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A. Carman Clark papers

 Collection
Identifier: 0054

Collection Scope and Content

The A. Carman Clark Papers contain diverse material types: diary/journals covering 30 years; manuscript, draft and printed columns, articles and books; research files composed of clippings, notes, and correspondence; extensive correspondence; information on memberships, awards, teaching and conferences; and memorabilia including photographs, school papers and her typewriter. Audiovisual materials and books have been removed to their respective general collections.

Dates

  • 1917-2005
  • Majority of material found within 1960-2003

Creator

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Curator of the Maine Women Writers Collection.

Biographical/Historical Note

Arlueen Janet Carman - Arley as friends and family called her - was born on April 17, 1917 in Old Forge, New York, a small village in the Adirondack Mountains. She attended University of State of New York at Buffalo and then for seven years was the Assistant Head of Medical Research at Hoffman/LaRoche Laboratories of New Jersey. In 1949, after her marriage to Robert Clark, the two moved to Union, Maine, to a farm overlooking Sennebec Pond called Sennebec Hill. Her writing career began in 1959, when her articles began to appear in such magazines as Woman's Day, Country Journal, and Farm Journal, as well as several local newspapers under her professional name, A. Carman Clark. From 1964 to 1965, she served as a local correspondent and features writer for the Portland Press Herald. In 1965 she organized the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage, the first Maine farm museum, and served as its curator until 1966. At the age of 49, Clark returned to college to earn a teaching degree, and was a reading and language teacher to seventh grade students for eighteen years. Throughout this time she never stopped writing, whether it was letters to her family and friends, entries in her journals, or freelance pieces for myriad publications. Her writings cover all of her passions, including gardening, country living, food, and education. In 1983 she became the Home & Garden editor for the Camden Herald and held that position for over twenty years. Her column, "From the Orange Mailbox" garnered her national praise, and selections from the column were compiled into a book that was published in 1985 by Harpswell Press. The book received awards from the National Federation of Press Women and the Garden Writers Association of America. She still continued to publish pieces in several magazines, and an article she wrote for Self magazine in January 1998 won an award for the best magazine article in the nation. Besides her professional duties, Clark was also an avid volunteer, and was a member of Maine Media Women. Following in her daughter, Kate Clark Flora's footsteps, Clark wrote her first mystery novel, The Maine Mulch Murder, which was published in 2001. She died at 88 on November 28, 2005.

Extent

24.5 linear feet (17 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is organized into nine series: I. Diaries and journals; II. Columns; III. Published articles; IV. Writing projects; V. Research, notes and ideas; VI. Correspondence; VII. Photographs; VIII. Reviews and clippings; IX. Biographical. Series 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 9 have subseries. Arranged roughly chronological where possible. Titles, when used, are arranged alphabetically.

Title
Guide to the A. Carman Clark papers, 1917-2005
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Maine Women Writers Collection Repository

Contact:
Abplanalp Library
University of New England
716 Stevens Avenue
Portland Maine 04103 United States