Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play LeRoy Howard Papers Finding Aid to the LeRoy Howard Papers, 1892-1952 Summary Information Title: LeRoy Howard papers Creator: LeRoy Howard (primary) ID: 114.3440 Date: 1892-1952 (inclusive); 1930-1952 (bulk) Extent: 2 linear feet Language: The materials in this collection are in English. Abstract: The LeRoy Howard papers are a compilation of business papers, patents, notes, and published game instructions from a former executive at Parker Brothers, Inc. The bulk of the materials are dated from 1930 through 1952. Repository: Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong One Manhattan Square Rochester, New York 14607 585.263.2700 [email protected] Administrative Information Conditions Governing Use: This collection is open for research use by staff of The Strong and by users of its library and archives. Though the donor has not transferred intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to any copyright, trademark, and associated rights therein) to The Strong, she has given permission for The Strong to make copies in all media for museum, educational, and research purposes. Custodial History: The LeRoy Howard papers were donated to The Strong in April 2014 as a gift from Kathleen A. O’Leary, niece of Frances O’Leary Howard, the widow of LeRoy Howard. The papers were accessioned by The Strong under Object ID 114.3440. The papers were received from Kathleen A. O’Leary along with several Parker Brothers games, prototypes of games, Parker Brothers catalogs, and other materials. Preferred citation for publication: LeRoy Howard papers, Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong Processed by: Julia Novakovic, June 2014 Controlled Access Terms Personal Names Howard, LeRoy Parker, George Swinnerton, 1866-1952 Phillips, Elizabeth Magie, 1866-1948 Corporate Names Parker Brothers, Inc. Subjects Board game industry Board game industry--United States June 2014 Page 1 Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play LeRoy Howard Papers Board games--Design and construction. Board games--United States--History--20th century. Clue (Game) Game design and development. Games--Research. Monopoly (Game) Monopoly (Game)--History. Parker Brothers, Inc. Senet (Game) Biographical Note LeRoy (“Roy”) Howard (c. 1894–1963) was an American board game designer and former executive at Parker Brothers, Inc. Howard previously worked at McLoughlin Brothers in New York City, where his father, Charles, was an illustrator for their books and stationery products. Howard served as a games editor, designer, and development manager for Parker Brothers in Salem, Massachusetts, during the 1930s through the 1950s. Howard advised George S. Parker and Robert Barton on the purchase and development of the game Monopoly in 1935. As the main employee performing research and development tasks, Howard encouraged Parker Brothers executives to play-test prototype games. These sessions aided in refining rules, discovering flaws, and determining game strategies. Later in his career, Howard assisted in developing successful Parker Brothers games Clue, Risk, and Senet. He married Frances O’Leary, a telephone operator at Parker Brothers, and they resided in Beverly, Massachusetts until his death in 1963. Collection Scope and Content Note The LeRoy Howard papers contain materials from 1892 through 1952, with the bulk of the papers dated from 1930–1952. The items in this collection include game development information, business correspondence, patent papers, photographs, and published game instructions created or retained by LeRoy Howard (and later, his wife’s estate). Additional scope and content information is listed for each series under the “Contents List” section of this finding aid. The LeRoy Howard papers are arranged into two series, one of which has been further divided into subseries. The materials are housed in four archival document boxes and one oversized flat folder. June 2014 Page 2 Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play LeRoy Howard Papers Related Materials For related archival materials, see also the Philip E. Orbanes papers in the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong. Trade catalogs from Parker Brothers are also housed within the library’s stacks. Game prototypes from the estate of LeRoy Howard, as well as published Parker Brothers games, are held within the museum collections of The Strong. System of Arrangement Series I: Business papers, 1892-1952 Subseries A: Game development Subseries B: Patents and related correspondence Subseries C: Notes and miscellaneous papers Series II: Published game instructions, 1893-1952 June 2014 Page 3 Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play LeRoy Howard Papers Contents List Series I: Business papers, 1892-1952 Subseries A: Game development Scope and Content Note: This subseries contains information related to game development at Parker Brothers, including several of the company’s most popular board game titles. Draft game instructions and notes are housed within these folders. Box 1 Folder 1 Block game instructions draft (fragments), n.d. Folder 2 Clue historical information and rules drafts, c. 1949-1950 Folder 3 Cluedo game instructions draft, c. 1949 Folder 4 Monopoly historical information (marked “Confidential”), n.d. Folder 5 Senet historical information, c. 1946 Folder 6 Wit’s End game instructions draft, n.d. Oversized Folder 1 Clue game box artwork, c. 1949-1950 Subseries B: Patents and related correspondence Scope and Content Note: This subseries houses patent papers for various board and card games, along with related correspondence and reference from the U.S. Patent Office. Some of these documents have minor notations in Howard’s handwriting. Box 1 Folder 7 Patent No. 469,089 - Game Apparatus, George S. Parker, patented Feb. 16, 1892 Folder 8 Patent No. 748,626 - Game Board, Lizzie J. Magie, patented Jan. 5, 1904, and associated correspondence, c. 1954 Folder 9 Patent No. 792,345 - Card Game, George S. Parker, patented June 13, 1905 Folder 10 Patent No. 952,939 - Game Cards, George S. Parker, patented Mar. 22, 1910, and Patent No. 1,129,423 - Card Game, George S. Parker, patented Feb. 23, 1915; associated patent correspondence, c. 1952 Folder 11 Patent No. 1,085,202 - Game, George Gingras, patented Jan. 27, 1914 Folder 12 Patent No. 1,509,312 - Game Board (The Landlord’s Game), Elizabeth M. Phillips, patented Sept. 23, 1924; Patent No. 2,026,082 - Board Game Apparatus (Monopoly), Charles B. Darrow, patented Dec. 31, 1935; associated patent correspondence, 1951 Folder 13 Patent No. 1,530,568 - Card Game, Paul L. Mansfield, patented Mar. 24, 1925 Folder 14 Patent No. 1,982,534 - Card Game, Grace M. Parker, patented Nov. 27, 1934 Folder 15 Patent No. 2,026,082 - Board Game Apparatus (Monopoly), Charles B. Darrow, patented Dec. 31, 1935 Folder 16 Patent No. 2,194,854 - Game, Le Roy Howard, patented Mar. 26, 1940 Folder 17 Patent No. 2,215,352 - Board Game, Ray Eugene Flory, patented Sept. 17, 1940 Folder 18 Patent No. 2,322,113 - Card Game, Will H. Connelly, patented June 15, 1943 Folder 19 Patent No. 2,495,007 - Board Game Apparatus (Senet), Le Roy Howard, patented Jan. 17, 1950 June 2014 Page 4 Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play LeRoy Howard Papers Folder 20 Patent No. 2,526,300 - Stock Market Board Game Apparatus Used with Two Contrasting Dice, Harry O. Todd, patented Oct. 17, 1950 Folder 21 General Information Concerning Patents, U.S. Department of Commerce, Revised April 1, 1948 Folder 22 Rules of Practice in the United States Patent Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, Reprint June 1, 1948 Folder 23 “Proposed Revision of Patent Rules,” Supplement to Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office, June 29, 1948 Subseries C: Notes and miscellaneous papers Scope and Content Note: This subseries holds some handwritten notes and miscellaneous reference papers from the estate of LeRoy Howard. There is one folder containing photographs (several are of Parker Brothers games; one is of Parker Brothers executives playing a game; and two photos depict LeRoy Howard with his wife, Frances). Box 1 Folder 24 Le Roy Howard notes, October 1950, and business card, n.d. Folder 25 Photographs, undated Folder 26 Le Roy Howard at McLoughlin Brothers, Playthings magazine advertisement, January 1914 Folder 27 Miscellaneous papers and news clipping, c. 1930s Oversized Folder 1 British Sovereigns reprint, Illustrated London News, Christmas 1948 Series II: Published game instructions, 1893-1952 Scope and Content Note: This series contains instructions for games published between 1893 and 1952, with the bulk of the games from the 1920s through the 1940s. They have been arranged in alphabetical order, and when possible, dates have been identified based on the copyright date of the instructions. Parker Brothers manufactured the majority of these games, though products from several other companies appear. Some of the instructions have minor notations in Howard’s handwriting. Box 2 Folder 1 A.A. Milne’s Colorful New Game - Winnie the Pooh instructions, Parker Brothers, Inc., ©1933 Folder 2 Admiral Byrd’s South Pole Game: Little America game instructions, Parker Brothers, Inc., n.d. Folder 3 Alice in Wonderland game instructions, Parker Brothers, Inc., n.d. Folder 4 Amateur Golf game instructions, Parker Brothers, Inc., ©1928 Folder 5 American Flag game instructions, Parker Brothers, Inc., ©1943 Folder 6 Americana game instructions, Parker Brothers, Inc., n.d. Folder 7 Anagrams and Letters