| Author: | Parker, Fred Howard, 1899-1988 |
| Date Range: | 1881-1982 |
| Extent: | 5 linear ft. |
| Location: | Annex (Materials stored offsite; advance notification required). |
| Background: | South Carolina organist and music educator |
| 1873 | Birth of Frederick Lee Parker to Dr. Horace Parker and Sarah Dorn Parker |
| 1877 | Birth of Julia Annie Prescott to Dr. William Edward Prescott and Ellen Culbreath Prescott |
| 1895 | Graduation of Frederick Lee Parker, University of Maryland Dental School |
| 1896 | Marriage of Dr. Frederick Lee Parker and Julia Annie Prescott |
| 1899 8 July | Birth of Fred Howard Parker to Dr. Frederick Lee Parker and Julia Prescott Parker |
| 1900 | Birth of Carolyn Patterson |
| 1917-1918 | Fred Howard Parker attended Georgia Institute of Technology |
| 1922 | B.S., University of South Carolina |
| 1924 | B.M., Chicora College, Columbia, S.C. |
| 1925-1930 | Music instructor, Chicora College, Columbia, S.C. |
| 1927-1965 | Organist-Choirmaster, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, S.C. |
| 1930-1931 | Associate Director of Music, Columbia College, Columbia, S.C. |
| 1930-1957 | Weekly organ recitals, WIS Radio, Columbia, S.C. |
| 1931-1965 | Director of music, Columbia College, Columbia, S.C. |
| 1934 | Marriage of Fred Howard Parker and Carolyn Patterson |
| 1936 | Death of Julia Prescott Parker |
| 1939 | M.A. (Music), University of South Carolina |
| 1951 | Death of Dr. Frederick Lee Parker |
| 1981 | Death of Carolyn Patterson Parker |
| 1988 24 Aug. | Death of Fred Howard Parker |
Fred Howard Parker was born in 1899 in Johnston, S.C., son of Dr. Frederick Lee Parker, the town dentist, and Julia Prescott Parker. While Dr. Parker wished his son to follow the family tradition of dentistry (Dr. Horace Parker, Frederick Lee Parker's father, was also a dentist), Julia Parker recognized and encouraged her son's appreciation of music. Dr. F.L. Parker did not believe music was a proper avenue for a man or that Fred would be able to support himself through a career in music. Against his father's advice, but with his mother's support, Fred H. Parker pursued music. After receiving a degree in music from Chicora College in 1924, he taught music there for four years. In 1930, Chicora College merged with Queen's College in Charlotte, NC, to form Queens-Chicora College. Fred Parker chose to remain in Columbia and began a new career, first as Associate Director (1930-1931), then Director of Music, at Columbia College. He remained at Columbia College until his retirement in 1965.
While teaching at Chicora College, Fred Parker met Carolyn Patterson, the voice instructor. In 1930, when Chicora merged with Queen's, Patterson relocated to Mitchell College, a small junior college in Statesville, N.C. Fearing the limitations a small town and college would place on her career, Carolyn applied for a teaching position at Columbia College and in 1931 returned to South Carolina. While Fred and Carolyn had been friends during their time of teaching together at Chicora College, it was at Columbia College that their romance began. They were married in 1934. Carolyn remained as voice instructor at Columbia College until her retirement in 1965. While at Columbia College, she was instrumental in establishing a chapter of the Delta Omicron Society.
Both Parkers were actively involved with music in the Columbia community. Fred served as organist-choirmaster at First Presbyterian Church while Carolyn was choir director at Ebenezer Lutheran Church. In addition, Carolyn was active in the Columbia Music Festival Association, and Fred was a president of the college music division of the South Carolina Education Association and the Columbia Music Teachers' Association. For twenty-seven years, Fred Parker presented a program of weekly organ recitals broadcast via WIS radio. He also edited a weekly column, "Beloved Hymns", for the State newspaper.
| Box 1 | Biographical Includes genealogical information on the Parker and Prescott families; biographical data re Janie Evans Patterson, Carolyn Patterson Parker's sister; photograph of Fred H. Parker; and obituary from The State newspaper for Fred H. Parker. |
| Boxes 1-2 | Correspondence, 1881-1982 and undated Consists of courtship letters between Frederick Lee Parker and Julia Annie Prescott, and between Julia and other suitors; a letter dated 18 July 1904 from Frederick Lee Parker to President Theodore Roosevelt requesting appropriations to develop a rifle with a hollow aluminum stock in which medical supplies could be placed; letters detailing Fred H. Parker's year as a Georgia Tech student and his close friend Annie Stokes' first year at Columbia College (or "the Jail"); letters from Carolyn Patterson, while attending the Conservatoire American, Fountainebleau, France, to her sisters in North Carolina; correspondence detailing Fred Parker's instructions for the design of a Pilcher pipe organ for First Presbyterian Church, Columbia; letters to Dr. James Rion McKissick conveying Fred Parker's ideas for the University of South Carolina Music Department and correspondence with Dr. Hugh Williamson, who eventually headed the University's Music Department. |
| Box 3 |
Education Contains class notes of Frederick Lee Parker while a student at the University of Maryland Dental School; class and thesis notes of Fred Howard Parker while attending Georgia Institute of Technology, University of South Carolina and the Conservatoire American, Fountainebleau, France; and class notes of Carolyn Patterson Parker, possibly dating from her student years at Flora MacDonald College. |
| Box 3 |
Teaching Includes lecture notes, class schedules, lists of students from Chicora College, University of South Carolina summer school, and Columbia College. |
| Box 3 |
Administration Includes teacher recommendations, grade sheets, and miscellaneous items dating from Fred Parker's tenure as chairman of the Columbia College Music Department. |
| Box 4 |
Recitals, 1919-1982 Contains programs from faculty and student recitals and other musical events attended by Fred and Carolyn Parker |
| Box 4 |
Professional Affiliations Includes repertoire lists for Fred Parker's organ recitals broadcast via WIS Radio; bulletins from First Presbyterian Church, Columbia; notes from Carolyn Parker's tenure as choir director at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Columbia; and miscellaneous items from the National Association of Teachers of Singers, Delta Omicron Music Society, Columbia Music Festival Association, and the 1967 Montreat Music Conference. |
| Box 4 |
Miscellaneous Consists of legal documents of Frederick Lee Parker and the passport of Janie Evans Patterson. |
Box 1 Biographical Information Folders 1-63 Correspondence 2 November 1881 - 16 December 1920 Box 2 28 April 1921 - 10 April 1982, undated Folders 64-152 Box 3 Education Folders 153-225 Frederick Lee Parker University of Maryland, 1893-1895 Fred Howard Parker Public School, 1915 Georgia Institute of Technology, 1917-1918 University of South Carolina, 1918-1922 Conservatoire American, Fountainebleau, France, 1925 Thesis Notes, undated Carolyn Patterson Parker Teaching Chicora College, 1925-1929 University of South Carolina, Summer School, 1936-1942 Columbia College, 1930-1965 Music 121 Music 122 Repertoire class Sacred music Carolyn Patterson Parker Voice class Administration Columbia College Music Department, 1930-1965 Box 4 Recitals Folders 226-299 7 May 1919 - 14 June 1982, undated Professional Affiliations WIS Radio Programs 16 November 1930 - 12 May 1957 First Presbyterian Church, Columbia Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Columbia Miscellaneous Frederick Lee Parker Legal documents, 1883-1940 Janie Evans Patterson Passport, 1918-1919