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The University of Toledo Archives
Manuscript Collection

 

Finding Aid

Gilbert Mohr Collection, 1959 to 1986

UM-40

Size: 1 volume


Provenance: Gilbert Mohr (via Jamie Haffner, Dir. Of Music) October 24, 1986

Access: Open

Related Collections:  

Processing Note:

Condition: Good

Copyright: The literary rights to this collection are assumed to rest with the person(s) responsible for the production of the particular items within the collection, or with their heirs or assigns.  Researchers bear full legal responsibility for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code.  The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.

Completed by: Barbara Floyd, November 3rd, 1986

Historical/Biographical Sketch

Mr. Gilbert Mohr was born on September 25th, 1913 in Philadelphia. He attended Pennsylvania University and studied ceramic sciences until he graduated in 1937. Throughout his life, Mohr had a passion and talent for music. He studied violin and piano but mainly played brass instruments, especially the trombone. Often, he would sit in on sessions with Toledo’s Cake Walkin’ Jazz Band. His career mainly focused on fiberglass.
           

Mohr worked as a researcher at Corning Glass works in Corning, New York, beginning his career in fiberglass technology. Eventually, he transferred to Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Co. in Toledo in 1947. In 1948, Gilbert married Jean Strout. Together, they composed the music for “Fair Toledo”. This song was one of eight of the entries in a competition sponsored by the Student Senate and Alumni Association of the University of Toledo. The couple won $100 for the song, and it debuted as UT’s Alma Mater in 1959 at the halftime of the Marshall-Toledo basketball game.

As a senior research engineer for Johns Manville fiberglass division, a position he held until his retirement in 1978, he never lost his musical passion. In 1975, he designed and built a 12 foot fiber glass alpenhorn. He often played the instrument at nightclubs in the area. After his retirement, he still researched fiber glass and by 1984 held 10 patents for fiberglass products.

Also in 1984, Jean Strout Mohr unexpectedly died. In his grief, he decided to live life to the fullest. He and some friends decided to build a nine-hole golf course on some vacant land. This is now a part of the Side Cut Metropark in the Toledo area. In 1992, he moved to the Swan Creek Retirement Village. While there, he composed a song for the community. Gilbert Mohr died on May 3rd, 2012 at the age of 98.


Scope and Content Note

The collection contains 1 scrapbook of newspaper clippings, photographs, and sheet music documenting the writing of “Fair Toledo”, the University of Toledo’s alma mater. Mr. Mohr and his wife, Jean Strout Mohr wrote the music for this song.

Folder List

Box

Folder

Item Description

1

1

Scrapbook

 

 

Last Updated: 6/27/22