Runnette Papers, 1849-1988. : Scope & Contents of the Collection

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Helen Virginia Runnette Papers document her personal and professional life and contain records related to the administration of Tower School and papers of the Runnette family. The collection contains material that spans the years 1849 - 1988, with the bulk of material created from 1940 - 1980. The Runnette Family Papers, a series within this collection, contains undated correspondence that may have been written prior to 1849 and photographs from the mid-nineteenth century.The most significant parts of this collection consist of Tower School Records and Runnette's correspondence. These document the administration of a small country day school from 1917 to 1956, through the great changes in the nation's social and political climates. Included are lists of school trustees, official correspondence, teaching and evaluation materials, enrollment and tuition information, and publications including applications, brochures, and the school literary magazine, "The Turret". Runnette's philosophies of education and the methods she used to realize these are reflected in the Director's notes. These are undated notebooks and loose papers upon which she wrote notes for her own use in facilitating meetings, developing curricular materials, and drafting correspondence. Of particular social and historical significance are letters written during World War II about the British children being educated at Tower while parents remained in Great Britain. Student compositions are included in this collection along with some material evaluating specific students. Diaries cover the years 1924 - 1979 and contain political, personal, and educational reflections as well as information on her health, travels, and the weather. In several instances, diary entries also overlap in date. Runnette's correspondence contains letters from family, friends, parents of students, former students, and other educators. Many letters relate to her retirement and to the death of a close friend whom she mourned greatly. Runnette's artwork consists of charcoal sketches, pencil sketches, bookplates, and other drawings.The Runnette Family Papers contained in this collection consist of correspondence, memorabilia, clippings, a Bible that contains genealogical information, and many photographs of family members including tintypes, gelatin silver prints, and more recent photographic forms. Biographical information about Elizabeth Kerr Runnette, and a letter written to her, is also contained in this collection. Further information about Elizabeth Kerr Runnette and Ethel Anderson Runnette Ramsey can be found in their collections in the Mount Holyoke College Archives.