A Life in Music and Education: The Eleanor M. Allen Papers

By Lauren Fink

The Archives and Rare Books Library recently processed a collection containing artifacts of and relating to Eleanor Moore Allen.

Eleanor Allen, originally from Linneas, Missouri, was a student at the Cincinnati College of Music in the 1930s.  She was also a staff singer at WLW Radio in Cincinnati and a record producer at the Victor Record Division of RCA in New York City. In the 1950s, Allen returned to the College-Conservatory of Music, working as an administrator, Dean of Women, and Director of the Preparatory Department. She was a member of the Alumni Board of Governors and the Mu Phi Epsilon Professional Music Sorority. After retirement from CCM in 1980, Allen worked as an assistant to David McLain, Cincinnati Ballet’s artistic director, for four years.  She died in 2003 at the age of 93.

Eleanor Allen’s illustrious life and work in music and education is evidenced by the articles, photographs, correspondence, programs, and even Eleanor’s own poems contained in this collection. Interested researchers will also find information about both CCM and the Cincinnati Ballet from the 1940s – 1980s. To view the Eleanor Allen Papers (UA-11-12), please consult the finding aid, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/archives/ead/OhCiUAR0276, or visit the Archives and Rare Books Library, located on the 8th floor of Blegen Library.  For information on any of our other holdings, please visit the Archives and Rare Books Library website at www.libraries.uc.edu/libraries/arb/index.html, call 513.556.1959, or email us at archives@ucmail.uc.edu.