Rare Book & Manuscript Library
 

Elliott M. Sanger papers, 1936-1986

Summary Information

At a Glance

Call No.: MS#1106
Bib ID 4079590 View CLIO record
Creator(s) Sanger, Elliott M
Title Elliott M. Sanger papers, 1936-1986
Physical Description 3.5 linear feet (8 boxes)
Language(s) English .
Access You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

Boxes 1A, 2-7 of the collection are located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

This collection has no restrictions.

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 4 series.

Description

Summary

Included are Sanger's personal diaries (1936-1967) relating to WQXR. Also included is a complete bound file of the WQXR PROGRAM GUIDE (June 1936-December 1963) containing a record of the broadcasting of classical music in New York City, the daily schedule, and essays on composers, music festivals, individual compositions and music in general by such writers as Irwin Edman, Will Durant, M. Lincoln Schuster, Edward Johnson, John Barbirolli, as well as by Sanger and his co-founder, John V. L. Hogan. The collection includes business letters, congratulatory and testimonial letters from listeners and advertisers, reports on the station's history, samples of newspaper clippings containing WQXR advertisements and program listings, market surveys of listeners, and promotional brochures prepared for prospective advertisers. There is a corrected typescript and galley proofs for Sanger's book Rebel In Radio (New York, Hasting House, 1972) and 6 volumes of documents in support of the station's application for "clear channel" status filed with the FCC. Also included are 49 photographs of the station's staff and musical personalities, 4 audiotapes of 1973 interviews with Sanger, and 4 audio cassettes celebrating WQXR's 50th Anniversary.

1980 Addition: A selected file of approximately 150 letters, manuscripts, documents, photographs and printed materials relating to the history of radio station WQXR. There are business letters, congratulatory and testimonial letters from listeners and advertisers, including one each from Will Durant and Sinclair Lewis, office memoranda and reports on the station's history, samples of newspaper clippings containing WQXR advertisements and program listings, market surveys of listeners and promotional brochures prepared for prospective advertisers. There is a corrected typescript and galley proofs for Sanger's book, REBEL IN RADIO (N.Y., Hastings House, 1972), and 6 volumes of documents in support of the station's application for "clear channel" status filed with the Federal Communications Commission in 1948. Also included are 49 photographs of the station's staff, musical personalities who have broadcasted, the studios and transmitters, 4 audio cassettes celebrating WQXR's 50th anniversary, the anniversary album, and the anniversary edition of REBEL IN RADIO.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

Boxes 1A, 2-7 of the collection are located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Elliott M. Sanger papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Ownership and Custodial History

Gift of Elliott M. Sanger, 1979-1980 & 1986.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Sanger, E.M. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1979. Accession number--M-1979.

Gift of Elliott M. Sanger, 1979-1980, 1986.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Processed BRC 11/--/86. KAL/BC - 10/79, rev. BC 1/80, 11/80, 11/86, rev. MTM 4/2000

Katia Shraga, May 2019: fixed finding aid based on physical content of each box; updated AS and stack directory appropriately. Prepared Box 1A to be sent offsite.

Revision Description

2010-03-01 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Advertisements Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Albums (books) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Audiocassettes Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Audiotapes Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Brochures Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Diaries Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Galley proofs Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Interviews Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Photographs Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Reports Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Sound recordings Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Surveys (documents) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

Subject

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Businessmen Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Durant, Will, 1885-1981 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Edman, Irwin, 1896-1954 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Hogan, John V. L. (John Vincent Lawless), 1890-1960 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Lewis, Sinclair, 1885-1951 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Music Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Music radio stations -- New York (State) -- New York Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Radio -- Transmitters and transmission Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Radio advertising -- New York (State) -- New York Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Radio broadcasting -- New York (State) -- New York Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Radio stations -- New York (State) -- New York Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Sulzberger, Arthur Hays, 1891-1968 Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
United States. Federal Communications Commission Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
WQXR (Radio station : New York, N.Y.) Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Elliott Maxwell Sanger was born in New York on March 23, 1897. He graduated from the Columbia University School of Journalism in 1917 and began a career in advertising. In 1936 Sanger co-founded with John V. L. Hogan the classical music radio station WQXR. Sanger served as vice president and general manager of the station from 1936 to 1965. In 1944 the station was purchased by the New York Times Company. Sanger died in New York City in 1989.

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Series I: Cataloged Correspondence



Box 1 Folder 1 The series contains correspondence related to Sanger's radio station, WQXR, from Will Durant, Sinclair Lewis, and Arthur Sulzberger., 1937-1944

Series II: Rebel In Radio


Box 1 Folder 2-5 The series contains materials related to Elliot Sanger's book Rebel in Radio, 1973., [1973], Typescript, photographs, galley proof



Box 1A Sanger interview by Andre Bernard, April 12, 1973: Sanger Interview with P.M. Program by Bill Newcastle, September 29, 1973, 2 reel to reel audio tapes


Box 1A WQXR Broadcast, May 24, 1973, 10-12 Noon, 2 reels: "The Listening Room" hosted by Robert Sherman -- Guest, E. M. Sanger, 2 reel to reel audio tapes

Series III: WQXR

The series contains files related to Sanger's radio station, WQXR. The bound volumes contain monthly program guides from July 1936 through December 1956.



Box 1 Folder 6-9 FCC "Clear Channel" Hearings, 1946



Box 2 Folder 1-2 FCC "Clear Channel" Hearings, 1946


Box 2 Folder 3 Correspondence, 1936-1948


Box 2 Folder 4-5 Market Research Survey, 1936-1944


Box 2 Folder 6 Newspaper clippings, 1936


Box 2 Folder 7 Photographs

Includes photos of Sanger, James Farley, John Barbirolli, and Herbert Lehman, as well as photos of studio equipment.


Box 2 Folder 8 Sales records, 1936-1948


Box 2 Folder 9 Remembrances and background material: 1986 anniversary program, 1936-1950, 1986



Box 1A "This Is My Music" with Elliot Sanger, March 1, 1986 -- New York Philharmonic 50th Anniversary Concert, September 23, 1986 -- Part I and II -- WQXR Dinner Comments, September 23, 1986, 4 audio cassettes



Box 3 1936-1947, 11 volumes



Box 4 1948-1956, 9 volumes



Box 5 1957-1963, 7 volumes

Series IV: Personal Papers


Box 5 Diaries, 1936-1939, 4 volumes



Box 6 Diaries, 1940-1952, 15 volumes



Box 7 Diaries, 1955-1967, 13 volumes



Box 6 Key to Abbreviations beginning 1950, 1 folder



Box 7 "In Memoriam: Elliott M. Sanger,", 1989, 1 folder