Vaida and Whitney Montgomery: A Love Story Linda Black 15 Feb 2015

Vaida Stewart Montgomery  Born Vaida Stewart, on Ox Ranch in Childress County in the Panhandle  Born August 28, 1888  Started writing poetry at a young age  Originally married Arthur Boyd and had two daughters with him  Thelma, born in 1906  Genevieve, born in 1908  Divorced Boyd in 1917; Vaida and her daughters moved to Dallas  Attended business college and studied typing  Worked for a few companies, taught typing, and then started her own typing business, typing manuscripts for other writers  Was Recording Secretary for the Poetry Society of Texas in

Whitney Montgomery  Born on September 14, 1877 in Navarro County  Engaged in farming and stock raising until 1892  Attended public schools through the 8 th grade only  Started publishing poetry in 1896  Charter member of the Poetry Society of Texas (founded in 1921)  Met Vaida at a Poetry Society meeting in 1921  Began sending her his poems for her to type  Corresponded for years through the mail, sharing their poetry  He moved to Dallas in 1927  Married Vaida on June 9, 1927  Bought a home in Oak Cliff and a small printing press where they began publishing for others and self-published many works including poetry magazines and books, as well as grammar books and guides to writing poetry

Their Poetry  Vaida wrote two collections of her own poems  Locoed and Other Poems (1930)  Hail for Rain (1948)  Whitney wrote four collections of his own poems  Corn Silks and Cotton Blossoms  Brown Fields and Bright Lights  Hounds in the Hills  Joseph's Coat  They collaborated on Vaida’s A Century with Texas Poets and Poetry (1934)  A compilation of the poetry of Texans  Included an essay by Whitney about poetry magazines in Texas  Both Whitney and Vaida contributed a poem to the collection as well  Both published hundreds of poems in magazines and newspapers as well  Focused primarily on regional, pastoral themes  Wrote primarily in traditional verse patterns, couplets, quattrains, but experimented with free verse as well

Kaleidograph Magazine  Perhaps their most significant contribution to the world of poetry was Kaleidograph Magazine which they published together for 30 years  Originally founded as Kaleidoscope Magazine in 1929  Published monthly until Vaida’s death in 1959 (was published quarterly for the last years of her life due to her failing health)  Paid for entirely by subscribers (no advertisements)  Focused on finding new poetic talent  They also published a few books that were collections of poems from Kaleidograph including  Bright Excalibur: a Collection of Poems from Kaleidograph, in 1933

Accolades  Earned multiple poetry awards  Vaida –  Texas Institute of Letters poetry award in 1948 (for Hail for Rain)  Poetry Society of Texas – Old South Prize in 1939 and 1944  Daedalian Quarterly Prize for Poetry (sponsored by Texas State College for Women) in 1948  Whitney  Honorary Doctorate from Southern Methodist University  Invited to writer’s conferences including one attended by Robert Frost at Texas State College (now TWU)  Assisted with local University courses including The University of Oklahoma, Texas State College for Women (now TWU), and  Other than the Hobbys from Houston, were the only Texas couple in Who’s Who in that time period  The Poetry Society of Texas gives out four different poetry awards to students annually in memory of the Montgomerys, one for Vaida, one for Whitney, and one for each of Vaida’s daughters, Thelma and Genevieve.

Photos

Whitney’s Poetry

Vaida’s Poetry

Works Cited  Anderson, Marie. “Cliff Poet Writes About Ranch Life.” Dallas Times Herald, 11 June Whitney and Vaida Stewart and Montgomery Papers, DeGolyer Special Collections Library, Southern Methodist University. Print.  Encyclopedia of American Biography, “Whitney Montgomery.” Print.  “Poems of Texas Prairie and Ranch Lands.” The Times Herald, 21 Dec Whitney and Vaida Stewart and Montgomery Papers, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University. Print.  “Printed in Dallas Garage.” The Times Herald, 13 Oct Whitney and Vaida Stewart and Montgomery Papers, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University. Print.  McClannahan. “Pictorial Biography.” The Dallas Journal, 18, Apr Whitney and Vaida Stewart and Montgomery Papers, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University. Print.  Montgomery, Vaida S. A Century with Texas Poets and Poetry. Dallas, TX: Kaleidograph Press, Print.  Montgomery, Vaida S. Hail for Rain. Dallas, TX: Kaleidograph Press, Print.  Montgomery, Whitney. “December Love.” Corn Silks and Cotton Blossoms. Dallas, TX: P.L. Turner Company, Print.  Montgomery, Whitney. “Since I Became A Lover.” Brown Fields and Bright Lights. Dallas, TX: Kaleidograph Press, Print.  Simpson, Mary. “Montgomery, Vaida Stewart.” Texas State Historical Association, 15 June /20/2014. Web.  Whitney and Vaida Stewart and Montgomery Papers, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University. Print.