Notice of Dismissal from the Ethiopian Soccer Team.
Box 1 Folder 51
Archival Resource Key. William McKinley letter to George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 52
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens Haverford stock certificate.
Box 1 Folder 53
Archival Resource Key. Certificates and awards.
Box 1 Folder 54
Archival Resource Key. Star and cross medallion.
Box 1 Folder 55
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens Haverford decals.
Box 1 Folder 56
Archival Resource Key. Isaac Sharpless letter to George Stephens.
Box 1 Folder 57
Archival Resource Key. "G.S." soccer shorts.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Haverford soccer shirt with "STEEVENS" on the back, 1975-1976.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Haverford soccer shirt with "STEPHENS" on the back, 1975-1976.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens fertility pants.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Black Lock Haven t-shirt.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Soccer jersey with Ethiopian royal family coat-of-arms.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Ethiopian soccer practice jersey.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Coach Wyvus baseball hat.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Rhinie beanie, Class of 1959.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Argentine World Cup commemorative plate, 1978.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens airplane model.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens toothbrush.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Race horse fossil.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Founders Hall key and moustache comb.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Geminus Malus fly specimen.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Oversized toothbrush.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Parasol handle.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. Stick found in Ethiopian soccer net.
Box 2
Archival Resource Key. "Save with Stevens" wooden bank.
Box 3
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens diploma.
Box 4 Folder 3
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens canto.
Box 4 Folder 4
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens "Paper Cup" Soccer Tournament certificate.
Box 4 Folder 5
Archival Resource Key. George Stephens Biorhythms for 1876.
Box 4 Folder 6

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