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Helen Ruffin Marshall papers

 Collection
Identifier: SC-Mss. Coll. 29

Scope and Contents

Helen Ruffin Marshall papers contain photographs, programs, and clippings relating to the Centenary Opera Workshop and the Shreveport Civic Opera Association.

Dates

  • 1948 - 1961

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Physical rights are retained by the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

Helen Ruffin Marshall (1886-1972) is the daughter of George Randolph Ruffin (1849-1915) and Amarillo Gholson Bell Ruffin (1861-1888). Raised in Hope, Arkansas, she enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, Massachusetts) in 1904 and graduated in 1908. From approximately 1909 to 1912, she lived in Hope, Arkansas, where she sang at programs given by that city’s Pianists’ Club. In 1912, she moved to Marshall, Texas, where she taught voice and piano in addition to serving as choir director at Saint Joseph Catholic Church. In 1913, she married Frederick Calvin Marshall (1880-1940). From approximately 1918 to 1925, the Marshalls lived in Hope, Arkansas, and Helen taught private voice and piano classes. Around 1925, the Marshalls moved to Texarkana, Arkansas, where Helen was head of the Marshall-Wood Studios of Fine Arts. Starting in the mid-1930s, she was also involved in music activities in Shreveport, Louisiana, as a member of the faculty at the Southwestern Institute of Arts as well as a lecturer at the Woman’s Department Club. In 1940, Helen moved to Shreveport, and served as assistant professor of voice at Centenary College of Louisiana from 1941 to 1959. In 1949, she helped organize the Shreveport Civic Opera Association. After working at Centenary, she began teaching voice at Saint Vincent’s Academy. Around 1963, she moved back to Hope, Arkansas.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Arranged by document type and chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Collection donated by Mary Bell Sard in 1974.

Title
Finding Aid to the Helen Ruffin Marshall papers
Author
Created by Diane Kaplan circa 1975, updated by Chris Brown in 2021.
Date
2021
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
2911 Centenary Blvd.
Shreveport LA 71104 US
(318) 869-5462