Smith Centennial Study Oral History Project, 1970-1975

Smith Centennial Study Oral History Project, 1970-75

24 boxes (12 linear ft.)

Collection number: RG 12

Abstract:

The Smith Centennial Study was a an oral history project for Smith College's centennial celebration. The project culminated with the publication of the book, College: A Smith Mosaic. The purpose of the study was to provide a source of information about the importance of education in women's lives. Smith alumnae were interviewed, their observations were recorded on tape and the tapes were transcribed. The collection includes clippings, reports to the National Endowment for the Humanities, transcripts and correspondence with participants in the study, general correspondence, annotated and published copies of the book, College: A Smith Mosaic.

Terms of Access and Use: Restrictions on use:

The Archives has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any question of copyright. Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the papers must be requested from the College Archives.

Smith College Archives
Northampton, MA

Biographical Note

The Smith Centennial Study, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, was a project that President Mendenhall asked Jacqueline Van Voris to undertake in 1970 as an oral history project for Smith College's centennial celebration. Ms. Van Voris dedicated over four years to the project, which culminated with the publication of the book, College: A Smith Mosaic, which she submitted as partial fulfillment of requirements for her MA in Education in 1975. The purpose of the study was to provide a source of information about the importance of education in women's lives. Smith alumnae were interviewed, their observations were recorded on tape and the tapes were transcribed. The interviews were informal conversations conducted in a manner designed to extract pertinent information. The questions were designed to stimulate conversation and to keep the focus on the respondent. Phrasing of the questions encouraged the respondent's frank appraisal of her education. Questions typically asked included: "Why did you decide to go to Smith? Was it your idea? What was your academic preparation? What courses did you study? What are your remembrances of Smith? What is your general assessment of the education you received? How could college have helped you more? Have your views on education changed over the years since your graduation? Have you ever felt discriminated against because you are a woman?"

The interviews were conducted and recorded from 1971-74. The book, College: A Smith Mosaic, was published in February, 1975 and lists of respondents were sent to the Directory of Oral History Collections for inclusion in that directory.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Smith Centennial Study Oral History Project collection is comprised of news clippings, reports to the National Endowment for the Humanities, transcripts and correspondence with participants in the study, general correspondence, annotated and published copies of the book, College: A Smith Mosaic, interview statistics and transcript excerpts by subject.

This collection is organized into four series:

I. Background
II. Transcripts and Correspondence with Participants
III. Transcript Excerpts by Subject
IV. Audiovisual

Information on Use

Terms of Access and Use

Restrictions on use:

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

Smith Centennial Study Oral History Project, Box #, Smith College Archives.

History of the Collection

Processing Information

Processed by Gayla Spaulding

Additional Information

Contact Information

Smith College Archives

Northampton, MA 01063

Phone: (413) 585-2970
Fax: (413) 585-2886

Email: nyoung@smith.edu
URL: http://www.smith.edu/libraries/libs/archives

Language

English.

Sponsor

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Contents List

SERIES I. BACKGROUND.
This series contains six boxes of background information on the genesis and history of the project including an alphabetical list of participants in the project, notes, memoranda, interview suggestions, information on trips taken to interview respondents, the book prospectus, instructions to transcribers, reports, proposals and general correspondence.
Alphabetical list of participants in study and College	1970s	Box 1: folder 1

Special events and people	n.d.	Box 1: folder 2

Genesis and history of the study	1975/Jan/31	Box 1: folder 3

Appendix A: The beginning of the study,notes and memoranda	1971	Box 1: folder 4

Appendix B: Interview suggestions,occupation charts	1971	Box 1: folder 5

Appendix C: Random sample	1971	Box 1: folder 6

Appendix D: Three major trips	1971	Box 1: folder 7

Appendix E: Study statement and suggested questions	1973	Box 1: folder 8

Appendix F: File guide for clipping transcripts	1973	Box 1: folder 9

Appendix G: Study on coeducation	1974	Box 1: folder 10

Appendix H: Book prospectus	1974	Box 1: folder 11

Appendix I: Permission to quote	1974	Box 1: folder 12

Appendix J: Book introduction, notes,references, original typescript	1974	Box 1: folder 13

Appendix K: Final interview report	1975	Box 1: folder 14

Appendix L: Notes on quoting and suggested citation form	1974	Box 1: folder 15

Appendix M: Study statement for prospective respondents	1971-73	Box 1: folder 16

Appendix N: Instructions to transcribers	1975	Box 1: folder 17

Appendix O: Preface, samples of restriction forms	1971-74	Box 1: folder 18

Appendix P: Example of edited page corrected by respondent	n.d.	Box 1: folder 19

Summary of interviews	1972/Jul/25	Box 1: folder 20

Newspaper clippings	1973, 1977	Box 1: folder 21

List of respondents	1973	Box 1: folder 22

Friends of the Library project announcement	1970	Box 2: folder 1

National Endowment for the Humanities grant: application, budget reports and correspondence	1971-72	Box 2: folder 2

National Endowment for the Humanities grant: application, budget reports and correspondence	1973-74	Box 2: folder 3

First year report	1972/Jan/4	Box 2: folder 4

21 month report, grant renewal proposal	1972/Sept/22	Box 2: folder 5

Second year report, interview addendum	1973	Box 2: folder 6

Report of respondents for Oral History Directory, interview list	1973/Jul/12	Box 2: folder 7

Third year report	1974/Mar	Box 2: folder 8

Bicentennial commission	1974/Oct/17	Box 2: folder 9

Final interview report	1975/Jan/31	Box 2: folder 10

General correspondence

A - D	1971-75	Box 2: folder 11-14

Mary Jo Deering	1972-75	Box 2: folder 15

E - M	1971-75	Box 2: folder 16-24

New York Times Oral History	1971-73	Box 2: folder 25

O - W	1971-75	Box 2: folder 26-31

Alumnae letter re: College	1975	Box 2: folder 32

List of respondents used in book with late changes	n.d.	Box 3: folder 1

Hardcover copy of College: A Smith Mosaic	1975	Box 3

Annotated copy of manuscript		Box 3

Introduction and contents	n.d.	Box 3: folder 2

Chapter 1	n.d.	Box 3: folder 3

Chapter 2	n.d.	Box 3: folder 4

Chapter 3	n.d.	Box 3: folder 5

Chapter 4	n.d.	Box 3: folder 6

Chapter 5	n.d.	Box 3: folder 7

Chapter 6	n.d.	Box 3: folder 8

Chapter 7	n.d.	Box 3: folder 9

Interview statistics

Year of graduation	n.d.	Box 4

Interviews completed, declined	n.d.	Box 5

Further suggestions	n.d.	Box 6

SERIES II. TRANSCRIPTS AND CORRESPONDENCE WITHPARTICIPANTS.
This series consists of twelve boxes of correspondence and transcripts with and by the interview respondents. These are filed alphabetically.
Ainsworth, Dorothy	1971-75	Box 7: folder 1-2

Abbott, Sidney	1971-75	Box 7: folder 3-4

Ackerman, Barbara Hulley	1971-75	Box 7: folder 5-6

Adams, Jean Congdon	1971-75	Box 7: folder 7-8

Allen, Sally Vance	1971-75	Box 7: folder 9-10

Arnstein, Margaret	1971-75	Box 7: folder 11-12

Bagg, Sarah Robinson	1971-75	Box 7: folder 13-14

Barber, Maragret DeRonde	1971-75	Box 7: folder 15-16

Beede, Virginia Stearns	1971-75	Box 7: folder 17-18

Bell, Kathleen	1971-75	Box 7: folder 19-20

Benson, Lucy Wilson	1971-75	Box 7: folder 21-22

Billings, Marian	1971-75	Box 7: folder 23-24

Bishop, Harriet Broughton	1971-75	Box 7: folder 25-26

Bodman, Ellen Diggs	1971-75	Box 8: folder 1-2

Boyd, Gertrude Lyford	1971-75	Box 8: folder 3-4

Boyden, Margery Davis	1971-75	Box 8: folder 5-6

Brewer, Vivian Lenon	1971-75	Box 8: folder 7-8

Bunce, Elizabeth T.	1971-75	Box 8: folder 9-10

Carey, Margaret Chase	1971-75	Box 8: folder 11-12

Carleton, Alicia Skinner	1971-75	Box 8: folder 13-14

Cerf, Cornelia	1971-75	Box 8: folder 15-16

Chester, Ruth	1971-75	Box 8: folder 17-18

Child, Julia McWilliams	1971-75	Box 8: folder 19-20

Chisolm, Elizabeth Wisner	1971-75	Box 8: folder 21-22

Coburn, Judith	1971-75	Box 8: folder 23-24

Council, Dorothy	1971-75	Box 8: folder 25-26

Cunningham, Priscilla	1971-75	Box 9: folder 1-2

Curtiss, Mina Kirstein	1971-75	Box 9: folder 3-4

Curd, Nancy Israel	1971-75	Box 9: folder 5-6

Dalrymple, Bernice Barber	1971-75	Box 9: folder 7-8

Dalton, Dorothy Upjohn	1971-75	Box 9: folder 9-10

de Forest, Charlotte	1971-75	Box 9: folder 11-12

Denis, Edna Weathers	1971-75	Box 9: folder 13-14

de Rond, Marion	1971-75	Box 9: folder 15-16

de Scheweinitz, Dorethea	1971-75	Box 9: folder 17-18

Dixon, Mary N.	1971-75	Box 9: folder 19-20

Dodge, Bickley Smith	1971-75	Box 9: folder 21-22

Driscoll, Cynthia Brackett	1971-75	Box 9: folder 23-24

Elmendorf, Laura Gundlach	1971-75	Box 10: folder 1-2

Enbutsu, Sumiko Fujiwara	1971-75	Box 10: folder 3-4

England, Elyse	1971-75	Box 10: folder 5-6

Fast, Laura Kimball	1971-75	Box 10: folder 7-8

Fauver, Eugenie Lamb	1971-75	Box 10: folder 9-10

Fernbloom, Deborah Heller	1971-75	Box 10: folder 11-12

Forrester, Margretta Van Evera	1971-75	Box 10: folder 13-14

Frantz, M/ Alison	1971-75	Box 10: folder 15-16

Friedan, Betty Goldstein	1971-75	Box 10: folder 17-18

Garcia, Victoria	1971-75	Box 10: folder 19-20

Garrett, Joyce Finley	1971-75	Box 10: folder 21-22

Gates, Sylvia Breed	1971-75	Box 10: folder 23-24

Gould, Isabella R.	1971-75	Box 10: folder 25-26

Glover, Virginia Dougherty	1971-75	Box 10: folder 27-28

Gray, Marguerite Kiley	1971-75	Box 10: folder 29-30

Green, Constance McLaughlin	1971-75	Box 11: folder 1-2

Greeves, Sara Gribbon	1971-75	Box 11: folder 3-4

Grierson, Margaret Storrs	1971-75	Box 11: folder 5-6

Guitar, Mary Anne	1971-75	Box 11: folder 7-8

Gulliver, Adelaide Cromwell	1971-75	Box 11: folder 9-10

Haas, Carolyn Buhai	1971-75	Box 11: folder 11-12

Hall, L. Louise	1971-75	Box 11: folder 13-14

Hamlin, Hilda Edwards	1971-75	Box 11: folder 15-16

Harnish, Jerene Appleby	1971-75	Box 11: folder 17-18

Haruta, Setsuko Ohara	1971-75	Box 11: folder 19-20

Haynes, Euphemia Lofton	1971-75	Box 11: folder 21-22

Heath, Barbara Honeyman	1971-75	Box 11: folder 23-24

Heath, Gloria W.	1971-75	Box 11: folder 25-26

Heller, Jane Harris	1971-75	Box 11: folder 27-28

Hill, Edith N.	1971-75	Box 11: folder 29-30

Hill, Justina	1971-75	Box 12: folder 1-2

Hirschberg, Nell	1971-75	Box 12: folder 3-4

Hodgkinson, Laura Cabot	1971-75	Box 12: folder 5-6

Hoffman, Betty Hannah	1971-75	Box 12: folder 7-8

Holloway, Martha Aldrich	1971-75	Box 12: folder 9-10

Holmberg, Ruth Sulzberg	1971-75	Box 12: folder 11-12

Howard, Katherine Graham	1971-75	Box 12: folder 13-14

Hull, Anne Dalrymple	1971-75	Box 12: folder 15-16

Jackson, leontine Palmer	1971-75	Box 12: folder 17-18

Kaller, Nancy Israel	1974	Box 12: folder 19
Note: [See also Curd]
Katzen, Sally	1971-75	Box 12: folder 20-21

Kelley, Florence	1971-75	Box 12: folder 22-23

Kelley, Peggy Clark	1971-75	Box 12: folder 24-25

Kenyon, Dorothy	1971-75	Box 12: folder 26-27

Kimball, Elizabeth McGrew	1971-75	Box 12: folder 28-29

Kodama, Kayoko Saito Ma	1971-75	Box 12: folder 30-31

Lauren, Barbara	1971-75	Box 13: folder 1-2

Lee, Stella Garrett	1971-75	Box 13: folder 3-4

Lindsay, Dorothy Crydenwise	1971-75	Box 13: folder 5-6

Lord, Mary Pillsbury	1971-75	Box 13: folder 7-8

Lyman, Elizabeth Reed	1971-75	Box 13: folder 9-10

Lyman, Susan E.	1971-75	Box 13: folder 11-12

Malan, Diana Lockard	1971-75	Box 13: folder 13-14

Mandel, Abby Evarts	1971-75	Box 13: folder 15-16

Mansfield, Portia	1971-75	Box 13: folder 17-18

May, Elizabeth Stoffregen	1971-75	Box 13: folder 19-20

Mead, Genevieve Nichols	1971-75	Box 14: folder 1-2

Means, Helen Hotchkin	1971-75	Box 14: folder 3-4

Mensel, Mary	1971-75	Box 14: folder 5-6

Millbank, Helen Kirkpatrick	1971-75	Box 14: folder 7-8

Mills, Elise Ackley	1971-75	Box 14: folder 9-10

Minus, Nancy Dewitt	1971-75	Box 14: folder 11-12

Moodey, Hannah	1971-75	Box 14: folder 13-14

Moore, Eudorah Morse	1971-75	Box 14: folder 15-16

Morgan, Constance Morrow	1971-75	Box 14: folder 17-18

Mulherin, Page Oxnard	1971-75	Box 14: folder 19-20

Nakamura, Kyoko Motomochi	1973	Box 14: folder 21

Neely, Rachel Schlesinger	1971-75	Box 14: folder 22-23

Notestein, Ada Comstock	1971-75	Box 14: folder 24-25

O'Connell, Joan Landers	1971-75	Box 14: folder 26-27

O'Connor, Jessie Lloyd	1971-75	Box 14: folder 28-29

Olmstead, Mildred Scott	1971-75	Box 14: folder 30-31

Parker, Rachel Neeley	1971-75	Box 15: folder 1-2

Peet, Azalia	1971-75	Box 15: folder 3-4

Picker, Jean Sovatkin	1971-75	Box 15: folder 5-6

Plimpton, Pauline Ames	1971-75	Box 15: folder 7-8

Plumb, Cynthia	1971-75	Box 15: folder 9-10

Plumb, Faith Conant	1971-75	Box 15: folder 11-12

Pratt, Annis Vilas	1971-75	Box 15: folder 13-14

Raskin, Judith	1971-75	Box 15: folder 15-16

Reed, Helen Appleton	1971-75	Box 15: folder 17-18

Reagan, Nancy Davis	1971-75	Box 15: folder 19-20

Reynolds, Barbara Fisher	1971-75	Box 15: folder 21-22

Rich, Frances L.	1971-75	Box 15: folder 23-24

Rigby, Eleanor Grant	1971-75	Box 16: folder 1-2

Rodgers, Kathryn	1971-75	Box 16: folder 3-4

Rosenfield, Nancy Schulkind	1971-75	Box 16: folder 5-6

Royon, Betty	1971-75	Box 16: folder 7-8

Sampson, Myra	1971-75	Box 16: folder 9-10

Sasaki, Miyoko	1971-75	Box 16: folder 11-12

Scales, Laura Lord	1971	Box 16: folder 13

Schwartz, Felice Nierenberg	1971-75	Box 16: folder 14-15

Seton, Cynthia Propper	1971-75	Box 16: folder 16-17

Smith, Leigh Berrien	1974	Box 16: folder 18

Smith, Mary Byers	1971-75	Box 16: folder 19-20

Snow, Florence E.	1971-75	Box 16: folder 21-22

Spahr, Margaret	1973	Box 16: folder 23

Stair, Lois Harkriden	1971-75	Box 16: folder 24-25

Steeper, Nancy Cook	1974	Box 16: folder 26

Steinem, Gloria	1971-75	Box 17: folder 1-2

Stemple, Jane Yolen	1971-75	Box 17: folder 3-4

Stevenson, Eleanor Bumstead	1971-75	Box 17: folder 5-6

Stevenson, Nancy Anderson	1971-75	Box 17: folder 7-8

Stocks, Esther H.	1971-75	Box 17: folder 9-10

Straus, Ellen Sulzberger	1971-75	Box 17: folder 11-12

Stuard, Susan Mosher	1971-75	Box 17: folder 13-14

Stuntz, Florence Waters	1971-75	Box 17: folder 15-16

Swainbank, Louise Robinson	1971-75	Box 17: folder 17-18

Switkay, Mary Eckman	1974	Box 17: folder 19

Thomas, Carolyn Bedell	1974	Box 17: folder 20

Thompson, Margaret Cook	1974	Box 17: folder 21

Treuhaft, Elizabeth Martin	1971-75	Box 17: folder 22-24

Varnedoe, Lilla Train	1971-75	Box 17: folder 25-26

Vena, Carolyn Willis	1975	Box 18: folder 1

von Klemperer, Elizabeth Gallaher	1971-75	Box 18: folder 2-3

Wagner, Jacquelyn Rennie	1971-75	Box 18: folder 4-5

Waller, Anne Thomson	1971-75	Box 18: folder 6-7

Waller, Sydney	1971-75	Box 18: folder 8-9

Watters, Hyla Stowell	1971-75	Box 18: folder 10-11

Webster, Kate Belcher	1971-75	Box 18: folder 12-13

Weiss, Nancy	1971-75	Box 18: folder 14-15

Wilson, Jean Strachan	1971-75	Box 18: folder 16-17

Wilson, Mary Lou Sweig	1971-75	Box 18: folder 18-19

Wintersteen, Bernice McIhenny	1971-75	Box 18: folder 20-21

Wolfs, Mary L.	1971-75	Box 18: folder 22-23

Wright, Kathryn	1971-75	Box 18: folder 24-25

Wulfing, Shirley Thomas	1971-75	Box 18: folder 26-27

SERIES III. TRANSCRIPT EXCERPTS BY SUBJECT.
This series consists of six boxes of transcript excerpts by subject. Subjects include activities, Alumnae Association, coeducation, curriculum, financing college, minority group reactions, people, places, rules, social mores, social work, vocations, volunteerism and women's education to name some. These are also filed alphabetically.
File guide to clipped transcripts	1973	Box 19: folder 1

Transcripts		Box 19

Not clipped/partially clipped	1974	Box 19: folder 2

Clipped and filed	1971-72	Box 19: folder 3

Activities	1897-1973	Box 19: folder 4-5

Alumnae Association	n.d.	Box 19: folder 6

Board of Trustees and other college committees	n.d.	Box 19: folder 7

Coeducation	1972-74, n.d.	Box 19: folder 8-9

Continuing education	n.d.	Box 19: folder 10

The college	1950, n.d.	Box 19: folder 11

The college	1897-1949	Box 20: folder 1-2

Curriculum	1897-1973	Box 20: folder 3-9

Education	1897-1973	Box 20: folder 10-11

Effects of outside events	n.d.	Box 21: folder 1

Events brought to the college	n.d.	Box 21: folder 2

Feminist movement	1897-1973	Box 21: folder 3-7

Financing college	n.d.	Box 21: folder 8

Houses at the college	n.d.	Box 21: folder 9

Minority group reactions	n.d.	Box 21: folder 10

Other colleges	n.d.	Box 22: folder 1

People at the college	n.d.	Box 22: folder 2

Places	n.d.	Box 22: folder 3

Responsibility of using education	n.d.	Box 22: folder 4

Rules at the college	n.d.	Box 22: folder 5

Social mores	n.d.	Box 22: folder 6

Social work	n.d.	Box 22: folder 7

Sophia Smith	n.d.	Box 22: folder 8

Southern Mountain Workship Program	n.d.	Box 22: folder 9

Special projects at Smith: Institute for the Coordination of Women's Interests and Council of Industrial Studies	n.d.	Box 22: folder 10

Vocations	1897-1929	Box 22: folder 11-12

Vocations	1930-1974	Box 23: folder 1-4

Volunteerism	1897-1949	Box 23: folder 5-8

Volunteerism	1950-1974	Box 24: folder 1-2

W.A.V.E.S.	n.d.	Box 24: folder 3

Why Smith?	1897-1973	Box 24: folder 4-9

Women's education	n.d.	Box 24: folder 10

SERIES IV. AUDIOVISUAL.
This series consists of cassette recording of participant interviews.
Cassette recordings of participant interviews			Box 24

Search Terms

The following terms represent persons, organizations, and topics documented in this collection. Use these headings to search for additional materials on this web site, in the Five College Library Catalog, or in other library catalogs and databases.

Subjects

College, a Smith mosaic.
Smith College.

Contributors

Van Voris, Jacqueline.

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