Maude Dabbs

Maude was a student from fall 1939 to fall 1942 and studied classical piano. After BMC she moved to New York and married Robert Haas, who also came to BMC and was resident photographer. She gave private lessons in classical music in her home and taught at the Westchester Conservatory of Music, for over 45 years according to her obituary.

Relationships

Husband: BMC student, Robert Haas

Asheville Art Museum Collection

2017.40.086 December 10, 1942 bulletin, "Maud Dabbs is now apprenticing under the present music teacher at the Bancroft School in Worchester, Massachusetts. After the holidays she will take this teacher’s place and have charge of appreciation classes, a glee club, and elementary work with the lower grades. Her address is: 9 West Land Street, Worchester, Massachusetts."

2017.40.024 September 1943 bulletin, "Maude Dabbs was Drama and Music Counsellor at Camp Tree Tops on Lake Placid in New York during the summer. She has returned to the Bancroft School in Worcester, Massachusetts where she will again teach all the music in the grammar and high school this season."

Black Mountain College Project

Mary Emma Harris interviewed Maude in 1997 and the transcript is available from Appalachian State University under The Mary Emma Harris and Black Mountain College Project, Inc. Oral History collection.

Topics: Hearing about BMC and background in South Carolina – piano study with Heinrich Jalowetz – piano teachers JohnEvarts and Jay Nelson – mountain landscape – Jalowetz and Evarts as community members – Robert Haas photographs of Josef Albers class – college dances and parties – community meetings – Francie Goldman – weekly radio program in Asheville – Roy’s tavern – college graduation – secretary to William Morse Cole – photographer Robert Haas (husband) – Studies Building construction – Pearl Harbor – Jewish quota – music performances at BMC – discussion of Haas photos – Bedford Thurman – work in mental hospital – wedding in New York to Haas – Haas’ Ram Press

Courses Taken

Fall semester, 1939-40: Music (Evarts), Music (Jalowetz), The Novel (Kurtz), History of the Drama (Thurman), Chorus (Jalowetz), Piano Lessons (Jalowetz).

Spring semester, 1939-40: Music (Evarts), Music (Jalowetz), History of the Drama (Thurman), The English Novel ( Kurtz), Chorus (Jalowetz), Piano Lessons (Jalowetz).

Fall semester 1940-41: Music (Jalowetz), Theoretical and Practical Counterpoint (Nelson and Jalowetz), Physics of Musical Sounds (Rosen), Madrigals (Jalowetz), International Relations (open hour) (Babcock), Piano Lessons (Jalowetz, Nelson), Chorus (Jalowetz).

Spring semester 1940-41: Theoretical and Practical Counterpoint (Jalowetz), Music (Jalowetz), Physics of Musical Sound (Rosen), A Cappella Chorus (Jalowetz), Chorus (Jalowetz), Piano Lessons (Jalowetz, Nelson).

Fall semester 1941-42: Music (Jalowetz), Color (Albers), Music Theory Tutorial (Jalowetz), Piano Lessons (Jalowetz), Women’s A Cappella Chorus (Jalowetz), Chorus (Jalowetz), Ensemble Music (audit) (Jalowetz).