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Evelyn Stuckey Papers (MS-00265)

Abstract

The Evelyn Stuckey Papers date from 1940 to 1972 and document Stuckey's experience as a physical education teacher at Las Vegas High School (LVHS) in Las Vegas, Nevada and founder of the LVHS Rhythmettes dance group. The collection contains personal and educational materials from Stuckey’s college years, personal correspondence, and photographs. It also contains materials documenting the Rhythmettes' activities including travel plans, posters and fliers, news clippings, and group rosters.

Finding Aid PDF

Date

1940 to 1972

Extent

5.92 Cubic Feet (10 boxes and 2 oversize boxes)
7.21 Linear Feet

Related People/Corporations

Scope and Contents Note

The Evelyn Stuckey Papers date from 1940 to 1972 and document her experience as a physical education teacher at Las Vegas High School (LVHS) in Las Vegas, Nevada and founder of the LVHS Rhythmettes dance group. The collection contains personal and educational materials from Stuckey’s college years, personal correspondence, and photographs. It also contains materials documenting the Rhythmettes' activities including travel plans, posters and fliers, news clippings, and group rosters.

Access Note

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.

Arrangement

These papers are organized into two series:

Series I. Personal and Educational Papers, 1940-1972;

Series II. Las Vegas High School Rhythmettes, 1950-1969.

Biographical / Historical Note

Las Vegas High School (LVHS) teacher Evelyn Stuckey founded a dance troupe for girls at LVHS in 1949 and named them the Rhythmettes. The group went on to great success, appearing widely in Las Vegas and performing across the United States. Born (Mary) Evelyn Stuckey September 10, 1921 in Gordo, Alabama, she earned her B.S. degree from Florida State Women's College now Florida State University in 1946 majoring in Education with a concentration in Physical Education. Following graduation, she worked for two years for the Board of Health in Florida. She joined the faculty at Las Vegas High School in 1949 as the Physical Education instructor for female students. She remained a teacher at LVHS until she died of cancer on April 10, 1980.

At Las Vegas High School, she organized the Rhythmettes dance group for girls in 1949. The group became popular and made many public appearances promoting Las Vegas. The Rhythmettes appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Stuckey disbanded the original Rhythmettes in June 1966 due to her ill health, but restarted the group in 1974 and remained their Director/Advisor until 1979.

Preferred Citation

Evelyn Stuckey Papers, 1940-1972. MS-00265. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Acquisition Note

Materials were donated in October 1986 by Cheryl Rogers; accession number 1986-056.

Processing Note

Materials were processed by Gerry Evans in 1997. In 2017, Angela Moor revised and enhanced the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards.

Resource Type

Papers

Collection Type

EAD ID

US::NvLN::MS00265

Separated Materials

Some of the photographs in this acquisition were removed from the collection and placed in Evelyn Stuckey Photograph Collection, 1935-1964. PH-00284. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Finding Aid Description Rules

Describing Archives: A Content Standard
English