Open Places, Columbia, Missouri, Records, 1961-1987 (C3705)

3.8 linear feet and 1 audio tape

INTRODUCTION

The records of a small poetry magazine, edited by Eleanor M. Bender, include correspondence, financial documents, grant information, issues 1-44, Poet Series 1-5, photographs, newspaper clippings, and a taped interview with Nan A. Talese, senior editor at Random House. See also collection 3068.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Open Places Records were donated to the University of Missouri by the editor of the magazine, Eleanor Bender on 5 March 1981 (Accession No. 4327). Additions to the records were made on 19 May 1981 and 28 May 1981 (Accession No. 4343) and 22 January 1990 (Accession No. 4941)

HISTORICAL SKETCH

Eleanor M. Bender began editing Open Places, a contemporary poetry and review magazine, out of her New York City apartment in 1966. With the support of private monies and subscriptions the magazine was published sporadically.

From its first appearance Bender intended Open Places to be a quarterly publication, but this was not realized until 1968 when she moved to Columbia, Missouri. Through the assistance of Max Baird Bender began printing the magazine quarterly as a Southern Critic publication. Together Bender and Baird produced issues 5 and 6.

With issue 7/8 Open Places was back on its own, publishing whenever money was available. In October 1971 the magazine gained financial backing from Stephens College when Bender joined the faculty. The magazine became a part of the college's creative writing program, while maintaining its status as a professional poetry quarterly. Stephens College students took on the positions of advisory editors and editorial staff.

Beginning in 1972 Open Places was issued semi-annually with an expanded format that included short fiction as well as poetry. In its review section the magazine focused on books printed by small and feminist presses and the importance of “little” magazines. Bender also established the Open Places Poet Series in 1972. In numbers 1-5, the works of E.S. Miller, James Camp, X.J. Kennedy, Keith and Rosmarie Waldrop, Peyton Houston, and George Anthony were highlighted.

On the fifteenth anniversary, Bender published a special issue of Open Places, a retrospective of issues 1-30. In 1985 Bender put out a special issue focusing on humor in America. The following year Bender published a special twentieth anniversary issue highlighting the works of American writers living abroad.

A "Best Friends" issue, the last issue, was printed in the summer of 1987. It was devoted to the work of writers who had been frequent contributors to Open Places.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

These records provide a nearly complete view of the workings of a small literary magazine. The records are arranged into three series:

The Correspondence chronicles Open Places from its founding in 1966 to the publication of its 44th number in 1987. The correspondence gives insight into the magazine’s contributors and subscribers, the manuscript solicitation and selection process, and publication procedures. Collection C 3068 contains correspondence primarily related to the last six years of publication, 1981-1987. There is also a small amount of correspondence dealing with Stephens College issues such as pay, where Bender fit into the English department, and the future of the editorial class in the creative writing program.

Issues of Open Places comprise the bulk of the series. Number 31/32 is the anniversary issue which includes an index of poems and prose published during the preceding fifteen years. Number 38/39 is a special issue focusing on humor in America. Number 42/43 is the twentieth anniversary issue highlighting the works of American writers living abroad.

Numbers 1-5 of the Poet Series, including works by James Camp, X.J. Kennedy, E.S. Miller, Peyton Houston, George Anthony, and Keith and Rosmarie Waldrop, are also found in this series.

The Business Records series shows the technical and behind-the-scenes operations of a publication. The series is arranged by type of material and includes budgets, invoices, subscriptions, grants, promotions and publicity material, copyrights forms, and printing costs and galleys.

The series also contains an audio taped interview in 1972 with Nan A. Talese, senior editor at Random House, Inc., by Bender and the magazine production class. Talese discusses characteristics of potential editors, job possibilities for women, the treatment of unsolicited manuscripts versus manuscripts introduced by an agent, contracts, the route of a manuscript in a publishing house, an editor's relationship with an author, and other aspects of publishing.

FOLDER LIST

Correspondence Series

f. 1-21966
f. 3-81967
f. 9-141968
f. 15-211969
f. 22-291970 January-June
f. 30-341970 July-December
f. 35-441971
f. 45-551972 January-June
f. 56-611972 July-December
f. 62-711973 January-June
f. 72-771973 July-December
f. 78-851974 January-June
f. 86-921974 July-December
f. 93-981975 January-June
f. 99-1071975 July-December
f. 108-1131976 January-May
f. 114-1191976 June-December
f. 120-1251977
f. 1261978, 1980, 1987
f. 127n.d.
f. 128-131Stephens College, 1973-1979

Open Places Series

f. 1321966, Issue 1
f. 1331967, Issue 2
f. 1341968, Issue 3
f. 1351968, Issue 4
f. 1361969, Issue 5
f. 1371969, Issue 6
f. 1381970, Issue 7-8
f. 1391971, Issue 9
f. 1401971, Issue 10
f. 1411972, Issue 11
f. 1421972, Issue 12-13
f. 1431973, Issue 14
f. 1441973, Issue 15
f. 1451974, Issue 16
f. 1461974, Issue 17
f. 1471974, Issue 18
f. 1481975, Issue 19
f. 1491975/76, Issue 20
f. 1501976, Issue 21
f. 1511976, Issue 22
f. 1521977, Issue 23
f. 1531977, Issue 24
f. 1541978, Issue 25
f. 1551978, Issue 26
f. 1561979, Issue 27
f. 1571979, Issue 28
f. 1581980, Issue 29
f. 1591980, Issue 30
f. 1601981, Issue 31-32
f. 1611982, Issue 33-34
f. 1621983, Issue 35-36
f. 1631984-1985, Issues 37-38/39
f. 1641985-1986, Issues 40-41
f. 1651986/1987-1987, Issues 42/43-44
f. 166Poet Series, 1, Selected Poems, E.S. Miller
f. 167Poet Series, 2, Three Tenors, One Vehicle, Camp, Kennedy, Waldrop
f. 168Correspondence with authors re. Three Tenors
f. 169Poet Series, 3, The Changes, Peyton Houston
f. 170Correspondence with author re. The Changes
f. 171Poet Series, 4. The Road to Deadman Cove, George Anthony
f. 172Introduction to Deadman Cove by Eamon Grennan
f. 173Poet Series, 5, The Road is Everywhere, Rosmarie Waldrop
f. 174The Orders, Peyton Houston
f. 175Arguments of Idea, Peyton Houston

Open Places Business Records Series

f. 176Ad rates info, 1983-1984
f. 177Budgets, 1972-1978
f. 178-184Budget Statements, 1971-1977
f. 185Business license, 1967; Contract, 1969
f. 186Class syllabus and lectures
f. 187Class materials—humor issue, 1981
f. 188-191Copyrights, 1966-1987
f. 192Copyright forms for issues of OP, 1966-1986
f. 19315th Anniversary Issue, Reviews, Comments, 1981-1982
f. 19415th Anniversary Issue, Form Rejection Letter
f. 195Grants—Summer Study Grant, 1983; Firestone-Baars Grant, 1980
f. 196Grants—CCLM (Coordinating Council of Literary Magazines) Grant Records, 1974-1975
f. 197Grants—CCLM, 1977
f. 198Grants—CCLM, 1978
f. 199Grants—CCLM, 1979
f. 200Grants—CCLM, Fellowship, 1979
f. 201Grants—CCLM, 1980
f. 202Grants—CCLM, 1980
f. 203Grants—Missouri Arts Council, 1982/1983
f. 204Grants—Missouri Arts Council, 1983/1984
f. 205Grants—Missouri Arts Council, 1984/1985
f. 206Grants—Missouri Arts Council, 1985/1986
f. 207Grants—Missouri Arts Council, 1986/1987
f. 208Grants—NEA, 1977
f. 209Grants—NEA, 1978
f. 210Grants—NEA, 1979
f. 211Grants—NEA, 1979
f. 212Grants—NEA, 1982
f. 213Grants—NEA, 1984
f. 214Grants—NEA, 1985/1986
f. 215Grants—NEA, 1986/1987
f. 216Invoices—Bookshelf, 1971-1973
f. 217Invoices—Poet Series, 1972-1974
f. 218Invoices—Poet Series, 1975
f. 219Invoices—Poet Series, 1976 January-April
f. 220Invoices—Poet Series, 1976 May- December
f. 221Invoices—Poet Series, 1977
f. 222-224Permissions for retrospective, 1980-1981 June
f. 225Press releases, 1969-1981
f. 226Printer’s Copy, Issue 28
f. 227Printer’s Copy, Issue 28
f. 228Printer’s Copy, Issue 28
f. 229Printer’s Copy, Issue 29
f. 230Printer’s Copy, Issue 29
f. 231Printer's copies, Issue 29
f. 232Printing costs, 1977-1986
f. 233Promotion and Publicity—Brochure copy, Fall 1982
f. 234Promotion and Publicity—Responses to Fall 1982 brochure
f. 235Promotion and Publicity—Direct mail promo and book fairs, 1980-1982
f. 236Promotion and Publicity—Midwestern Book Show, 1984
f. 237Promotion and Publicity—Missouri Committee for Literature, 1981-1985
f. 238Promotion and Publicity—New York Book Fair, 1985
f. 239Promotion and Publicity—Mailing lists, 1983-1984
f. 240Promotion and Publicity—Bender’s Personal Work for Open Places, 1984
f. 241Promotion and Publicity—Magazine Studies Quarterly Article, 1976
f. 242Promotion and Publicity—National Council of College Publications Advisors and Associated Collegiate Press, 1975-1977
f. 243Promotion and Publicity—National Women’s Studies Association panel, 1983
f. 244Promotion and Publicity—Pushcart Press Prize Nominations, 1982-1985
f. 245Promotion and Publicity—St. Louis Poetry Center Prize, 1986
f. 246Promotion and Publicity—Show Me Libraries Article, 1982
f. 247Promotion and Publicity—13th Moon Review, 1981
f. 248Promotion and Publicity—13th Moon Article on Open Places, 1981
f. 249-250Promotion and Publicity—Reviews, 1970-1975, n.d. Reviews Bender wrote for the Kansas City Star
f. 251Open Places Self Study, 1985
f. 252Subscription forms
f. 253-264Subscriptions—Library, 1967-1977
f. 265Vitae. Bender's professional vitae.
f. 266Waldrop Casual Stranger, Agent’s Efforts, 1971-1973
f. 267Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia
f. 268Photographs, 1972-1977
f. 269Audio tape, 1972

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.

  • Agnew, Jocelyn
  • Aiken, Conrad P.
  • Alexander, Judith
  • Alton, Larry
  • Anderson, Terence
  • Ardery, Peter B.
  • Bagg, Robert
  • Baird, Max
  • Bartlett, Elizabeth
  • Beeler, Janet
  • Bender, Eleanor M.
  • Bender, Robert
  • Bennett, Adrian
  • Bigelow, Lisa
  • Blazek, Douglas D.
  • Blish, James
  • Blum, Etta
  • Brigham, Besmilr
  • Brigham, Roy C.
  • Brooks, Phyllis
  • Bunting, Karen
  • Burke, France
  • Callahan, Paul
  • Camp, James
  • Cattonar, Joanna
  • Cheever, Mary
  • Chute, Robert M.
  • Coakley, William Leo
  • Cooke, Michael
  • Cooley, Peter J.
  • Cooperman, Stanley
  • Cusack, Anne E.
  • Dacey, Philip
  • Davies, Alan
  • Davis, Richard Collins
  • Di Pasquale, Emanuel
  • Dickey, Robert Preston
  • Dillingham, Thomas F.
  • Dilsaver, Paul
  • Diri, Phyl
  • Disch, Thomas
  • Dodd, Wayne
  • Dorman, Sonya
  • Drake, Albert
  • Edelman, Elaine
  • English, Maurice
  • Etter, Dave
  • Feminism
  • Flaherty, Douglas
  • Frost, Celestine
  • Fulton, Leonard V.
  • Gallagher, Tess
  • Galt, Tom
  • Gizzi, Michael
  • Glascock, Bayles
  • Goedicke, Patricia (1931- )
  • Goldbarth, Albert
  • Goldemberg, Pat
  • Grennan, Eamon
  • Gresser, Seymour
  • Griffith, E.V.
  • Grossbardt, Andrew (1949- )
  • Grzywacz, John
  • Hacker, Marilyn (1942- )
  • Hall, Walter
  • Henderson, Archibald (1916- )
  • Herron, Caroline Rand
  • Hodgkins, George
  • Hogue, Richard
  • Holden, Jonathan
  • Hollander, John (1929- )
  • Hollander, John (1929- )
  • Houston, Peyton
  • Inez, Colette (1931- )
  • Jaffin, David (1937- )
  • Jochim, Keith
  • Johnson, Jimmie
  • Katz-Levine, Judy
  • Kelly, Patricia
  • Kennedy, Joseph (1929- )
  • Kidd, Virginia
  • Kizer, Carolyn A. (1925- )
  • Knight, Etheridge (1933- )
  • Konecky, Edith
  • Lane, Mary
  • Langton, Daniel J.
  • Laughlin, James (1914- )
  • Leach, Ellie
  • Levertov, Denise (1923- )
  • Liman, Claude G.
  • Lipman, Jane
  • Literature--Periodicals
  • Littleton, Betty
  • Lloyd, Thomas
  • Louch, Elizabeth
  • Luck, Dan
  • Lunde, David E. (1941- )
  • Lunde, Paul
  • Lyons, Nick
  • McAfee, James Thomas (1928-1982)
  • McAnally, Mary
  • McFadden, David (1940- )
  • McHugh, Heather (1948- )
  • McKain, David W. (1937- )
  • McKeoun, Thomas S. (1937- )
  • Menn, Thorpe
  • Miller, Augusta
  • Miller, Ed
  • Miller, Jason
  • Miller, Jerry L.
  • Minkin, Bertram
  • Moore, Marianne (1887-1972)
  • Morgan, Patrick
  • Nemerov, Howard (1920- )
  • Ochester, Edwin F. (1936- )
  • O'Grady, Desmond James B. (1935- )
  • Open Places
  • Osterlund, Stephen
  • Overton, Ron
  • Page, William
  • Palmer, George Anthony (1902-1976)
  • Palmer, Phoebe
  • Payne, Burnett
  • Philbrick, Stephen
  • Piercy, Marge (1936- )
  • Poetry
  • Poetry, Periodicals
  • Poets
  • Powers, Arthur
  • Publishers and publishing
  • Ragosta, Raymond
  • Ray, David
  • Ray, Judy
  • Revere, Winn
  • Robins, Natalie S.
  • Rosenthal, David H.
  • Rudnik, Raphael
  • Russell, Norman H.
  • Sadoff, Ira
  • Sallis, James
  • Saner, Reginald
  • Schaeffer, Susan Fromberg
  • Shaw, Richard O.
  • Simpson, Peter L.
  • Smith, David Jeddie
  • Smith, William
  • Snow, Walter
  • Soucek, Judith
  • Squler, Charles L.
  • Stanford, Frank
  • Stead, Arnold
  • Stevenson, Anne
  • Stoloff, Carolyn
  • Stone, Arlene
  • Sukenick, Lynn L.
  • Talese, Nan A.
  • Trawick, Laura D.
  • Tudor, Stephen
  • Wade, John Stevens
  • Waldrop, Keith
  • Waldrop, Rosmarie
  • Wallenstein, Barry
  • Weldon, William
  • Whitman, Walt
  • Wiesen, Maxwell Preston
  • Wilson, Kirk
  • Winslow, Pete
  • Woodward, Jeff
  • Yates, Peter (1909-1976)
  • Yates, Peter (1910-1976)
  • Zade, Wayne
  • Zavrian, Suzanne Ostro
  • Zawadiwsky, Christine