text:
IV. Collected material on artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, publishing, etc.
Atha Tehon was born on January 22, 1926, the daughter of Dr. Leo Roy and Mary Tehon. Her father worked as a botanist for the Illinois State Natural History Survey and her mother worked as a teacher at the Urbana High School and at the University of Wisconsin. She had a brother, Stephen, with whom she remained close throughout their lives.
From the time she was eleven, Tehon knew that a career in art was what she wanted. According to "Going on Twelve," a school paper written by Tehon, "ever since [she] could hold a pencil, [she] loved to draw and paint" and she thought she would "be an artist of some kind," (Box 2, Folder 10). In preparing for her career, she attended the Jerry Farnsworth School in North Truro, Massachusetts, graduated from the University of Indiana with a degree in Painting and Illustration, studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design with a Masters in Fine Arts in 1949. She continued her education with a Tiffany Award for study in Europe in 1951 and through evening courses in New York. She married Stephen Thiras (1922-2005), a sales representative in the book publishing field, in 1960.
Tehon worked for several publishing companies, including T.Y. Crowell, McGraw Hill Book Company, and Random House. For ten years, Tehon served as art director of children's books at Alfred A. Knopf. From 1969 to 2001, Tehon worked at Dial Books for Young Readers as book designer and art director. In addition, she worked as a freelance designer for a number of other publishers; notably Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, working with the children's book editor Michael di Capua on books by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, Richard Egielski, Randall Jarrell, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, and Harve and Margot Zemach, among others. Two of the books she designed, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears and Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions, both illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, won the Caldecott Medal in 1976 and 1977. In addition to her skills as designer and director, she was well known for attention to detail, her commitment to quality, and her mentorship of young artists and designers. Her widespread influence on emerging designers and artists was affectionately known as the "School of Atha." According to Jerry Pinkney, Tehon's "well honed sensibilities shepherded artists from sketches to preparing final images. She had the rare gift of a critical eye as well as an uncanny ability to gently support, nurture, and inspire illustrators to create their best works," (box 2, folder 10). In an email Tehon wrote to Jeanne Juster in 2006 (box 2, folder 10), she stated that "probably the most important book [she] worked on is White Ships/Black Cargo by Tom Feelings, and the most enjoyable The Old African by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney." Letters written in her memory immediately following her death indicate she was known and loved for "Athaisms," in particular a measurement known as "the cat's whisker" (between a hairline and a 1/2 point space).
After her retirement, Tehon and her husband moved to Syracuse where she continued to work on designing the art for children's books. Tehon died on February 15, 2012 at the age of 86. In addition to her career in publishing, Tehon was an accomplished flutist, pianist, painter, and photographer.
This collection documents Atha Tehon's career as a book designer and art director in the field of children's book publishing. While Tehon spent thirty years at Dial Books for Young Readers, the collection does not fully represent her career there, as much of her official work was retained by Dial. Instead, the collection most effectively documents her freelance work with a number of publishers, and more largely, her influence on artists, authors, illustrators, and publishers. The collection is arranged in nine series: I. Personal papers (education, early career, and personal interests); II. Correspondence; III. Dial Books; IV. Collected material on artists, authors, illustrators, publishing, publishers, etc.; V. Book projects; VI. Artwork; VII. Awards; VIII. Audio, video, and computer files (which are restricted); and IX. Merchandising and ephemera. For detailed descriptions, see notes at the series levels.
The bulk of this collection is open for research use. However, personally identifiable information located in box 3 folder 11 and original items in Series VIII. Audio, video, and computer files located in boxes 21-22 are restricted from use. The Kislak Center will provide access to the information on these materials from duplicate master files. If the original does not already have a copy, it will be sent to an outside vendor for copying. Patrons are financially responsible for the cost. The turnaround time from request to delivery of digital items is about two weeks for up to five items and three to seven weeks for more than five items. Please contact Reprographic Services (reprogr@upenn.edu) for cost estimates and ordering. Once digital items are received, researchers will have access to the files on a dedicated computer in the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center. Researchers should be aware of specifics of copyright law and act accordingly.
Gift of Susan Tehon, 2010.
I. Personal papers (education, early career, and personal interests).
Series I. Personal papers (education, early career, and personal interests) includes class notebooks from a fine arts class at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design and Tehon's diploma from the same program. The notebooks are illustrated throughout with Tehon's sketches related to the lectures. Information about the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation scholarship can be found in the collection, however there is no documentation of her year in Europe. A note from Tehon in 2003 indicates that her year abroad was the most valuable portion of her education. There is a small group of notes on lectures, design, and production from the mid 1950s, but it is unclear if these notes were taken in courses or in her day-to-day learning at a job. This series also includes a few items documenting Tehon's career before she began working at Dial Books for Young Readers. There are also some family records relating to her father and brother, as well as notices and correspondence at the time of her marriage to Stephen Thiras. This series includes a few tributes and memorials that she wrote for her friends. Of particular interest may be the tributes written about Tehon following her death in 2012 which provide a glimpse into the way those who knew her felt about her and her influence on their careers and the children's book publishing sphere.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, Fine Arts 539, notebooks on Mexican and Latin American architecture, loose notes, and blank mid-year exam, 1949.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, Master of Fine Arts diploma, 1949.
Education: Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, scholarship award brochure and correspondence regarding award in painting, 1951.
Early career: Tehon's paintings, correspondence regarding owners of paintings, 1951.
Education: "Notes on Lectures, Design, Production", circa 1955-1956.
Education: Open Figure Drawing, newsletters and seminar information, 2003, 2008.
Early career: Philadelphia School District, confirmation of assignment as art teacher in Germantown Adult Evening School, 1949 September 22.
Early career: McGraw Hill, letterhead (designed by Tehon), undated.
Early career: McGraw Hill, standard formats for publishing, pamphlets, instruction manuals, standards, and sample pages, 1952-1956.
Family records: Dr. Leo R. Tehon, memorial information; letters and announcements at the time of Atha Tehon's marriage to Stephen Thiras; family birth announcements, and certificate of cremation for Dr. Stephen Tehon, 1954-2009.
Miscellaneous ephemera including unsent (blank) cards and postcards, undated.
Research files: Financial articles and documents, 1992-2004.
Research files: Gardening and household articles, 1988-2008.
Research files: Grand jury summons, notes, and correspondence, 1996.
Research files: Health articles, 1994-2008.
Research files: Museums and travel, brochures, airline menus, photographs, and memorabilia, undated.
Research files: Musical instruments (piano and flute), brochures, notes, and photograph for sale of piano, 1953-1955, 2006-2008.
Research files: Religion articles, circa 2008.
Research files: Variety of topics including current events, social movements, history, etc., articles and notes, circa 1970s-2000s.
Tributes and memorials for friends (Arthur Coleman and G.A. O'Neill), undated.
Atha Tehon "Notes on my life so far", 2003 September 22.
Atha Tehon memorial information, including tributes from her friends, a photocopy of an autobiographical sketch from 7th grade, and a brochure with images from 1960 forward, 2012.
Series II. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender. There are very few correspondents with a significant number of letters to or from Tehon; instead, these letters illustrate Tehon's large circle of friends and professional acquaintances. It appears that, in most cases, relationships that began professionally often turned into friendships and therefore, no attempt was made to distinguish correspondence created at Dial from her personal correspondence. Researchers should be aware that correspondence relating to book projects that was originally kept by Tehon with papers relating to a specific project can be found in Series V. Book projects. A number of handmade holiday cards can be found throughout the collection as well as letters with extensive illustrations by the writers.
Ajhar, Brian, postcard, 1997 April 9.
Alcorn, Stephen, letters to Tehon and Diane Arico regarding samples of work (includes poems), 1996.
Alexander, Martha, holiday card, undated.
Amari, Richard and Meredith Mundy, Christmas cards, 2009-2011.
Arico, Diane, email (printed) and card for Tehon's retirement, 2000-2001.
Bader, Barbara, emails (printed) regarding Barto Takes the Subway, 2000 November.
Bale, Dwight, email (printed) with forwarded photograph of fire in Bitterroot National Forest, 2003 December 27.
Baron, Carole, email (printed) and press release about her appointment to president of G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2001 November 6.
Bell, Steve, letter thanking Tehon for meeting with him, 2010 September 16.
Benson, Linda, birth announcement for daughter Kylie, 1996.
Bersin, Kaethe, thank you card for work done on unnamed book (see also: Kaethe Zemach), 1997.
Bohon, Roy, card for Tehon's retirement, 2001 November.
Brett, Jan, card including contact information.
Brown, Marie Dutton, letter to Phyllis Fogelman (sent by Fogelman to Tehon) relating to art from Middle Passage, 1998 February 23.
Brown, Ruth, letter from Tehon requesting Brown to create art for picture book, 1989 August 23.
Buchanan, Yvonne, letter to Tehon requesting her review of portfolios of students' work at College of Visual and Performing Arts and draft of letter from Tehon expressing condolences at the death of Buchanan's sister, 2000, undated.
Canty, Thomas, letter to Tehon regarding her plans to work freelance and discussion of his illustrations of Parsifal, undated.
Carling, Amelia, postcard, letter, and emails (printed) to Tehon (includes resume), 1986-2001.
Cavanaugh, Tom, postcard and holiday card to Tehon and letters to and draft letter from Tehon (with discussions of donating her papers, painting, families, photographs, etc.), 1962, 2009-2011.
Chen, Dan, email (printed) and card for Tehon's retirement, 2000-2001.
Chenery, Janet D., letters to various artists (with notes to Tehon) and penciled draft of letter from Tehon, all related to book projects at Dial, 1993-1994.
Chess, Vicky, letter and postcard, 1989, 1982.
Children's Book Guild, letters written by Ann thanking Tehon and reimbursing her for a talk, 1988 May-September.
Children's Literacy Initiative, letters relating to Mrs. Bush's Story Time, includes lists and fact sheets, 1991 March-April.
Chiu, Dr., letter from Tehon regarding finding medical doctors in Syracuse (pencil notation indicates that Tehon did not send), includes newspaper clipping, 2002 December 13.
[Chumb, Justis], thank you card to Tehon for career help, undated.
Cohn, Philip, letter to Tehon requesting her review of an unnamed illustrator's work, circa 1950s.
Cole, David H., letter to Tehon and Sidney R. Jacobs regarding "the paper talk" and questions asked by Tehon, 1967 April 16.
Cole, Suzanne, letter to Tehon thanking her for working with a class at Parsons, 1972 May 25.
Colbert, Margaret, letter thanking Tehon for her work on a Showcase Catalog, 1972 April 26.
College Wreath Fund (see also Wendy Halperin), receipts and notes for Tehon, 2001, undated.
Coville, Bruce, card thanking Tehon for acting as judge for the Freeman Grant, 2003 July 22.
Craig, George, note accompanying a memento (not included) from Maurice Sendak and HarperCollins publishers [the momento is probably the Happy Inaguration card located in box 26, folder 8], 1993 February 8.
Dacey, Bob, letters to Tehon requesting letters of reference for positions at Syracuse University and her review of students' portfolios at the College of Visual and Performing Arts, 1997, undated.
Deas, Michael, letter to Tehon, undated.
DeCarlo, Rita, personal letter to Tehon and her husband, 1997, November 16.
Delessert, Etienne, personal letter to Tehon, 1985 February 18.
DeSanti, Carole, email (printed) regarding Tehon's retirement, 2001 December 4.
Dial Books staff, birthday and holiday cards, undated.
Detrich, Susan, personal letters to Tehon, 2008, 2011.
Di Capua, Michael, letter and telegram to Flora Gross regarding the Children's Book Show cancellation for 1975 and 1976 (Tehon carbon copied), 1976 September 1.
Eric Carle Museum, holiday card to Tehon, 2008.
Fairhurst, Millicent, card for Tehon's retirement, 2001 November 25.
Feelings, Tom, birth announcement for daughter, Niani, 1994 December.
Ferguson, W.C. (Bud), personal letters to Tehon and her husband, illustrated, 1991-1994.
Ely, Creston, card for Tehon's retirement, circa 2002.
Finnell, Ann, holiday card and card for Tehon's retirement, 2001, undated.
Fleming, Guy, letter to Dorris with a description of Tehon which was sent to her, 1975 April 18.
Fogelman, Phyllis, letter from Tehon regarding Ed Sorel's book and memo from Fogelman regarding Tehon's retirement, 1995, 2001.
Fogler, Connie (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), letter to Tehon regarding Sunburst editions, 1988 May 31.
Fowler, Virginia (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.), letter from Conrad Richter regarding unnamed project, 1967 March 3.
Frampton, David, card to Tehon requesting her review of his portfolio, undated.
Frank, Stephen, letter to Brian Pinkney regarding exhibition at National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, 1999 May.
Freiman, Ray, letter to Tehon with new year greetings, undated.
Fuchs, Bernie and Babe, holiday cards, 1995, 1998.
Garrett, Judy, letter introducing Tehon to Garrett's art work (not included), 1989 June 39.
Garrison, Barbara, holiday card, 1988.
Gilbert, Helga, holiday card with expressions of sympathy at the death of Tehon's brother, 2009, December.
Goldstein, Michael, holiday card with woodcut print by Carla Bauer who Goldstein represented (see also Bauer's artwork), 1981 December.
Goode, Diane, letter declining offer to illustrate an unnamed book, 1986 August 7.
Goodyear, Arlene, holiday card and note, 2010 December.
Gottschall, Edward, letter to Tehon thanking her for giving permission to [reprint an article], 1975 August 23.
Greenstein, Mina, holiday card, undated.
Grann, Phyllis, memo from David Shanks regarding her departure from Penguin, 2001 November 1.
Gross, Flora Finn, letter to Tehon regarding the cancellation of the Children's Book Fair for the years 1975-1976 (see also letters from Michael di Capua), 1976 September 1.
Gruenberg, Edna and Harry, holiday card, 2003 December.
Guararra, Rosanne, email (printed) regarding Max and Ruby books.
Halperin, Wendy, holiday cards and letters (see also the College Fund Wreath Co.), 2003, undated.
Harrison, Richard Edes, letter to Tehon regarding the "Nehru" maps, 1959 December 4.
Hayes, Regina, email (printed) to Tehon regarding Gary Kelley's book Tallchief being selected for Original Art Show, 2000 November 16.
Hofman, Ann, letter and mailing to Tehon regarding Hofman's design company, 1994 May 11.
Hornik, Lauri, email (printed) regarding Barbara Olsen's art shows, 2001 October 16.
Howell, Troy, card to Tehon discussing Lucy's Winter Tale, 1992 August 13.
Hrisinko, Diana, email (printed) requesting that Tehon review some of her work, 2001 May 3.
Jesse, Gretchen Wood, letter to Tehon and her husband informing them that Jesse was leaving her development position at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003 October 15.
Johnson, Homer, Allison, Anne and Philip, holiday cards (handmade), circa 1973-2008.
Johnson, Evelyne and Bud, holiday card, undated.
Johnson, Stephen, letter from Janet D. Chenery regarding a loan from her and Tehon, 1991 November 6.
Jones, Beth E., letter thanking Tehon for reviewing her portfolio, 2001 November 27.
Juster, Jeanne, letter to Tehon regarding Norton Juster's book The Hello Goodbye Window and thanking her for her mentorship in her early career, 2006 June 29.
Kane, Cindy, email (printed), card, postcard, and letter to Tehon regarding projects at Dial and Tehon's retirement, 1996-2001.
Karl, Anita and Jim Kemp (mapmakers for Middle Passage), holiday card, 1998.
Kayden, Mimi, emails (printed) to Tehon regarding Tom Feelings' artwork and Kayden's retirement, 1998, 2001.
Kellogg, Steven and Helen, card discussing And I Love You, by Ruth Krauss, 2009.
Kelly, Jerry and Nancy, holiday cards, 2002-2003.
Kitchen, Bert, letter thanking Tehon for her work on Gorilla/Chinchilla, 1990 January 28.
Knopf, Alfred A., letter to Tehon congratulating her on her projects: Over the Blue Mountain and Bread--and Roses, 1967 October 3.
Kolbert, Ruth, personal card and letter to Tehon, 1990, 2011.
Kulka, Joe, email (printed) to Tehon requesting review of his work, 2001 October 31.
Lanfredi, Judy, holiday card and card thanking Tehon for her guidance at Dial Books, 1989, 1997.
Lent, Blair, letters to Tehon discussing possibility of working together on book illustration, 1977-1982.
Leo-Kelly, Nancy, wedding invitation, email (printed) regarding Niño's Mask, SeaChest, and Mysterious Tadpole, and holiday card, 1998-2006.
Levine, Arthur, letters to Tehon congratulating her on work on Dial projects and offering support during restructuring at Dial, 1991, 1998.
Lewis, Patrick, letter to Phyllis Fogelman thanking the Dial staff for work on his two books (unnamed), 1994 April 12.
Lilly, Charlie, Edna, and Elliot, holiday cards and postcards, 1982-1983.
Lohmann, Karl and Joan, holiday card, undated.
Ludgin, Sue and Don, holiday card and personal letter to Tehon, 1996, undated.
Mahoney, Daniel, emails (printed) to Tehon regarding his change of address and email, 2000.
Manchess, Gregory, holiday card, circa 1995.
Marcos, Serge, email (printed) thanking Tehon for her help during his internship, 2001 December 6.
Marshall, Felicia, letter from Tehon determining Marshall's interest in illustrating for Dial, 1996 June 20.
Marshall, Cecille, letter from Cecile Goyette (Dial) regarding James Marshall's influence on an elementary school class (includes photocopy of artwork and letter done by a student in the class), 1998 October 21.
McKowen, Scott, letter to Tehon discussing an unnamed book and describing sample of his work (not included) and resume, after 1996.
McPhail, David, letter to Tehon explaining why he turned down a illustrating offer, 1986 May 27.
McCree, Giorgetta, letters regarding payment for I'm Coming to Get You!?, includes notes from Tehon, 1984.
Meile, Amelia, Robert, Sulin, and Ana, holiday cards, 1999, undated.
Mink, Konrad, holiday postcard (on wood) and order form, circa 1999.
Minor, Wendell and Florence, 2011, undated.
Mouckas, Judy and Dean, birth announcement for twins, thank you card, and holiday cards, 2001-2003.
Myers, Jane and John, holiday card, 2011 December.
Nardi, Brenda, letter to Tehon requesting a meeting, undated.
Noda, Takayo, holiday cards (handmade) and postcards, 2002-2011.
Nussbaum, Mara Ann and Matthew Edward Van Fleet, marriage announcement with photographs, 1992.
Olsen, Barbara, emails (printed) offering support following the New York terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 September 12-13.
Paquette, Carole and Pete, holiday cards (handmade), 1983, 1993-2011.
Parker, Bob, letter to Tehon requesting information about an unnamed book project, 1973 May 11.
Patons (former neighbors in Urbana, Illinois), personal letter, 1957 January 15.
Paulsen, Nancy, letters regarding exhibitors in Annual Exhibition of Society of Illustrators and letter from Tehon resigning from Dial, 1999, 2001.
Peck, Beth, personal letter to Tehon, includes photograph, 1994.
Pederson, Judy, letter to Tehon sending samples (not included), 1994 August 11.
Peebles, Bernice Mosbey, holiday card, undated.
Peterson, Julie, holiday card, undated.
Pinkney, Jerry and Gloria, holiday card, get well card, and letters to Jerry Pinkney relating to award for Black Cowboy, Wild Horses, 1998, undated.
Pippin, holiday card, 1999 December 15.
Pohrt, Tom, postcard to Tehon, asking for her patience as he works on an unnamed project, 1992 April 28.
Popp, Wendy, letter thanking Tehon for setting up a meeting and birth announcement for son, 1999, 2001.
Reeves, Martha, personal postcard to Tehon, 1998 February 14.
Regnier, Louise, email (printed) to Tehon regarding Spring 2001 launch, 2000 March 27.
Reynolds, Sara, personal email (printed) and holiday card, 2003, 2011.
Richards, Joshua, emails (printed) to Tehon regarding leaving his job and his new job, 2001 August-October.
Robe, Rosebud Yellow, holiday card, undated.
Ross, Nancy, letter regarding evaluating an intern from Pratt (includes evaluation) [RESTRICTED], circa 1987.
Ross, Tony, letter to Dial Books regarding cover of The Boy Who Cried Wolf (letter includes illustration), 1984 September 1.
Roth, Susan, thank you card and email (printed) relating to Tehon's retirement, 2001.
Rowe, John, thank you card to Tehon, undated.
Rubel, Nicole, wedding invitation and holiday card, 1896, undated.
Schneider, Peter, email (printed) regarding Kimberly Hadney's promotion to Associate Director of Marketing for Dutton/Plume, 1996 June 24.
Scott, Hilda, holiday card, undated.
[Schwartenberger], Richard, card congratulating Tehon on her work on The Four Questions, undated.
Sendak, Maurice, postcards, letters regarding projects, and holiday cards, 1967-1971, undated.
Shannon Associates, thank you card from Tammy to Tehon, 2003 January 7.
Sherry, Toby, emails (printed) to and from Tehon regarding sale of Gotham Book Mart and personal news, 2000-2003.
Sloves, Albert, holiday and retirement cards, 2001, undated.
Smith, Duane, letter to Phyllis Fogelman regarding Smith's portfolio (includes promotional pieces), 2001 October 2.
Sneed, Brad, Dena, and Emily, holiday card, 2009 December.
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, applications for and correspondence regarding the Don Freeman Memorial Grant-in-Aid, 2003-2004.
Society of Illustrators, letters to Tehon regarding membership, thanks for her services as judge, and notifying her of award of silver medal for her work on Tallchief Station, 1996-1999.
Steig, William, letters to Tehon and Michael regarding book projects (including Caleb and Kate), 1977-1982.
Stemple, Jane, holiday letter and letter to Tehon with personal news, 1973-1974.
Sullivan, Christine, holiday card (handmade), 1986.
Sweet, Christopher, email (printed) regarding staff promotions at Penguin, 1996 December 5.
Sweet, Melissa, card with note regarding color palette blocks, undated.
Tehon, Atha, letters to friends and colleagues at the time of her retirement (often referring to her future freelance work), 2001 December 26-27.
Thiras, Nicki and Dickie, holiday card, undated.
Vazquez-D'Amico, Peonia, email (printed) with a list of Dial books accepted in the Original Art Show, 2002 September 16.
Ventura, Marco, postcard to Tehon with new year greeting and promotional information, 1998.
Waldherr, Kris, thank you card, holiday cards, postcard, and wedding invitation, 1994-2001.
Wallerstein, Warren, email (printed) to Tehon at the time of her retirement, 2001 November 12.
Wallner, John and Alexandra, change of address card (handmade), 1979 August 17.
Waniewski, Elizabeth, email (printed) relating to Tehon's retirement party, 2001 November 19.
Waugh, Rebecca, email (printed) to Tehon regarding a Jean Van Leeuwen book, 2001 November 12.
Weber, Tricia, card thanking Tehon for Richard Peck's books, undated.
Weber, Susan Bartlett, email (printed) to Tehon with news about a trip to New York, 2000 April21.
Weinard, Ruth, invitation to a luncheon, 2003.
Wells, Rosemary, invitation, email (printed) to Tehon regarding Tallchief and card to Tehon at the time of her retirement, 1993-2001.
Weitzman, Jacqueline Preiss and Robin Preiss-Glasser, thank you card to Tehon for help with the "You Can't Take a Balloon Into ..." series (includes a photograph), circa 2002 .
Wheeler, Jody, letters to Tehon regarding illustrating and holiday news, 2007-2010.
Williams, Richard, letter from Tehon requesting that he paint the cover/jacket for The Girl Who Ate Chicken Feet and Other Stories (includes notes by Tehon), 1997 February 3.
Williams, Kent and Sherilyn, adoption announcement, 1996 January.
Winter, Jeannette, holiday cards (handmade) and letters to Tehon regarding illustrations, 1999-2000, 2011, undated.
Wong, Jeanyee, new year card to Tehon and card from Tehon (unsent) with personal news, 2007, 2010.
Wronker, Lili, personal letters to Tehon, often mentioning books, 1988-2006.
Younger, Helen, email (printed) from Tehon, requesting an appraisal of her book collection, 2010 September 29.
Zemach, Margot, letters to Tehon regarding Hilda, The Three Wishes, Penny A Look, an unnamed project, and personal news (includes a letter with illustration and a handmade holiday card), 1977-1986, undated.
Unidentified correspondents/first names only (arranged alphabetically by first name), 1964-2011.
Series III. Dial Books serves as a small window into Tehon's career at Dial Books for Young Readers. Tehon's calendars show the complexities of her job as well as the schedules for publishing. These calendars also provide an excellent snapshot of the day-to-day workings of a book designer and art director. Of interest in this series are the notes regarding talks and workshops at events in which Tehon participated. Some of the talks include full narratives while others are merely notes; but they are indications of the influence Tehon had on the field. Event notes and memos at the time of her retirement from Dial in 2001 can be found in this series; however, researchers should also consult Series II. Correspondence for individual notes and letters written to and from her regarding plans for retirement and freelance work.
Addresses, phone lists, and business cards, 1992-2002, undated.
Computer notes (instructions, problem reports, etc.), 1994-2001 undated.
Employment and human resources files regarding benefits, salaries, and internship information, 1999-2001.
Events: photographs, invitations, schedules, and lists (probably to Tehon's retirement party), 1976, 2001, 2007.
Financial documents relating to retirement, taxes, accounts, etc., 1968-2001, undated.
General practices and procedures, undated.
Retirement from Dial, memo from Laurie Hornik announcing Tehon's retirement, 2001 December 3.
Specimen pages, circa 1992, undated.
Style manual, American Institute of Physics, 1959.
Talks and workshops: Catholic Library Association and New York Library Association, announcement, correspondence, program, notes, and talk, 1981-1982.
Talks and workshops: Children's Book Council, Inc. convention, correspondence, program, judging information, and notes for talk, 1975 March 22-April 4.
Talks and workshops: Children's Book Council, Showcase Program Workshop, correspondence, program, and notes for workshop, 1976.
Talks and workshops: Children's Book Council Conference, program, 1985 August 23-25.
Talks and workshops: Children's Book Guild (Washington, DC), correspondence and talk, 1987-1988.
Talks and workshops: Illustrator's Workshop, correspondence, notes, and poster, 1977.
Talks and workshops: New York Libraries Conference, program, 1982 October 20-24.
Talks and workshops: Simmons College, Center for the Study of Children's Literature, correspondence, program, and notes for workshop, 1982.
Talks and workshops: Slides, probably used for an event (possibly the Vassar Summer Publishing Institute), undated.
Talks and workshops: Vassar Summer Publishing Institute, brochure, correspondence, program, and notes for workshop, 1986 June 21.
Talks and workshops: Various unidentified events, notes, undated.
Talks and workshops: Unidentified event, notes and autobiographical sketch, after 1973.
Writings: "When in Doubt, Use Baskerville," article by Tehon for Children's Book Council The Calendar, annotated draft and published article, 1973 May-August.
Series IV. Collected material on artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, publishing, etc. is arranged in two subseries: A. Artists, authors, illustrators, museums, publishers, etc. and B. General information on publishing, children's books, etc. The first subseries includes articles presumably clipped by Tehon about specific people or occasionally museums or publishing companies; exhibition notices or mailings; lists of artists; handwritten notes about artists; promotional mailings; bookseller catalogs; resumes of artists; and a few submissions or samples of writing or illustrations. It is unclear if Tehon worked with all the people whose information she collected or if she was looking for potential artists, authors, and illustrators. The folder of notes on artists, authors, and illustrators contains notes that occasionally look like phone reference checks or interviews including comments and/or possible projects. Other than the folders containing notes and lists of artists, very little of the material in this subseries is unique; instead this material was mass-produced. The aggregation of this material, however, provides a "who's who" of children's publishing from the 1970s to the early 2000s. The second subseries includes articles about children's books and publishing; copyright and fair use; fonts, graphics, and typography (an area in which Tehon was deeply interested, according to tributes following her death); and printing. There are numerous reviews of children's books as well a number of covers of magazines and journals. This group of material shows Tehon's interest in the field and, to a limited degree, her own research scope.
A. Artists, authors, illustrators, museums, publishers, etc.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Ajhar, Brian-Feelings, Tom, circa 1970s-2000s.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Fili, Louise-Gilbert, Ruth, circa 1970s-2000s.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Gorey, Edward, 1992-2011.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Gottlieb, Paul--Picoult, Jodi, circa 1970s-2000s.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Pinckney, Jerry, circa 1970s-2000s.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Provensen, Alice-Sabuda, Robert, circa 1970s-2000s.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Sendak, Maurice, circa 1960s-2000s.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Shute, R.W. and S.A.-Standard, Paul, circa 1970s-2000s.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Steig, William, 1979, 2003.
Articles regarding artists, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc., Steinberg, Paul-Zilinsky, Paul, circa 1970s-2000s.
Exhibition notices/mailings, American Booksellers Association and Children's Book Council Joint Committee-Coretta Scott King Book Award Presentation, circa 1970s-2000s.
Exhibition notices/mailings, Daly, Thomas Aquinas-GWS Galleries, circa 1970s-2000s.
Exhibition notices/mailings, Halperin, Wendy Anderson-Leuders, Jimmy, circa 1970s-2000s.
Exhibition notices/mailings, Marcellino, Fred-Pinkney, Jerry, circa 1970s-2000s.
Exhibition notices/mailings, Searle, Ronald; Sendak, Maurice; Silverman, Burton; and Smith, Elwood, circa 1970s-2000s.
Exhibition notices/mailings, Society of Illustrators, circa 1970s-2000s.
Exhibition notices/mailings, Spirin, Gennady-Ziani, Filamena, circa 1970s-2000s.
Lists of artists, illustrators and freelances (created by Publisher's Graphics, Society of Illustrators, by Tehon, or for Tehon, etc.), circa 1980s-2000s.
Notes on artists, authors, and illustrators by Tehon, circa 1970s-2000s.
Promotional mailings by artists, authors, illustrators, and publishers: Alexander, Lloyd-Curato, Michael, circa 1990s-2000s.
Promotional mailings by artists, authors, illustrators, and publishers: Dean, Glenn M.-Greenstein, Mina, circa 1990s-2000s.
Promotional mailings by artists, authors, illustrators, and publishers: Heilman, Grant-Kubinyi, Laszlo, circa 1990s-2000s.
Promotional mailings by artists, authors, illustrators, and publishers: LaFleur, Dave-Olsen, Barbara, circa 1990s-2000s.
Promotional mailings by artists, authors, illustrators, and publishers: Peck, Richard-Titherington, Jeanne, circa 1990s-2000s.
Promotional mailings by artists, authors, illustrators, and publishers: Walker, Alice-Zolotow, Charlotte, circa 1990s-2000s.
Publishers' and booksellers' catalogs: A Common Reader, Books of Adama, and Boston Globe Horn Book Awards list, 1985-1997.
Publishers' and booksellers' catalogs: Detroit Public Libraries, Documan Press, Ltd., Dutton's Children's Books, Garland Publishing, and George Braziller Publishers, 1961-1998.
Publishers' and booksellers' catalogs: Harcourt Brace, Jo Ann Risler, Ltd., Lippincott Books for Young Readers, and McGraw-Hill (cover of catalog designed by Tehon), 1959-1994.
Publishers' and booksellers' catalogs: Persea Books, University Press of Colorado, and World Book Encyclopedia, 1973, 1988-1999.
Resumes of artists, authors, illustrators, and freelancers seeking employment, 1986-1999.
Submissions, book or illustration samples, 1992-1995, undated.
B. General information on publishing, children's books, etc.
Children's books and publishing, articles about, 1973-2000.
Children's books and publishing, articles about, 2001-2010, undated.
Color charts and samples, circa 1950s-1970s, 1996.
Copyright and fair use, articles regarding, 1977, 1997, undated.
Covers of magazines and journals, clipped (presumably by Tehon), 1973-2007.
Fonts, graphics, and typography, articles, publications and samples, circa 1960s-2000s.
How-to clippings relating to painting and Olivetti computers, 2008, undated.
Illustrations/artwork, clipped, presumably by Tehon, circa 1980s-1990s.
Libraries and librarians, articles regarding, 1981, 1997, 2005.
Paper, samples and articles regarding, 1964, undated.
Printing, articles and publications regarding, 1950s-1990s.
Publishing companies, articles regarding, 1976, 2002-2005.
Publishing companies symbols (Dial; Farrar, Straus, and Giroux; and Alfred A. Knopf), undated.
Reviews of books, clipped, presumably by Tehon, 1985-1994.
Reviews of books, clipped, presumably by Tehon, 1996-2008.
Tehon, Atha, articles mentioning, 1975-2006.
V. Book projects (arranged by publishing company).
Series V. Book projects is arranged by publishing company. The bulk of the material in this collection appears to have resulted from Tehon's freelance work rather than her career at Dial; and many of the projects that were produced by Dial were undertaken after Tehon retired in 2001. Many files in this series are extremely rich, containing correspondence, drafts of illustrations, dust jacket design, F&Gs (folded and gatherings), mockups, notes, page proofs, and text dummies. Projects which are most fully documented are: Dear Mili, Hamlet, The Juniper Tree, King Grisly-Beard, Noah's Ark, The Old African, and Parsifal. In many cases, these files provide an almost start-to-finish view of the design of a children's book, and Tehon's notes (almost always on post-it notes) show her methodology in working with authors, illustrators, and publishers. Peppered throughout the files are letters to Tehon from illustrators (notably Jerry Pinkney, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, and Margot Zemach). Researchers interested in a particular project should also consult Series VIII. Audio, video, and computer files to ascertain if digital files exist.
Alfred A. Knopf: French Fairy Tales, selected by Paul Delarue, illustrated by Warren Chappell, mockups of title page and table of contents, with pasted in original illustration and dust jack, circa 1956.
Alfred A. Knopf: Run Away Home, by Mary Francis Shura, illustrated by James Spanfeller, mockups of title page, dedication, and table of contents, circa 1965.
Alfred A. Knopf: book jackets (some possibly designed by Tehon), circa 1956-1997.
American Institute of Graphic Artists: Fifty Books of the Year, mockup of title page, 1960.
Charles Scribner's Sons: Scribner's Arithmetic, title page designs for books 3-8, undated.
Dial Press: Deadly Game at Stony Creek, by Peter Zachary Cohen, illustrated by Michael Deas, contract, 1978 May 16.
Dial Press: Hamlet, retold by Bruce Coville, illustrated by Leonid Gore, correspondence, notes, dust jackets, and sample pages, 2002-2003.
Dial Press: Hamlet, retold by Bruce Coville, illustrated by Leonid Gore, correspondence, dust jackets, and page proofs, 2002-2003.
Dial Press: The House with a Clock in its Walls, by John Bellairs, illustrated by Edward Gorey, correspondence, notes, and sample illustrations, circa 1992.
Dial Press: Little Cliff and the Porch People, by Clifton L. Taulbert, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, page proofs, 1998.
[Dial Press: Max and Ruby's first Greek Myth: Pandora's box], by Rosemary Wells, designed by Atha Tehon, hard cased dummy with two illustrations, circa 1995.
Dial Press: The Middle Passage: White Ships, Black Cargo, by Tom Feelings, F&Gs, 1995.
Dial Press: The Middle Passage: White Ships, Black Cargo, by Tom Feelings, hard cased dummy, 1995.
Dial Press: Niño's Mask, by Jeanette Winter, correspondence and notes, 2002.
Dial Press: Niño's Mask, by Jeanette Winter, dustjacket and page proofs, 2002.
Dial Press: The Old African, by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, correspondence, notes, draft illustrations and text, dust jackets, and F&Gs, 2003-2005.
Dial Press: The Old African, by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, draft illustrations and text, 2003-2005.
Dial Press: The Old African, by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, cover mockups, developed sketches with text, page proofs, and text mechanicals, 2003-2005.
Dial Press: The Old African, by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, page proofs, 2003-2005.
Dial Press: The Old African, by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, art and text dummies, 2003-2005.
Dial Press: Three Pebbles and a Song, by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by S.D. Schindler, correspondence and notes, 2002.
Dial Press: Three Pebbles and a Song, by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by S.D. Schindler, correspondence, draft illustrations, and page proofs, 2002.
Dial Press: Three Pebbles and a Song, by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by S.D. Schindler, correspondence, dust jackets, notes, and page proofs, 2002.
Dial Press: The Visit, by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, note and photocopies of illustrations, circa 2005.
Dial Press: The Visit, by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, interior mechanicals with art, circa 2005.
Dial Press: dust jackets (some possibly designed by Tehon), circa 1960s-2000s.
Dial Press: production schedules, 1991-2002.
E.P. Dutton: dust jacket for Yevtushenko Poems (jacket designed by Tehon), circa 1967.
E.P. Dutton: Gypsy Rizka, by Lloyd Alexander, advance reader's copy, circa 1999.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Amazing Bone, by William Steig, transparencies, circa 1976.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: A Penny a Look, by Harve and Margot Zemach, title page mockups, circa 1989.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Awake and Dreaming, by Harve and Margot Zemach, title page mockups, circa 1984.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Brave Irene, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, sample pages, and sample binding, 1986.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Bravo Minski, by Arthur Yorinks, illustrated by Richard Egielski, correspondence and notes, 1986.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Caleb & Kate, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, mockups, and dust jacket, 1985-1986.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Carrot Nose, by Jan Wahl, illustrated by James Marshall, correspondence, notes, and mockups, 1978.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Dear Mili, by Wilhelm Grimm, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, correspondence, notes, dustjackets, and mockups, 1985, 1988.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Dr. De Soto Goes to Africa, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, sample pages, and review, 1981-1982.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Duffy and the Devil, by Harve and Margot Zemach, correspondence, notes, mockups, and dust jackets, 1986.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Duffy and the Devil, by Harve and Margot Zemach, title page mockups, circa 1986.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Fly By Night, by Randall Jarrell, illustrations by Maurice Sendak, correspondence, notes, mockups, sample pages, sample binding, and dust jackets, 1976.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Gentleman Bear, by William Pène Du Bois, correspondence and notes, 1984-1985, 1988.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Jake and Honeybunch Go to Heaven, by Margot Zemach, correspondence, notes, and mockup, 1982.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: The Juniper Tree, translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, correspondence, notes, mockups, dust jackets, and F&Gs, 2003.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: The Juniper Tree, translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, advance reader's copy, annotated with notes by Tehon, 1973.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: The Juniper Tree, translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, cover and title page designs, 1973.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: King Grisly-Beard, by Wilhelm Grimm, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, mockup, circa 1973.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Kleist: A Biography, by Joachim Maass, correspondence, notes, and dust jackets, 1982, 1985.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: The LIght Princess, by George MacDonald, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, cover mockup, 1969.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Little Red Hen, by Margot Zemach, correspondence, notes, mockups, sample binding, F&Gs, and dust jackets, circa 1983.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Mazel and Shlimazel, by Isaac Bashevis Singer, illustrated by Margot Zemach, title page mockups, circa 1995.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Oh, Brother, by Arthur Yorinks, correspondence and notes, 1988-1989.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: The Old Testament Made Easy, by Jeanne Steig, Illustrated by William Steig, correspondence and notes, 1989-1990.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Shrek, by William Steig, correspondence and notes, 1990.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Snow White, by Nancy Burkett, correspondence, notes, and mockups, 1970-1971.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Snow White, by Nancy Burkett, transparencies, 1970-1971.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Solomon, the Rusty Nail, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, and original artwork, 1985.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Some Swell Pup, by Maurice Sendak, correspondence, photocopies of illustrations, and original artwork, circa 1975.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Spiny Sulks, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, photocopies of illustrations, and sample pages, 1988.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: The Stars in the Sky, by Joseph Jacobs, illustrated by Airdrie Amtmann, correspondence, notes, dust jackets, and F&Gs, 1978-1979.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Tell Me a Mitzi, by Lore Segal, illustrated by Harriet Pincus, correspondence and notes, 1982.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Three Wishes, by Margot Zemach, correspondence and notes, 1986.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Tiffky Doofky, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, sample pages, and original art, 1978.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: To Hilda for Helping, by Margot Zemach, title page mockups, circa 1977.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: UGH!, by Arthur Yorinks, illustrated by Richard Egielski, correspondence, notes, and sample pages, 1989-1990.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Yellow and Pink, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, sample pages, and original art, circa 1983-1984.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Zabajaba Jungle, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, and sample pages, 1987.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux: dust jackets and mockups (some possibly designed by Tehon, circa 1970s-2000s.
Follett: The Great Minu, by Beth P. Wilson, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, F&Gs, circa 1974.
George Braziller: dust jackets (some possibly designed by Tehon), circa 1970s-1990s.
Harper & Row: Outside Over There, by Maurice Sendak, illustrated by Jeanyee Wong, correspondence, notes, and F&Gs, 1979-1980.
Harper & Row: Outside Over There, by Maurice Sendak, illustrated by Jeanyee Wong, correspondence, notes, and title page mockups, 1979-1980.
Harper & Row: Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories, by Isaac Bashevis Singer, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, correspondence and notes, circa 1999.
HarperCollins: Alpha Beta Chowder, Jeanne Steig, illustrated by William Steig, correspondence and notes, 1991-1992.
HarperCollins: The Character in the Book, by Kaethe Zemach, correspondence and notes, 1996-1998.
HarperCollins: The Character in the Book, by Kaethe Zemach, correspondence, notes, title page mockups, draft illustrations, dust jackets, and F&Gs, 1996-1998.
HarperCollins: Christmas in July, by Arthur Yorinks, illustrated by Richard Egielski, correspondence, notes, and sample pages, 1991.
HarperCollins: Dr. De Sota Goes to Arica, by William Steig, correspondence, notes, sample pages, and dust jacket, 1990-1991, 1994.
HarperCollins: Firehorse Max, by Sara London, illustrated by Ann Arnold, correspondence, notes, and mockups, 1997.
HarperCollins: Firehorse Max, by Sara London, illustrated by Ann Arnold, title page mockups, jacket artist's concepts and artist's concepts, and notes, 1997.
HarperCollins: Higglety Pigglety Pop, by Maurice Sendak, correspondence, notes, and mockups, 1999, 2001.
HarperCollins: Higglety Pigglety Pop, by Maurice Sendak, correspondence, dust jacets, mockups, notes, and page proofs, 1999, 2001.
HarperCollins: How Little Lori Visited Times Square, by Amos Vogel, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, sample copyright and title page text, circa 1991.
HarperCollins: I'll Be You and You Be Me, by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, correspondence and sample copyright and title page text, 1999.
HarperCollins: Toby, What Are You?, by William Steig, illustrated by Teryl Euvremer, correspondence, notes, and mockup, 1999-2001.
HarperCollins: Toby, Where Are You?, by William Steig, illustrated by Teryl Euvremer, correspondence, notes, and sample pages and dust jacket, 1996-1997.
HarperCollins: Toby, Where Are You?, by William Steig, illustrated by Teryl Euvremer, correspondence, notes, sample pages, dust jacket, title mockup, and sample copy, 1996-1997.
HarperCollins: Zeke Pippin, by William Steig, correspondence and notes, 1994.
HarperCollins: Zeke Pippin, by William Steig, photocopies of Steig's sketches and notes, 1994.
HarperCollins: dust jacket for One Brave Summer (possibly designed by Tehon), 1995.
Harper Crest: Animal Family, by Randall Jarrell, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, correspondence and notes, circa 1995.
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.: Maurice Sendak, correspondence and notes, 1979-1980.
McGraw Hill: Basic Mathematics for Electronics, by Nelson M. Cooke, cover and chapter designs, circa 1987.
McGraw Hill: Translations from the Siamese, by Warren Chetham-Strode, dustjackets, circa 1958.
McGraw Hill: dustjackets, page samples, and title page mockups, circa 1950s-1960s.
Morrow Junior: dustjackets (some possibly designed by Tehon), circa 1988-1991.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: Animals of the Bible, by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Jackie Morris, information sheet, 2001 November 12.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: In the Forest of Your Remembrance, by Gloria Jean Pinkney, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Brian Pinkney, and Myles C. Pinkney, cover design and dust jacket, 2001.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: In the Forest of Your Remembrance, by Gloria Jean Pinkney, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Brian Pinkney, and Myles C. Pinkney, sample binding, circa 2001.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: The Land, by Mildred D. Taylor, advance reader's copy, 2001.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: The Nightingale, by Hans Christian Anderson, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, F&Gs and page proofs, 2002.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: Parsifal, by Marianna Mayer, illustrated by Tom Canty, correspondence and notes, 2003.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: Parsifal, by Marianna Mayer, illustrated by Tom Canty, dummies with drawings and comments, 2003.
Phyllis Fogelman Books: sales and book lists, 1999-2004.
Random House: Selected Poems, by Stephen Spender, dustjacket, circa 1964.
Sea Star Books: Noah's Ark, by Jerry Pinkney, correspondence and notes, circa 2003.
Sea Star Books: Noah's Ark, by Jerry Pinkney, correspondence, schedule, draft illustrations, and page proofs, circa 2003.
Sea Star Books: Noah's Ark, by Jerry Pinkney, correspondence, text dummy, and page proofs, circa 2003.
Sea Star Books: Noah's Ark, by Jerry Pinkney, page proofs, circa 2003.
Thomas Y Crowell Co.: Trappers of the West, by Fred Reinfeld, illustrated by Douglas Gorsline, dustjacket and sample pages, circa 1957.
Thomas Y Crowell Co.: dustjackets and sample pages (some possibly designed by Tehon), circa 1950s-1960s.
Various publishing companies: dustjackets (some possibly designed by Tehon), circa 1950s-2000s.
Various publishing companies: advance reader's copy for The Great Good Thing, by Roderick Townley (Atheneum), circa 2001.
Various publishing companies: Tehon's freelance schedule, circa 2002-2004.
Miscellaneous project notes and messages, including a poetry project initiated by Robert Andrew Parker, 1975-1976, undated.
[Unpublished project]: Chicken Little, by Jerry Pinkney, text and sketch plan, undated.
[Unpublished project]: Mother Goose, by Kaethe Zemach, notes, circa 1990.
Series VI. Artwork includes drawings, sketches, paintings, photographs, and woodcut prints by both Tehon and others. First, this series includes artwork by Tehon, an accomplished artist. Researchers will find a number of Christmas cards that she created and printed; drawings, sketches, paintings, a few photographs, and sketchbooks. The bulk of the artwork created by Tehon is pencil sketchings: many life drawings, but also still life drawings and landscapes. A copy of her sketchbook from an anatomy class is particularly indicative of Tehon's artistic abilities. Also in this series is artwork by others, largely the artists, authors, and illustrators with whom she worked in her career as art director and book designer. Researchers will find original artwork, as well as few prints, frequently inscribed to Tehon with notes.
A. Artwork by Atha Tehon.
Christmas cards designed by Tehon, undated.
Drawings, sketches, and notes (mostly pencil and ink drawings), undated.
Drawings, sketches, and paintings, undated.
Photographs and negatives of paintings by Tehon, circa 1950.
Photographs (possibly by Tehon), undated.
Sketchbooks, life drawings, scenery, and still life, undated.
Sketchbooks (copies), from anatomy class with Professor Bradbury, undated.
Anderson, Alexander, clipped illustrations, undated.
Bauer, Carla, woodprints of camel, lion, and zebra, undated.
B., M.E., Aunt Elma's rose and second rose picture, watercolors, circa 1946.
Cober, Alan E., published booklet by Art Directors Club of Houston, 1979.
Chess, Vicky, "Exercise Program from the Fat Chance Frog Farm," printed, 1997.
Colon, Raul, "The Snowman's Path," pencil sketch and autographed cover of the New Yorker, 2000, undated.
DePaola, Tomie, "Tattie" portrait, inscribed to Tehon, 1982.
Dillon, Leo and Diane, African art painting, undated.
Egielski, Richard, framed illustration of clown, given to Tehon at the time of her retirement (inscribed to Tehon on back), 2001 November 28.
Frampton, David, woodcut illustrations (three), undated.
Frampton, David, woodcut illustrations (two), undated.
Friers, Julian, matted print of a wildlife painting, undated.
Getz, Arthur, inscribed cover of the New Yorker, 1979 August 27.
Getz, Arthur, inscribed painting of an apple stand, 1979 June.
Garrison, Barbara, painting of pear tree, undated.
Gutavson, Adam, sample painting of dog, baseball, and base, 2001 May.
[Havnea, R.], photograph and card, "Hayin' in the Big Hale Basin", undated.
Hueber, Anthony, pen and ink sketch of a woman, possibly Atha Tehon, 2010 November.
Justis, Lyle, proofs of pirate scenes, circa 1929.
Low, Joseph, letters with illustrations of bird and man, circa 1973.
Mahoney, David J., sample prints and watercolor painting, circa 2000.
Marshall, James, pencil sketch of fox and pencil sketch for "Little Red Riding Hood", undated.
Mazellan, Ron, portrait of a man, undated.
McPhail, David, image from Sailing to Cythera and letter to Tehon with four drawings.
Olive, Judy, printed street scene and hand-colored drawing, undated.
Parker, Robert Andrew, etching of a monkey, colored by hand and etching "After Eric Von Stroheim", circa 1970s.
[Parker], Robert, signed painting of two children baking with dog, 1971.
Pinkney, Jerry, watercolor paintings (three), 1971.
Sabuda, Robert, illustrations in The Fiddler's Son, 1987.
Schweninger, Ann, drawing of a pig, inscribed to Tehon, undated.
Sheridan, woodcut of a bird, "Le Déjeuner sur L'Herbe", undated.
Sendak, Maurice, illustrations from Dear Mili, pencil drawing of cover of Fly By Night, end paper sketch for "Whackwell," and ink drawings of townspeople, 1976, undated.
Sendak, Maurice (and The Children of America and HarperCollins Publishers), "Happy Inauguration: A Jubilant Welcome to Our New President and His Family!", 1993 January 20.
Sendak, Maurice, posters for "An Exhibition in Pictures" (folder 7), "Art of Sendak," and "Imagination Celebration" (folder 8), 1982, undated.
Sendak, Maurice, box, description, and sketches from portfolio, originally containing nineteen pictures bound together (currently, description inscribed to Atha and Steve; pencil drawing of Jennie, the Sealyham terrier who posed for the heroine of Higglety Pigglety Pop, and two illustrations from Zlateh the Goat), 1971.
Siegel, Helen, woodcut of a bee and holiday card design, undated .
Siegel, Helen, woodcut of a lion and a fox and woodcut of a man with foxes, undated.
Steig, William, ink drawing for Tiffky Doofky and two copies of art from Dr. De Soto Goes to Africa, undated.
Rabl, Lorraine, illustrated copy of "Old Reliable" from Plum Pudding by Christopher Morley, designed and printed as a Christmas keepsake, undated.
Stamaty, Mark Alan, calendar for the year 1974, 1973.
Taback, Simms, "B&W Mini Portfolio, #3", undated.
Uyen, "A Year in the Life of Santa Claus," illustrated booklet, inscribed to Tehon, undated.
Walsh, Robert, two photographs of woodland scenery, 1972-1973.
Wells, Rosemary, Max and Ruby illustrations (one inscribed to Tehon, undated.
Wynter, Carlton E., caricature, undated.
Zemach, Margot, ink drawings (one inscribed to Tehon) and illustration from Alone in the Wild Forest, circa 1970s.
Zimmer, Dirk, illustrations for Mean Jake and the Devils (both inscribed to Tehon), circa 1982.
Unknown artists: photograph, handmade booklet containing poems, and "Return this art to Atha Tehon" (oval frame), undated.
Series VII. Awards includes a sampling of awards won by Tehon and her colleagues (artists, authors, illustrators, and Dial Books for Young Readers). Researchers will find both certificates and medals from the Society of Illustrators, as well as others. There are numerous invitations to the Newbery/Caldecott awards banquets, which Tehon appears to have attended. Related to these awards banquets are audio cassettes of acceptance speeches which are located in the following series, VIII. Audio, video, and computer files.
Annual Illustration West: Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles, award for Dial Books (illustrator Gregory Manchess, art director, Nancy Leo), circa 1996.
Der Internationalen Buchkunst-Ausstellung, Leipzig, bronze medal award for Dear Mili, 1989 May 4.
Illustration Annual, awards of excellence for book and book series, 2000-2001.
Newbery/Caldecott awards banquet, programs, invitation to a post-banquet party (see also audio cassettes featuring acceptance speeches in Box 21, folders 4 and 5), 1974-1995.
New York Book Show, third place award for From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, 1999 February 16.
Society of Illustrators, gold and silver medal certificates and certificates of merit, circa 1987-1999.
Society of Illustrators, gold medals (ten) and silver medals (two), circa 1987-1999.
Posters calling for entries for exhibitions, AIGA, Original Art, and Society of Illustrators, circa 1987-1999.
VIII. Audio, video, and computer files [RESTRICTED].
Series VIII. Audio, video, and computer files includes original items that are restricted from use. The Kislak Center will provide access to the information on these materials from duplicate master files. If the original does not already have a copy, it will be sent to an outside vendor for copying. Patrons are financially responsible for the cost. The turnaround time from request to delivery of digital items is about two weeks for up to five items and three to seven weeks for more than five items. Please contact Reprographic Services (reprogr@upenn.edu) for cost estimates and ordering. Once digital items are received, researchers will have access to the files on a dedicated computer in the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center. Researchers should be aware of specifics of copyright law and act accordingly.
This series is divided into three subseries: A. Audio cassettes, B. CDs, and C. Computer disks. A. Audio cassettes consists mainly of Newbery-Caldecott Medal acceptance speeches. There is also one audio book, "Persephone and the Pomegranate," by Kris Waldherr, an author with whom Tehon worked throughout her career, which was read for Mrs. Bush's Storytime. For the most part, both the CDs and the computer disks contain images and working files that are associated with Series V. Book project. Some of the computer disks also contain emails as well as other general computer files that came from Tehon's older computers.
Newbery-Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speeches: Joan W. Blos, Robert Lawson, and Elizabeth Orton Jones (2 copies), 1945, 1980.
Newbery-Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speeches: Leo and Diane Dillon and Susan Cooper, 1976.
Newbery-Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speeches: Leo and Diane Dillon and Mildred D. Taylor, 1977.
Newbery-Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speeches: Chris Van Allsburg and Patricia MacLachlan, 1986.
Newbery-Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speeches: Cynthia Rylant and Emily Arnold McCully, 1993.
Newbery-Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speeches: Sharon Creech, David Diaz, and Virginia Hamilton, 1995 June.
Newbery-Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speeches: Karen Cushman and Peggy Rathmann, 1996.
"Persephone and the Pomegranate," by Kris Waldherr, read by Diane Sawyer for Mrs. Bush's Story Time,, 1994.
Hamlet, sketches and finished art (five cds), 2002-2003.
The Juniper Tree, tiffs (three cds), find out.
The Old African, by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, low resolution scans, tiffs, final cover art and ornaments, and art for folios scanned at Industrial Color Labs (seven cds), 2004.
Three Pebbles and a Song, by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by S.D. Schindler, 2002 June 18.
Miscellaneous cds: "Once Upon a Time," the picture book art of Creative Editions (item 1), undated.
Miscellaneous cds: "Tis the Season," happy holidays from Jasmin (item 4), undated.
Miscellaneous cds: Unidentified photograph cd (item 5), undated.
Miscellaneous cds: "Visions of Vespertina," illuminated music (item 3), undated.
Miscellaneous cds: West Lake Conservators, digital photos and text documents/ records of the object's treatment in digital form (Item 2), undated.
Bellvue, The Juniper Tree, and Carmina, 3.5 inch floppy, undated.
Character in the Book, flaps and spine, 3.5 inch floppy, undated.
Firehorse Max, fonts/type, zip disk, undated.
Grandpa Lev's New Fire Horse, 3.5 inch floppy, undated.
Hamlet, Old African, and Three Pebbles and a Stone (all include emails), flashdrive 1, undated.
Higglety Pigglety Pop, jacket copy, 1999, 2001.
The Juniper Tree, note from Tehon: "Can't Use, from Wes," 3.5 inch floppy, undated.
Midsummer Night's Dream, Bembo Expert Collection, 3.5 inch floppy, 1995 August 15.
Nightingale, Parsifal, Nino's Mask, Firehorse Max, Higglety Pigglety Pop, and Juniper Tree (includes fonts and emails), zip disk, undated.
Noah's Ark (includes emails), flashdrive 2, undated.
The Old African, zip disk, 2004.
Palatina from Dial, zip disk, undated.
Parsifal, two zip disks, 2003.
Toby, three zip disks and one 3.5 inch floppy, 2003.
Zeke Pippin, 3.5 inch floppy, undated.
Misc. computer disks: "Atha Tehon" and "Atha's Disk," two 3.5 inch floppies, undated.
Misc. computer disks: Dial colophon, 3.5 inch floppy, undated.
Misc. computer disks: "Files from Old Mac," two zip disks, 2000 May.
Misc. computer disks: Ill. 7.0 (tutorial), zip disk, undated.
The final series in this collection, IX. Merchandising and ephemera, includes a variety of objects that may have decorated Tehon's offices and demonstrate her love of reading, books, and typography. Researchers will find alphabet blocks and stamps, a mug from Penguin, pins and buttons, posters, printer's type blocks, and stuffed animals from Where the Wild Things Are.
Alphabet blocks, wooden (large and small), undated.
Book mark, cross stitched, undated.
Fabric bag, "So Many Books, So Little Time", undated.
Happy New Year card and popper, undated.
Pins and buttons, relating to books, reading, and/or publishers, undated.
Posters advertizing books (folder 7: BaBa Black Sheep, Dear Mili, and Fair Weather; folder 8: Dear Mili, Middle Passage, Mystery, The People Could Fly, Plants of the Four Seasons, Some Swell Pup, and Valentine & Orsen, and The Yearling, undated.
Posters advertising events, "Friendship Through Books", undated.
Posters advertizing publishers: George Braziller (folder 8), Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, African American History Timeline (folder 7), and Pied Piper Books (folder 7), undated.
Sea shells in a decorative box, undated.
Where the Wild Things Are, stuffed animals (four), undated.

matches:
in Fine
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One wage/hour settlement practice which both California and federal courts have rejected in recent years is the reversionary, or “claims-made,” settlement. In a reversionary or claims-made settlement, defendants receive a complete waiver and agree to pay an amount of money – and plaintiffs’ attorneys collect fees based upon a percentage of this amount of money – even though both sides know that defendants will only, in actuality, be paying a fraction of the agreed-upon amount.
The idea of a reversionary, claims-made settlement is that the defendants will actually be paying “up to” the amount indicated, depending on the number and value of the claims that are submitted. So, if only 50% of eligible claims are submitted, then defendants may wind up paying only half of the agreed-upon amount, with the rest reverting to defendants, though the plaintiffs’ attorneys still collect fees on the full settlement amount. Though many courts no longer permit this practice, defendants still frequently try to offer claims-made (aka reversionary) settlements (which can be easy to sell to the corporate client – “I know X sounds bad, but you’re really only paying Y, so don’t worry!”). Some plaintiffs’ counsel may still agree to claims-made/reversionary settlements, too – but I urge you not to do so!
One top plaintiffs' firm that now has an absolute policy not to enter into any claims-made, reversionary settlements is Schneider Wallace Cottrell Brayton Konecky, of San Francisco. In Kakani v. Oracle Corp., 2007 WL 1793774 (N.D.Cal. June 19, 2007) (Alsup, J.), the Northern District of California – an epicenter of nationwide wage/hour class and collective action litigation – denied preliminary approval to a claims-made settlement of $9 million, which would have awarded $2.25 million (25%) in attorneys’ fees to Schneider Wallace and their co-counsel for plaintiffs, regardless of how many claims were submitted. As Judge Alsup explained, rejecting the deal, the “$2.25 million might wind up being more in fees than the class receives in payments.” Id. at *5. See also Zucker v. Occidental Petroleum Corp., 192 F.3d 1323, 1329 (9th Cir. 1999) (after parties to a securities class action had agreed in settlement that class counsel would receive almost $3 million in fees, despite not securing any actual damages payable to class members, Ninth Circuit affirmed district court’s right to drastically reduce fee award, based on the rule that “the reasonableness of attorneys' fees is within the overall supervisory responsibility of the court in a class action”).
In Kakani, the Court explained that, “Such a [reversionary] scheme would be a bonanza for the company,” because Oracle would have eliminated all liability as to class members, regardless of how many claims they actually paid. Kakani, 2007 WL 1793774 at *5. Ultimately, the Northern District of California rejected the Kakani agreement, finding, “Without doubt, the main losers under this proposal would be those absent class members who wind up not submitting a timely claim and/or who never receive a notice letter in the first place.” The Court continued to state, “The Settlement Agreement expressly recognizes that some workers will never get any actual notice [e.g., because of bad addresses] and/or submit claims …. Nonetheless, Oracle specifically extracted a concession that all settlement amounts attributable to those workers would revert to Oracle…, yet those workers' rights would be erased.” Id.
The Kakani court effectively concluded what any lay person would know instinctively, looking at a class action settlement in which a company gets off the hook cheaply while the plaintiffs’ lawyers and representative plaintiffs make out big: that such a settlement does not suggest arms’-length bargaining, but rather, stinks of collusion. The inference may not be justified in every case - certainly even the most highly-regarded plaintiffs' attorneys, like Schneider Wallace, have at times (in the past) agreed to claims-made, reversionary agreements - but even this appearance of conspiracy can be and should be avoided, in my view.
“A reversion clause creates perverse incentives for a defendant to impose restrictive eligibility conditions and for class counsel and defendants to agree to an inflated settlement amount as a basis for counsel fees. Instead of approving a settlement with a reversion clause, consider encouraging the parties to use an alternative approach, such as pro-rating the total settlement amount among the class members who file claims. Prorating is a straightforward way to avoid the possibility of unclaimed funds and has become a standard practice in class settlements."
Managing Class Action Litigation at p13.
These guidelines cite the influential decision in Kullar v. Foot Locker Retail, Inc. (2008) 168 Cal. App. 4th 116, 129-133, requiring parties seeking approval of a class settlement to demonstrate the true value to the class of the settlement, and showing that such represents a reasonable compromise. It is impossible to show the value of a settlement to the class, and hence, that the settlement value is reasonable, if a settlement promises money which ultimately reverts to the employer under the agreement’s terms.
There are many ways to avoid the pitfall of a reversionary, claims-made settlement – the first of which is for plaintiffs and their counsel, when negotiating an agreement, to absolutely reject any offer containing such a term, like Bryan Schwartz Law does and Schneider Wallace does. Defendants and their counsel should be made to understand that the dollar value reached at the end of the negotiation is the actual amount defendants are spending – and not a penny less. Waived claims should be paid claims. It is up to plaintiffs’ advocates to do everything we can to make sure that employers do not get off easy for their wage/hour violations – and claims-made, reversionary settlements are inherently an easy out for employers.
Rather than having a reversion, a settlement can contain terms having any unclaimed funds be distributed to the participating class members in a second allocation. If the remainder amount is modest, it should go directly to a suitable cy pres recipient. Indeed, if a claims-made settlement agreement does not state where unclaimed funds will go, then – at least in California – such funds will go to a cy pres recipient (under Cal. Code Civ. Pro. §384), and will not revert to defendants. Cundiff v. Verizon California, Inc. (2008) 167 Cal.App.4th 718, 721-722.
Without a reversionary/claims-made term of the agreement, the parties to settlement and absent class members share a common interest – maximizing participation in the settlement, so the largest number of people benefit from the agreement, and hence, release claims. The parties will thus collaborate on ensuring that class members are actually contacted and appropriately encouraged to step forward and assert their claims. This way, the settlement value will be the amount that gets into class members’ hands to quiet their claims – as it should be – and plaintiffs’ counsel will have amply justified his/her fee as a percentage of the common fund.
PS - I note, only as a footnote, because of its very limited application, that the Ninth Circuit has permitted, in one instance, a limited reversionary clause in an unpublished opinion, in Glass v. UBS Financial Services, Inc., 331 Fed.Appx. 452 (9th Cir. 2009), in which any attorneys' fees allocated in the settlement which were not approved by the Court would revert to the defendants. While describing the pitfalls of a reversionary provision, and noting that reversionary provisions are generally "problematic," the Ninth Circuit permitted this limited reverter in the Glass case based upon a specific finding that the class received "exceptional" results from the agreement notwithstanding the provision. Id. at **2.


(4) Review by the Appeals Council.
After this, a case may be filed in federal court.
The time limit for all Social Security disability appeals but one is 60 days from the date of receipt of a decision. Because there is a strong presumption that decisions are received five days from the date on the face of the decision, unless there is evidence to the contrary, the effective time limit is 65 days from the date of the decision.
The only exception to the 65-day effective time limit for appeal applies to appealing an ALJ denial to the Appeals Council after there has been a federal court remand. The time limit is 30 days for these appeals.
When the period for requesting the next appellate step ends on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or any other day of which all or part is a non-workday for federal employees by statute or Executive Order, the period is extended to include the next full workday. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.3(b), 416.120(d).
The Social Security Administration (SSA) treats an appeal as filed on the day it receives it. However, SSA will use the date a “request or notice is mailed to us by the U.S. mail, if using the date we receive it would result in the loss or lessening of rights. The date shown by a U.S. postmark will be used as the date of mailing. If the postmark is unreadable, or there is no postmark, we will consider other evidence of when you mailed it to us.” 20 C.F.R. § 404.614(b)(2).
If you live in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecticut, the administrative appeal process changed on August 1, 2006 under the program named Disability Service Improvement (DSI), which was implemented by regulations in a new part of 20 C.F.R., Part 405. Although the original plan was to gradually extend DSI to the rest of the country, it now appears that only certain aspects of DSI will be made applicable to the rest of the United States.
DSI is designed as an experiment to see if SSA can speed up disability determination at all levels including the initial determination. Based on a predictive model, some cases are automatically referred from the field office to a state agency Quick Disability Determination unit with the goal of making a favorable determination within 20 days. 20 C.F.R. § 405.105. For all initial determinations, not only those referred to the Quick Disability Determination units, SSA will require state agencies to adopt a standard decision-writing format that “will explain in clear and understandable language the specific reasons for and the effect of the initial determination.” 20 C.F.R. § 405.115.
DSI initially replaced the reconsideration step with review by a federal reviewing official; but because of budgetary issues and long processing times, sending new cases to federal reviewing officials was suspended in early 2008, reverting to the process that was in effect in these states before DSI. Cases already assigned to federal reviewing officials were to be processed by them. It is unlikely that any new cases will be assigned to a federal reviewing official in the future.
Some DSI administrative law judge (ALJ) hearing procedures are more formal with more mandatory time limits than under current practice. See 20 C.F.R. §§ 405.301 ff.
Under DSI, the Appeals Council is replaced by a Decision Review Board, to which a claimant can appeal only an ALJ dismissal order (after requesting the ALJ to vacate the dismissal). 20 C.F.R. § 405.427. Otherwise the Decision Review Board deals only with own motion review of both denial and favorable decisions based on a statistical claimant profile. You will be notified in the notice of an ALJ decision if your case has been selected for review by the Decision Review Board. 20 C.F.R. § 405.371. If the Decision Review Board does not act within 90 days, the ALJ decision becomes final and may be appealed to federal court. 20 C.F.R. §§ 405.415 and 405.420.
Claimant appeals of ALJ denial decisions, unless the Decision Review Board takes jurisdiction, go directly to federal court. 20 C.F.R. § 405.501.
Although a Social Security disability claim (but not an SSI disability claim) can be completed on the Internet at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/adult.htm, most claimants initiate their claims by telephoning an SSA teleservice center at SSA’s toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. Teleservice center staff will make an appointment for the claimant with an SSA representative from a local office.
If you prefer, an appointment can be made to go to a local Social Security office to complete an application in person, though most make a telephone appointment for an SSA claims representative to call back at an appointed hour. During the appointment, you will be asked basic information which will be entered into a computer application form that will be printed and, if it is a telephone interview, will be mailed to the claimant for signature, along with other forms to be completed and signed. An application for benefits is one of the few forms in a disability case that may not be signed by a lawyer on your behalf, unless that lawyer is appointed to do so by a court. See 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.612 and 404.613.
The prohibition on a lawyer signing an application for benefits on your behalf includes a prohibition against a lawyer “electronically signing” an application that is submitted over the Internet, although a lawyer may assist in filing an application. See https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/ISBA/main.html.
At the initial and reconsideration levels the SSA does not make medical determinations of disability. Instead, claims are referred to an agency of the state government that has a contract with SSA for determining disability. At the state agency usually a medical doctor and a layman, called a disability examiner, evaluate the claim, though SSA has been experimenting in pilot projects with having disability examiners make uncomplicated decisions on their own. The SSA then adopts the determinations at these two levels.
If you are dissatisfied with the initial determination, you may appeal. In most states, this appeal is a request for reconsideration. In ten states Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and parts of New Yorkand California, called prototype states, SSA is experimenting with eliminating the reconsideration step. The initial determination will tell a claimant in a prototype state to appeal by requesting a hearing. HALLEX I-2-4-99 contains instructions for processing appeals in those circumstances where a claimant moves into or out of a prototype state while the claim is pending.
If you request reconsideration, a different team than the one that issued the initial determination will make the reconsideration determination; but the result will probably be the same. Relatively few reconsideration determinations result in an award of benefits. See 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.907 et seq. regarding reconsideration. The next step is to request a hearing before an administrative law judge.
After you request a hearing, but before a hearing is held, an attorney advisor (whose job includes writing decisions for ALJs) may review the file, request additional evidence and conduct an informal prehearing conference (usually a telephone call to your attorney). The attorney advisor may issue a fully favorable decision. If so, the hearing request will be dismissed unless a request to proceed with the hearing is made within 30 days after the date of the attorney advisor decision. The Appeals Council, not an ALJ, has authority to review a decision by an attorney advisor. 20 C.F.R. § 404.942.
You may appear in person before the ALJ or by video teleconferencing. If you object to appearing by video teleconferencing, the ALJ must reschedule the hearing so that you can appear in person. 20 C.F.R. § 404.936(d) and (e).
At a hearing before an ALJ, evidence may be received even though it would not be admissible in court under the rules of evidence used by the court. 20 C.F.R. § 404.950(c). Vocational or medical experts sometimes testify, appearing in person or by video teleconferencing. 20 C.F.R. § 404.936(c). The hearing is not adversarial in nature. The hearing is recorded and testimony is taken under oath or by affirmation. After the hearing, a written decision is issued by the administrative law judge. See The Hearing and 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.929 et seq.
There are significant differences between the way disability is evaluated by the state agencies and the way ALJs approach the issue. Although it is the rule at all levels that a disability decision cannot be inconsistent with the medical evidence, the state agency decision-makers, who have only the cold file to review, seldom look beyond medical findings to consider your actual ability to work. At the state agencies, the Listing of Impairments is used much more often as a basis for a favorable decision. Despite several successful lawsuits challenging this, state agency decision-makers tend to use the Listing of Impairments as the unstated basis for a denial determination, especially for those claimants under age 50.
If a younger claimant’s impairment does not meet a Listing, that claimant is unlikely to be found disabled by the state agency. State agency decision makers tend to apply specific formulas (found in state agency manuals) to determine residual functional capacity (RFC) for certain medical impairments, thus treating all claimants with similar medical findings the same. Few of the state agency formulas point to a conclusion that a claimant can do less than a wide range of sedentary work.
ALJs, on the other hand, tend to view medical findings as setting the parameters for a range of possible RFCs, some of which may lead to a finding of disabled. They view their role as evaluating the entire case, including your credibility, to determine which possible RFC most closely describes your capacity. ALJs find claimants under age 50 disabled because of inability to perform a wide range of sedentary work much more often than state agency decision makers do.
The chart in below was created in conjunction with a Social Security Administration study of the differences between state agency decisions and ALJ decisions. It shows, for example, that during the period studied, ALJs found claimants with back impairments disabled 75% of the time while the state agency did so only 11% of the time. Look at the entry for claimants under age 50 with back impairments. The state agency found them disabled only 2% of the time while ALJs found them disabled 68% of the time.
Compare the “Percent of awards—Functional” column, referring to the percentage of findings of disabled made at step 5 of the sequential evaluation process (as opposed to finding the claimant disabled at step 3 on the grounds that the claimant’s impairments meet the Listings). Only 39% of all disability findings were made by state agency decision makers at step 5 compared to 75% of awards made at this step by ALJs.
The SSA has viewed these differences in approach to decision-making as a problem. The series of Social Security rulings published in 1996, SSR 96-1p through SSR 96-9p, known as the “process unification rulings,” were designed to encourage a unified approach to decision making at all administrative levels. Most observers agree that there have been some changes. More claimants are now found disabled by the state agencies. There are fewer favorable decisions being issued by ALJs now than when this study was conducted. But most observers agree that the disparities illustrated by the chart above remain in place. For example, if a claimant is under age 50 and has a back problem that does not meet the Listings, that claimant is likely to be denied by the state agency; but if that claimant is truly unable to work, the claimant may have a good chance of winning before an ALJ.
If a decision after hearing is unfavorable, you or your representative may ask for review of that decision by the Appeals Council, which sits in Falls Church, Virginia. The Appeals Council may decline to review the decision of the administrative law judge, in which case the decision of the ALJ becomes the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security on the claim, subject to court review. The Appeals Council may review the decision of the ALJ and affirm it, modify it, reverse it, or remand it for a new hearing.
In some instances, the Appeals Council reviews decisions of administrative law judges, either favorable or unfavorable to the claimant, on its own motion.
New evidence, applicable to the time before the date of the ALJ’s decision, may be submitted to the Appeals Council. Review by the Appeals Council is almost always a review of the record. Although there is a provision that allows the claimant or representative to petition to be allowed to appear before the Appeals Council, oral argument is virtually never granted. See 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.967 et seq. regarding Appeals Council review.
If the Appeals Council denies review or makes a decision adverse to you, you may file a civil action in the United States District Court for the district where you live. The Commissioner of Social Security is named as defendant. The court has the power to affirm, modify or reverse the decision of the Commissioner, with or without remanding the case for a rehearing. 42 U.S.C. § 405(g).
If the U.S. District Court affirms the decision of SSA and grants judgment to the defendant Commissioner, you may appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the district court sits. If the Court of Appeals denies your case, you may file a petition for certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. Recently the Supreme Court has granted certiorari in very few Social Security Act cases.