Gladys Ford Pratt papers
Scope and Contents
The Gladys Ford Pratt Papers consist of diaries, correspondence, original writings, biographical information, memorabilia and photographs dating from ca. 1909-1986. Of particular significance are four diaries written while Pratt was a student at Mount Holyoke College, 1912-1913, and during her travels in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean dating from 1939-1967. The Mount Holyoke College diary contains descriptions of daily activities, domestic work, her studies, her thoughts on Sunday sermons, and her social life. The travel diaries describe trips to the southern United States in 1939, the western United States in 1954, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, and England in 1964, and a Caribbean cruise in 1967. The last diary contains short daily entries from 1972. Correspondence includes letters to Pratt from personal friends dating from 1961-1979. A letter by Pratt is dated March 3, 1981. Pratt's writings includes psalms, sermons, plays and the musical notes for the Mount Holyoke "Alma Mater." The collection includes correspondence and other documents reflecting Pratt's participation in the Framingham Heart Study, 1950-1978. The biographical information consists of a biographical note dating from 1924 and an obituary from 1986. Photographs range from ca. 1909-1979 and include formal portraits as well as informal photographs of Pratt alone and with others. There is a photograph of Pratt while she was a student at Mount Holyoke College, there are photographs of her at Mount Holyoke College reunions.
Dates
- ca. 1909-1986
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted
Biographical Note
Gladys Ford Pratt was born on January 16, 1892 in Westfield, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of George F., a whipmaker, and Erminia Ford Pratt. After graduating from Westfield High School, she enrolled in Mount Holyoke College in 1910. She majored in English Literature and history and was a Sarah Williston Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In her junior year, she composed the music to the school's Alma Mater, which is still sung today. After graduating in 1914, she worked as an assistant in the College library. She attended Simmons College in July and August 1916, then left Mount Holyoke to enroll in George Washington University to study the history of art. While in Washington, she was a cataloger at the Smithsonian Institution Library. In February 1920, she became librarian at the Women's College in Delaware. In 1922-1923, 1930, and 1931 she studied library science at the University of Illinois, receiving an M.A. in 1931. She was a cataloger at the University of Illinois in 1922-23, an assistant at the Springfield, Massachusetts library in 1923-24 and librarian at the State Teachers College in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1924-1941. From 1941 to her retirement in 1957, she worked as a librarian at the State Teachers College in Framingham. From 1950-1978, she participated in the Framingham Heart Study. She moved back to South Hadley, Massachusetts after her retirement and worked part time organizing the library for the School of Nursing at Holyoke (Massachusetts) Hospital. She died on November 18, 1986 at the age of ninety-four in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Extent
2 boxes (Faculty/Staff)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Pratt, Gladys Ford, 1892-1986; librarian. Mount Holyoke College graduate, 1914. Mount Holyoke College faculty member, 1914-1917. Papers consist of diaries, correspondence, writings, biographical information, memorabilia and photographs primarily documenting her activities at Mount Holyoke and her travels through letters to friends. Also includes notes on the writing of the musical notes for the Mount Holyoke College Alma Mater, written in 1913.
Arrangement
Arranged in 7 series. Series 1. Diaries. Series 2. Correspondence. Series 3. Writings. Series 4. Framingham Heart Study Participant Records. Series 5. Biographical Information. Series 6. Memorabilia. Series 7. Photographs.
- Alma maters (Songs) -- Massachusetts -- South Hadley Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- College students -- Massachusetts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- College students' writings Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Coronary heart disease -- Risk factors -- Longitudinal studies Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Curricula Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Domestic work Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Religious life Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Songs and music Subject Source: Local sources
- Mount Holyoke College -- Student life -- 1912-1913 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Students Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College Manuscript Collections Subject Source: Local sources
- Voyages and travels Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women college students -- Massachusetts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women travelers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- diaries Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- Pratt papers, ca. 1909-1986.
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections Repository
50 College Street
8 Dwight Hall
South Hadley MA 01075-6425 USA
413-538-3079
archives@mtholyoke.edu
