Bernice Tate Burwell (1883-1960) Collection (KC0234)
When the Kansas City, Kansas branch of the Horner Institute opened in 1922, Bernice Tate Burwell became its manager. In 1926, the Institute merged with the Kansas City Conservatory of Music to form the Horner Institute-Kansas City Conservatory. In the late 1930s, Mrs. Burwell purchased the Kansas City, Kansas branch which she operated, retaining the Conservatory name and teachers, until 1950.
Mrs. Burwell wrote and produced several musical shows and was also active in a variety of civic organizations. Her daughter, Helen, attended Westport High School, then entered the Horner Institute at 15 to study dance. She also studied in California and New York during summers and worked for the Redpath-Horner Chautauqua as a dancer and choreographer. After earning a teaching certificate from the Horner Institute, she taught dance at the Institute in 1927. In 1940, she became dance director and department supervisor for the Conservatory owned by her mother.
The collection consists of scrapbooks and photographs concerning the Kansas City, Kansas branch of the Horner-Kansas City Conservatory of Music from the 1920s through the 1940s. The photographs are primarily of dance department performances, faculty, and students. 1921-1946.
12 folders.
See also Burwell/Tate Family Papers (KC0233)
© WHMC-KC, University of Missouri
updated:
Friday, November 21, 2008
Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Kansas City
(816) 235-1543 WHMCKC@umkc.edu