Library Home  Special Collections Home  Manuscripts Home

 Manuscript Collection 458

• Information about Hardy "Spider" Rowland
• Information about the Collection
• Contents of the Collection

INFORMATION ABOUT HARDY "SPIDER" ROWLAND

Born in a log cabin in Hardy, Arkansas, on July 14, 1907, Rowland was left to his own resources at the age of sixteen when his mother died and his father, grief-stricken, turned to alcohol and was unable to provide for his family.  Penniless, Rowland traveled the country and supported himself through gambling and the occasional odd job.  He eventually returned to Arkansas to open a Little Rock night club and publish a horse racing newsletter in Hot Springs.  By coincidence, Rowland happened to be in Rockland, Maine in 1941 at the time of the Atlantic Charter conference between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Rowland sent the story to the Gazette and was immediately hired as a full-time writer for the paper.

Rowland became well known in Arkansas for his Runyonesque political column, the "Weary-Go-Round."  After World War II, he helped elect Democratic reform veterans to office.  His support of the GI reformers (particularly the slate of future governor Sid McMath) helped end the boss rule of Hot Springs Mayor Leo McLauglin.  Rowland died February 10, 1958.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION

Papers and scrapbooks concerning the Arkansas Gazette newspaper columnist, Hardy "Spider" Rowland, were donated to Special Collections by his widow, Elsie Dungan of Pasadena, Texas, April 20, 1983.

The papers consist of correspondence, scrapbooks and memorabilia, as well as notes about Rowland which his son Ray Rowland, collected while researching a biography of his father.  A notable segment of the correspondence is contained in Folder 1, which includes material concerning alleged attempts by Little Rock's two leading newspapers to violate section 7a of the National Recovery Act.

The scrapbooks consist mainly of clippings of Rowland's columns. They are arranged arbitrarily, and are available only on microfilm.  Researchers are encouraged to refer to the microfilm version of the collection before accessing the original documents.

Significant correspondents include:  Heywood Broun; J. N. Heiskell.

Prepared By Leon C. Miller, Special Collections Department, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas, in December, 1987.
 

CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION (1 box and 1 microfilm)

Box 1

 1. Correspondence, July 20, 1934-Sept 2, 1934.
 2. Correspondence, Apr 6, 1946-May 24, 1946.
 3. Correspondence, May 24, 1948-Sept 17, 1949.
 4. Correspondence, July 9, 1951-Sept 17, 1952.
 5. Notes and drafts by Rowland, n.d.
 6. Burp! [a book by Rowland] and related materials, 1945.
 7. Jesse Core, "Ace High and Straight." Scene: Magazine of the South and West, July 1947 [article about Rowland].
 8. Clippings of Gazette editorial paragraphs by Rowland printed by other newspapers, Dec 26, 1947-Apr 27, 1948.
 9. Notebook containing notes by Rowland for future articles, n.d.
 10. Stationery.
 11. Business cards, credit cards, driver's licenses, motor vehicle registrations, press passes, momentos, 1938-1942.
 12. Two certificates of discharge from the Army Transport Service, n.d.
 13. Postcard, "Hardy `Spider' Rowland presents Arkansas Hillbilly Convention." 1946. 5 x 7.
 14. Handwritten notes by Ray Rowland concerning his father (1 of 3).
 15. Handwritten notes by Ray Rowland concerning his father (2 of 3).
 16. Handwritten notes by Ray Rowland concerning his father (3 of 3).
 17. Typed stories about Rowland compiled by Ray Rowland.
 18. Typescripts of Rowland's columns compiled by Ray Rowland.
 19. Photocopies of Rowland's columns compiled by Ray Rowland.
 20. Souvenir scrapbook compiled for Rowland by T. M. Mundo, concerning Rowland's efforts to sell war bonds, June 15, 1945 - July 5, 1945.
 21. Photographs

 1. L-R: Ray Rowland, Edgar Rowland, Elsie Rowland, Spider Rowland, Walter Rowland, Wanda Findley.  n.d. 2 1/2 x 3 1/3.
 2. Novelist and screen writer Johnny Monk. n.d. 6 x 4.
 3. Pete Easley, brother of Elsie Rowland, in military uniform. n.d. 5 x 4.
 

Microfilm: Three Scrapbooks

 1. Jan 11, 1942-July 15, 1945.
 2. Jan 24, 1942-Nov 12, 1944.
 3. Mar 14, 1947-Apr 14, 1948.