Lucile L. Hutton papers, 1850-1988 | Amistad Research Center

By Beatrice Rodriguez Owsley and Mark Phillips

Collection Overview

Title: Lucile L. Hutton papers, 1850-1988

Creator: Hutton, Lucile Levy (1897-1988)

Extent: 7.8 Linear Feet

Arrangement: The collection has been organized into ten series: Biographical Information and Family History; Career in Education; Central Congregational United Church of Christ and Other Church Affliations; Educational Affliations; Organizational Affliations; Social Club Affliations; Miscellaneous; Photographs; Writings; and Oversize Material.

Date Acquired: 01/01/1989

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The papers of Lucile Levy Hutton occupy 7.8 linear feet of shelf space and cover not only her career in public education; but also chronicle her vigorous participation in civic, religious, and cultural activities. Correspondence (1890-1988) has been kept with related material where it was generated and therefore may be found in six of the ten series. The papers are arranged chronologically within each category.

Biographical Note

Lucile Levy Hutton, educator, author, and music lover was an active participant in New Orleans music circles. She was a longtime music teacher at Valena C. Jones Elementary School, a piano teacher, and a member of the B-Sharp Music Club among other musical affiliations. She was also a member of Central Congregational United Church of Christ and the author of "This is a Grand Work: A History of Central Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) New Orleans, Louisiana, 1871-1977," a publication chronicling the church's history.

Lucile Levy Hutton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 9, 1897. She graduated from the Normal Department of Straight College (now Dillard University) in 1916. She received a B.A. degree in Music Education from Oberlin College (Ohio) in 1933, and an M.A. degree in Music Education from Northwestern University (Illinois) in 1948. Additionally, she studied music at Millis College in Oakland, California, the University of California at Berkeley, and Columbia University in New York.

In 1916, she received a teaching position with the New Orleans Public School System and remained until her retirement in 1962. She taught at Valena C. Jones Elementary School for 12 years, and later served as consultant in vocal music for 23 years. She acted as commentator for the Booker T. Washington Series of Young People's Concerts sponsored by the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra and as coordinator of the annual Music Festival of Negro Public Schools held in the Municipal Auditorium from 1948 to 1962. She also conducted a private piano studio at her home.

Hutton was a long time member of Central Congregational United Church of Christ, serving as its historian from 1958 to 1983. She authored the church's history covering 116 years in a publication entitled, "This is a Grand Work: A History of Central Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) New Orleans, Louisiana, 1871-1977." She was a member of several professional, civic, and cultural organizations, among which were Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., B-Sharp Music Club, Dillard University Alumni Association, Friends of the Amistad Research Center, New Orleans Retired Teachers Association of the Louisiana Retired Teachers Association, and the New Orleans Y.W.C.A.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions: This collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions: Copyright to these papers has not been assigned to the Amistad Research Center. It is the responsibility of an author to secure permission for publication from the holder of the copyright to any material contained in this collection.

Related Materials:

Central Congregational United Church of Christ records

Valena C. Jones Class Reunion collection

B-Sharp Music Club records

Fannie C. Williams papers

Processing Information: This collection was processed in 1997 and reboxed in July 2010.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Biographical Information and Family History],
[Series 2: Career in Education],
[Series 3: Central Congregational United Church of Christ and other Church Affiliations],
[Series 4: Educational Affiliations],
[Series 5: Organizational Affiliations],
[Series 6: Social Club Affiliations],
[Series 7: Miscellaneous],
[Series 8: Photographs],
[Series 9: Writings],
[Series 10: Oversized Material],
[All]

Series 1: Biographical Information and Family History

Included are correspondence (1890-1948), personal papers, biographies of ancestry, oral history interviews with Lucile Hutton, by-laws and constitution of the Young Female Benevolent Association of Louisiana, No.1 (1914), and a copy of "An Evaluation of the Music Training of Negro Teachers of the New Orleans Public Elementary Schools With Recommendations for Improvement," Lucile Hutton, Thesis, Northwestern University, 1948.

Box 1

Item 1: Award trophy, February 5, 1984: Inscribed, "Presented to Lucile L. Hutton in Recognition of her contribution to Central Congregational United Church Christ and Dillard University, Dillard Day, February 5, 1984"
Item 2: Award trophy, June 21, 1979: Inscribed, "Presented to Lucile L. Hutton For Many Years of Dedicated Educational Civic and Religious Service N.O.R.T.A." [New Orleans Retired Teachers Association]
Item 3: Award trophy, undated: Inscribed, "Lucile Levy Hutton, Charter Member, Past President B Sharp Music Club, New Orleans 1917-1961."

Box 2

Folder 1: Biographies, resumes and press relases on Lucile Hutton, 1945-1984, undated
Folder 2: Certificates of awards, appreciation and membership, 1961-1985, undated
Folder 3: Certificates issued by Louisiana School Boards, 1916, 1972, undated
Folder 4: Clippings, 1962-1972, undated
Folder 5: Correspondence: general, 1962-1988
Folder 6: Educational background: Columbia University, credit units, 1938
Folder 7: Educational background: Mills College, Oakland, California, credit units, 1927-1928
Folder 8: Educational background: Mills College, student notebook, 1927-1928
Folder 9: Educational background: Northwestern University School of Music, Evanston, Illinois, correspondence, 1938-1948
Folder 10: Educational background: Northwestern University, credit units and fee receipts, 1938-1948
Folder 11: Educational background: Northwestern University, Master of Music diploma and convocation program, 1948
Folder 12: Educational background: Northwestern University, thesis, 1948: "An Evaluation of the Music Training of Negro Teachers of the New Orleans Public Elementary Schools With Recommendations for Improvement" by Lucile Hutton

Box 3

Folder 1: Educational background: Oberlin Conservatory of Music, correspondence, 1931-1942, undated
Folder 2: Educational background: Oberlin, credit units and loan application, 1928-1934
Folder 3: Educational background: Oberlin, Bachelor of School Music diploma, 1933
Folder 4: Educational background: Straight University, correspondence and credit units, 1928
Folder 5: Educational background: Straight University, commencement programs and student rosters, 1911, 1915, 1917
Folder 6: Educational background: University of California, Berkeley, California, credit units, 1932
Folder 7: Executor: Estate of Fannie C. Williams, Last Will and Testament of Fannie C. Williams, 1979, 1980
Folder 8: Financial records: Receipts, 1959, 1987
Folder 9: Oral history interviews: Lucile Levy Hutton, interviewee, Florence Borders, interviewer, 1988
Folder 10: Oral history interviews: Lucile Levy Hutton, interviewee, WYES-TV documentary, 1991
Folder 11: Real estate property: correspondence, 1941-1967
Folder 12: Real estate property: documentation and survey of property, 1941-1968
Folder 13: Retirement: listing of personal data, 1985
Folder 14: Travels: Europe, 1966
Folder 15: Travels: Mexico, 1953
Folder 16: Travels: passport, 1966

Box 4

Folder 1: Tributes: honoree of various organizations, 1962-1987
Folder 2: Family History: note by Lucile Hutton, undated: See also Series 8: Photographs
Folder 3: Family History: Allen, Frances L. (great aunt of Lucile Hutton) burial ground deed Mobile, Alabama, circa 1850
Folder 4: Gossett, Fannie J. Kenner (aunt of Lucile Hutton) autograph book, 1880-1890
Folder 5: Gossett, Fannie: autograph book, 1890
Folder 6: Gossett, Fannie: correspondence and receipt, 1890-1909
Folder 7: Gossett, Fannie: employement records, 1890-1944
Folder 8: Gossett, Fannie: invitations and calling cards, 1891, 1892, undated
Folder 9: Gossett, Fannie: marriage certificate, 1894
Folder 10: Gossett, Fannie: scrapbook, 1883, undated
Folder 11: Gossett, Fannie: scrapbook, 1890, 1898, undated
Folder 12: Gossett, Fannie: Straight University, Valedictorian address, commencement invitations, 1890
Folder 13: Gossett, Fannie: writings, 1888, undated

Box 5

Folder 1: Gossett, Fannie: Young Female Benevolent Association of Lousiana, No. 1
Folder 2: Hutton, Mary Jane (family member): memorial card and funeral receipt, 1909
Folder 3: Hutton, Mollie C. (family member): financial receipts, 1911, 1927
Folder 4: Hutton, Robert E.L. (father of Lucile Hutton): biography, 1984
Folder 5: Hutton, Robert E.L.: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, 1930
Folder 6: Hutton, Robert E.L.: Marriage certificate of Robert E. Lee Hutton and Abbie Levy, 1890
Folder 7: Hutton, Abbie Levy (mother of Lucile Hutton): autograph book, 1881-1883, undated
Folder 8: Hutton, Abbie Levy: autograph book, 1884-1886, undated
Folder 9: Martin, Fred W. (cousin of Lucile Hutton): biography, 1980