Fouser Music Room Dedication, 1954

INTRODUCTION The Charles Elliott Fouser Papers came to the University Archives on November 20, 1969, donated by Mrs. Sarah Cocks Fouser.  Additional material was received September 17, 1999 from Fouser’s nephew William B. Welsh.  Additional material was received in 2003, and 2007.  There are no restrictions on access to the collection. SCOPE AND CONTENT The collection contains biographical material, photographs, correspondence and related memorabilia of Charles Elliott and Sarah Cocks Fouser.  Included are materials relating to his service with the 316th Field Artillery Band.  The bulk of this collection consists of  musical scores and concert programs of Charles Elliott Fouser, musician and former member of the music faculty of Northern Illinois State Teachers College from 1931 to 1946.  Original and printed music scores include the Prairie Symphony, Montana, Sacajawea's Journey, Sonata for Violin and Piano, Requiem, The Beatitudes, Gloria, I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, Magnificat, The Lord's Prayer, Baptismal Blessing, Preface and Sanctus, Te Deum, and Treasure Island Suite. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Charles Elliott Fouser was born March 24, 1889 in Beecher, Illinois.  During his early years Fouser attended the Chicago Musical College, the Northwestern School of Music, Tonghunst Academy in Munich, and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.  His teachers were Louis Falk, Adolf Brune, Gustav Geierhaas, Edgar Stillman Kelley, Ernesto Consolo, Karl Keckzeh, and Herman Sagerer. In 1917 Fouser married Sarah May Cocks.  He began his notable career as a teacher of music at Northwestern University where he taught from 1917 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1923. He saw service during World War I with the 316th Field Artillery Band.  Fouser was head of music departments at the State Normal Schools of Wayne, Nebraska (1920-1921) and Cheney, Washington (1923 to 1929) as well as Supervisor for the music department at the University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois (1929-1930). In 1931 Charles Fouser was appointed Associate Professor of Music at Northern Illinois State Teacher's College.  As a leading musician in a small department, Fouser's musical abilities contributed to the scope of the curriculum, bringing about an increase in the size of the department and increasing his influence on university life.  Professor Fouser was a faculty member of the Northern Illinois State Teachers College until his death in 1946.  Fouser was  beloved not only at Northern, but also at the First Methodist Church in DeKalb where he was organist for the last 12 years of his life. A brilliant composer of musical works, Charles Fouser's compositions included two symphonies, two symphonic poems, The Lord's Prayer, The Violin Concerto, A Te Deum, A Choral Eucharist, The Treasure Island Suite, and The Magnificat.  In 1954 to honor his contributions in music Northern named its music library in Swen Parson Hall after Charles E. Fouser.