.
By Ed Gerritsen
Collection Overview
Abstract
Poet, writer, and editor for National Union of Christian Schools, Christian Home and School, and other publications. The collection includes poems, papers, class notes, compositions, diary, correspondence, essays, articles, book draft, newspaper clippings, Armand Merizon sketches, photographs, personal notebooks, and reflections.
Biographical Note
Marguerite Beth Merizon, known and published as Beth Merizon. She went to Calvin College as an undergraduate, and then enrolled at the University of Michigan to pursue graduate work. While at the University of Michigan, she received the Hopwood Award for Poetry. She privately published her first book of poems in 1947, entitled April Trees. Merizon taught for two years and went on to journalism and editing. She became the associate editor and eventually the senior editor at the National Union of Christian Schools (now known as Christian Schools International). She worked on the organization's magazine, Christian Home and School. Merizon also did editorial work on several major textbooks as well as other publications.
In 1973, Merizon retired, but continued to write and edit as a freelancer. Throughout her career and into her retirement, Merizon has written a great number of essays, poems, and book reviews. Merizon was a faithful member of the Neland Avenue Christian Reformed Church. Marguerite Beth Merizon passed away on February 23, 2003.
Administrative Information
Repository:
Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Alternate Extent Statement:
8 Boxes
Acquisition Source:
Amié Merizon
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: High School and College Material],
[
Series 2: Biographical/Autobiographical Material],
[
Series 3: Personal Notebooks],
[
Series 4: Personal Notebooks],
[
Series 5: Correspondence],
[
Series 6: Poems],
[
Series 7: Essays and Other Work],
[
Series 8: Essays and Other Work],
[
Series 9: Photographs],
[All]
- Series 1: High School and College Material
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Music notebook (early years) --- undated
- Folder 2: High school tests and papers --- 1925-1926
- Folder 3: The Memoir (Grand Rapids Christian High School) --- 1925
- Folder 4: The Memoir (Grand Rapids Christian High School) --- 1926
- Folder 5: High school graduation program and related material --- 1926
- Folder 6: English composition --- 1932
- Folder 7: Prism (Calvin College) --- 1932
- Folder 8: Prism (Calvin College) --- 1933
- Folder 9: College class notes (psychology) --- 1933
- Folder 10: College class notes (Roman Culture and Practice Teaching) --- undated
- Folder 11: Calvin College report cards --- 1931-1935
- Folder 12: Chimes (Calvin College) --- 1933
- Box 2
- Folder 1: "Shadows Over Beauty-Trail" (term paper) --- 1934
- Folder 2: "The Fact and Purpose of Miracles" (term paper) --- 1934
- Folder 3: Papers written for English 304 class --- undated
- Folder 4: Papers written for English 202 class --- undated
- Folder 5: Prism (Calvin College) --- 1934
- Folder 6: Prism (Calvin College) --- 1935
- Folder 7: "Paul Elmer More in the Presence of Books" (term paper) --- 1935
- Folder 8: Michigan State Teaching Certificate --- 1935
- Folder 9: Notes for English 301 course --- undated
- Folder 10: Calvin class notes (French, Reformed Doctrine, Philosophy, and Literature) --- undated
- Folder 11: Calvin class notes (Physiology, Education, and Victorian Poets) --- undated
- Folder 12: Calvin class notes (Principles of Literature and American Literature) --- undated
- Folder 13: Calvin College "blue books" --- 1932-1935
- Folder 14: Calvin College diploma --- 1936
- Folder 15: University of Michigan and Aquinas College grade reports --- undated
- Oversized OS 16:
- Item 1: Kalamazoo Public School diploma --- 1922
- Item 2: Grand Rapids Christian High School --- 1926
- Series 2: Biographical/Autobiographical Material
- Box 2
- Folder 16: Memories of Merizon family life --- undated
- Box 3
- Folder 1: Retirement tribute from (editor of) Christian Home and School --- 1973
- Folder 2: Memorial photograph album of Marguerite's life --- 1908-2003
- Folder 3: Obituary --- 2003
- Series 3: Personal Notebooks
- Box 3
- Folder 4: Daily reminder book --- 1932
- Folder 5: Notebooks (diaries) --- 1938, 1941, 1942
- Folder 6: Notebooks (diaries) --- 1945, 1958-1961
- Folder 7: Notebooks (diaries) --- 1947, 1953-1954, 1958
- Folder 8: Notebook (diary) --- 1966
- Box 4
- Folder 1: Notebooks (diaries) --- 1969, 1971-1972, 1973
- Folder 2: Notebooks (diaries) --- 1975, 1979, unknown date
- Series 4: Personal Notebooks
- Box 4
- Folder 3: Notebooks (diaries) --- 1975-1980, 1980-1982, 1985-1986
- Folder 4: Notebooks (diaries) --- 1982, 1985, 1986
- Folder 5: Notebook (diary) --- 1988
- Series 5: Correspondence
- Box 5
- Folder 1: Correspondence --- undated
- Folder 2: Correspondence --- 1930-1939
- Folder 3: Correspondence --- 1940-1949
- Folder 4: Correspondence --- 1950-1959
- Folder 5: Correspondence --- 1960-1969
- Folder 6: Correspondence --- 1970-1979
- Folder 7: Correspondence --- 1980-1989
- Folder 8: Correspondence --- 1990-1999
- Folder 9: Correspondence re: copyrights --- 1939-1941
- Folder 10: Correspondence with Armond Merizon (brother) --- undated
- Series 6: Poems
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Book of poems: Along the Way --- 1998
- Folder 2: Incomplete poems --- undated
- Folder 3: Christmas poems --- 1982-1992
- Folder 4: Christmas card poems --- undated
- Folder 5: Book of poems: The Risk of Birth (some by Merizon) --- 1974
- Folder 6: Collection of poems given to her mother --- May 1941
- Folder 7: Collection of poems under heading April Trees --- 1947
- Folder 8: Poems published in Michigan Natural Resources magazine --- undated
- Folder 9: Poem "Cornucopia" published in Torch and Trumpet --- 1956
- Folder 10: Poem "By Your Flight, O Dove" published in Christianity Today --- 1975
- Folder 11: Poems published in The Banner --- 1937, 1967, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1984
- Folder 12: Poems published in Christian Home and School magazine --- 1970-1971
- Folder 13: Miscellaneous poems --- undated
- Folder 14: Miscellaneous poems --- undated
- Folder 15: Magazine Union Life (poem on verso cover) --- 1991
- Series 7: Essays and Other Work
- Box 7
- Folder 1: Essays: The Lay of the Land; The Puritan Radiance; The Trees Around Us; Out In Back; In the Time of Lilac; and I Saw the Wide and Boundless World --- undated
- Folder 2: Essays: The Half-Built House and Cato and the Camel --- undated
- Folder 3: Essays: A Shoe Could Be a Ship; The Kermis; Round Loaves and Crusts; and The New England Primer --- undated
- Folder 4: Essay in Calvin Forum --- 1938
- Folder 5: Miscellaneous essays --- undated
- Folder 6: Articles from Christian Home and School --- 1959-1976
- Folder 7: Article for Michigan Natural Resources --- 1976
- Folder 8: Article for Inland magazine "The Black Walnut Tree" --- undated
- Folder 9: Article "The Black Walnut Tree" (publication unknown) --- undated
- Series 8: Essays and Other Work
- Box 7
- Folder 10: Essay "The Puritan Radiance in Edward Taylor" for Calvin Theological Journal --- undated
- Folder 11: Short stories: "The Gingersnap," "The Birdhouse," "The Straw Shoes," "The Ogress and The Lamb," and "A Summer Afternoon" --- undated
- Folder 12: Syllabi: "Calvinism and Society," "Calvinism and Politics," and "Spread of Calvinism" --- undated
- Folder 13: Early draft of book An Island Village --- undated
- Folder 14: Writer's Digest Creative Writing Award --- 1946
- Folder 15: Unidentified notebook --- undated
- Folder 16: Calvin appointment book with written reflections on weather --- 1977
- Box 8
- Folder 1: Personal reflections, various dates
- Folder 2: Book reviews in Christian Home and School magazine --- 1965-1973
- Folder 3: News clippings --- undated
- Folder 4: Armand Merizon sketches --- 1930-1990
- Folder 5: Illustration by Armand Merizon for The Pilot Series --- 1952-1956
- Folder 6: News clippings re: Armond Merizon --- 1952-1956
- Folder 7: Minutes of Women's National Book Association --- 1970s
- Folder 8: Christian School Pension Trust Fund certificate --- 1944
- Folder 9: Certificate of Gratitude from National Union of Christian Schools --- 1973
- Series 9: Photographs
- Box 8
- Folder 10: Marguerite Beth Merizon photographs --- 1922-1994
- Folder 11: Elizabeth Merizon photographs --- undated
- Folder 12: Jasper Adrian Merizon photographs --- undated
- Folder 13: Wedding photographs of Jasper and Josephine (DeYoung) Merizon --- 1904
- Folder 14: Jasper Adrian and Josephine (De Young) Merizon photographs --- 1940s
- Folder 15: Photograph of Jennie Merizon Longstreet (aunt) --- undated
- Folder 16: Photograph of Marinus and Marguerite Merizon --- undated
- Folder 17: Photograph of Nelson Longstreet and sisters --- undated
- Folder 18: Photographs of Carl Adrian Merizon and William Verizon --- undated
- Folder 19: Photographs of Lena Merizon and Audrey Verizon --- undated
- Folder 20: Photograph of Ted and Fred Boshoven --- undated
- Folder 21: De Young family photographs --- undated
- Folder 22: Photograph of Marguerite and Brother Franklin --- undated
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: High School and College Material],
[
Series 2: Biographical/Autobiographical Material],
[
Series 3: Personal Notebooks],
[
Series 4: Personal Notebooks],
[
Series 5: Correspondence],
[
Series 6: Poems],
[
Series 7: Essays and Other Work],
[
Series 8: Essays and Other Work],
[
Series 9: Photographs],
[All]
