Papers, 1926-1977.

Format:

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Worth, Sol.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Worth, Tobia L.

Adair, John.

Mead, Margaret, 1901-1978.

Mead, Margaret.

Annenberg School of Communications (University of Pennsylvania).

Anthropological Film Research Institute.

Society for the Anthropology of Visual Communication.

Navajo art.

Motion pictures in ethnology.

Communication in Anthropology.

Penn Provenance:

Gift of Tobia Worth to the Annenberg School. Transferred to the University Archives and Records Center in January of 1990.

Physical Description:

42 Cubic ft.

Arrangement:

Organized in twelve series: Biographical Papers, 1943-1977; Correspondence, 1960-1977; Administrative Papers, 1960-1977; Professional Activities, 1960-1977; Teachings, 1960-1977; Research, 1962-1970; Writings, 1963-1977; Reprints and Manuscripts, 1956-1977; Journals, 1926-1977; and Oversized.

Place of Publication:

1926-1977.

Biography/History:

Sol Worth was born Sol Wishnepolsky on September 19, 1922 in New York City. The son of a dressmaker by the name of Jack Wishnepolsky, very little is known of his life before he began his formal education. He attended the High School of Music and Art in New York City from 1936 to 1940. Upon graduation from High School with a major concentration in art, he went to the University of Iowa. At Iowa, he majored in painting and sculpture. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1943.

After leaving the University of Iowa, he served in the United States Navy, 1943-1945. He returned to New York and began work for the Goold Studio in still photography and motion pictures. He worked for Goold for seventeen years becoming Vice-President and Creative Director. While at Goold, he entered the New School for Social Research where he took various classes in film production, animation, and editing, 1948-1950.

His scholarly abilities were well recognized during this period as he was granted a Fullbright Lectureship as a Visiting Professor of Documentary Film and Photography, 1956-1957, at the University of Helsinki. Here he produced a documentary film entitled "Teatteri" which was chosen for the permanent collection of the Documentary Film at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. This film prompted Gilbert Seldes to invite Worth o the Annenberg School of Communications.

In 1960 he accepted a part time position with the school. In 1964 Worth decided to devote himself to teaching full time. In 1966 he was promoted to Associate Professor, and in 1973 he was named a full Professor. In 1976 he was appointed the first Chair of a newly begun Undergraduate major in Communications. Worth was involved in a wide range of professional organizations. He died of a heart attack on August 27, 1977.

Summary:

The Sol Worth Papers consist largely of the contents of his Annenberg office at the time of his death. They almost exclusively relate to his professional and scholarly pursuits. The Biographical papers, 1943-1977, include copies of vitaes and clippings, date books, and college materials. There is correspondence, 1960-1977, with students, faculty, and national organizations during Worth's tenure at Annenberg including Margaret Mead. The Administrative papers, 1963-1977, consist of correspondence, minutes, memoranda, and statistics regarding the Annenberg School of Communications and include his participation in tenure reviews, faculty meetings, and academic committee work.

In addition to administrative papers, there are papers relating to his involvement in professional organizations including the Anthropological Film Research Institute, which he founded with Margaret Mead, and the Society for the Anthropology of Visual Communication, for which he served as founding President.

His teaching files, 1960-1977, include syllabi, reading lists, exams, and lecture notes. The collection also includes his research papers, among which is his most famous project, the Navajo Film project, which culminated in a publication, with John Adair, of Through Navajo Eyes: An Exploration in Film Communication and Anthropology. In addition to his own research, Worth kept reprints and manuscripts of other scholars as well as bibliographies, film reviews, and programs for film and theater. Photographic prints, journals, and other oversized material finish out the collection.

Finding Aid/Index:

Unpublished finding aid available from repository.

OCLC:

1346384220

Online:

Finding aid