Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

 Introduction

The Margit Heskett Collection includes 5 linear feet of correspondence, files, literary productions, printed materials, news clippings, photographs, sound recordings and motion picture film documenting her life as a dancer, scholar and innovative instructor of dance at Bowling Green State University from 1965-1979.  The collection begins with Margit’s parents’ correspondence in Europe in1913 and ends with her own memorial service in 2010.  

The collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections by Mrs. Heskett in April 2008 and subsequent materials were added by her executor Dr. Richard Hebein upon her death in 2010.  No restrictions have been placed upon its use for scholarly purposes.  WBGU Television maintains copyright control over filmed dance sequences included in the collection.  Eric Honneffer completed the finding aid in August 2008 and made updates in 2012.

 Biographical Sketch

Margit Blochova Heskett taught dance at Bowling Green State University in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation from 1965 until her retirement in 1979. Modern and folk dancing were her specialties. The University Performing Art Dancers were formed during her tenure. She also organized dance workshops for the community, led dance troupes on tours and traveled extensively in Europe where she studied and performed. Her passion for the arts, dance and movement has inspired her over the years to share her gift with not only high school and college students but with hospitalized veterans, the elderly and the physically and mentally handicapped. Her big heart has also made room for a number of adorable, small dogs.

Margit B. Heskett, a native of Czechoslovakia, was born July 17, 1920 to Karl and Flora Bloch in Teplice in northwest Bohemia.  While in her late teens she and her parents fled their homeland and came to the United States in the wake of World War II.  Her father, an architectural engineer settled the family in New York.  Margit enrolled at Columbia University to study architecture.  Her deep interest in the arts, however, prompted her to change her major.  She received her B.S. degree in physical education from Wittenberg University and in 1964 completed her M.A. in dance at Columbia.  She married Cliff Heskett.   Before coming to BGSU she had taught elsewhere in Ohio:  Fairborn City Schools in Fairborn, Antioch College in Yellow Springs and Central Catholic High School in Springfield.

After her retirement from BGSU in 1979 she traveled and conducted private dance instruction and exercise classes. In 1978 she established at the university the Bloch/Heskett Ethnic Arts Award in memory of her mother. By the mid to late 1980's she returned to BGSU to teach part-time in the Department of Ethnic Studies. As a scholar of eastern European cultures, her classes focused primarily upon European immigration to the United States and German and French language for travelers. She completed her memoirs in 2008 and was working on a second memoir left uncompleted at the time of her death on August 13, 2010.

 Scope and Content

The Margit B. Heskett Collection includes a variety of documents which when taken together comprise a relatively complete picture of her life beginning with her youth in Teplice, Czechoslovakia in the 1920’s and 1930’s through her post retirement years and the early writing stages of a second memoir before her death in 2010.

The correspondence and news clippings provide considerable detail about her life in dance, her associates, her folk dancing studies abroad, her travels, a vast interest in the arts, and her commitment to Ethnic Studies at BGSU. Since Margit was the only child of Karl and Flora Bloch, family documents comprise a large portion of the collection beginning with her parents’ correspondence in 1913.

The photographs are a comprehensive document of Mrs. Heskett’s childhood, family, career, and friendships. Photographs and designs of her family villa in Teplice and other buildings in that area attributed to her engineer/architect father, Karl, are a useful historic record of construction in that part of eastern Europe on the eve of WWII.

Researchers of dance would find useful the documents and notes recording the dance notation, choreography and musical accompaniment for staging various dance productions Margit Heskett directed during her time at BGSU. She collaborated with colleagues from all branches of the arts to create unique productions that blended together creative forces. An original production of Antigone was filmed by the university television station, WBGU, as a documentary in the late 1960’s. The collection contains performance details and musical accompaniment by Paul Pasteur for this television program. No film copy of this production is included.

The collection does, however, include performance footage of several dance selections by the university performing dance group, Orchesis, (some featuring Margit Heskett) filmed by WBGU between 1966 and 1970. This visual record of Mrs. Heskett and her dancers is a valuable resource to anyone interested in studying dance at the university during this time period. The collection also contains programs printed for university dance performances offering additional details about the productions.

Researchers should bear in mind that some correspondence and printed materials within the collection are in Czech, German and French languages.

 Series Description

CORRESPONDENCE

INCOMING CORRESPONDENCE
1938-2010 scattered
Arranged chronologically
Letters and cards sent to Margit Heskett by colleagues, friends, and others concentrate primarily upon her career as dance instructor, educator, traveler, and entertainer. Some are written in Czech, German or other languages.

OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE
1973-2006 scattered
Arranged chronologically
Letters and cards written by Margit Heskett regarding her research and teaching of folk dances abroad, traveling in Europe, and her efforts to have property belonging to her father in the Czech Republic returned to her family. Some are written in Czech, German or other languages.

REFERENCE LETTERS
1945-1988 scattered
Arranged chronologically
This correspondence was sent from employers and colleagues and documents Margit Heskett's career accomplishments. Some are written in Czech, German or other languages.

FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE
1913-1972, scattered, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
These letters were sent to Karl and Flora Bloch, Margit Heskett's parents. Some letters were sent by Karl and Flora and were often written in Czech or German.

SUBJECT FILES

DANCE RESEARCH FILES
1970-1983 scattered
Arranged chronologically
Correspondence, credentials, summaries, reports, travel itineraries are included from Mrs. Heskett's dance research, instruction, and performance in the U. S. and in Europe.

VIKTOR MALCEV FILES
1968
The files of Czech dancer/choreographer Viktor Malcev contain documents in the Czech language devoted primarily to details about the ballet Narodniho.

MARGIT HESKETT FAMILY FILES
1938-2007 scattered
The files contain legal documents and correspondence sent to Margit by Czech family members when she was writing her memoir. Other documents pertain to her husband Cliff.

MARGIT'S RED BOOK FILES
2007-2008
These include correspondence and notes regarding Margit’s on-line publication of her memoir. A cd of images used in the book is also included.

PERSONAL FILES
1971-2008 scattered
These include Margit’s resumés, documentation about her philanthropy, travel, and friends.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

M. HESKETT PUBLICATIONS
1962-2002 scattered
Printed copies of Margit Heskett's literary works are included.

DANCE PRODUCTION RECORDS
1966-1977 scattered
Most arranged by name of production
Includes documents and notes pertinent to the choreography, musical/vocal accompaniment and artistic elements of particular BGSU dance productions performed while Margit Heskett was dance instructor.

MARGIT'S RED BOOK AND MY BOHEMIAN HERITAGE MANUSCRIPTS
1987-2010 scattered
Includes edited copies of Margit’s memoirs along with some notes. My Bohemian Heritage was unfinished at her death.

MISCELLANEOUS LITERARY WORKS
2000, n.d.
Publications and literary manuscripts by colleagues and friends of Margit Heskett are included.

GUEST BOOKS
1931-2010 scattered
These were kept by Margit and her parents for various social events held at their homes both in the U.S. and abroad. The 2010 volume commemorates Margit’s 90th birthday party.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

LEGAL DOCUMENTS
1915-1990 scattered, n.d.
Copies of Arthur Bloch, Flora Bloch, and Margit Heskett’s naturalization papers are included. Some family burial plot deeds, passports, power of attorney, teaching certificates and the like are included.

PRINTED MATERIALS

PRINTED MATERIALS
1931-2010, scattered
Arranged by type of documents
Documents featured can include materials from both BGSU and elsewhere for dance performance programs and handbills, workshop/ course descriptions, Health Physical Education and Recreation conference/ meeting materials, travel brochures, invitations of various kinds. Karl Bloch’s engineering and Rotary publications, dance texts, books, various postcards of European folk costume and dance, newsclippings and the like are also included.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

PHOTOGRAPHS
1915-2010, scattered
Arranged by topic
The photographs include images of Margit Heskett, her family,friends, colleagues, student dancers, travels, pets, and her father’s architectural designs. There are also some “art photos” taken by her father.

MOTION PICTURE FILM
1966-1970
WBGU filmed dance productions on two units feature Margit Heskett and the university performing dancers. Digital recordings of these films are included in the collection.

AUDIO RECORDINGS

AUDIO RECORDINGS
1951, 1978, n.d.
Three LP's can include brief dance accompaniment (vocal and instrumental) and four Czech folk dances.

ARTWORK

ARTWORK
n.d.
Features a watercolor by Margit Heskett when she was a child and several miscellaneous prints created by various artists.

ARTIFACTS

ARTIFACTS
1967-1971
Charm bracelet with charms given to Margit Heskett on the occasion of the performance of various BGSU dance productions. A hand tooled leather book cover possibly from Europe is included.

 Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Outgoing correspondence, 1973, n.d.
2. Outgoing correspondence – cards, 1973-1998 scattered
3. Incoming correspondence (foreign language), Ullrich Knőpfmacher, 1938-1940
4. Incoming correspondence (foreign language)-cards, 1938-2010 scattered
5. Correspondence (some foreign language) M. Heskett’s property claim for a building in Teplice, 1943-2006 scattered
6. Reference letters (some foreign language) , 1945-1988 scattered
7. Incoming correspondence, 1951-2009 scattered, n.d.
8. Incoming correspondence-cards, 1963-2008 scattered
9. Incoming correspondence (foreign language), 1967-2007 scattered, n.d.
10. Incoming correspondence (some foreign language invitations, 1972, 1978
11. Incoming correspondence-Margit’s Red Book (memoir) 2007-2009
12. Incoming correspondence-Memoir II, 2010
13. Incoming correspondence-cards, n.d.
14. Incoming correspondence (foreign language)-cards, n.d.
15. Correspondence (some foreign language)-cards Karl and Flora Bloch, 1913-1972 scattered, n.d.
16. Correspondence (some foreign language) Karl and Flora Bloch, 1929-1969 scattered

Box 2

Folders

1. Dance research abroad file, 1970-1981
2. Dance research abroad file – IREX, 1976-1979 scattered
3. Dance research file, 1978-1983 scattered
4. Margit Heskett resumés, 1971-1985 scattered
5. Bloch-Heskett scholarships, trusts, 1995-2008 scattered
6. Margit Heskett travel file – address list, n.d.
7. Cliff Heskett file, 1942-2002 scattered
8. Burton Beerman family file, 2006-2008
9. Viktor Malcev choreography file (Czech language), 1968
10. Viktor Malcev choreography file (Czech language), 1968
11. Viktor Malcev choreography file (Czech language), 1968
12. Heskett family research file? Vítězslav(Siegfried) and Lotta Kuttner documents (Czech language etc.), 1938-2007 scattered
13. Margit’s Red Book file – on-line publishing, 2007-2008
14. Margit’s Red Book file – I-Universe, 2007
15. Margit’s Red Book file - cd of images for book, 2007
16. Research papers by Margit Heskett, 1948-1969 scattered
17. Ohio Dance Directory by Mary Titus and M. Heskett, 1962
18. Contemporary Dance in Schools and Communities, By M. Heskett, 1966
19. Articles by M. Heskett, 1967-2002 scattered, n.d.

Box 3

Folders

1. Dance production – Antigone, Oedipus, 1966
2. Dance production – fragile originals of folder 1, 1966
3. Dance production – The Theban Plays, c. 1966
4. Dance production – Antigone (music) by Paul Paster, 1966
5. Dance production – Mirrors, 1966
6. Dance production – BGSU dance repertoire & Composers, 1969
7. Dance production – misc. dance arrangements, etc., 1972-1977 scattered, n.d.
8. Dance production – It’s One World, 1976
9. Dance production – Come and Be, n.d.
10. Dance production – notes of M. Heskett, n.d.
11. Dance production – musical compositions Composed for M. Heskett dances, n.d.
12. Dance production – scored poems for dance by Louis Horst et al, n.d.
13. Margit’s Red Book – travel memories, notes, 1987-1988
14. Margit’s Red Book – introduction, n.d.
15. Margit’s Red Book – edited manuscript – incomplete, 2007?
16. Margit’s Red Book – list of manuscript corrections, 2008
17. Margit’s Red Book – edited manuscript, 2008
18. Margit’s Red Book – notes, n.d.
19. My Bohemian Heritage - Margit’s memoir II – edited manuscript 1, 2010
20. My Bohemian Heritage – Margit’s memoir II – Edited manuscript 2, 2010
21. My Bohemian Heritage – cover design, photo captions, 2010

Box 4

Folders

1. Misc. literary works – Poem by Ronald E. Kizer, 1974
   And “The Waves” by Ursula Behringer, 2000
2. Misc. literary works – unpublished short story by Oddmund Ljone, n.d.
3. Guest book – Karl and Flora Bloch, 1931-1948 scattered
4. Guest books – Margit Heskett, 1969-1986 scattered
5. Guest book – Margit’s 90th birthday, 7-15-10
6. Cemetery deeds – Bloch family, 1934-1964 scattered
7. Naturalization papers, etc. – Arthur Bloch, 1915-1927 scattered
8. Naturalization papers, etc. – Margit Heskett And Flora Bloch, 1939-1974 scattered
9. Passports and identification, and business cards for Margit Heskett, 1974, 1979
10. Power of Attorney – Margit Heskett, 1990
11. School transcript – Margit Heskett, 1939
12. Teaching certificates – Margit Heskett, 1950-1988 scattered
13. Honors certificates, 1985, 2002
14. Dance programs – Columbia, Catholic Central High, Northwestern High, 1958-1964 scattered, n.d.
15. BGSU dance programs, 1966-2006, n.d.
16. BGSU dance handbills, 1970, 1972, n.d.
17. BGSU dance workshop publicity, 1969-1981, n.d. scatt.
18. BGSU Swan Club program, 1971
19. New World Dance Co. publicity, 1974, n.d.
20. Publicity - Non-BGSU dance programs, workshops, courses, 1958-1969 scattered
21. Publicity - Non-BGSU dance programs abroad, 1967-1992 scattered
22. Clark County, Ohio Teachers Workshop Summaries, 10-24-58
23. Ohio Association for Health, Physical Education And Recreation meeting agendas and convention brochures, 1961-1969 scattered
24. American Association for Health, Physical Education And Recreation meeting agendas and convention Brochures, 1962-1969 scattered
25. Erick Hawkins Dance Company, 1966-1967
26. Autographed programs and brochures, 1969, n.d.
27. Toledo International Festival program, 1975
28. Duncan Center (dance organization founded by Eva Blažíčková, a student of Margit Heskett), 1993
29. Dance and music terminology, n.d.
30. BGSU Ethnic Studies travel abroad brochures and event schedules, 1981-1987 scattered
31. Booklet for Lederer u. Bloch engineer/architecture firm, c. 1920

Box 5

Folders

1. Booklets and printed materials about Teplice, Czechoslovakia, 1930-2004 scattered, n.d.
2. Program, postcards – Rotary International, 1931-1936 scattered
3. Publicity for European folk festivals, 1972-1973
4. Program – Margit Heskett recognition concert, 1999
5. Funeral cards and fliers – Margit Heskett’s memorial, 2010
6. Postcards – Lidice, Czechoslovakia, n.d.
7. Postcards – Czech folk costume, n.d.
8. Brochures – Czech decorative arts, n.d.
9. Prints – Polish dancers, n.d.
10. Postcards – Folk dance, misc., n.d.
11. Articles and news clippings about Margit Heskett, 1964-1979 scattered
12. Articles and news clippings about Margit Heskett, 1980-2010 scattered
13. Articles and news clippings about Margit Heskett, n.d.
14. Articles and news clippings about Margit Heskett’s students, 1966-1992 scattered
15. News clippings – BGSU Dance Club, Orchesis, University Performing Dancers, 1966-1973 scattered
16. Articles and news clippings – Misc., 1946-2003 scattered

Box 6

Folders

1. Book – Annual – International House, 1939
2. Book – Dances of Czechoslovakia by Mila Lubinová, 1949
3. Book – Modern Dance Forms… by Louis Horst et al, 1961
4. Book – The Teaching of Ethnic Dance, by A.M. Joukowsky, 1965
5. Book – International Folk Dance at a Glance, by Cecile Gilbert, 1970
6. Book – Mon Autre Lyre by Jan Pallister, 1971
7. Book – The Planting and Other Poems by Jan Pallister, 1972
8. Book – The Chemo Paintings by Dorothy Bryan, 1991
9. Exhibit catalogs 2 v. – Metaphor and Irony, Czech Scenic And Costume Design, 1920-1999 (includes postcard from The curator of the exhibit), 2000, 2004
10. Book – Pleasantly Deceptive Arts… by Corinne Kobel, 2009

Box 7

Folders

1. Photos – Karl Bloch, 1915-1960 scattered
2. Photos – Karl and Flora Bloch, 1917-1957 scattered
3. Photos – Flora Bloch, 1917-1979 scattered
4. Photos – Margit and Flora Bloch, 1921-1977 scattered
5. Photos – Margit, 1926-2001 scattered
6. Photo scrapbook – Margit et al, 1938-1939
7. Photos from scrapbook – Margit et al , 1938-1939
8. Photos – Margit’s governess Oshka and family, 1938-2000 scattered
9. Photos – Margit and Cliff Heskett, 1944-1972 scattered
10. Photos – Cliff Heskett, 1944-1973 scattered
11. Photos – Taken by Karl Bloch, 1946
12. Photos – Margit’s graduation from Columbia, 1966
13. Photos – Margit and Nancy (niece), 1970-2000 scattered
14. Photos – Other Bloch family members, 1972-1980 scattered
15. Photos – Unidentified Bloch family members?, n.d.

Box 8

Folders

1. Photos – Margit dancing, 1938-1999 scattered
2. Photos/Slides – Margit’s dance students, Springfield, Ohio, 1951, nd
3. Photos – Album of Margit’s students, Central Catholic HS, 1965
4. Photos/Slides – BGSU dancers, 1970’s
5. Photos – Margit’s slimnastics class, BGSU, 1972
6. Photos/Slides – Margit’s research at Graz, Remscheid, etc., 1972-1979 scattered
7. Photos/Slides – Margit traveling, 1956-2008 scattered
8. Photos – Margit traveling – Cruises, 1998-2005
9. Photos – Margit’s pets, 1930-2010 scattered
10. Photos – Margit’s friends, 1960-2000
11. Photos – Margit, Richard Hebein, Paul Pasteur, 1970-2000
12. Photos – Margit and Trude, 1970’s-1980’s
13. Photos – Margit and Marie Nichols (and her family), 1998-2009
14. Photos – Margit and Pat and Loke Wallace, 1999-2007
15. Photos – Margit and the Kobel family, nd
16. Photos – Margit relaxing, 1960-2004
17. Photos – Margit’s homes and office (artwork & furnishings), 1970-2000 scattered
18. Photos – Parties at Margit’s home, 1970-2000 scattered

Box 9

Folders

1. Photos – Margit at cultural events, many BGSU, 1971-2009 scattered
2. Photos – Margit’s Ethnic Studies Art Award, 1986
3. Photos – Margit’s 90th birthday party, July 2010
4. Photos – Margit’s memorial luncheon, September 2010
5. Photos – K. Bloch building design/construction, Teplice, 1920-1929
6. Photos – K. Bloch building design/construction, Teplice, 1930-1932
7. Photos – Bloch home in Teplice, by K. Bloch, 1930-1992 scattered
8. Photos/Glass Slides – Teplice swimming pool, by K. Bloch, 1930
9. Photos – K. Bloch building design/construction, USA 1951, nd
10. Photos – K. Bloch ? building design/construction, Teplice, nd
11. Photo – Municipal Theater, Teplice, nd
12. Photo – Governer Jervis of New York, 1942
13. Slides – Czech folk art and culture, nd
14. DVD’s- WBGU dance films: Orchesis 66, Dance Moveaux 1966, c.1970
15. CD – Margit photo album photos, 1970’s
16. CD’s- Photos from Margit’s Red Book, cover vol. 2, 2008, 2010
17. Audio recording – “Enchanted” by Betty Mee Champlin, 1951
18. Audio recording – 4 Czech folk dances, 1977-1978
19. Audio recording – “Song of a Refugee”, n.d.
20. Artwork – M. Heskett watercolor made when 8 yrs. old, n.d
21. Artwork – prints by other artists, nd
22. Handtooled leather book cover, nd
23. Charm bracelet, 1967-1971

OVERSIZE Box 1

Items

1. Photo – Margit and Flora Bloch, c.1930
2. Photo – Karl Bloch, c.1930
3. Photo – Karl Bloch and colleagues, 1929
4. WBGU 16mm motion picture film - Orchesis, 1966
5. WBGU 16mm motion picture film - "Danse Moveaux", c. 1970
6. Newspaper front page reporting the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand (German), 1914

OVERSIZE Box 2

Items

1. Photo album – Folk dance research, 1977-1978
2. Marcel Marceau program, c.1974

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