Beryl Williamson papers

Record Group

Identifier: UA-17.242

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Beryl Williamson papers consist of albums, programs, clippings about Williamson and her skaters, Lansing Skating Club directories, photographs, scrapbooks, audio, films and videos with segments about Williamson. Many of the albums in the collection contained pages that over time would harm the photographs inside. Where it was appropriate, the pages were photocopied to show arrangement and then the photographs removed from the album. The page number was written on the back of the photo. When album contained images in it with no discernable arrangement the photographs were just removed from the album, put in a folder and the cover of the album photocopied.

The family photographs album was badly water damaged before transfer to the archives. Many of the pictures were stuck together. Because of this, many of the pictures could not be saved and the ones that were may be in bad condition. The photographs were loose in the album with no arrangement. The scrapbooks contain family and vacation photographs, skating photographs, and newspaper clippings of Williamson or her students.

The photographs consist of photographs of skaters Williamson taught including Sandra Tewkesbury, Gary Clark and Joey Heckert, designer Vera Wang as a child, as well as others. There are a number of photographs of skating shows that Williamson coordinated, many of which took place at MSU. The photographs have been separated into folders for identified and unidentified people and groups. There are also photographs of Williamson, family, and Michigan State University.

The oversize items contain image boards that Williamson created by adhering clippings and photographs to large pieces of cardboard and chipboard. There are also oversized photographs and a drawing for her retirement. The audio materials contain reel-to-reel tape and audiocassettes of music from skaters' routines. The 16mm and 8mm film consists of skaters as well as home movies. There are also videotapes of "Perspectives on Ice," a MSU talk show where Williamson was interviewed, and an "Unsung Hero" segment that featured Williamson.

Dates

Creation: 1942 - 1996

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Biographical Note

Leona Beryl (Goodman) Williamson was born January 14, 1921 and grew up in London, Ontario, Canada. Her father, Gerald (Jerry) N. Goodman, was a National Hockey League referee. She had two brothers, Gerry and Stephen, and a sister, Louise. She was married to H. E. Williamson who preceded her in death. Williamson started skating at about 10 years old. She wanted to enter more competitions that would require her to travel, but her father would not let her. He did not want the travel to disrupt her life. Williamson skated with the London (Ontario) Skating Club. In 1937 the club sent her and 11 other skaters to skate with Sonja Henie at a show in Detroit. In the late 1940s, she won the Western Ontario regional title as well as other western Ontario regional titles. From 1947 to 1954 she taught at the Kitchener Waterloo Skating Club. She came to Michigan State University in 1957 to train one of her students. She was offered a job by MSU and stayed. One of her skaters, Sandra Tewkesbury, competed in the 1960 Olympics. She also coached Joey Heckert and Gary Clarke, members of the U.S National Team, in pairs competitions. Williamson retired from MSU in 1996 and passed away June 15, 2005 in Ontario, Canada.