Special Collections and University Archives UMass Amherst Libraries Barbara Rotundo Photograph Collection Digital ca.1970-2004 4 boxes (3 linear ft.) Call no.: PH 050 About SCUA SCUA home Credo digital Scope Inventory Series 1. Slides Series 2. Photographic prints Series 3. Research Notes Admin info Download xml version print version (pdf) Read collection overview A long-time member of the English Department at the University of Albany, Barbara Rotundo was a 1942 graduate in economics at Mount Holyoke College. After the death of her husband, Joseph in 1953, Rotundo became one of the first female faculty members at Union College, and after earning a master's degree in English at Cornell University and a doctorate in American Literature from Syracuse University, she served as an associate professor of English at the University of Albany, where she founded one of the first university writing programs in the United States. Avocationally, she was a stalwart member of the Association for Gravestone Studies, helping to broaden its scope beyond its the Colonial period to include the Victorian era. Her research included the rural cemetery movement, Mount Auburn Cemetery, white bronze (zinc) markers, and ethnic folk gravestones. Her research in these fields was presented on dozens of occasions to annual meetings of AGS, the American Culture Association, and The Pioneer America Society. In 1989, after residing in Schenectady for forty-six years, she retired to Belmont, NH, where she died in December 2004. Consisting primarily of thousands of color slides (most digitized) and related research notebooks, the Rotundo collection is a major visual record of Victorian grave markers in the United States. The notebooks and slides are arranged by state, with an emphasis on the eastern states, and white bronze (zinc) markers also are represented in photographs and a separate research notebook. The collection also includes several rare or privately published books. See similar SCUA collections: Gravestones Maine New Hampshire Photographs Background on Barbara Rotundo Barbara Rotundo was a 1942 graduate of Mount Holyoke College with a degree in economics. She married Joseph Rotundo, a professor of economics and government at Union College. After the death of her husband, Joseph in 1953, Rotundo became the first female faculty members at Union College. After earning a master's degree in English at Cornell University and a doctorate in American Literature from Syracuse University, she became a long-time member of the English Department at the University of Albany, where she founded one of the first university writing programs in the United States and wrote a grammar text. Avocationally, by the late 1960s, Rotundo became an avid researcher of gravestone studies. She was a stalwart member of the Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS), helping to broaden its scope beyond its the Colonial period to include the Victorian era. Her research included the rural cemetery movement, Mount Auburn Cemetery, white bronze (zinc) markers, and ethnic folk gravestones. Her research in these fields was presented on dozens of occasions to annual meetings of AGS, the American Culture Association, and The Pioneer America Society. She was an international speaker reading 19th century gravestones. She frequently presented her research to annual meetings of AGS, the American Culture Association, and The Pioneer America Society. Beyond her scholarship, Rotundo served on the Board of Trustees of AGS, as the organization's president, as a long-time member of the Markers' editorial board, and as a contributing editor for the AGS Quarterly. She was a constant volunteer for the organization's annual conferences, cemetery tour leader, participation session facilitator, program chair, and registrar. In 1994, Rotundo was the recipient of the Harriette Merrifield Forbes Award; the highest honor bestowed by the AGS. In 1989, after residing in Schenectady for forty-six years, she retired from teaching to Belmont, NH, where she died in December 2004. After her death, the Barbara Rotundo Memorial Scholarship was created to provide serious students with an interest in gravestone studies an opportunity to attend the AGS conference. In addition to being a member of AGS, Rotundo was a member of the Quaker Meeting of Schenectady, New York. She was also a member of the Friends of Highgate (London) Cemetery, and was a member of the Society of Architectural Historians. Rotundo has published several articles relating to Gravestone Studies. She pays special attention to rural cemeteries and shows a particular interest in the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Massachusetts. Her publications include: "The Rural Cemetery Movement," Essex Institute Historical Collections 109.3 (1973): 231-40 "Mount Auburn Cemetery: A Proper Boston Institution," Harvard Library Bulletin 22.3 (1974): 268-79 "Mount Auburn: Fortunate Coincidences and an Ideal Solution," Journal of Garden History 4.3 (1984): 255-67 "Crossing the Dark River: Shaker Funerals and Cemeteries." Communal Societies 1987: 36-46 "Monumental Bronze: A Representative American Company," in Cemeteries and Gravemarkers: Voices of American Culture, Edited by Richard E. Meyer, Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research Press, 1989, pp. 263-91 "A Modern Gravestone Maker: Some Lessons for Gravestone Historians," Markers 14 (1997): 86-109 Scope of collection Consisting primarily of thousands of 35 mm colored slide transparencies and related research notes, the Rotundo collection is a major visual record of Victorian grave markers in the United States and part of the United Kingdom. The slides are arranged alphabetically by state, and within each state, town and graveyard. There is an emphasis on the eastern states, with particularly rich content for Massachusetts and New York. The collection houses several hundred photographic prints, the majority of which represent white bronze (zinc) markers, though other stone types are noted. Also included in this collection are Rotundo's research notes, which focus on a variety of gravestone related subjects. The collection also includes several rare or privately published books, which have been cataloged separately. Slides have been partially digitized. Several themes run throughout the Rotundo Collection. As already noted, Rotundo had a special interest in white bronze markers. She was also very interested in Rural Cemeteries, and funerary rituals in Quaker and Shaker communities. Rotundo viewed many graver markers (especially bronze markers) as works of art, and was increasingly interested in gravestone symbolism. Detailed contents Series 1. Slides dates? Most of Rotundo's work in documenting cemeteries and markers was recorded on 35mm color slides AGS Slide Index, Note cards and 2 CD-ROMs with digitized slides (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California) undated Box 5: Small box Australia: Kew: Boroondara [VIC] 1991 92 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Melbourne: Melbourne General Cemetery 1991 95 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: South Coast of Vic: Lochaird cemetery 1991 2 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Vic: Beechworth Cemetery undated 2 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Vic: Necropholis 1991 5 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Vic: Philip Island Cemetery 1991 4 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Vic: Philip S. Cemetery 1991 1 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Vic: Pioneer Cemetery undated 1 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Vic: St. Kilda's Cemetery 1991 27 slides Box 2: 15 Australia: Vienna: Central Cemetery Fridhof 1997 2 slides Box 2: 15 Brazil 1994 13 slides Box 2: 18 Canada, BC: Victoria: Ross Bay Cemetery 1992 16 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, BC: Vancouver: Mt. View 1992 14 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NB: Harvey: Bayview Cemetery 1982-83 4 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS 1984 7 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Cape Breton: Middle River Cemetery 1984 4 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Halifax: Camp Hill 1984 19 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Halifax: Holy Cross 1984 10 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Halifax: St. Paul's 1984 1 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Kentville: Chipman's Corner 1984 7 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Lunenburg: Hillcrest 1984 21 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Mahone Bay: Bayview Cemetery 1984 8 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Margaree Cemetery 1984 5 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Margaree Valley: Cross Cemetery 1984 6 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Petite Riviere 1984 2 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, NS: Windsor: Old Parish Burying Ground 1984 8 slides Box 2: 16 Canada, ON Canadians in Liberal International (CILI) 1987 1 slides Box 2: 16 Caribbean: St. Kitts: Trinity 2000 21 slides Box 2: 18 Caribbean: St. Thomas 1987 32 slides Box 2: 18 Delft 1995 6 slides Box 2: 25 England 1968 1 slides Box 2: 23 England 1976 1 slides Box 2: 23 England 1987 17 slides Box 2: 23 England 1988 2 slides Box 2: 22 England 1988 7 slides Box 2: 23 England 1989 1 slides Box 2: 23 England 1994 2 slides Box 2: 21 England 1994 1 slides Box 2: 23 England undated 1 slides Box 2: 22 England: [Aylsham [H. Repton's grave] 1988 2 slides Box 2: 21 England: Ashton: Ashton Steeple 1991 7 slides Box 2: 23 England: Avon: Henbury Parish 1986 8 slides Box 2: 21 England: Avon: Henbury Parish 1987 11 slides Box 2: 21 England: Bath: Abbey Cemetery 1987 12 slides Box 2: 21 England: Battle: Battle Cemetery 1988 3 slides Box 2: 22 England: Beaden: Churchill 1968 1 slides Box 2: 22 England: Bradford: Undercliff Cemetery 1988 9 slides Box 2: 20 England: Brightling 1988 4 slides Box 2: 22 England: Bristol 1987 4 slides Box 2: 23 England: Bristol: Arnos Vale Cemetery 1993 12 slides Box 2: 21 England: Bristol: Bristol Cathedral 1985 6 slides Box 2: 22 England: Brookwood: Brookwood Cemetery 1998 23 slides Box 2: 22 England: Bucks: Stowe 1986 6 slides Box 2: 23 England: Bucks: West Wycomb 1987 4 slides Box 2: 23 England: Cambridge: Burwash Church [Iron Stones] 1974 2 slides Box 2: 22 England: Cambridge: Burwash Church [Iron Stones] 1976 2 slides Box 2: 22 England: Cambridge: Military Cemetery 1968 1 slides Box 2: 23 England: Castle Combe: Castle Combe Cemetery 1991 5 slides Box 2: 22 England: Catholic Cross 1974 1 slides Box 2: 23 England: Chatsworth 1989 2 slides Box 2: 22 England: Chester: Chester Cathedral 1986 4 slides Box 2: 22 England: Chester: St.