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THE PAPERS OF HAROLD M. SHERMAN
consist of correspondence, publications, family papers,
photographs, both audio and visual recordings and
memorabilia. They reflect the long and prolific life of
the author, lecturer and humanitarian, Harold Sherman,
and reveal the family ties between Harold, his wife
Martha and their two daughters, Mary and Marcia.
He wrote numerous books and
magazine articles on a variety of subjects ranging from
sports stories for boys to self-help books, and books
dealing with psychic phenomena and ESP. He also wrote
many plays, some of which were produced on Broadway. The
screenplay for the movie Mark Twain produced by
Warner Brothers was also to his credit, as well as the
movie Are We Civilized. He was world renowned in
the field of psychic research and conducted experiments
with such prominent persons as Sir Hubert Wilkins,
famous Arctic explorer, Dr. J.B. Rhine of Duke
University who coined the terms parapsychology and ESP,
and astronaut Edgar Mitchell. Not among the least of his
accomplishments were his activities for the betterment
of Stone County and Arkansas, his adopted state.
Harold Morrow Sherman was born July 13, 1898 in Traverse
City, Michigan. Graduating in 1917 from Traverse City
High School, he attended the University of Michigan for
one semester until his career there was cut short by
World War I. After a brief stint in the Army he moved to
Detroit to do clerical work for the Ford Motor Company.
He married Martha Bain, also of Traverse City, on
September 26, 1920, and the couple moved to Marion,
Indiana, where Sherman took a job as a newspaper
reporter. Shortly afterward, the family, which now
included daughter Mary, moved to New York where Sherman
launched his writing career as a popular author of boys'
sport books. Later his work took him to Hollywood and
Chicago, and finally to Arkansas. Most of Sherman's
best-selling self-help books were written in their
little home near Mountain View, where he continued to
write and answer voluminous mail almost until his death
on August 19, 1987 at age 89.
An energetic person,
Harold Sherman was active in local, state and national
politics and was avidly interested in world affairs.
These interests and activities, however, did not prevent
his helping individuals who sought his advice from
around the world. Volumes of correspondence came from
those in distress from all stations of life, and each
letter was thoughtfully answered. The citizens of Stone
County can be grateful to Harold Sherman for road
improvement, the development of recreation areas and
tourism and for electricity being brought to the Kahoka
and Ben areas in 1950. In residence in Arkansas since
1947, the Shermans were contributors to, and staunch
supporters of their adopted state. |
