Walter Lagerwey Collection, 1849-2005 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: Walter Lagerwey Collection, 1849-2005

ID: COLL/488

Primary Creator: Lagerwey, Walter (1918-2005)

Extent: 10.16 Cubic Feet. More info below.

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Professor of Dutch language and literature at Calvin College. The collection includes extensive biographical information; correspondence; papers; articles; research materials; periodical clippings; theater programs in the Dutch language; and manuscripts that detail various aspects of Dutch studies, i.e., language, literature, culture, religion, and poetry. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]

Biographical Note

Walter Lagerwey was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 11, 1918. When Lagerwey was 14, he and his family spent four years in the Netherlands. The young Lagerwey fell in love with the country, embracing its language and culture. With the break out of World War II, Lagerwey served the United States Foreign Broadcast and Intelligence Service as a monitor and translator of Dutch radio broadcasts. He also served on a team of Dutch language specialists on the United States Army Signal Corps. Once WWII ended Lagerwey enrolled at Calvin College where he majored in history and minored in English, German, and philosophy. He graduated in 1949 and then spent two years at Columbia for his master's in Germanic languages, then then did graduate work at the University of Michigan and the Free University Amsterdam. He eventually earned his Ph.D. in Germanic Languages and Literatures from University of Michigan in 1958.

In 1953 Lagerwey accepted a faculty position at Calvin College and essentially ran a one-man Dutch department. The same year of his hire, Lagerwey was appointed to the Queen Juliana Chair of Language and Culture of the Netherlands. While at Calvin, Lagerwey experienced difficulties finding textbooks on the Dutch language, so he wrote his own textbook entitled, Speak Dutch in 1968. This textbook was not only used by Calvin students, but eventually became a valuable resource for colleges across the country. For a time Lagerwey served as the president of the Netherlandic section of the Modern Language Association of America. Due to his many years of promoting the Dutch language, literature and culture, Lagerwey was named an Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau, a prestigious honor given to him by the Dutch government in 1978.

After 30 years of service to Calvin College, Lagerwey retired in 1983. On June 6, 2005 Walter Lagerwey passed away after a short illness. He was survived by his wife of 62 years, Wilhelmina Ditmar, and their children.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Materials, 1966-2005],
[Series 2: Manuscript and Book: Neen Nederland 'K Vergeet U Niet, undated and 1982],
[Series 3: Academic Materials, 1954-1980],
[Series 4: Literature and Poems, 1959-1975],
[Series 5: Research Materials, 1880-1984],
[Series 6: Correspondence, 1941-1981],
[Series 7: Materials, 1953-1978],
[Series 8: Correspondence, 1967-1971],
[Series 9: Dutch Immigrant Research Materials, undated],
[Series 10: Poems, 1852-1961],
[Series 11: Writings, 1858-1981],
[Series 12: Materials, 1849-1985],
[Series 13: Slides, 1974-1984],
[Series 14: Materials, 1922-1978],
[Series 15: Miscellaneous],
[Oversized OS33],
[All]

Series 12: Materials --- 1849-1985

Box 19

Folder 4: Materials re: Dutch language newspapers --- 1975-1976
Folder 5: Materials re: Dutch/American relations --- 1948, undated
Folder 6: Materials re: Dutch-American poets --- undated
Folder 7: Materials re: Frisian-American writers --- 1958, undated
Folder 8: Materials re: New Jersey Dutch language --- undated
Folder 9: Materials re: Dutch-language publications in the US --- 1916, 1947, 1960, undated
Folder 10: Materials re: 18th and 19th century colonial Dutch in the US --- 1982-1983, undated
Folder 11: Materials re: Yankee Dutch language --- 1938, undated
Folder 12: Materials re: Belgian-Americans in the Detroit area --- 1890, 1922, undated
Folder 13: Materials re: Flemish immigrants --- 1924, 1968-1983
Folder 14: Materials re: problems with the English language --- undated

Box 20

Folder 1: Yankee Dutch literature --- undated
Folder 2: Yankee Dutch literature by Dirk Nieland --- undated
Folder 3: Study guide, "Dutch Language and Heritage" --- 1969
Folder 4: Advanced Dutch course book --- 1985
Folder 5: Dutch and Belgium concert programs --- 1920s
Folder 6: Dutch and Belgian newspapers --- 1975-1985
Folder 7: Photocopy, Gazette Van Moline --- 1907-1908
Folder 8: Letter, "Dear Friends Back Home," by G. Baay --- 1849
Folder 9: Article, "De Boeren van Kleidorp' by H.J. Blacquiere --- 1919 and undated
Folder 10: Book review by F. M. Ten Hoor --- 1910
Folder 11: Memoirs by Bastiaan Broere --- undated
Folder 12: Cantata score, Semi-Centennial of CRC --- 1907
Folder 13: Materials re: 60th anniversary Dutch colonization of Western Michigan --- 1908
Folder 14: Article re: the Holland Fire, by H. S. Lucas --- 1955
Folder 15: Tribute to J. Noordewier in De Wachter --- 1873
Folder 16: New Year's Day sermon by H. Van Hoogen in Prospect Park New Jersey --- 1905

Box 21

Folder 1: Theater performance programs --- 1923-1927
Folder 2: Theater performance programs --- 1926-1927
Folder 3: Theater performance programs --- 1928-1930
Folder 4: Theater performance programs --- 1932-1940

Box 22

Folder 1: Correspondence with R. Swierenga re: translation of Iowa letters --- 2002
Folder 2: Book reviews, Letters Written in Good Faith: The Early Years of the Dutch Norbertines in Wisconsin --- undated
Folder 3: Correspondence re: Letters Written in Good Faith translation --- 1987-2004
Folder 4: Materials re: copyright application for "Speak Dutch" --- 1972-1974