urn:taro:utexas.aaa.00114 Hugh L. McMath papers, 1928-1977 The University of Texas at Austin. University of Texas Libraries. Alexander Architectural Archive. Finding aid written in English. December 2008 Edited in XmetaL 3.0 by Donna Coates, according to instructions in Editing TARO EAD XML Finding Aids with XMetaL. Collection Summary McMath, Hugh L., 1904- Hugh L. McMath papers 1928-1977 2 linear feet manuscript material, 303 black and white prints, 10 color prints, 54 black and white negatives, 230 35 mm slides, 2 watercolors, 12 sheets original drawings, 2 linoleum printing blocks Alexander Architectural Archive, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin. The Hugh McMath papers include textual and photographic material primarily documenting his 44-year teaching career in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin. McMath served as chair from 1946-1948, director from 1948-1950, and acting director from 1953-1954. He held a deep interest in the art and architecture of Mexico and developed courses in pre-Hispanic and Colonial architecture of Mexico and published several monographs on the subject. From 1950 until 1960 he organized an architectural workshop at the Instituto Tecnologico of Monterrey, Mexico. He also organized “Arctours” to Mexico in 1968, 1969 and 1970 to inspire interest in historic Mexican architecture by touring sites. Funded by a University Research Institute grant, he conducted a photographic survey of architecture in Puebla, Mexico, in 1968. Biographical Sketch of Hugh Lyon McMath (1904-1992)

Hugh Lyon McMath was born in Watertown, South Dakota, May 9, 1904.

McMath studied engineering and architecture at North Dakota Agricultural College (Fargo, North Dakota) in the 1920s, receiving a bachelor’s of architecture in 1927. He was an instructor in architecture at North Dakota State College from 1927-1928; and at Bradley Polytechnic Institute in Peoria, Illinois from 1928-1929. He arrived in Austin in 1930 to teach at The University of Texas. Subsequently he received a master’s in architecture from The University of Texas in 1934 and from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1936.

In 1942 McMath entered the U.S. Army Air Corps along with a number of other University faculty members. He served as an instructor and later as a director of the ground school at Moore Field Army Corps Base in Mission, Texas. He headed the educational guidance staff of the Austin Air Reserve Group in the 1950s and retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1964.

During his 44 years of teaching in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas, McMath served as chair from 1946-1948, director from 1948-1950, and acting director from 1953-1954. In addition to his private practice, McMath lists professional experience in the offices of Frederic J. Klein (Peoria, Illinois), Walter T. Rolfe (Austin, Texas), Walter C. Harris (Austin, Texas), Golemon and Rolfe (Houston, Texas), and McKee and Kamrath (Houston, Texas).

McMath held a deep interest in the art and architecture of Mexico. He developed courses in the pre-Hispanic and Colonial architecture of Mexico and published several monographs on the subjects. From 1950 until 1960 he organized an architectural workshop at the Instituto Tecnologico of Monterrey, Mexico, attended by students from all over the U.S. His sponsorship aided the admission of the architecture school at the Instituto Technologico into the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. He organized “Arctours” to Mexico in 1968, 1969 and 1970 to inspire interest in historic Mexican architecture by touring sites. Funded by a University Research Institute grant, he conducted a photographic survey of architecture in Puebla, Mexico, in 1968.

In 1957, serving as a consultant and coordinating architect for design and construction of the American School in Monterrey, he arranged an association of Monterrey architects and representatives from the Houston firm of Caudill Rowlett and Scott Architects and Planners.

McMath was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts of Great Britain for his work to develop cultural relations with Mexico. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Texas Society of Architects and served on the AIA National Committee on Education and Foreign Relations.

Hugh McMath retired from The University of Texas in 1974.

Scope and Content of the collection

The Hugh McMath papers include textual and photographic material documenting his education and 44-year teaching career in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin. McMath served as chair from 1946-1948, director from 1948-1950, and acting director from 1953-1954. He held a deep interest in the art and architecture of Mexico and developed courses in the pre-Hispanic and Colonial architecture of Mexico and published several monographs on the subjects. From 1950 until 1960 he organized an architectural workshop at the Instituto Tecnologico of Monterrey, Mexico. He also organized “Arctours” to Mexico in 1968, 1969 and 1970 to inspire interest in historic Mexican architecture by touring sites. Funded by a University Research Institute grant, he conducted a photographic survey of architecture in Puebla, Mexico, in 1968.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 4 series: Personal Papers, Professional Papers, Faculty Papers, and Art and Artifacts.

 Restrictions on Access

Access is by appointment only to any serious scholar.

Restrictions on Use

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the owner of the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Alexander Architectural Archive's Use Policy.

 Preferred Citation

Hugh L. McMath papers, Alexander Architectural Archive, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin

 Processing Information

Paper processed by: Donna Coates, December 2008

 Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the University of Texas Online Catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings

Creators (persons): McMath, Hugh L., 1904- Fehr, Arthur, 1904-1969 Subjects: University of Texas--School of Architecture--Faculty Architecture--Mexico Document types: Photographs NegativesSlides Related Material

Other Finding Aids

University of Texas at Austin, School of Architecture: An Inventory of the Collection, 1911-2002 (bulk 1960-1992).

References to works by Hugh L. McMath McMath, Hugh L. The Olmec civilization; introduction, bibliography, slide postscript. Imprint [Berkeley?] Lecture Film Committee of the School of Architecture [1966?]. McMath, Hugh Lyon. A national museum of American art and archaeology. Imprint [Austin, Tex.], 1934.

-- compiled by Donna Coates

 Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series A: Personal Papers, 1928-1977, undated Series Abstract

Personal Papers include correspondence, undergraduate and graduate school work and family photographs.

 1 1 Correspondence, 1928-1977, undated 12Correspondence concerning job applications, 1947, 1952, 195413Correspondence with the Alumni Association, North Dakota State University, 1975-197614Correspondence concerning donations of materials, 1973-197715Drawings and notes executed at North Dakota Agricultural College16Beaux-Arts project "A Municipal Memorial" (16 b/w photographs)17Massachusetts Institute of Technology materials18Master of Science diploma, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, June 193619Thesis documents, 1935 (16 b/w photographs)110Photographs of family (2 color prints)56Slides (13 items)6Mock-up of untitled book (bluelines), undated Series B: Professional Papers, 1939-1976, undated Series Abstract

This series includes information on professional organizations, awards and certificates, and writings by McMath.

 111Awards and certificates, 1939, 1948, 1952, 1964, undated112Royal Society of Arts award (1972) and membership correspondence113Articles and book reviews by McMath, 1937, 1956, undated114"Design in the Architectural Curriculum," by Hugh McMath, in Journal of Architectural Education: Proceedings of the 35th Annual Convention, No. 5, Fall 1949, pp.41-46.115American Institute of Architects materials Series C: Faculty Papers Series Abstract

The Faculty Papers series contains records related to the teaching of architecture, department administration, research and reference materials. A large part of the textual material concerns the process of recruiting faculty; administrative, committee and curricular issues; and teaching in Mexico. The Budget Council papers document the establishment of the School of Architecture in 1947. Photographic materials include negatives, black and white prints and slides of Mexico taken by McMath.

 C1: Administrative records, 1929-1977 2 2 Biographical information, vitas 22Correspondence, 1929-194523Correspondence, 194624Correspondence, 194725Correspondence, 194826Correspondence, 194927Correspondence, 1950-195928Correspondence, 1960-196829Correspondence, 1970-1977210Correspondence, Institute of Latin American Studies, The University of Texas211Correspondence, Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey, 1950-1958212Correspondence, Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey, 1960-1965213Correspondence, G.E. Kidder-Smith, visiting lecturer, 1955-1956 (includes 1 b/w photograph)214Correspondence, Reynolds Aluminum Student Competition, 1962215Correspondence with students, undated216Budgetary and administrative records, 1949, 196251List of graduates, 1913-1950217Memoranda, 1945-197331Faculty meeting minutes, 1949-197332Annual faculty reports, 1949-197233School of Architecture Annual Report to the President, 1955-195653National Architectural Accrediting Board reports, 1947-1949 C2: Course Materials 3 4 Class rosters, Fall 1949 and student enrollment, Fall 1952 35Teaching schedules, 1930, 1962-196336Proposal for study in Mexico, 1950, 1960, 1961, 1962, 196937Pre-Hispanic Architecture of Middle America (course number 265K)38Colonial Art of Mexico (course number 265L)39Transparencies and copy prints (8 b/w photographs)310Arctour, 1968, 1969 C3: Faculty Committees and Councils 3 11 Standing committees list, 1949-1950 312Degrees and Courses committee, 1948-1974313Design committee, 1962-1963314Graduate Studies committee, 1960-1962315Budget Council, 1946-1977, undated52Faculty Council, 1947, 1948316Steering Committee Report, undated C4: Reference Files 3 17 Clippings about architecture and the School of Architecture 3 18 Clippings about Hugh McMath 3 19 Clippings about Mexico 4 1 Articles and book on printmaking 42Articles on various subjects43Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey44Mexican architecture45Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Program, 42nd Annual Meeting, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, May 195646"The Rising City," University City of Mexico, Office of Public Relations, 195247Walter T. Rolfe brochure and book C5: Photographic Materials 4 8 University of Texas, School of Architecture (3 b/w prints) 49Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey (28 b/w prints)410Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey (23 color prints)411Mexico, 1939 (65 b/w contact prints)412Mexico, 1939 (12 b/w prints)413Mexico (57 b/w prints)414Postcards of Mexico (6 real photo postcards, 3 chromes)6Mexico (33 b/w prints)415Mexico (54 b/w negatives)6Photo album, Phot Lampé, Paris (43 b/w prints)57,8Mexico (175 35 mm slides)57American School at Monterrey (24 35 mm slides)58Stained glass (25 35 mm slides) C6: Students' Work 5 4 Ornamental design drawings by Arthur Fehr (12 sheets) 55Class assignment (1924) with name Arthur Fehr written on sheet and attached b/w photo of Fehr; program for Beaux-Arts Institute of Design project: "The Interior of an Early Christian Church," 1923-24 Series D: Art and Artifacts 4 16 2 watercolors by Samuel Gideon, one inscribed to McMath, 1939 562 linoleum printing blocks by McMath6Commemorative plaque in memory of Hugh Lyon McMath (1993), presented by the class of August 1953