Papers of May Williams Ward
Collection Summary
| Title: | Papers of May Williams Ward |
| Call Number: | MS 74-18 |
| Size: | 14.0 linear feet |
| Acquisition: | Gift from her literary executor, Bruce Cutler. Others who have donated materials to the collection are Bruce Cutler, Lois Pinson, Esther Stuck, Marianne Garland, Mary Lu Roberts, Winifred Gallup, and Darrell Bartee. |
| Processed By: | MDH, 7-31-1974; LWM, 4-5-1978, LWM, 8-15-1979; SMC, 3-2-1998, MN, 1-2009 |
| Note: | Related collections: MS 79-03, Nora B. Cunningham Papers and MS 79-04, Omah Scott Horton Papers |
| Restrictions: | None |
Literary Rights
Literary rights were not granted to Wichita State University. When permission is granted to examine the manuscripts, it is not an authorization to publish them. Manuscripts cannot be used for publication without regard for common law literary rights, copyright laws and the laws of libel. It is the responsibility of the researcher and his/her publisher to obtain permission to publish. Scholars and students who eventually plan to have their work published are urged to make inquiry regarding overall restrictions on publication before initial research.
Restrictions
None
Content Note
The May Williams Ward Papers include her diaries, correspondence, literary and art works, memorabilia, photographs, scrapbooks, and financial documents which reflect her personal life and professional career as a writer. Adding further dimension to the collection is a transcript of an interview with May Williams Ward which Samuel Sackett of Fort Hays State College tape recorded in 1959. A copy of a master's thesis written about Mrs. Ward in 1951 is also included in the collection.
Biography
Mary Esma Williams was the eldest of eight children born to George Washington Williams and his wife, Sarah Minnie Smith Williams. Mary, always called May, was born January 26, 1882, in Holden, Missouri, where her father was under contract to build bridges for the expanding Missouri Pacific Railroad lines. When May was seven, George Williams completed his bridge contracts and moved his family across the state line to Osawatomie, Kansas, which was his wife’s hometown. Here in “John Brown’s town,” May grew to adulthood.
At the age of 16, May graduated from Osawatomie High School with the distinction of valedictorian. In 1905, she graduated from the State University of Kansas in Lawrence (now the University of Kansas) with a degree in mathematics. After teaching high school classes for two and one-half years -- one year in Osawatomie and one and one-half years in Arkansas City -- May Williams married Merle Chester Ward on January 7, 1908, and moved to Lamar, Colorado, where her husband worked as a bookkeeper for the Colorado Mill and Elevator Company. Merle’s employment carried the Wards to several western Kansas and eastern Colorado towns before Merle formed an independent grain company with his brother and purchased a grain elevator in Belpre, Kansas. Just prior to their move to Belpre, May won second prize in the Colorado Federation of Women’s Clubs poetry contest for her poem entitled “Night in a Prairie Town.” Urged by others to submit her poetry for publication, May sent three poems to Life magazine, one of which was accepted and printed in the February 17, 1921, issue (“Youth Wants Summer”). This marked the beginning of her literary career which spanned 50 years.
By 1925, May Williams Ward had gained national recognition as a poet. That year, her poems appeared in four distinguished anthologies and she was one of only 30 people representing the seven arts to be selected out of more than 300 to attend the famous MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Along with other MacDowell colonists during the summer of 1925 were Edwin Arlington Robinson, Sara Teasdale, Stephen Vincent Benet, and DuBose and Dorothy Heyward.
From 1926 to 1931, May edited The Harp, a national poetry magazine published in Larned, Kansas, by newspaper publishers, Leslie and Sara Wallace. William Allen White, Arthur Capper, Jouett Shouse, and other notables comprised a list of patrons who contributed funds to the magazine.
In 1933, the Wards moved to Wellington, Kansas, where they took possession of the Ward Hotel, previously owned by Merle’s parents. May and Merle Ward were residents of Wellington, Kansas, for the remaining years of their lives. May died July 11, 1975, four years after Merle’s death.
During her literary career, May had seven books published: Seesaw (1929), In Double Rhythm (1929), From Christmas-Time to April (1938), Approach to Social Studies Through Choral Speaking (1945), Wheatlands (1954), No Two Years Alike (1960), and In That Day (1969). She helped organize the Poetry Society of Kansas and served as its president from 1932-1934. Other literary organizations to which she belonged included the Kansas Authors Club (President, 1940-1941), National League of American Pen Women (State President, 1958-1960), and the Poetry Society of America. Kansas Magazine received May’s assistance as poetry editor, consulting editor, and contributing editor. In 1946, she became a charter member of the Radio Council of Kansas Women, serving as script writer and chairperson of the literature section for a series of radio programs about women of Kansas which were broadcast over KFKU. In addition, she coached groups of writers in Wichita and was book review editor for the Wellington Daily News.
Detailed Description: Series Listing
| Series 1 | Box 1-Box 2 FF 3 | Diaries, 1903-1969. Arranged chronologically. Included in this series are May Williams Ward's personal and literary diaries. |
| Series 2 | Box 2 FF 4-Box 10 FF 8 | Correspondence, 1901-1974. Letters and cards to and from May Williams Ward which are dated and arranged chronologically. Undated letters and cards are grouped according to type, e.g. correspondence with editors and publishers, or Christmas cards. Also included in this series is a miscellaneous section comprised of correspondence to and from May Williams Ward's relatives and associates. |
| Series 3 | Box 10 FF 9 | Interview, 1959. Transcript of a tape recorded interview with May Williams Ward conducted by Dr. Samuel Sackett in Hays, Kansas. |
| Series 4 | Box 10 FF 10-Box 23 FF 2 | Literary Works by May Williams Ward, 1919-1975. Arranged alphabetically according to types of writing materials or related activities. Sub-series include anecdotes, anthologies, awards, book reviews, published and unpublished book manuscripts, choral speaking arrangements, copyrights, creative writing classes, crossword puzzles, greeting cards, The Harp, Kansas Magazine, lyrics, newspaper column, pamphlets, playlets and skits, plays, poems, prayers, programs and speeches, radio broadcasts, reviews of May Williams Ward's writings, and short stories and essays. |
| Series 5 | Box 23 FF 3-10 | Art Works by May Williams Ward, 1900-1969. This series is concerned mainly with block prints -- original sketches, a block plate, miscellaneous prints, and notes on the art of block printing handwritten by Birger Sandzen. A miscellaneous section follows which includes a pencil sketch and a watercolor believed to be the work of May Williams Ward. |
| Series 6 | Box 23 FF 11-Box 24 FF 5 | Organizations, 1921-1975. Arranged alphabetically. Included in this series are professional and social organizations in which May Williams Ward was a member. |
| Series 7 | Box 24 FF 6-Box 25 FF 5 | Memorabilia, 1882-1975. Arranged alphabetically according to subject matter. This series includes certificates of birth and baptism, genealogical records, and various materials concerning May Williams Ward's funeral, Kansas University, MacDowell Colony, Osawatomie High School, her grandfather Reuben Smith, and her husband's grandfather O. J. Ward. A miscellaneous section follows which includes miscellaneous invitations, programs, etc. collected by May Williams Ward throughout her life. |
| Series 8 | Box 25 FF 6-Box 26 FF 5 | Photographs, 1882-1971. Unarranged. This series contains photographs of May Williams Ward, Merle Ward, associates of May Williams Ward, MacDowell Colony, and miscellaneous locations. A photo album compiled by May Williams Ward is also included. |
| Series 9 | Box 26 FF 6-8 | Scrapbooks, 1921-1949. Arranged chronologically. There are four scrapbooks compiled by May Williams Ward: one dealing with her poetry, one a collection of newspaper clippings, one reflecting her career 1933-1938, and one about her trip to view the United Nations building's cornerstone laying in 1949. |
| Series 10 | Box 27 | Clippings, 1921-1975. Unarranged. Included among these newspaper and magazine clippings collected by May Williams Ward are articles by and about her, book reviews by her, publicity articles and reviews of her books, her poems, articles regarding The Harp, and miscellaneous articles. |
| Series 11 | Box 28 FF 1-Box 29 FF 3 | Financial Documents, 1899-1969. Arranged alphabetically according to types of documents. Subseries include ledgers arranged chronologically, marketing notes, poetry sales records (unarranged), and miscellaneous invoices, vouchers, and cancelled checks. |
| Series 12 | Box 29 FF 4-Box 30 FF 1 | Address Books, 1908-1975. Unarranged. Addresses of publishers, relatives, friends, and associates of May Williams Ward. Several books contain notes regarding significant events in May Williams Ward's life. |
| Series 13 | Box 30 FF 2-Box 31 | Miscellaneous, 1882-1975. Arranged alphabetically by subject. Included in the series are art works by others, autographs, biographical information on May Williams Ward, literary works by others (including a master's thesis by Irene Suran entitled "May Williams Ward: Kansas Poet"), music given to May Williams Ward, notes written by May Williams Ward, and copies of periodicals in which her works were published. |
| Series 14 | Box 32 | Miscellaneous Publications and Images. Includes issues of The Harp. |
| Series 15 | Box 33 | Letters of Affection. Written by May Williams and Merle Chester Ward, 1901-1925. |
| Series 16 | Phonograph Record Album Storage | Sound Recording. |
| Series 17 | Oversized Storage | Oversized Materials. |
Detailed Description: Box and Folder Listing
Series 1 ‒ Diaries
| Box 1 | FF 1 | Diaries, 1903-1910 |
| Box 1 | FF 2 | Diaries, 1911-1912 |
| Box 1 | FF 3 | Diaries, 1921-April 1923 |
| Box 1 | FF 4 | Diaries, May 1923 plus overflow from 1925-1928 |
| Box 1 | FF 5 | Diaries, 1937-1938 |
| Box 1 | FF 6 | Diaries, Literary Diary, 1943-1947 |
| Box 1 | FF 7 | Diaries, Literary Report, 1952-1953 |
| Box 1 | FF 8 | Diaries, 1954 |
| Box 1 | FF 9 | Diaries, 1959-1961 |
| Box 1 | FF 10 | Diaries, 1962-1963 |
| Box 2 | FF 1 | Diaries, 1964 |
| Box 2 | FF 2 | Diaries, 1965-1967 |
| Box 2 | FF 3 | Diaries, 1969 |
Series 2 ‒ Correspondence
| Box 2 | FF 4 | Correspondence, 1901 |
| Box 2 | FF 5 | Correspondence, 1904 |
| Box 2 | FF 6 | Correspondence, 1905 |
| Box 2 | FF 7 | Correspondence, 1906 |
| Box 2 | FF 8 | Correspondence, 1907 |
| Box 2 | FF 9 | Correspondence, 1911 |
| Box 2 | FF 10 | Correspondence, 1912 |
| Box 2 | FF 11 | Correspondence, 1913 |
| Box 2 | FF 12 | Correspondence, 1914 |
| Box 2 | FF 13 | Correspondence, 1915 |
| Box 2 | FF 14 | Correspondence, 1916 |
| Box 2 | FF 15 | Correspondence, 1917 |
| Box 2 | FF 16 | Correspondence, 1918 |
| Box 2 | FF 17 | Correspondence, 1919 |
| Box 2 | FF 18 | Correspondence, 1921 |
| Box 2 | FF 19 | Correspondence, 1922 |
| Box 2 | FF 20 | Correspondence, 1923 |
| Box 3 | FF 1 | Correspondence, 1924 |
| Box 3 | FF 2 | Correspondence, 1925 |
| Box 3 | FF 3 | Correspondence, 1926 |
| Box 3 | FF 4 | Correspondence, 1927 |
| Box 3 | FF 5 | Correspondence, 1928 |
| Box 3 | FF 6 | Correspondence, 1929 |
| Box 3 | FF 7 | Correspondence, 1930 |
| Box 3 | FF 8 | Correspondence, 1931 |
| Box 3 | FF 9 | Correspondence, 1932 |
| Box 4 | FF 1 | Correspondence, 1908-1932 |
| Box 4 | FF 2 | Correspondence, 1933 |
| Box 4 | FF 3 | Correspondence, 1934 |
| Box 4 | FF 4 | Correspondence, 1935 |
| Box 4 | FF 5 | Correspondence, 1936 |
| Box 4 | FF 6 | Correspondence, 1937 |
| Box 4 | FF 7 | Correspondence, 1938 |
| Box 4 | FF 8 | Correspondence, 1939 |
| Box 4 | FF 9 | Correspondence, 1940 |
| Box 5 | FF 1 | Correspondence, 1941 |
| Box 5 | FF 2 | Correspondence, 1942 |
| Box 5 | FF 3 | Correspondence, 1943 |
| Box 5 | FF 4 | Correspondence, 1944 |
| Box 5 | FF 5 | Correspondence, 1945 |
| Box 5 | FF 6 | Correspondence, 1946 |
| Box 5 | FF 7 | Correspondence, 1947 |
| Box 5 | FF 8 | Correspondence, 1948 |
| Box 5 | FF 9 | Correspondence, 1949 |
| Box 5 | FF 10 | Correspondence, 1950 |
| Box 5 | FF 11 | Correspondence, 1951 |
| Box 5 | FF 12 | Correspondence, 1952 |
| Box 5 | FF 13 | Correspondence, 1953 |
| Box 5 | FF 14 | Correspondence, 1954 |
| Box 6 | FF 1 | Correspondence, 1955 |
| Box 6 | FF 2 | Correspondence, 1956 |
| Box 6 | FF 3 | Correspondence, 1957 |
| Box 6 | FF 4 | Correspondence, 1958 |
| Box 6 | FF 5 | Correspondence, 1959 |
| Box 6 | FF 6 | Correspondence, 1960 |
| Box 6 | FF 7 | Correspondence, 1961 |
| Box 7 | FF 1 | Correspondence, 1962 |
| Box 7 | FF 2 | Correspondence, 1963 |
| Box 7 | FF 3 | Correspondence, 1964 |
| Box 7 | FF 4 | Correspondence, 1965 |
| Box 7 | FF 5 | Correspondence, 1966 |
| Box 7 | FF 6 | Correspondence, 1967 |
| Box 7 | FF 7 | Correspondence, 1968 |
| Box 8 | FF 1 | Correspondence, 1969 |
| Box 8 | FF 2 | Correspondence, 1970 |
| Box 8 | FF 3 | Correspondence, 1974 |
| Box 8 | FF 4 | Correspondence, 1933-1974 |
| Box 9 | FF 1 | Editors and publishers |
| Box 9 | FF 2 | Miscellaneous |
| Box 9 | FF 3 | Birthday |
| Box 9 | FF 4 | Christmas |
| Box 10 | FF 1 | Get well |
| Box 10 | FF 2 | Miscellaneous |
| Box 10 | FF 3 | To Merle Ward |
| Box 10 | FF 4 | To and From George Williams and Minnie Williams |
| Box 10 | FF 5 | To Lois Williams McConnell Pinson from Bob McConnell from Friend |
| Box 10 | FF 6 | To Rose Ward from Rosalind Ward |
| Box 10 | FF 7 | To and from Bruce Cutler |
| Box 10 | FF 8 | To and from miscellaneous associates |
Series 3 ‒ Interview
| Box 10 | FF 9 | Transcript of tape recorded interview with May Williams Ward by Dr. Samuel Sackett, 1959 |
Series 4 ‒ Literary Works by May Williams Ward
| Box 10 | FF 10 | Anecdotes, jingles, and jokes; anthologies |
| Box 10 | FF 11 | Kansas Poets proof |
| Box 10 | FF 12 | Miscellaneous |
| Box 10 | FF 13 | Awards |
| Box 10 | FF 14 | Book reviews |
| Box 10 | FF 15 | Published book, Seesaw, incomplete draft |
| Box 10 | FF 16 | Published book, Seesaw, announcements |
| Box 10 | FF 17 | Published book, In Double Rhythm, copy |
| Box 10 | FF 18 | Published book, In Double Rhythm, explanation of block print designs |
| Box 11 | FF 1 | Published Book, From Christmas-Time to April, Proof |
| Box 11 | FF 2 | Published book, From Christmas-Time to April, announcements |
| Box 11 | FF 3 | Published book, Approach to Social Studies Through Choral Speaking, early draft |
| Box 11 | FF 4 | Published book, Approach to Social Studies Through Choral Speaking, announcements |
| Box 11 | FF 5 | Published book, Wheatlands, incomplete draft |
| Box 11 | FF 6 | Published book, Wheatlands, proof |
| Box 11 | FF 7 | Published book, Wheatlands, selected poems plus comments by May Williams Ward |
| Box 11 | FF 8 | Published book, Wheatlands, announcements |
| Box 11 | FF 9 | Published book, No Two Years Alike, notes toward an autobiography |
| Box 11 | FF 10 | Published book, No Two Years Alike, early draft |
| Box 11 | FF 11 | Published book, No Two Years Alike, final proof of first edition |
| Box 11 | FF 12 | Published book, No Two Years Alike, corrected proof of second edition |
| Box 11 | FF 13 | Published book, No Two Years Alike, announcements |
| Box 11 | FF 14 | Published book, In That Day, early draft |
| Box 12 | FF 1 | Published book, In That Day, final draft |
| Box 12 | FF 2 | Published book, In That Day, miscellaneous notes |
| Box 12 | FF 3 | Published book, In That Day, announcements |
| Box 12 | FF 4 | Unpublished book, "Add Yourself to Your Devotions" |
| Box 12 | FF 5 | Unpublished book, "Aspects" |
| Box 12 | FF 6 | Unpublished book, "The Choral Speaking of Scripture" |
| Box 12 | FF 7 | Unpublished book, "Holidays and Special Days" |
| Box 12 | FF 8 | Unpublished book, "Mind Goes Manywhere" |
| Box 12 | FF 9 | Unpublished book, "Near Pioneer," early draft |
| Box 12 | FF 10 | Unpublished book, "Near Pioneer," family reminiscences |
| Box 12 | FF 11-15 | Unpublished book, "Near Pioneer," Kansas history notes |
| Box 13 | FF 1-2 | Unpublished book, "Poems and Clues" |
| Box 13 | FF 3-5 | Unpublished book, "Saturday and Sunday" |
| Box 13 | FF 6 | Unpublished book, "The Thirty Years Ward" |
| Box 13 | FF 7 | Unpublished book, "Woman in Doorway" |
| Box 13 | FF 8 | Miscellaneous notes |
| Box 13 | FF 9 | Choral speaking arrangement, religious arrangements for boys and girls |
| Box 14 | FF 1 | Choral speaking arrangement, verses from Approach to Social Studies Through Choral Speaking |
| Box 14 | FF 2 | Choral speaking arrangement, miscellaneous |
| Box 14 | FF 3 | Copyrights |
| Box 14 | FF 4 | Creative writing classes in Wichita |
| Box 14 | FF 5 | Crossword puzzles |
| Box 14 | FF 6 | Greeting cards |
| Box 14 | FF 7 | The Harp magazine |
| Box 14 | FF 8 | Kansas Magazine |
| Box 14 | FF 9 | Kaleidoscope |
| Box 14 | FF 10 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by May Williams Ward |
| Box 14 | FF 11 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Edith Archer |
| Box 14 | FF 12 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Mary Carruth Barton |
| Box 14 | FF 13 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Paolo Conte (Also see sound recording, Series 16) |
| Box 14 | FF 14 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Rebecca Welty Dunn |
| Box 14 | FF 15 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by C. W. Gluck |
| Box 14 | FF 16 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by F. J. Habercorn |
| Box 14 | FF 17 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Lucille Andrews Hensley |
| Box 14 | FF 18 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Lucille Andrews Hensley and Lloyd Andrews |
| Box 14 | FF 19 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Raymond Morley |
| Box 14 | FF 20 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by L. E. Parker and Katherine B. Potts |
| Box 14 | FF 21 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by Grace V. Wilson |
| Box 14 | FF 22 | Lyrics by May Williams Ward to music by miscellaneous artists |
| Box 14 | FF 23 | Newspaper Column: "Kansas Writers Capitalized" |
| Box 14 | FF 24 | Calendar of poems for children, pamphlet |
| Box 14 | FF 25 | Comedy and other muses, pamphlet |
| Box 14 | FF 26 | Do and Don't, pamphlet |
| Box 14 | FF 27 | Leaves, pamphlet |
| Box 14 | FF 28 | Ten poems About trees, pamphlet |
| Box 14 | FF 29-30 | Playlet and/or Skit "Historic Kansas Hats" |
| Box 15 | FF 1 | Playlet and/or Skit "Mrs. Clubwoman's Dressmaker" |
| Box 15 | FF 2 | Playlet and/or Skit "Teens Talk" |
| Box 15 | FF 3 | Playlet and/or Skit "That Perfect Figure" |
| Box 15 | FF 5 | Miscellaneous Playlets and/or Skits |
| Box 15 | FF 6 | "Best Houskeeper in Town," Play |
| Box 15 | FF 7 | "Family Resemblances," Play |
| Box 15 | FF 8 | "Stars in a Green Sky," Play |
| Box 15 | FF 9 | "Sugar and Spice," Play |
| Box 15 | FF 10 | Autographed copies of poems |
| Box 15 | FF 11 | Christmas poems |
| Box 15 | FF 12 | Lists of poems |
| Box 15 | FF 13 | Technical comment on five poems |
| Box 15 | FF 14 | Poetry manuscript, written 1919-1925 |
| Box 15 | FF 15-19 | Poetry manuscript, written 1926-1929 |
| Box 16 | FF 1-11 | Poetry manuscript, written 1926-1969, in alphabetical order according to title |
| Box 17 | FF 1-10 | Poetry manuscript, written 1926-1969, in alphabetical order according to title |
| Box 18 | FF 1-9 | Poetry manuscript, written 1926-1969, in alphabetical order according to title |
| Box 19 | FF 1-9 | Poetry manuscript, written 1926-1969, in alphabetical order according to title |
| Box 20 | FF 1 | Poetry manuscript, written 1970-1975 |
| Box 20 | FF 2-5 | Miscellaneous titled poetry manuscripts |
| Box 20 | FF 6-8 | Miscellaneous untitled poetry manuscripts |
| Box 21 | FF 1-2 | Miscellaneous untitled poetry manuscripts |
| Box 21 | FF 3 | Prayers |
| Box 21 | FF 4 | Advertisements |
| Box 21 | FF 5 | Poetry program sheets |
| Box 21 | FF 6-7 | Miscellaneous programs and speeches (Also see Series 17) |
| Box 21 | FF 8-9 | Miscellaneous notes |
| Box 22 | FF 1 | Miscellaneous notes |
| Box 22 | FF 2 | KFKU "Women of Kansas" radio broadcast script |
| Box 22 | FF 3 | KFKU "Women of Kansas" radio broadcast publicity |
| Box 22 | FF 4 | Miscellaneous radiobnroadcasts |
| Box 22 | FF 5 | Review of Seesaw |
| Box 22 | FF 6 | Review of In Double Rhythm |
| Box 22 | FF 7 | Review of From Christmas-Time to April |
| Box 22 | FF 8 | Review of Approach to Social Studies Through Choral Speaking |
| Box 22 | FF 9 | Review of Wheatlands |
| Box 22 | FF 10 | Review of No Two Years Alike |
| Box 22 | FF 11 | Miscellaneous reviews of May Williams Ward's literary works |
| Box 22 | FF 12-14 | Miscellaneous short stories, essays, and articles |
| Box 23 | FF 1-2 | Fragments and notes of short stories, essays, and articles |
Series 5 ‒ Art Work by May Williams Ward
| Box 23 | FF 3 | Original sketches and block plate |
| Box 23 | FF 4-7 | Miscellaneous block prints |
| Box 23 | FF 8 | Book plates |
| Box 23 | FF 9 | Notes on the art of block printing handwritten by Birger Sandzen for May Williams Ward |
| Box 23 | FF 10 | Miscellaneous (also see Box 14 FF 29-30, "Historic Kansas Hats") |
Series 6 ‒ Organizations
| Box 23 | FF 11 | Eugene Field Society |
| Box 23 | FF 12 | Kansas Authors Club |
| Box 23 | FF 13 | Midwest Federation of Chaparral Poets |
| Box 23 | FF 14 | National League of American Pen Women |
| Box 24 | FF 1 | National Screen Council |
| Box 24 | FF 2 | PEO |
| Box 24 | FF 3 | Poetry Society of America |
| Box 24 | FF 4 | Poetry Society of Kansas |
| Box 24 | FF 5 | Society of Midland Authors |
Series 7 ‒ Memorabilia
| Box 24 | FF 6 | Baptismal certificate of May Williams |
| Box 24 | FF 7 | Birth certificates of May Williams and Merle Ward |
| Box 24 | FF 8 | Funeral of May Williams Ward |
| Box 24 | FF 9 | Genealogical records |
| Box 24 | FF 10-11 | Kansas University |
| Box 24 | FF 12-15 | MacDowell Colony (also see Box 26 FF 3) |
| Box 24 | FF 16 | Osawatomie High School |
| Box 24 | FF 17 | Reuben Smith |
| Box 24 | FF 18 | O. J. Ward |
| Box 25 | FF 1-5 | Miscellaneous |
Series 8 ‒ Photographs
| Box 25 | FF 6 | May Williams Ward, 1882-1905 |
| Box 25 | FF 7-8 | Miscellaneous |
| Box 26 | FF 1 | Merle Ward |
| Box 26 | FF 2 | Associates of May Williams Ward |
| Box 26 | FF 3 | MacDowell Colony (also see Series 17, Oversized) |
| Box 26 | FF 4 | Miscellaneous |
| Box 26 | FF 5 | Photo album (also see Series 17, Oversized) |
Series 9 ‒ Scrapbooks
| Box 26 | FF 6 | Poetry |
| Box 26 | FF 7 | Newspaper clippings 1925 and after (1933-1938, see Series 17, Oversized) |
| Box 26 | FF 8 | United Nations building cornerstone laying, 1949 |
Series 10 ‒ Clippings
| Box 27 | FF 1 | Articles by May Williams Ward |
| Box 27 | FF 2-3 | Articles about May Williams Ward |
| Box 27 | FF 4 | Book reviews by May Williams Ward |
| Box 27 | FF 5 | Publicity articles and reviews of May Williams Ward's Books |
| Box 27 | FF 6 | The Harp |
| Box 27 | FF 7 | Poems |
| Box 27 | FF 8 | Miscellaneous |
Series 11 ‒ Financial Documents
| Box 28 | FF 1 | Ledger: personal account of May Williams, 1899-1900 |
| Box 28 | FF 2 | Ledger: personal account of May Williams, 1906 |
| Box 28 | FF 3 | Ledger: preparing for wedding, 1907 |
| Box 28 | FF 4 | Ledger: personal and household accounts of May and Merle Ward, 1908-1923 |
| Box 28 | FF 5 | Ledger: Christmas gifts, 1911-1922 |
| Box 28 | FF 6 | Ledger: Christmas gifts, 1928-1938 |
| Box 28 | FF 7 | Ledger: Ward Hotel, 1935 |
| Box 28 | FF 8 | Ledger: records of From Christmas-Time to April, 1938 |
| Box 28 | FF 9 | Ledger: records of No Two Years Alike, 1960-1963 |
| Box 28 | FF 10 | Ledger: marketing notes |
| Box 28 | FF 11-13 | Poetry sales records (also see correspondence with editors in dated and undated correspondence files) |
| Box 29 | FF 1-2 | Poetry sales records (also see correspondence with editors in dated and undated correspondence files) |
| Box 29 | FF 3 | Miscellaneous ledgers |
Series 12 ‒ Address Books
| Box 29 | FF 4 | Publishers' addresses |
| Box 29 | FF 5-7 | Miscellaneous |
| Box 30 | FF 1 | Miscellaneous |
Series 13 ‒ Miscellaneous
| Box 30 | FF 2 | Art works by others |
| Box 30 | FF 3 | Autographs |
| Box 30 | FF 4 | Biographical information on May Williams Ward |
| Box 30 | FF 5 | Literary works by relatives of May Williams Ward |
| Box 30 | FF 6 | Master's thesis by Irene Suran entitled "May Williams Ward: Kansas Poet" |
| Box 30 | FF 7 | Miscellaneous, A-C |
| Box 30 | FF 8 | Miscellaneous, D-N |
| Box 31 | FF 1 | Miscellaneous, O-Z |
| Box 31 | FF 2 | Unknown |
| Box 31 | FF 3 | Music given to May Williams Ward |
| Box 31 | FF 4 | Notes written by May Williams Ward |
| Box 31 | FF 5-10 | Periodicals in which May Williams Ward's works were published |
Series 14 ‒ Miscellaneous Publications and Images
| Box 32 | FF 1 | The Harp, edited by May Williams Ward |
| Box 32 | FF 2 | In That Day, published material |
| Box 32 | FF 3 | No Two Years Alike, published material |
| Box 32 | FF 4 | Negative of May Williams Ward photograph 1925 from 26 scrapbook and 25 photographs of May Williams Ward |
Series 15 ‒ Letters of Affection
| Box 33 | FF 1-14 | Letters of affection to May Williams from her husband, Merle Chester Ward |
| Box 33 | FF 15-16 | Letters of affection from May Williams to her husband, Merle Chester Ward |