Speeches

            SPEECHES, 1942-1998

17   01     1942 Apr 29-May 02, Midwestern Writers' Conference, Chicago, Illinois
               "Why Regional Fiction?"
     02     1942 Jun 20-29, Missouri Writers' Conference, Columbia, Missouri
               "Why Write a Novel" and "What Kind of Novel?"
     03-05  1943 Mar 24, Chicago Athletic Club, Chicago, Illinois
               "The Quest for Integrity"                    
            1943, Acceptance Speech for the Friends of American Writers Award Luncheon
               Davis received the award in 1943 for In The Forests Of The Night
            1943, A typewritten draft of the speech and Davis' typewritten notes for the speech 
     06     1943, A speech on being a writer
               George Dormer invited him to give the speech.  Dormer was the first husband of
                 Davis' second wife, Jean.  They had known each other when both couples
                 lived in Louisiana, Missouri and worked for the Hercules Powder Company in
                 the early 1940's.
     07     1945 Nov 09, New York City, New York
               "Forum Speech for High School Kids"
               For New York University Conference on School Publications, n.d.
               Forum on Newspaper Writing, n.d.
     08     1945, Correspondence reference "Forum Speech for High School Kids"
     09     1947 Oct 14, Topeka, Kansas
               "UNESCO - Its Nature and Function"
               For the Topeka Chapter of the League of Women Voters
     10     1948 Mar 23, Manhattan, Kansas
               "Russia and the United States"
               For the Institute of Citizenship
     11-13  1948 May 19, Kansas City, Kansas
               "Communism, Americanism, and Civil Liberty"
               UNESCO Council Meeting, Chamber of Commerce Building, 8 p.m.
     14     1949 Dec 03, Manhattan
               "Why Write a Novel?"
               Speech for the Quill Club
               1944 Mar 09, "Quill Club celebrates its 30th birthday on campus," The Kansas
                 Industrialist, Vol. 70, No. 20, p. 1
     15     1950 Feb 14, Calvin Lounge, Room 102
            "You And The News"
               For YW Interest Group
     16     1950 Jun 19-30, Mid-America Regional Writers' Conference, Manhattan, KS, Fiction
               Workshop
     17     1952 Jan 29, Hutchinson, Kansas
               Correspondence - Dialogue with the Hutchinson Council of Teachers of English
     18     1952 Nov 16, Manhattan, Kansas
            English Club, Kansas State College
     19-20  1953 Mar 11, Kansas City, Kansas
            "On Writing"
               Subject of speech was his book Morning In Kansas
               For Women's Chamber of Commerce, The Town House at  6:30 p.m. Important
                 ideas about writing and the  author and effects of  the depression on creativity
     21-22  1953 Sep 09, Huntington, L.I.
            "Do Western Floods Affect Easterners?"
               For the Garden Club
     23     1954 Gubernational Campaign
            "Concerning the Differences Between Republicans and  Democrats" This speech was
               written by Kenneth S. Davis  for delivery by George Docking
     24-27  1955 Apr 02, Jayhawk Hotel, Topeka, Kansas
            "The Influence of the Press, Radio and Television on Politics"
               Panel discussion for Kansas Conference on Government
     28     1955 Jun 06
            "Integrity As An Aim of Education"
               This speech was originally written by Kenneth S. Davis to be delivered by Milton
               Eisenhower when he was President of Kansas State Agriculture College (KSAC). 
               It was not used by Eisenhower so Davis rewrote it for Adlai E. Stevenson to give
               as a Commencement Speech at Smith College, 6 Jun 1955.  Stevenson did not
               give the speech as written by Davis but he did use some of the themes in his
               speech at Smith and there was some controversy about the theme of Stevenson's
               speech.  See the book, What I Think by Adlai E. Stevenson, Harper & Brothers,
               New York, 1956.  The speech given at Smith is on pages 182-189 of this book.
     29     1961 May 23, Worcester, Massachusetts 
            "Eli Thayer and the Kansas Crusade" (Incomplete)
               Annual Meeting, Worcester Historical Society
     30     1962 Apr 25            
            "Of Dickens and 'Bleak House'"
               For Dickens Fellowship
     31     1965 Feb 18, Worcester, Massachusetts
            "What's Wrong With the Press"
               For the Bohemians
     32     1967 Nov 07, Tuesday, Princeton, Massachusetts
            "Ezra Hervey Heywood"
               For Princeton Historical Society
               Included in the file is a copy of The Word, dated March Y.L. 16 Whole No. 179
               Vol. XVI, No. 8 (photocopy included, the original has been removed and placed
               in a flat box for storage purposes)
     33     1968 Apr 17 
            "Edwin Drood Concluded, Again" 
               For Dickens Fellowship
     34     1971 Jul 20 
            "Thinking About FDR: Some Problems Of A Biographer"
               For Assumption College
     35     1971 Dec 13, Princeton, Massachusetts
            Eulogy for Lee F. Burke
               Congregational Church
               1971 Dec 11, "Lee F. Burke Was Partner In Law Firm," The Evening Gazette,
                 Worcester, Massachusetts - Burke's obituary 
     36     1972 Feb 10, Worcester, Massachusetts 
            "Freedom"
               Speech to The Bohemians
     37     1974 Apr 20, College of the Holy Cross
            "The Challenge of Studying F.D.R." 
               Phi Alpha Theta, The International Honor Society in History, New England
               Regional Meeting, Henry M. Hogan Campus Center
               Campus Tour Guide Holy Cross College
38          Correspondence reference 1974 Apr 20
               1973 Feb 11, Edward J. Kealey
               1974 Feb 04, Edward J. Kealey from Davis
               1974 Jan 22, Edward J. Kealey
               1974 Apr 09, Edward J. Kealey
               1974 Apr, David O'Brien  
     39     1974 May 20, Worcester, Massachusetts, Worcester Club
            For Medical News Dinner
               Subject: Health of Presidents, especially FDR
               He gave this talk at the Bohemians Club the year before
     40     1975 Feb 22, Manhattan, Kansas
            "Trying to Understand Jim Lane: A Personal Experience"
               Kansas Corral of Westerners
     41     1975 Apr 29, Manhattan, Kansas
            Correspondence reference English Speaking Union
               Kansas, the book he was working on at the time
     
18   01-02  1975 Oct 20, Topeka, Kansas, Downtown Ramada Inn
            "Portrait of a Changing Kansas"
               Kansas State Historical Society Dinner Program
               File contains 2 copies of this speech on CD's - removed to Davis Media collection
                 - closed collection
     03     1976 Mar 11, Bohemians Club
            "Puritan Kansas: The New England Influence"
               See also speech, "Kansas A State of Mind" in a file with no date 
     04-05  1976 Nov 13, Worcester, Massachusetts, Sheraton Lincoln Inn
            "An Author Uses A Library"
               For Massachusetts Library Trustees Association
                 This speech was revised and given
               1987 Apr 13, Hutchinson, Kansas
                 For the Southwest Kansas Library Association Luncheon
     06     1977 Mar, Rural Community Change Conference, Manhattan, Kansas
     07     1977 Apr 21, Manhattan, Kansas, Wareham Hotel
            "The Grim Chieftain: My Unhappy Dealings With Jim Lane"
               Riley County Historical Society
     08-09  1977 Apr 25, Manhattan, Kansas, Kansas State University
            "The Writing of Kansas: A Bicentennial History"
               For Initiation Dinner, Beta Chapter, Phi Beta Kappa
     10     1977 Apr 28, Manhattan, Kansas, Manhattan Rotary Club
            "The Writing of Kansas: A Bicentennial History"
               (Revised from 1977 Apr 25 speech)
     11     1977 May 19, Alma, Kansas, Thomas Jefferson Club
            "A Non Speech"
     12     1977 Nov 16
            "Dombeyism"
               For the Dickens Fellowship
     13     1977
            "Forward to Experience War"
               Forum at Kansas State University
     14     1979 Nov 29, Princeton, Massachusetts
            Eulogy for Blair J. Whitman
               The Congregational Church
     15     Correspondence reference 1979 Nov 29
               1979 Nov 30, Alfred H. Dean Jr.
               1979 Nov 30, Anne Moore
               1979 Dec 01, Dean, Alfred H. Dean Jr. from Davis
               1979 Dec 06, Betsy Whitman
     16     1980 Apr 14, Worcester, Massachusetts, Worcester Public Library, 2:30 p.m.
            For National Library Week Talk
               Davis talks about four things: biographical writing, his specific biographical
               problems with FDR, how he solved his writing problems with FDR, and dealt
               with FDR

19   01     1983 Sep 13, Tuesday, Princeton, Massachusetts
            "The Stone Walls of New England"
               For the Princeton Historical Society
     02     1983 Oct 14, Boston, Massachusetts
            "The American Presidency"
               For Boston College Symposium
     03     1984 Jan 19, Worcester, Massachusetts
            "FDR As a Biographer's Problem"
               This speech was given again in Manhattan, Kansas
     04     1985 Oct 23
            "The Stone Walls of New England"
               For Petersham Historical Society
     05     1985 Nov 19, Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University
            "The FDR Project"
               Book and Author Dinner
     06-07  1986 Apr 24, Topeka, Kansas
            "Talk About Kansas"
               For Homecoming of Kansas Writers Conference
     08     1986 Apr 24, Topeka, Kansas
            "A Homecoming of Kansas Writers April 24-26 1986"
               Kansas Writers Association Presents A Homecoming of Kansas Writers Schedule
            Fact Sheet, Topeka Public Library, n.d.
     09-10  1986 Apr 26, Topeka, Kansas, Grand Ballroom of the Ramada Inn
            "Kansas Sweet, Kansas Bitter"
               First Annual Humanities Lecture
            Annual Dinner of the Friends of the Kansas Committee for the Humanities
     11     1986 Apr 26, Topeka, Kansas
            Friends of the Humanities - First Annual Humanities Lecture Sign-up form
            First Annual Lecture Program
            2nd Annual Writer Workshop, Saturday, April 26, 1986 Schedule and sign-up form
            1986 Mar 23, "Manhattan native tells FDR's story," n.s. 
            1986 Apr 27, "Historian stresses humanities study for Kansas future," Topeka
               Capital-Journal
            1986 Apr 29, "Author Adding volume on FDR," n.s.
     12     Correspondence reference 1986 Apr 26
               1986 Feb 17, Marion Cott, Executive Director, Kansas 
                 Committee for the Humanities
               1986 Mar 05, Marion Cott
               1986 Mar 24, Marion Cott from Davis
               1986 Apr 26, Marion Cott
               1986 Apr 28, Marion Cott 
               1986 May 09, Marion Cott from Davis
               1986 May 20, Marion Cott from Davis
     13     1987 Apr 13, Hutchinson, Kansas
            "An Author Uses A Library" 
            Correspondence
               [1987], Hiebert, Rhonda, South Central Kansas Library 
               1987 Feb 04, Rhonda Hiebert, from Davis 
     14     1988 May 21 
            Eulogy written by Davis for his wife Florence Davis
               It was delivered at a memorial service held for her in the Congregational Church
               at Princeton, Massachusetts.  He had someone else deliver the eulogy.
     15-16  1990 Oct 13, Topeka, Kansas
            "Ike's Identification With Kansas"
               Eisenhower and Kansas Symposium
     17     1990 Oct 13, Topeka, Kansas
            Kansas Eisenhower Centennial Gala program
               "The Eisenhower & Kansas Symposium, October 12 & 13, 1990" brochure
            Conference itinerary, 1990
     18     Correspondence reference October 13, 1990
               1989 Dec 27, William, O. Wagnon Jr., Professor of History, Washburn University
                 of Topeka 
               1990 Jan 30, William O. Wagnon, Jr. from Davis
               1990 Sep 13, William O. Wagnon, Jr.
               1990 Sep 21, William O. Wagnon, Jr. from Davis
     19     1991 Sep 10, Lawrence, Kansas, Eldridge Hotel
            "The Grim Chieftain: My Unhappy Dealings With Jim Lane"
               The Westerners
     20     1993 Apr 22, Kansas City, Missouri
            For AAUW Book and Author Dinner
               No title but he does in the speech say he might title it, "What Bill Clinton Might
               Learn From FDR's Example"
     21     Correspondence reference April 22, 1993         
               1993 Jan, Mrs. Ruth R. Brettle, American Association of University Women,
                 Co-Chairman, Book and Author Dinner
               1993 Jan 16, Mrs. Ruth R. Brettle from Davis
               1993 May 07, Mrs. Ruth R. Brettle
               1993 Jun 21, Marjorie Stith, President American Association of University
                 Women
     22     1993 Nov 18, Manhattan, Kansas
            "One Man's Experience of Libraries"
               Manhattan Public Library      
     23     Correspondence reference November 18, 1993
               Hall, Dr. Dean G., Head Department of English, n.d.
               Friends of the English Department, Kansas State University, n.d.

20   01-02  1994 Oct 24, Manhattan, Kansas, Kansas State University
            "Mass Communication and the American Democracy"
               Lou Douglas Lecture Series Speech
     03        1994 Oct 24, The Lou Douglas Lecture Series Flyer
               1994 "The Politics of Culture" booklet, 3 copies
               Invitation from Claflin Books and Copies for reception and book signing for
                 Kenneth S. Davis, n.d.
     04        Newspaper clippings
                 1994 Oct 24, K-State Collegian, "Douglas Lecturer To Speak On Corruption
                    Of Advertising"
                 1994 Oct 25, K-State Collegian, "Author discusses corruption, democracy,
                    media"
                 1994 Oct 25, The Manhattan Mercury, "Free speakers threaten free speech"
     05        1994 Oct 24, Agency Purchase Order Voucher, payment for Lou  Douglas Lecture
     06     Correspondence reference Lou Douglas Lecture
               1994 Jan 11, Merlin Gustafson, Department of Political Science, Kansas State
                 University
               1994 Jan 24, Merlin Gustafson from Davis
               1994 Feb 10, Merlin Gustafson
               1994 Apr 20, Gloria Rumsey, Coordinator, Lou Douglas Lecture Series
               1994 Sep 16, Gloria Rumsey
               1994 Oct 29, Gloria Rumsey from Davis
     07     1995 Apr 20, Manhattan, Kansas
            No title
               For Manhattan Rotary Club
     08     1996 Oct 22, Washington, D.C., U. S. Naval Memorial
            "No Talent for Subordination: FDR and Josephus Daniel"
            Franklin D. Roosevelt and the U.S. Navy Symposium, Sponsored by: Franklin and
               Eleanor Roosevelt Institute Naval Historical Center, U.S. Navy Memorial
               Foundation, The Naval Heritage Center
            Symposium Program, 1996
            Data for Expense Account, Washington, D. C., 1996 Oct 21-22
            Correspondence
               1996 Jun 24, Edward J. Marolda, Conference Planner, Department of Navy 
               1996 Oct 02, Edward J. Marolda from Davis
               1966 Oct 27, Edward J. Marolda from Davis
               1998 Aug 28, Edward J. Marolda
     09     1997 Apr 21
            "FDR: His Legacy Overall"
               FDR Symposium in Manhattan, Kansas
     10     Correspondence
               1966 Jul 01, Jon Wefald, President, Kansas State University from Senator Nancy
                 Landon Kassebaum

            Dickens Fellowship Speeches
     11     1962 Apr 25, "Of Dickens and 'Bleak House'"
     12     1968 Apr 17, "Edwin Drood Concluded, Again"
     13     "Dustheaps," n.d. 
     14     "Our Mutual Friend," n.d.
     15     "To the Immortal Memory," n.d.
     16     The Dickens Fellowship Programs concerning the Worcester Branch of The Dickens
               Fellowship
               1961-1962
               1962 Dec 14, Christmas Party Menu
               1967-1968 
               1968-1969
               1971-1972, 2 copies
               1972-1973
               1977-1978
               1978-1979
               1985-1986
     17     Slater, Michael, ed. The Dickensian, Vol. 68. London, England: The Dickens House,
               1972
     18     Newspaper Clippings, n.d.
     19     Speeches with no dates or venues attached
            "'Biographical Writing' Reference 'Politics of Honor' Meaning of History, Etc."
     20        A file containing a very important speech about Eisenhower.  Davis talks about
               his last meeting with Ike and Eisenhower's run for the Presidency and the
               "Afterword" he, Davis, wrote for a new printing of Soldier of Democracy and the
               politics of this piece of writing
     21        Franklin D. Roosevelt speech notes
     22        "The Freedom to Know and to Speak"
     23        "Journalism As A Vocation"
     24        "Kansas As A State Of Mind"
     25        "Opinions of Oliver Allston, by Van Wyck Brooks"
     26        "The Roles of the Library in the Life of the Community"
     27        Smith College lecture notes
     28        "What is a Free Press, And Its Function in a Democracy"
     29        Unidentified speech notes