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This series contains letters written to Perkins from 1898 to 1903 while, and shortly after, she was a student at Mount Holyoke College. There is also a short birthday note dated April 9, 1914. There is one letter, dated June 2, 1902, to Perkins from her father regarding her finances and plans for commencement. Most of the other letters are from friends, including Mary Alice Bradford, Florence E. Locke, Mary E. Lyman, Kate E. Paterson Ross, Eva Gay Stewart, and Alice Bidwell Wesenberg, and other Mount Holyoke students and alumnae. These letters discuss College, summer, and post-graduation activities. Several letters and notes thank Perkins for her kindness and friendship. Other notes were sent to Perkins while she was participating in Senior Mountain Day on June 10 and 11, 1902.

By form of material or alphabetically by course name

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This series consists of a variety of documents that chiefly reflect Perkins' academic work as a student at Mount Holyoke College from 1898 to 1902. The material includes class notes and notebooks, compositions and other student papers, textbooks used for courses, assignments with teachers' comments, and examinations. Most of the material relates to courses in chemistry, English, English literature, history, physics, and "political economy" (sociology). There are also records for courses in art history, astronomy, Biblical literature, botany, German, Latin, "pedagogy" (education), "philosophy" (ethics, logic, and psychology), and zoology. Of particular significance are records for two courses in political economy that Perkins took in 1900/01 and 1901/02. These classes, taught by Annah May Soule, sparked her interest in labor issues. The first course, entitled "History of Industrial Society in England and the United States," was intended to prepare students "for the study of labor and social problems." The notes for this course are about legislation regarding industry and Industrial Revolution and pauperism. The second course, entitled "Elements of Political Economy," provided students with "a knowledge of the main principles of economic theory" and required them to visit factories and make reports of their findings. The records for this course include notebooks and notes reflecting Perkins' visits to several factories in Massachusetts and Connecticut. These notes concern the organization, financial conditions, and workers of each factory and include information about labor disputes and working conditions. This series also includes Perkins' copies of Mount Holyoke catalogues for 1898/99, 1899/1900, and 1901/02 that contain notes reflecting her plans for her course work. The catalogue for 1901/02 has notes of where many students (probably her friends) lived on campus. The course records also include a paper that Perkins wrote for a high school Latin course and a Mount Holyoke entrance examination, both dating from 1898. In addition, there are records concerning Class of 1902 activities in a notebook for English Literature 1. These notes, lists, and financial accounts are for a class fund-raising sale held on February 22, 1901 in celebration of Washington's birthday and a dance held on March 19, 1901.

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This series consists of articles, letters to the editor, pamphlets, speeches, and a book by Perkins dating from 1925 to 1946 and 1957. Most of Perkins' writings date from 1930 to 1945 and concern labor issues, including the impact of the economic depression and World War II, the need for unemployment insurance and retirement pensions, unemployment, and the problems of workers. Several of the articles discuss the situation of women workers and the controversy about whether not they should hold jobs during the economic depression of the 1930s. Of particular note is an article from "The New York Times Magazine," dated March 13, 1938, discussing the plight of older workers. One of Perkins' speeches, given on March 27, 1939, is entitled "The International Labor Organization as an Agency of Democracy." There is a lengthy statement about absenteeism that Perkins delivered to the Committee on Labor in the House of Representatives in March, 1943. This series also includes copies of Perkins' books "People At Work" (1934) and "The Roosevelt I Knew" (1946).

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This series includes an account book, notes, and a receipt dating from Perkins' years as a Mount Holyoke College student from 1898 to 1902. Most of the material reflects her personal expenses. The account book dates from September 14, 1898 to January, 1901 and contains information relating to the purchase of room furnishings, flowers, and food, including candy, soda, ice cream, and Halloween and Valentines Day party delicacies. Other accounts are for travel expenses, laundry and clothing, purchase of books, and a contribution to the College Endowment Fund. Other notes appear to concern Class of 1902 activities.

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This series dates from circa 1898 to circa 1903. It includes two notebooks, notes, speeches, and teaching notes. Most of the material probably reflects Perkins' service as President of the Class of 1902 at Mount Holyoke College. The notebooks include notes about student plays and other activities, Perkins' schedule, and meals. The teaching notes date from about 1902-1903 while Perkins was teaching at the Monson Academy in Massachusetts. The notes are for the subjects of algebra, astronomy, geography, geometry, and zoology.

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The material in this series dates from 1901 to 1965. Some of this material reflects Perkins' connection to Mount Holyoke College. There are copies of programs for performances and activities that Perkins participated in while she was a student at Mount Holyoke, 1898-1902. A "Class Book" chronicles activities of class members at Mount Holyoke. "Class Letters" describe the lives of class members shortly after graduation. Other material relates to Perkins' professional life. There are programs for meetings and conferences, including one for the "Women's Conference of Current Problems" held in October, 1933, in which Perkins participated. There is an announcement dated June 29, 1934 regarding the release of her book, "People at Work." The series includes a speech, entitled "Dismissal of Impeachment Proceedings Against Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor," given by the Honorable John A. Martin in the House of Representatives on April 3, 1939. There is also a press release announcing a lecture given by Perkins on December 7, 1960, entitled "Jane Addams and Social Security - Past and Present." The series includes a program for the June 10, 1962, ceremony in which Perkins was awarded the Elizabeth Blackwell Award by Hobart and William Smith Colleges. The series also includes a wedding announcement, dated September 26, 1913, for Paul Wilson and Perkins. The last program in the series is for a memorial service for Perkins held at Cornell University on May 18, 1965.

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The documents in this series date from circa 1911 to 1965 and consists of notes, sketches, magazine articles, and newspaper clippings about Perkins. Many of the articles and clippings are photocopies of the original items and these copies are arranged on numbered sheets in roughly chronological order. The material relates primarily to Perkins' professional life. Some of the biographical information concerns her work for the New York Industrial Commission from 1919 to 1929, but most of the material relates to her service as United States Secretary of Labor from 1933-1945. This material reflects reactions to her appointment and describes her views on child labor, the length of the work day, continuing education for married women, a minimum wage for women workers, social security, unemployment insurance, the best use of leisure time, and similar issues. Several articles express opinions about Perkins' ability as Secretary of Labor. For example, one article, "Fearless Frances," published in "Colliers" on July 28, 1934, calls her "the best man in the Cabinet." Another article, "The Unpopular Mme. Perkins," from the Boston "Herald" of March 6, 1938, says that "one would have to look hard to find a more unpopular government official." An article from the "Saturday Evening Post," dated July 27, 1940, is entitled "Madame Secretary: A Study in Bewilderment" and discusses Perkins' "political ineptitude." An article entitled "She Wears a Hat for 16 Hours a Day" from the January 31, 1937, London (England) "The Sunday Express," refers to Perkins as the "Fighting Schoolma'am Cabinet Minister." Two newspaper clippings from April, 1936, discuss the rumors that Perkins was a "Russian Jew." The series also contains reviews of her books, "People at Work" (1934) and "The Roosevelt I Knew" (1946). There are also articles about Perkins' visits to Mount Holyoke College. Very little biographical material relates to her personal life, except for a wedding announcement for her daughter, Susanna Wilson, and information about Perkins' involvement in an automobile accident. The series concludes with several obituaries and tributes from 1965.

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This series dates from circa 1884 to 1963 and includes formal portraits, informal photographs, and negatives and contacts sheets for the photographs. There are two personal photographs, including a portrait from about 1884 when Perkins was a child and a photograph of her and her daughter, Susanna, taken on May 5, 1917. The series includes many photographs related to Mount Holyoke College. There are several portraits of Perkins while she was a student at the College, and there is one photograph of her at her graduation in 1902. There are several photographs of Perkins at Mount Holyoke with College presidents Mary Woolley and Roswell Ham. Later photographs are Perkins at different Mount Holyoke class reunions. Other photographs are related to her career. There is a photograph of Perkins with two New York State employers, Max Meyer and Maxwell Wheeler, at the Governor's Conference on Unemployment in New York in January, 1931. There is one photograph of Perkins with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the signing of the Social Security Act in 1935. There is a photograph of Perkins speaking at the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Social Security Act on Aug 14, 1960. The last photograph in the series is of Perkins speaking with President John F. Kennedy at a dinner on March 4, 1963 celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the United States Department of Labor.