William Hoskins Brown Papers, 1932-1940
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
William Hoskins Brown (1910-1976) studied at Shaw High School in Cleveland and at Oberlin College, 1927-1929. He received the B. Arch. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1933 and the M. Arch. there in 1942.
It was at Oberlin where Brown developed his taste and skills for architecture. He was an instructor in fine arts (1933-1940), his specialty being watercolors and pencil sketches. He collaborated with Prof. Clarence Ward, serving as the designer and draftsman for the preliminary drawings for the new Women’s Gymnasium (Hales Gymnasium). Subsequently, working for consulting architect Richard A. Kimball (enrolled in Oberlin 1917), he participated in the final preliminary architectural, structural, and mechanical drawings for the Physical Education unit for Women (Hales Gymnasium).
In 1937 Brown brought the “Modern” style of functional residential architecture to Oberlin. His style fostered “internal convenience” of family traffic patterns, airy ventilation, natural lighting, and domestic privacy over “external show.” Brown was the architect for the residences of Prof. Frederick B. Artz ‘16 on 157 N. Professor Street, Prof. Raymond Cerf on 373 Edgemeer, William Seaman ‘24 on 158 S. Prospect Street, Lysle K. Butler ‘25 on 322 Morgan Street, and Dr. Frank Vincent on 290 Morgan Street. He also designed the “memorial wall” to veterans of the Civil and First World Wars that is located in Wright Park at the corner of S. Main and West Vine. He and his students painted murals in the old Varsity Restaurant, “Rec” Hall, and in the Art Building.
After Brown became a Registered Architect in 1938, he taught at the Department of Architecture at M.I.T. from 1941 to 1976, with some time out (1943-1946) for naval service in World War II. He was President and Treasurer of William Hoskins Brown Associates, Inc., Boston. A record of his architectural work in the Greater Boston Area is located at the Institute Archives of M.I.T.
Brown was a well-respected practicing and teaching architect. He was the recipient of the A.I.A. “Award of Merit” for the “100 Memorial Drive” Apartments in Cambridge, Mass. He was the author of numerous articles in professional journals and books published in the U.S. and abroad. Of special interest is the conference he conducted on “planning a modern residence,” which was nationally broadcast and originated in the studios of WCLE in Cleveland (Ref. Oberlin College Broadcast, Feb. 4, 1939, 5 pg.).
In 1937, Brown married Josephine Leffring Pierce (O.C. ‘35) and their marriage produced two daughters. His brother-in-law was Louis S. Pierce, Class of 1928. After a short battle with bone cancer, Brown died on November 5, 1976 in Phoenixville, PA.
Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
Arranged into three series: I. Project Files, II. Architectural Drawings, III. Teaching Materials, and IV. Photographs and Negatives, this collection mainly represents Brown’s working files from his architectural practice in Ohio between 1938 to 1940. Included are project files for the residences built in and around the core section of the City of Oberlin. Files for the Frederick B. Artz residence (Oberlin, OH) and Clayton S. Ellsworth residence (Wooster, OH), as well as the First Congregational Church (Medina, OH) and the Trinity Evangelical & Reformed Church (Wadsworth, OH) can be found here. Files typically contain agreements, contracts, correspondence, instructions to bidders, invoices, proposals, and specification documents relating to architectural services rendered. Of some significance are Brown’s drawings for Oberlin residences, plus his plot plan for the northwest corner of S. Prospect and Morgan. Photographic negatives exist for the Oberlin residences, the Oberlin Dairy Service Company, and the Wooster, OH residence (approx. 30 items). Photographic prints also exist for the above, plus the Art Building, Gymnasium for Women, and other structures. Except for the Art Building photos, no textual records exist documenting Brown’s possible participation in its 1937 renovation. Several photos exist from an art class taught by Brown.
These records (which had been separated from Brown’s records at the Institute Archives of M.I.T.) were received by the Oberlin College Archives in accession 1982/008.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I. Project Files, 1938-1940
Contains project files for the residences of Frederick B. Artz (Oberlin, OH), Clayton S. Ellsworth (Wooster, OH), First Congregational Church (Medina, OH), and Trinity Evangelical and Reformed Church (Wadsworth, OH). Files typically contain contacts, correspondence, instructions to bidders, invoices, proposals, and specification documents relating to the different projects. Arrangement is alphabetical by folder.
Series II. Architectural Drawings, 1938-1940
Series contains drawings for the residences Brown built in Oberlin, OH for the following individuals: Professor Frederick B. Artz, Professor Raymond Cerf, William Seaman (O.C. ‘24), Lysle Butler (O.C. ‘25), and Dr. Frank Vincent. Drawings also exist for the Clayton Ellsworth residence (Wooster, Ohio) and the proposed Men’s Gymnasium (Oberlin, 1938). Arrangement is alphabetical by structure.
Series III. Teaching Materials, 1932-1940
Series contains the assignment sheets from courses taught by Brown at Oberlin College. Class titles include: Conjunctive Problems, Watercolor, Fine Arts 61, and Architectural Design. The assignments ask the students to design such structures as a marionette theater, an architect’s studio, a peace memorial, and an Episcopal Church. Arrangement is by folder.
Series IV. Photographs and Negatives, c.1938-1940
Negatives exist for all of Brown’s Oberlin, OH residences and the Oberlin Dairy Service Company. Photographic prints also exist for these structures. Other prints include the Art Building (Oberlin, OH) and the Gymnasium for women (Oberlin, OH). This series is divided into two subseries: 1. Negatives, and 2. Photographs. Arrangement thereunder is alphabetical.
INVENTORY
Series I. Project Files, 1938-1940
Box 1
Frederick B. Artz Residence, 1940
Clayton S. Ellsworth Residence, 1938
First Congregational Church, 1939
Trinity Evangelical and Reformed
Church, 1940
Miscellany, 1939, n.d.
Series II. Architectural Drawings, 1938-1940
Oversize
Case 1, drawer 1
Artz residence, (157 N. Professor,
Oberlin, OH), 1940
Butler, Kennedy residence, (164 S.
Prospect, Oberlin, OH), 1939
Butler residence, (322 Morgan,
Oberlin, OH), 1939
Cerf residence, (373 Edgemere,
Oberlin, OH), n.d.
C.K. Fauver residence, (Morgan Street,
Oberlin, OH), 1938
Ellsworth residence, (1107, E. Wayne
Ave, Wooster, OH), 1938
Johnson and Stanley residence, (257 W.
College, Oberlin, OH), 1940
Proposed Men’s Gym, (Oberlin, OH), 1938
Seaman and Steiner residence,
(330 Morgan, Oberlin, OH), 1939
Seaman residence, (158 S. Prospect,
Oberlin. OH), 1939
Unknown residence, n.d.
Series III. Teaching Materials, 1932-1940
Box 1 (cont.)
Teaching Materials, 1932-1940, n.d.
Series VI. Negatives and Photographs, c. 1938-1940
Subseries 1. Negatives, c. 1938-1940
Box 1 (cont.)
Butler residence (2 items)
Cerf residence (11 items)
Dairy Service Company
Ellsworth residence (5 items)
Johnson and Stanley residence
Unidentified (10 items)
Subseries 2. Photographs, c. 1938-1940
Box 1 (cont.)
Allen Memorial Art Museum
Baxter apartments (18 items)
Butler residence (2 items)
Cerf residence (44 items)
Dairy Service Company
Ellsworth residence (2 items)
Gymnasium for Women
Seaman residence
Unidentified (31 items)