Hugh L. McMath papers
Scope and Content of the collection
The Hugh McMath papers include textual and photographic material documenting his education and 44-year teaching career in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin. McMath served as chair from 1946-1948, director from 1948-1950, and acting director from 1953-1954. He held a deep interest in the art and architecture of Mexico and developed courses in the pre-Hispanic and Colonial architecture of Mexico and published several monographs on the subjects. From 1950 until 1960 he organized an architectural workshop at the Instituto Tecnologico of Monterrey, Mexico. He also organized "Arctours" to Mexico in 1968, 1969 and 1970 to inspire interest in historic Mexican architecture by touring sites. Funded by a University Research Institute grant, he conducted a photographic survey of architecture in Puebla, Mexico, in 1968.
Dates
- Creation: 1928-1977
Creator
- McMath, Hugh L., 1904 (contributor, Person)
Policies Governing Use and Access
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Biographical Sketch of Hugh Lyon McMath (1904-1992)
Hugh Lyon McMath was born in Watertown, South Dakota, May 9, 1904.
McMath studied engineering and architecture at North Dakota Agricultural College (Fargo, North Dakota) in the 1920s, receiving a bachelor's of architecture in 1927. He was an instructor in architecture at North Dakota State College from 1927-1928; and at Bradley Polytechnic Institute in Peoria, Illinois from 1928-1929. He arrived in Austin in 1930 to teach at The University of Texas. Subsequently he received a master's in architecture from The University of Texas in 1934 and from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1936.
In 1942 McMath entered the U.S. Army Air Corps along with a number of other University faculty members. He served as an instructor and later as a director of the ground school at Moore Field Army Corps Base in Mission, Texas. He headed the educational guidance staff of the Austin Air Reserve Group in the 1950s and retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1964.
During his 44 years of teaching in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas, McMath served as chair from 1946-1948, director from 1948-1950, and acting director from 1953-1954. In addition to his private practice, McMath lists professional experience in the offices of Frederic J. Klein (Peoria, Illinois), Walter T. Rolfe (Austin, Texas), Walter C. Harris (Austin, Texas), Golemon and Rolfe (Houston, Texas), and McKee and Kamrath (Houston, Texas).
McMath held a deep interest in the art and architecture of Mexico. He developed courses in the pre-Hispanic and Colonial architecture of Mexico and published several monographs on the subjects. From 1950 until 1960 he organized an architectural workshop at the Instituto Tecnologico of Monterrey, Mexico, attended by students from all over the U.S. His sponsorship aided the admission of the architecture school at the Instituto Technologico into the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. He organized "Arctours" to Mexico in 1968, 1969 and 1970 to inspire interest in historic Mexican architecture by touring sites. Funded by a University Research Institute grant, he conducted a photographic survey of architecture in Puebla, Mexico, in 1968.
In 1957, serving as a consultant and coordinating architect for design and construction of the American School in Monterrey, he arranged an association of Monterrey architects and representatives from the Houston firm of Caudill Rowlett and Scott Architects and Planners.
McMath was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts of Great Britain for his work to develop cultural relations with Mexico. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Texas Society of Architects and served on the AIA National Committee on Education and Foreign Relations.
Hugh McMath retired from The University of Texas in 1974.
Partial Extent
2 Linear Feet
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313 photographs
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54 negatives
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230 slides
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12 drawings
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2 paintings
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2 printing_blocks
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Hugh McMath papers include textual and photographic material primarily documenting his 44-year teaching career in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin. He held a deep interest in the art and architecture of Mexico and developed courses in pre-Hispanic and Colonial architecture of Mexico and published several monographs on the subject. Record types include photographs, correspondence, student work, writings, and faculty papers.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 4 series: Personal Papers, Professional Papers, Faculty Papers, and Art and Artifacts.
Other Finding Aids
Alexander Architectural Archives houses other collections created by the University of Texas School of Architecture.
References to works by Hugh L. McMath
-- compiled by Donna Coates
- McMath, Hugh L. The Olmec civilization; introduction, bibliography, slide postscript. Imprint [Berkeley?] Lecture Film Committee of the School of Architecture [1966?].
- McMath, Hugh Lyon. A national museum of American art and archaeology. Imprint [Austin, Tex.], 1934.
Collection Processors
Paper processed by: Donna Coates, December 2008
Subject
- McMath, Hugh L., 1904 (contributor, Person)
- Fehr, Arthur (contributor, Person)
- Title
- Hugh L. McMath papers
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Alexander Architectural Archives Repository
University of Texas Libraries
101 E. 21st Street
Austin Texas 78712 United States
(512) 495-4621
apl-aaa@lib.utexas.edu