Finding Aid
John Terpstra fonds. – 1930-2006; predominant 1972-2006. – 3.94 m of textual records and other materials.
Series 1
Correspondence. – 1978-2006. – 32 cm of textual records and graphic material. – Title based on content of the series. – Most correspondence is incoming. Order is alphabetical, followed by family and greeting cards. Correspondence can also be found in other series.
Box 1
F.1 A
F.2 Peter Auski, 1991-92
F.3 B
F.4 Wendy Bartley, 1983-1985; one letter also has a section written by Brian
Wesley Bates see Porcupine’s Quill, Box 2. F.20
F.5 Roy Berkenbosch, 2001
F.6 William Blissett, 1978-1992; also offprints by Blissett
F.7 Jennifer Bulthuis, 2001
F.8 C
F.9 CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.), 1986-2000; also includes cards of congratulations from well-wishers re Terpstra’s win of the 1991 CBC Literary Competition
F.10 Canada Council, 1988-1995
F.11 Canadian Forum, 1995
F.12 Canadian Geographic, 1997; includes drafts of an article on the Iroquois Bar
F.13 Centre for Cultural Renewal, 2002
F.14 Adrienne Clarkson, 2001, 2003
F.15 Compass, 1996-97
F.16 Ann Corbet, [1993?]
F.17 D
F.18 Descant, 1986, 1990
F.19 Design Hope, 2005
F.20 Mark Di Saverio, 2002
F.21 Tom Dilworth
F.22 DoubleTake, 2000
F.23 Stan Dragland, 1991, 1995; see also McClelland & Stewart
Dream Catcher Magazine see Paul Sutherland
F.24 E
F.25 Evergreen Foundation (Maxine Sidran), 1991
F.26 F
F.27 Ann Felix, 1984
F.28 Fiddlehead, 1985-1996
F.29 Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1999-2000
F.30 G
F.31 Gaspereau Press, 2000-04
F.32 Gary Geddes, 1996
F.33 Grail, 1988-1999
F.34 H
F.35 Richard Halstead, 1981-1988
F.36 Richard Halstead, 1986-1992
F.37 Hamilton Artists Inc. (Zone 6b), 2000
F.38 Hamilton & Region Arts Council, 1988-1995
F.39 Hamilton Public Library, 1988-1996; see also Power of the Pen, Box 2, F.21
F.40 Harbourfront, 1991-2, 2005; includes notes for a reading
F.41 Judy Hardy, 1995-2002
F.42 Cornelia Hoogland, 1994, 2001-03
F.43 I
F.44 Image, 1994
F.45 Intersections, 2004
F.46 Rod Jellema, 1990; one letter, outgoing
F.47 Deidre Jackson, 2002
F.48 George Johnston, 1983-1998; obituary, 2004
F.49 Journal of Canadian Poetry, 1989
F.50 K
F.51 Kairos, 1995, 1999
F.52 Janet Knights, 1992
F.53 Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 1997
Box 2
F.1 L
F.2 League of Canadian Poets, 1992-1996
F.3 M
F.4 Malahat Review, 1981-1997
F.5 Daphne Marlatt, 1985-1986
F.6 Mars Hill Review, 2000-03
Mac/Mc
F.7 McClelland and Stewart (Stan Dragland), 1993-4
F.8 Macfarlane Walter & Ross, 1997
F.9 Randy McLeod, 2001
F.10 McMaster University, 2005
F.11 N
F.12 Netherlandic Press, 1986-1997
F.13 O
F.14 Ontario Arts Council, 1988, 1992, 1994
F.15 The Other Side, 1990
F.16 Richard Outram, 1991, 1995
F.17 P
F.18 Peter Enneson Design Inc., 1992
F.19 Poetry Canada Review, 1989, 1992
F.20 Porcupine’s Quill, 1996; includes 2 col. photographs of the book launch for Gardening at the Mouth of Hell (West Meadow Press) by Bernadette Rule; news clippings; letter from Wesley Bates enclosing illustrations; press release; notes by Terpstra
F.21 Power of the Pen programme, Hamilton Public Library, 2000
F.22 Lud Prevec, 1999
F.23 Public Lending Commission, 1995
F.24 Al Purdy, 1998
F.25 Q
F.26 Quarry Press, 1983-4, 1992, 1996
F.27 R
F.28 Red Hill Valley, 2004
F.29 Royal Botanical Gardens, 1994
F.30 Will Rueter, 2000, n.d.
F.31 S
F.32 Andrea Schofield, 2002
F.33 Split Reed Press, 1982-84
F.34 Cathy Stewart-Kroeker, 2001-02
F.35 Stoddart, 1997
F.36 Paul Sutherland, 2003
F.37 T
F.38 Jim Taylor, 1999
F.39 Theatre & Co., 1995-96
F.40 Brad Townsend, 2002-03
F.41 Trinity Christian College, 2004
F.42 Trinity College, University of Toronto, 2006
F.43 Trent University, Margaret Laurence Fellowship, 1995
F.44 Terry Trowbridge, 1997-2001; includes poems
F.45 Unidentified, first names and illegible
F.46 United Church of Canada, 2000-01
F.47 University of Toronto, 1978; University of Toronto Press, 1982
F.48 University of Toronto Quarterly (W.J. Keith), 1980-83
F.49 V
F.50 Sue VanderNaald, 1997-8
F.51 W
F.52 Waves, 1985
F.53 Pat Weaver, 1983
West Meadow Press see Porcupine’s Quill in this box, F.20
F.54 Bruce Whiteman, 1987
F.55 Wildflower Magazine, 1994
F.56 Richard Wilbur, 1983-84
F.57 Z
F.58 Family and Friends; also news clipping
F.59 Birthday cards for 40th birthday
F.60 Birthday and other greeting cards
F.61 Thank you cards and letters
Series 2
Books and other writings. – 1933-2006; 1977-2005 predominant. – 2.7 m of textual records, sound recordings and graphic material. – Title based on content of series. – Arrangement is as follows: non-fiction books, poetry books, poetry, autobiographical writings and/or short stories, drama, articles, journals and notebooks, writings by others. File titles in quotation marks indicate that the title has been taken from the original file or it appears on the work itself. For recordings of some of these works see Box 20. Juvenile, memorial service writings and some poetry written for church services is found in Series 4.
Non-fiction Books; arrangement is alphabetical
The Boys (Gaspereau Press, 2005)
Box 3
F.1 “Notes from Plane Street”, 1977-1978
F.2 Manuscript drafts, typed poems, including one titled “‘Easter Ballad ...’”, March 1978
F.3 Manuscripts drafts, computer prints, 1994-2004
F.4 “One Girl, Three Boys”, computer print, 1997; also manuscript pages 2002
F.5 Manuscript draft, Feb.-May 2002, 33 + 1 pages
F.6 “Frank and Martha”, manuscript drafts, 2003-04
F.7 Computer print, pp. 1-34
F.8 Computer prints, pp. 109-120, 112-126
F.9 “Second draft”, compute print, 110 pages
F.10 “Draft no. 3”, 25 August 2004, computer print, 108 pages
F.11 “Draft no. 4”, 5 November 2004, computer print, 111 pages
F.12 “Draft no. 7”, computer print, 121 pages; also 4 pages of manuscript comments on the draft
F.13 “Draft no. 8”, January 2005, computer print, 128 pages
F.14 Draft, computer print, 114 pages; includes the dedication line added in Terpstra’s hand
Box 4
Associated materials:
F.1 Birthday cards, notebooks, game scores, letter
F.2 “Information about boys: homemakers, meals, exercise, nurses”; file also contains some correspondence
F.3 “My Autobiography” by Mary Vande Ree (later Terpstra); also a notebook, 1973
F.4 “Life Behind the Mike” by Eric Vande Ree
F.5 Journal kept by various family members, 1975; also loose pages, n.d.
F.6 “Unfinished Letters from Plane Street”, 1977-78
F.7 “Church, etc.”
F.8 Photographs (col.): two of the boys, one of their parents
F.9 News clippings
Also in this box: two baseballs; 9 audio cassettes; 1 wood cut. Cassettes are numbered 1-3, 5-8, 25. There are two numbered 5 and two numbered 8.
Box 5
F.1 Gaspereau Press correspondence, 2005; also a catalogue
F.2 Book launch in Hamilton; includes 17 col. photographs
F.3 Book launch in New Jersey; includes 4 col. photographs
F.4 Press mentions, reviews, promotional material
F.5 Letters, cards, and emails, 2005-06
F.6 The Word Guild Award of Merit certificate, June 2006
F.7 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, 2006 program
F.8 British Columbia Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, 2006; includes 2 col. photographs
F.9 Poster for reading of The Boys at Redeemer College
Oversize: Two framed finalist citations for the Charles Taylor Prize and the British Columbia Award
Falling into Place (Gaspereau Press, 2002); an earlier working title was “Burlington Heights”
Box 6
Research materials:
F.1 Photographs, photocopies, post cards
F.2 Photographs taken at the gardener’s house on Old Guelph Road; 9 b&w, 1933, 1945, 1957, n.d.
F.3 “Boathouses – Interviews [about]”, 1995-96; also correspondence, news clippings, contact information
F.4 Contacts list
F.5 “Glaciation”, manuscript notes, 2 pages
F.6 Dundurn Castle, printed materials
F.7 “Interviews”, begins with Victor Almas, Nov. 1993 [1995?]; 2 b&w photographic reproductions
F.8 Maps and drawings, photocopies
F.9 “Mercer’s Glen, notes and photos”, 1995-96; 8 b&w reprints of old photographs
F.10 News clippings
F.11 Notes and printed materials on Niagara Falls
F.12 The People and The Bay (pamphlet)
F.13 Royal Botanical Gardens: scattered issues of The Gardens’ Bulletin, 1961-1980
F.14 Royal Botanical Gardens: photocopies of Board minutes, beginning in 1931
F.15 Various articles, photocopies
F.16 Various notes
Journals:
F.17 “York Blvd. – Journal”, 21 Nov. 1933-3 Oct. 1944, pp. 1-151
F.18 “Burlington Heights – Journal”, 7 Oct. 1994-26 June 1995, pp. 152-229
F.19 “Burlington Heights – Journal”, 8 Nov. 1995-5 Nov. 1996, pp. 230-252
Box 7
Early drafts (working title of “Burlington Heights):
F.1 “Chapter 1 drafts”, computer prints, 1992, manuscript pages, 1996
F.2 “Draft Working 2”, computer prints, 8 August 1994
F.3 “Coming into Geography”, computer prints, November 1994
F.4 “Notes and Chapter Ideas”, 1994, 1995, manuscript notes
F.5 “Selective Memory”, 1994, 1997-98, computer prints and manuscript pages
F.6 “Notes, Vigils, etc.”, 1995-97, manuscript notes
F.7 “Mercer’s Glen, Timcup Blues, Chapter drafts – 2”, 1996, computer prints and manuscript pages
F.8 “Chapter Drafts – 2”, 1996, corrected computer prints
F.9 “Vigils / Working”, 20 February 1996, 6 June 1997, corrected computer prints and manuscript pages
F.10-1 “Chapter 1 Drafts”, 1996-98, corrected computer prints; originally one large file
F.12 “Giants”, poem, 1996, computer prints and manuscript pages
F.13 “The Stuff we’re made of”, February 1997, corrected computer prints and manuscript pages
F.14 “Chapter 2 drafts Niagara”, one page dated 3 April 1997, computer prints and manuscript pages
F.15 “Notebook: drafts”, Sept.-Oct. 1997, computer prints
F.16 “Old Guelph Road – Chapter drafts”, 5 November 1997, computer prints and manuscript pages
F.17 “Vigils: Drafts”, 1997, corrected computer prints
F.18 “Niagara chapter / working”, 14 May 1997, computer prints, manuscript pages, photocopies
F.19 “Tourist to Geography”, corrected computer prints, one typed page
Later drafts (using title Falling into Place)
F.20 “Chapter drafts – 1, Getting Here from Niagara Falls and others”, manuscript pages and corrected computer prints; drafts of three chapters
F.21 “First working drafts”, 12 May 1997-15 Nov. 1999, manuscript pages, corrected computer prints
F.22 “Draft 1”, 6 April 1998-19 August 1999, manuscript pages, corrected computer prints
F.23 “Possible Chapters”, 29 Sept. 1997-April 1999, manuscript pages, computer prints
Box 8
F.1-2 “Second Draft”, corrected computer prints; originally one large file
F.3-4 “Third Draft, Fall 1999”, corrected computer prints with explanatory note; originally one large file
F.5 “Fourth Draft / Early, Sent to Literary Agents Feb.-March 2000”, computer print, pp. 1-107
F.6 “Fourth Draft Working 1”, corrected computer prints
F.7 “Fourth Draft”, corrected pages from, also general notes, one page, June 2000, and one page of comments
F.8-10 “Fourth Draft”, 8 June 2000, corrected computer prints; originally one large file, pp. 1-284
F.11 “Fifth Draft – Working Summer 2000”, June / August 2000, 2 sets of corrected computer prints
F.12 “Fifth Draft – Rewrites, Summer 2000”, corrected computer prints
F.13-4 “Fifth Draft, March 1, 2001”, corrected computer prints, pp. 1-199; originally one large file (with File 1 in the next box).
Box 9
F.1 “Fifth Draft, March 1, 2001”, corrected computer prints, pp. 200-312; originally one large file (with Files 13-14 in previous box)
F.2 “Fifth Draft”, pp. 74-99, corrected computer prints
F.3 “Old Working 2001”, computer prints, some pages have dates of 1994, 1997, some pages are marked as “fifth draft” and others as “taken out of no. 6”
F.4 “Sixth Draft – Working Notes”, 2001, manuscripts pages, computer prints
F.5 “Comments on Draft 6, 2001”
F.6 “Eighth Draft. Last Notes” File also contains poem “St. Terra”, some correspondence, and a table of contents
F.7-9 “Final Draft – Jan. 2002”, computer print, pp. 1-303; originally one large file
F.10-2 “Edited Copy (with editorial notes) no. 1”, computer print, pp. 1-312
F.13 Proof copy notes from Amanda Jernigan, 20 May 2002
F.14 Draft Table of Contents, poem “Ceremony”, computer prints
F.15 Gaspereau Press correspondence, 2002
F.16 Cards of congratulations and other correspondence, 2002-03
F.17 Book launch in Hamilton; also 2 col photographs.
F.18 Book launch in Nova Scotia
F.19 Published extracts in Hamilton Spectator: The Magazine; 19 October 2002.
F.20 Promotional col. portrait photograph of Terpstra; 3 col photographs at a book signing
Oversize: Promotional print, same content as File 17 materials, mounted on particle board; cover of The Magazine, (File 18) with photograph of Terpstra, laminated.
Poetry Books
Formats: manuscript pages, typescript pages, computer prints; arrangement is alphabetical
Box 10
Brendan Luck (Gaspereau Press, 2005)
F.1 “Caregiver”, autumn 2000
F.2 “Doors”, autumn 2002
F.3-4 Various poems that appear in the book, 2005
Captain Kintail (Netherlandic Press, 1992)
F.5-6 Multiple drafts, one dated summer 2000; originally one large file
F.7 Two previously bound prints, January 1991; also notes for a talk at Hamilton Public Library
F.8 Bound proofs
Oversize: Artwork for cover
The Church Not Made with Hands (Wolsak and Wynn, 1997)
“Jesus Christ, The Apple Tree” published in The Church as “This Orchard Sound”
F.9 Drafts, one is dated March 1989
F.10 “Jesus Christ the Apple-Tree, March 1989 New Jersey”
F.11 “Jesus Christ the Apple-Tree, Jan.-Feb. 1991”
F.12 “Jesus Christ the Apple-Tree”; file also contains a program for St. Paul’s Anglican Church, April 2001
F.13 “This Orchard Sound”, typeset pages, bound; set differently from the book
F.14 “Low Easter, Rock Chapel”
F.15 “Physical Mysteries”
F.16-8 “Starshout Café”, drafts, includes formerly bound prints
F.19 “Starshout Café”, bound print, June 1993
F.20 “Uncarved Totems”
F.21 “Drafts”, one is dated 1988
Box 11
F.1-2 “Drafts 1”
F.3 “Drafts 2”, one draft is bound, spring 1990
F.4 “Drafts 3”, one is dated October 1991
F.5-6 “Drafts 4”, one is dated Summer 1992; originally one large file
F.7 “Working”
F.8 “Rewrites spring 1990”
F.9 Photo “copies of finished poems”
F.10 “Final copies / Originals”; file does includes some photocopies; also published sheet music for “Christ The Apple Tree” by James R. Green
F.11 Proofs (Peter Enneson), printed 11-16 Feb. 1993
F.12 Proofs (Peter Enneson), printed 24 March 1992
F.13 Formerly bound computer print, “1/5/96”
F.14 Bound computer print; contents vary from published book
F.15 Loose computer print pages, punched for binding
F.16 Wolsak and Wynn correspondence; also 2 col. photographs of cover artwork
Oversize: Proofs for “The big round belly of the future”
Box 12
Devil’s Punch Bowl (St. Thomas Poetry Series, 1998); “Atonement” was also published separately as a chapbook.
F.1 “Atonement , Summer 1996”
F.2 “Atonement” 1997
F.3 “Atonement”, computer print, n.d.
F.4 “Atonement”, proofs for a “chapbook”
F.5 “Present Perfect”
F.6 “The Sheep Reports”, with covering letter, 25 Aug. 1995, to Marian Van Til of the Christian Courier where the poem was first published.
F.7 “Small Voices”
F.8 “To God as a Small Pest”; poem previously titled “Squirrel”
F.9 “Drafts of [several] poems”
F.10 Bound computer print with some corrections
F.11 Computer print, “1998”
Disarmament (Gaspereau Press, 2003); several poems in this volume were earlier published as chapbooks in 1998-2000; materials for those chapbooks are in the next box. Materials for an unpublished work “Economy of Hope” which contained several poems published in Disarmament follows the chapbooks.
F.12 “Disarmament”, 1999
F.13 “Ceremony”, 1997-98
F.14 “Conviction”, Feb.-April 2001
F.15 “The Easy Part”
F.16 “Economy of Hope”, March 2001
F.17 “Jaws”, 1999-2000
F.18 “Oral Pleasures”; see also F.28 in this box
F.19 “Planetary Lives”, 1999
F.20 Poolside”; poem previously titled “Postcards to Jesus”
F.21 “Restoration”, 1999
F.22 “The River”, May.-Sept. 2000
F.23 “Saying Goodnight”, 1999
F.24 “Three Stones: Port-au-Prince”
F.25 “Trinity Sunday, Sydling Street, Nicholas”
F.26 White Buffalo, 1998; original file name “Brock Road” (also earlier name of poem)
F.27 “Wild Edibles”, 2000
F.28 “Drafts of Poems”, includes “Fiat mihi”, “Going to the Toko” and its later title “Oral Pleasures”
Box 13
F.1 “Edited manuscripts”; file contains corrected computer prints
F.2 Proofs
F.3 Promotional materials, readings, notes, correspondence, Gaspereau Press, 2003-04
F.4 Book Launch in the Maritimes, reading tour, 2003
Associated chapbooks:
Beach/Tension/Art (1998)
F.5 Draft poems
F.6 Proofs
Humus/Logos/Silence (1998)
F.7 “Drafts”, 1998
F.8 “Photocopy originals”, i.e. proofs
Two Couples/Four Voices (1999)
F.9-10 “Advent / Two Couples 1998 drafts”
F.11 “Drafts for Libretto / Songs”
F.12 “The Carpenter Joseph Meditates on His Condition”
F.13 “Corrected proofs for Peter Emerson”
See also “A Cantata for Advent”, Box 25, F.2
Disarmament/Uncle Leon’s Letter (1999)
F.14 “Uncle Leon’s Letter”, 1999
F.15 Published chapbooks; other copies have been catalogued for Research Collections
“Economy of Hope”
F.16 “Contraband”, Aug.-Sept. 2000
F.17 “From a Broken Rock”, Dec. 1995
F.18 “Haitian Vacation”, 17 Mar. 2001
F.19 “Last-Day: Port-au-Prince”, Feb.-Sept. 2001
F.20 “Magdalen”, March 2000
F.21 “Thirty Names:
F.22 “Removed poems 2002”
F.23 Bound computer prints, 14 Oct. 2001
F.24 Journal and notes, Jan.-Feb. 2001, Haiti
F.25 Correspondence with Wolsak and Wynn, 2001-02
Box 14
Forty Days & Forty Nights (Netherlandic Press, 1987)
Files 1-16 are from an original file titled “finished drafts”
F.1 “Blank”
F.2 “A Ceremony, to dedicate a tree …”; previously called “Dedicating a tree …”
F.3 “Clouds”
F.4 “A Gift for the Girl”
F.5 “James Joyce and the Equator”
F.6 “Manitoa”
F.7 “Neighbours”
F.8 “New Ideas”
F.9 “Pedlars of the Practical”
F.10 “A Prayer”
F.11 “Recordings”
F.12 “A Walk”
F.13 “Wayside Loo”
F.14 “Yard’s End”
F.15 Untitled poems from original folder of finished drafts; could not be matched to any published texts
F.16 “Finished drafts”
F.17 “Final drafts”, table of contents, notes
F.18 Complete typescript with title page, 41 pages, plus manuscript page of biographical notes
F.19 Published reviews, notices, etc.
F.20 Italian Cultural Centre Society, correspondence, 1988
Italian Cultural Centre Society, F.G. Bressani Literary Prize for Poetry; award is mounted on wood plaque
See also Box 25, F.3 for an offprint of one of the poems
Naked Trees (Netherlandic Press, 1990); an earlier title was “On the Street Where You Live”. Also related to this is “Live Art / Naked Trees “which is a performance piece.
F.21 “Working”; file contains some poems that do not appear in the book, including “Naivete”, Jan. 1981
F.22 “Working”
F.23-4 “Drafts
F.25 “Draft Trees – 1 (Deciduary #1 and #2)
F.26 “Drafts”
F.27 “Drafts 3”
F.28 “Drafts 4”
Box 15
F.1 “Forest Green: Drafts of Finished and New Trees”
F.2 Various typescripts and photocopies, Nov. 1985, May 1986, June 1987
F.3 March 1986
F.4 October 1987; file contains comments by David McFadden
F.5 Bound reading copy, 12 May 1985
F.6 Bound and unbound working drafts, September 1988
F.7 “Fall 1988”
F.8 “1988 copy”
F.9 Bound copy with some inserts, Jan. 1990
F.10-1 “Drafts 1990”
F.12 “Typescript 1990”, 79 p.
F.13 Correspondence with The Malahat Review, 1986
F.14 Correspondence, 1990-91
F.15 Extracts of reviews
F.16 Photograph of cover
“Live Art / Naked Trees”
F.17 Grant application, 1988
F.18 “Drafts”
F.19 Printed materials about, also a typescript
Scrabbling for Repose (Split Reed Press, 1982)
F.20 Cover letter, 9 March 1980, and response, 22 May 1980; photocopies of some of the poems
F.21 Poems, numbered typescript, pp. 5-10
F.22 Poems in manuscript form
F.23 Poems, ts. and ts. carbon
Box 16
Poetry (order is alphabetical); see also Journals in Box 19
F.1 “Animate Objects”, 1998
F.2 “Aunt Lucy”, 2003
F.3 “Awe Creation”, 1999
F.4 “Bach”, 2006
F.5 “The Beautiful Burn”, 2003
F.6 “The Biblical Message 1”, 1996
F.7 “The Biblical Message”
F.8 “Bones Memknit”
F.9 “Come by Here”, 1992
F.10 “The Deposition”, 2004
F.11 “The Dig”, 2006
F.12 “Driving Home Christmas”, 2004
F.13 “The Elder Son”, 2003
F.14 “Fathers and Daughters”, April 2001
F.15 “Fort Wellington 2003-04”
F.16 “Flu Shot”, Nov.-Dec. 2004
F.17 “From a Broken Rock”, Dec. 1995
F.18 “Geese”, 2003
F.19 “The Highway”, 2003-04
F.20 “Hindsight”, 2005
F.21 “Lament 2004”
F.22 “Martha’s Reply”, “July 2004”
F.23 “May”, 2003
F.24 “Mom, like the Buddha”, 2003
F.25 “Moving” [title on original file]; poem actually titled “Emptying the House”, 2005-06
F.26 “Barb Hudspith” [title on original file; Hudspith had been an elder at St. Cuthbert’s until 2004]; poem actually titled “Omen”
F.27 “Psalm 1 & 2”, 2004
F.28 “The Preacher Refuses Baptism to the Outsider”, 2004-05
F.29 “Purgation”, 2002-04
F.30 “Self-Loathing 1”
F.31 “Self-Loathing 2”
F.32 “Storyteller 2007”
F.33 “Three Temptations of Christ”, Jan.-Feb. 1996
F.34-5 “St. Peter’s Dig”, 2006; alternate title “Crossing into Heaven”
F.36 “Tulips”, 2004
Box 17
Order of poems is chronological. Some of these poems may belong to Terpstra’s poetry books; without titles it was not possible to check them against those poems.
F.1 Poetry drafts; original file titles “On Hold, 1” and “On Hold, 2”, [197-]; also one service of worship mimeo, 15 May 1977
F.2 “Odd and Sods”, 1972-79; some of the poems in this file were written by Mary Terpstra (then Vande Ree) and Pete Ennema
F.3 “Notes”; file mostly contains poems, also a draft letter to Image magazine, 1993
F.4 “Working”; poems, notes, draft letter to Bill, 1995
F.5 “Waiting”; poems, 1997-98
F.6 Poems found by archivist outside original file folders, Jan.-April 1998: “Coming Out”, “Simple Mind, Stupid Grin”, “Wheels”
F.7 Poems beginning with the line: “In the church where we go now”, 1998-2001; many of Terpstra’s poems begin with this line.
F.8 “Loose sheets”; poems, 2000-05
F.9 Poems, various drafts, 2000
F.10 Untitled poems, n.d.
Poetry and Prose (mixed)
F.11 “Dutch stuff – Netherlandic 1998”; some pages are dated 1997
F.12 “We Gather Together”, ca. 1980?
F.13 “Working”
Autobiographical writings and/or Short Stories (see also articles in Box 18 and Journals in Box 19)
F.14 “God’s Thing / Drafts / 1990”
F.15 “God’s Thing”, begun 10 May 1992
F.16 “Mal de bleu”, re a blue Malibu station wagon
F.17-8 “Taking Notes: Family car-camping on the shore of Lake Huron”, 1990, also correspondence about publishing it
F.19 “Out of the Frying Pan”
F.20 Untitled; begins “Both chain saws had stopped …”, [198-]
F.21 “Kaylid”, [198-?]
F.22 “Scouter John”, [198-?]
Drama
F.23-4 “The First Morning”, drafts, bound and unbound copies, 1999
Box 18
Articles (arrangement is chronological)
F.1 “How Am I Supposed to Feel”, April 1981
F.2 [“Pine Sideboard”], [1982], re the store in Freelton; also some autobiographical notes on the work
F.3 “Water is politics in Mount Hope these days”; title taken from first line in the article, May 1982
F.4 “If Mr. Beasley were to wake up one morning”, title taken from first line in the article, original file name “Chedoke”, multiple drafts one of which is dated 1982
F.5 “Pushing Against the Limits of the Handicapped”, 1984
F.6 “Hunting for Gardner”, n.d. but [198-?]
F.7 “Where in the World is Burlington Heights?”, Broadway Magazine, Sept.-Oct. 1994; includes tear-sheets
F.8-11 “Coming into Geography”, a series of three articles for The Hamilton Spectator; the first of which was published on 30 March 1995.
Article on the Iroquois Bar, 1997, see Box 1. F.12
F.12-6 “Steeling Beauty” also titled “Dereliction and Beauty: where have all the inlets gone”; research materials and drafts, 2005
Box 19
Journals and Notebooks (arrangement is chronological)
Note: Journals related to Falling into Place are located in Box 6; journal related to Disarmament is in Box 13, F.24
F.1 Canoe trip beginning on Bell Lake, also a few lines of poetry and misc. notes; there is a reference to a Hamilton Spectator article, 1981
F.2 Camping trip, July 1983. The notebook begins with quotations from other authors, also some poetry and reflections. Loose sheets are also found in the file, including those that contain a description of a trip to the Pinery in July 1982.
F.3 “Free Writing”, unbound journal entries, 6 Dec. 1983-9 Feb. 1984
F.4 Research notes, poems and reflections, also a birthday card, Fall 1986 to 17 January 1992
F.5 “The Cigarettes Journal”, 30 July 1990-2 July 1996
F.6 Journal entries, Dec. 1992-Feb. 1995
F.7 Journal divided into five parts: (1) 19 Feb. 1996-19 Dec. 1996 (2) poems, 30 July 1996-8 Feb. 1998 (3) undated poems followed by reflections on the Dutch, 28 Nov. 1997 (4) notes and poems, followed by journal entries, 20 April 1996-25 Jan. 1997 (5) poems, Feb.-Sept. 1996 followed by journal entries, 30 Oct. 1997-26 Nov. 1997
F.8 Two notebooks, 1998-1998, containing poems plus directions and other miscellaneous notes
F.9 Journal entries, 4 Feb. 1999-Sept. 2001
F.10 Journal page, 4 Sept.-8 Sept. 2002
F.11 Quotations from other authors, miscellaneous notes, some dated 2002-2003
F.12 A few pages of journal entries about roofing, 9 May 2005, followed by poetry
Writings by others
F.13 Jean Cockburn, “John Terpstra: A Poet to Be Watched”, computer print, 15 pages + bibliography and endnotes; English Literature course paper for Professor Ann Mandel
F.14 Frank De Maio, “Constable Kintail (a poem after Johannes Terpstra)”, May 1993, computer print, 8 pages
F.15 Elizabeth Windhorst, “A Community of Communities: a Discussion with John Terpstra about Hamilton”, June 2003, computer print, 2 pages
Series 3
Photographs, audio-visual and related materials. – 1988-2004. – 16 cm of sound recordings, moving images, graphic materials and textual records. – Title based on content of series.
Box 20
Photographs
F.1 Family, 9 col., 2 col. copies
F.2 Events and readings: 2 col. photographs, 1 b&1, 1 small album; 1 unidentified
Audio-visual materials
Audio-cassettes (2):
*“The further adventures of … Captain Kintail”, poems and music by John Terpstra and Bart Nameth. 1993. Commercial product. Additional cassette covers are in File 3 in this box.
*Naked Trees, I-V; also interview of CKLH, 10 May 1988
Mini audio-cassettes (4)
*Final Mixes, April 2000, begins with “Flames of Affection” – 2 cassettes. See also F.8 in this box
*“Flames of Affection”
*“Awe Creation”, “The Beach”, “Disarmament”
Compact Discs (3)
*“Flames of Affection, Tongues of Flame”; John Terpstra, voice; Bart Nameth, piano; Ian Harper, flute; Maggie Martineau, second voice
*Interview on CBC, Fresh Air program, 9 Feb. 2003 (2 CDs)
Video cassettes (VHS format) (4)
*“BioLibrary – John Terpstra on The Boys”, “The Queen family – Appalachian Back Porch Music”, “Untold Stories – ‘First Pitch’ – Baseball Spring Training”
*“Reluctant Poet”, Vision-TV
*“CBC Disarmament, GG nominees”, Oct. 2004
*“Main Street”, 21 Dec. 2004, TVCogeco
Related materials
“The further adventures of … Captain Kintail”
F.3 Covers
F.4 Posters for the tape launch, 1993
“Nod Me In, Shake Me Out”; commercially produced CD
F.5 Cover designs
F.6 Financial
F.7 CD launch, correspondence, 4 col. photographs
Oversize: Poster mounted on foam-board
F.8 “Flames of Affection”; multimedia website based on the poem by Terpstra; printed materials, correspondence, notes, 2000
Series 4
Community involvement, conferences, readings, personal materials. – 1930-2006; predominant 1968-2006. – 44 cm of textual records and graphic material. – Title based on content of series.
Box 21
Community Involvement
St. Cuthbert’s Presbyterian Church (arrangement is chronological)
F.1 Programs, 1988-1992
F.2 Sermons, 1993-94
F.3 Printed programmes and manuscripts of poems for services, 1997-2001
F.4 “Advent Cantata 1999”
F.5 “The Night the Animals Talked: A Christmas Dialogue for Eight Voices”, 2000
F.6 Search for a music director in 2002; includes minutes
F.7 “Pentecost”, 2002-03
F.8 Thanksgiving, 2002
F.9 Printed programmes and manuscripts of poems for services, 2002-2005
F.10 Passion play, 2002
F.11 Art house, 2003
F.12 Palm Sunday, 2003
F.13 Christmas pageant, 2003
F.14 Passion play, 2005
F.15 Elevator Music Coffee House, n.d.
Other churches:
F.16 Fellowship Christian Reformed, Ancaster, 2001
F.17 St. John the Evangelist, 2004
F.18 St. Paul’s Anglican, 1998-2005
Other community activities:
F.19 Threshold School of Building, 2001-02; includes minutes
The Whole Lot (a festival of literature, music, film, fun):
F.20 Correspondence, 1993
F.21 Printed materials, 1993
F.22 Minutes, 1993
F.23 City of Hamilton grants, 1994
F.24 Benefit at Izzy’s, March 1994
F.25 Publicity, June 1994
F.26 RSVP forms, 1994
F.27 Correspondence, photographs and biographies for performers
Oversize: Autographed poster
Conferences (arrangement is alphabetical)
Note: Contents of files vary – can contain promotional materials, correspondence, notes
F.28 Arts in Worship Niagara, St. Catharines, 2003
Calvin College, Festival of Faith and Writing:
F.29 1998
F.30 2000
Box 22
F.1 2002
F.2 2006
F.3 Christian Writers “God Uses Ink”, Guelph, 2000
F.4 Christianity and Literature, Brock University, 1996
F.5 “Frye and The Word”, McMaster University, 2000
F.6 “Habitations of the Word”, Christianity and Literature, Seattle Pacific University, 2000
F.7 Independent English Teachers, Appleby College, Oakville, 2001
F.8 “Institute for Christian Studies, “Colour outside the Lines”, 6-9 Aug. 1999
F.9 Institute for Christian Studies, 2001
F.10 Ontario Christian School Teachers’ Association, “Educating the Heart”, 2001
F.11 Open Book and Scholarship, Redeemer College, 2000
F.12 Ottawa International Writers’ Festival, 2005
F.13 “Recalling Early Canada”, McMaster University
F.14 “Urban Experiences and Cultural Identities”, 2004
F.15 “A Visionary Tradition”, 1999
Readings (arrangement is alphabetical)
Note: Contents of files vary – can contain promotional materials, correspondence, notes
F.16 Altar at Loop (Phil Irish), 2002
F.17 Archibald Lampman 7th annual poetry reading, 2006
F.18 Art Bar, 2 July; includes notes
F.19 Art Gallery of Hamilton, 2002
F.20 Art Gallery of Hamilton, 2003
F.21 Bay Area Restoration Council, “The Sandbar and the City”, 2004
F.22 Chiaroscuro, Christian Arts Festival, 1991
F.23 Christian Courier 50th anniversary, 1995
F.24 Eden Mills, 2006
F.25 Elora festival, 2006
F.26 Front Poarch Concert, 8 June 2002
F.27 gritLIT festival, 2004
F.28 Hamilton, Ontario: various readings in. See also box 10, F.7
F.29 Hamilton Poetry Centre, 1987, 1998
Harbourfront see Box 1, F.40
F.30 Jubilee Celebration in the Valley, 2001
F.31 Lit Chat, 1996
F.32 Niagara Parks Commission, McFarland House Summer Series, 2002
F.33 On the Edge, 1993
F.34 Red October, AIDs benefit, “Road Rhymes”, 1995
F.35 Redeemer Christian High School, Nepean, 2003
F.36 St. Thomas’s Church poetry series, 1995
F.37 “Through a Glass Brightly”, 1999
F.38 Toronto, Ontario: various readings in
F.39 Tower Power Centre, 1992; a speech on how to get published
F.40 Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, Illinois, 1999
F.41 Various readings, 2003-2006
Tours:
F.42 Edmonton, Oct.-Nov. 1998
F.43 Maritimes, 1998; 2 col. photographs
F.44 Newfoundland, 2000
Box 23
Personal materials:
Anniversaries, memorial services, weddings:
F.1 Speech at his parents’ twentieth wedding anniversary, 1985
F.2 Memorial service for Klaas Terpstra, 1997
F.3 Memorial service for Lambertus Terpstra, 2004; includes poem “Uncle Bert”
F.4 “Funeral service for Frances Vande Ree”, her eulogy, 1995
F.5 Wedding of Angela Terpstra, 1982
F.6 Wedding invitations
Appointment calendars:
F.7 Calendar, 2002
F.8 Two notebooks mainly used to record appointments, 2002
F.9 Two calendars, 2003
Awards:
(Note: other awards are found in series 2)
F.10 Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry, finalist, 2004; correspondence
F.11 Award of Excellence certificate from the Hamilton and Region Arts Council, 1994; certificate of recognition from David Christopherson, MPP, 1995 and a letter of congratulations from Bernie Morelli, City of Hamilton alderman.
Early writing (juvenelia) and academic writing:
F.12 Two pages of biographical information and two poems written in grade nine, 1968; certificate of honor for poetry, June 1964. See also Box 25, F.1
F.13 “David Jones”, four-page typescript about a William Blissett exhibition about the artist David Jones, n.d. but ca. 1973
F.14 “‘Bright is Candela’: a Study of The Sleeping Lord”, paper written for English 469Y, April 1980; also correspondence with the University of Toronto; statement of results
Biographical information:
F.15 Hamilton Public Library website page on Terpstra; photocopies of biographical information, news clippings
F.16 Curriculum vitae, 1992
Other:
F.17 Travel documents and other correspondence, trip to Haiti in January 2001
F.18 Canadian Audubon Society Album with Terpstra’s name and address in Edmonton
F.19 Printed invitations
F.20 Bookmark (embroidered)
F.21 Book containing pressed botanical specimens compiled by Lambertus Terpstra, 1930-1932
Series 5
Printed materials. – 1975-2006. – 32 cm of textual records. – Title based on content of series. – Series contains periodicals, tear-sheets, news clippings, anthologies and other printed materials.
Box 24
Periodicals containing contributions by Terpstra. Includes issues of Journal of Canadian Poetry, ellipse, The Malahat Review, The Fiddlehead, Quarry, University of Toronto Quarterly, Contemporary Verse, The Antigonish Review, Mars Hill Review, Carousel, Island, Grain Magazine, Waves, Kairos, Main Street, Omnibus, In Other Words, 1982-2005.
Box 25
Periodicals containing contributions by Terpstra (not placed in file folders). Includes issues of Image, Hammered Out, The Gaspereau Review, Geist, The Lazy Writer, Wildflower, Museletter Vanguard, 1975-2006
By Terpstra:
F.1 Printed contributions to Hamilton District Christian High publications
F.2 “A Cantata for Advent”’ poetry by Terpstra, 1998, music by Robert G. Rivers, 1999; printed pages bound with coil
F.3 “A Prayer to Be in Paradise with the Children”, printed for the occasion of the baptism of Winona Salome Hogeterp and Zoe Noel Hogeterp, 2001; originally published in Forty Days and Forty Nights.
F.4 Three articles written for the Hamilton Spectator, 14-16 November 1995; tear-sheets, photocopies
F.5 Anthologies: 17 Hamilton Poets (another copy of this book has been catalogued for Research Collections); “To Canada from Hamilton: an Anthology of 35 Hamilton Poets”, 23 March 1991, printed pages bound with coil.
F.6 Letters to the editor written by Terpstra; news clippings, 1984-87
F.7 Reviews written by Terpstra; news clippings, 1987-1991
F.8 Tear-sheets, news clippings and an off print containing contributions by Terpstra
About Terpstra:
F.9 Reviews of his works
F.10 Interviews
F.11-2 Press mentions
F.13 Playbill for “Waiting for the Light”, 1995
F.14 Album pages with clippings; both by and about Terpstra, 1972-1991
Other:
F.15 Hamilton & District Council of Women, Heritage Tour, 1980
F.16 Richard Outram, “Articles of Faith”
F.17 Bruce Whiteman, “My Lady of the Stars”, no. 24 of 50, Christmas 1987
F.18 Gaspereau Press, printed materials and catalogues, 2001-2004, n.d.
Box 26
Oversize materials described above in their appropriate series.
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