William H. Genné Papers

Following his graduation from Yale in 1936, Genné was active in student religious work. His files from this period, including those on the World Conference of Christian Youth in Amsterdam (1939) and the World Student Christian Federation Camp of 1939, complement other holdings of the Yale Divinity School Library in the area of religious work among college and university students. Genné went on from this early focus of his career to become an expert in the fields of marriage, sexuality and family ministries. In conjunction with his wife, Elizabeth Steel Genné, Genné conducted many workshops and wrote numerous articles for popular journals which described and influenced contemporary attitudes about marriage, sexuality and the family. His files document the issues and trends which dominated these fields, particularly during the 1950s through 1970s. The lists of conferences and organizations and subjects represented in Series III, Collected Material, indicate the scope of Genné's work.

The Correspondence of Series I deals primarily with arrangements for publications, conferences, workshops, and employment. In many cases, letters are filed under the name of an organization rather than an individual. Correspondence with R.H. Edwin Espy deals with the 1979 reunion of the 1939 Amsterdam World Conference of Christian Youth.

The Writings in Series II are those of William and Betty Genné. Genné frequently contributed articles to denominational magazines, other popular religious journals such as Christian Home, and to The Link, a periodical for soldiers published by the General Commission on Chaplains and Armed Forces Personnel. He also had articles on marriage, family life, and sexuality published in secular journals such as True Story and Redbook. The sermons and addresses in Series II stem primarily from Genné's years as a college chaplain at Pacific University and Alfred University.

The Collected Material of Series III documents the conferences, organizations, and topics that were the focal points for Genné's career. The chronologically arranged conferences range from international gatherings to Sunday school workshops. The May 1977 workshop at Trinity United Methodist Church entitled "New Life for Me and My Family" is a typical example of the Gennés' workshops on family and marriage enrichment. Of particular interest in the material arranged by organization are the files documenting the National Council of Churches' Family Ministries department. Important publications of the National Council of Churches include a study guide on abortion, collected denominational statements on sexuality, and resource guides on sexuality and sex education. The collected material arranged by subject comes from a broad range of sources such as magazine articles, government pamphlets and denominational publications. Documented most extensively are the topics of marriage/family enrichment and sexuality/sex education.

The Biographical Documentation of Series IV is biographical in a broadly defined sense. Files from different periods in Genné's life include material ranging from student papers to correspondence with the Selective Service System, reports to his employers, resumes, and documentation of television appearances. Three folders of articles about Genné provide concise information about his life and work.

The Audio-visual Material in Series V includes largely unidentified photographs related to Genné's activities as well as tapes, films and visual teaching aids used in presentations on marriage enrichment and sexuality.