Manuscript Collections of the
Nantucket Historical Association Research Library

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MS470 - Richard C. Maloney Collection, c. 1925- 1975

Collection Overview: Artwork, clippings, theater programs and flyers, and photographs accumulated by Richard C. Maloney during his time living on Nantucket.

Historical Note: Richard Clogher Maloney (10/7/1904 - 11/14/1975) The son of David Joseph and Rebecca (Clogher) Maloney, he attended Dartmouth College, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1926 and came to Nantucket that fall to assume the position as Art Instructor at the Nantucket School system. With the exception of one year of teaching in Manchester, N.H. (1929), he remained in the Nantucket schools for nearly two decades. When Cyrus Peirce was built in 1931, Maloney was its first principal. Maloney was instrumental in establishing artistic activities at the school, including directing plays, rewriting scripts, and instituting the publication "The Sea Chest." Married to Marguerite E. McHugh in 1935, he became the father of three children. Maloney's teaching career was interrupted by the Second World War during which he served as lieutenant commander, U.S. Navy. Upon his return to civilian life in 1946, Mr. Maloney joined the faculty of Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, Manhatten, Kansas as instructor of English; later he worked at Pennsylvania State University as assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts and director of Foreign Student Affairs. He retired to Nantucket in 1970 and was the author of editorial cartoons for the Inquirer and Mirror under the name "Atropos." In 1971 he helped to organize the Nantucket Chapter of the A.A.R.P. and became its first president. He also served as secretary of the Nantucket Town Association and was a member of the Nantucket Council on Aging. In his retirement, he was able to continue his artwork, including linoleum block prints, watercolors, and oils. He designed the seal for the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce and the illustration for the bag of corn meal for the NHA.

Box 1 Folder 1
Artwork - Cards, c. 1970s

Summary note:Linoleum print illustrations of Nantucket houses.

Box 1 Folder 2
Artwork - Other, c. 1970s

Summary note:Various artwork, including sketches of weathervanes, a 1960 calendar published by the Hub featuring linoleum prints of Nantucket houses, original Chamber of Commerce sign design, and Old Mill flour bag design.

Box 1 Folder 3
Artwork - Pleasant Street, Mauer House, c. 1970s

Summary note:Sketches and work folder accumulated during the creation of a linoleum print of a house on Pleasant Street.

Box 1 Folder 4
Artwork - NHA exhibition, c. 1970s

Summary note:Materials accumulated during planning of exhibition involving mannequins depicting historical figures.

Box 1 Folder 5
Miscellaneous, c. 1927 - 1973

Contents:Hospital Fete program, 1935 Sea Chest, NHS publication, v.2 #1 (Dec 1927) Clipping: Building of Cyrus Peirce School 1931 Clipping: Colonial fireplace built by Cyrus Peirce School students Clipping: Letter to Thomas Giffin concerning price of Nantucket flags, 1973
Summary note:Clippings and published items.

Box 1 Folder 6
Miscellaneous - Theater, c. 1927 - 1973

Contents:Straight Wharf Theatre program, 1942 Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, 1972 Nantucket Players, "Candida" flyer, n.d.
Summary note:Posters and flyers.

Box 2 Book 1
Photoalbum and scrapbook, 1926 - 1928

Summary note:Chiefly personal photographs of friends, fellow teachers at Nantucket High School, students, and Nantucket views.

Box 2 Book 2
Scrapbook of theater productions, c. 1930s

Summary note:Record of a few productions that Maloney was involved with in the Nantucket community, including "Journey's End" (1934) and Scenes from Shakespeare by the Nantucket High School faculty (1932).

Box 2 Book 3
Book of Atropos, c. 1970s

Summary note:Original artwork and clippings of editorical cartoons drawn by Maloney under the name "Atropos." Cartoons comment on overcrowding and irresponsible development of Nantucket Island. Originals often have a different caption than what is finally printed in the newspaper; it is not known if this is a comprehensive collection of cartoons.