Sheppard papers
Scope and Contents
The Priscilla Spaulding Sheppard Papers consist of a scrapbook, correspondence, memorabilia, a Mount Holyoke College pin, biographical information and photographs. Most of the material relates to her years as a Mount Holyoke student (1915-1919). The scrapbook is from her College years and her subsequent contacts with classmates. It includes tickets and programs for theatrical performances and musical concerts at Mount Holyoke and programs for performances given at other locations including the Court Square Theater (Springfield, Massachusetts) and on Broadway. Also in the scrapbook are letters, notes, Christmas cards, Valentines, postcards and invitations. There are also mementoes from other Mount Holyoke College related events and gatherings. Of note are two class schedules and a check labeled, "My First Pay Day, Jan. 19, 1916." The scrapbook also includes newspaper clippings about Mount Holyoke- related events and people. The photograph albums contain pictures taken at Mount Holyoke College and other Western Massachusetts locations during her time as a student at Mount Holyoke. Of note are photographs of the Mount Holyoke College traditions of May Day Pageants, Mountain Day, and senior top spinning and rope jumping. There are also photographs of the 1919 basketball team, seniors with their dates to the Senior Dance and of commencement activities (1919). Some of the photographs show students participating in the sports of skiing, tennis and field hockey. Photographs in the albums are primarily of her classmates and other students but there are also photographs of her parents, her housemother, Mount Holyoke trustees and Mount Holyoke faculty members Florence L. Adams, Mary Ashby Cheek, Cornelia M. Clapp, William Churchill Hammond, Ann Haven Morgan, Anna Pell and Christianna Smith and others. Also of note are photographs of groups of Chinese students at Mount Holyoke College. There are also photographs of College buildings and other views of the campus, including views from Prospect Hill and photographs taken after snowstorms. Some of the photographs were taken at surrounding locations including the Connecticut River and Mountain Park in Holyoke, Mass. There are two photographs relating to World War I. One shows the Armistice Day parade held in Holyoke, Massachusetts (November, 1918). Another photograph shows two students dressed in "Farmerettes" uniforms for doing farm work. The correspondence includes letters written by and to her in 1974, 1976 and 1979. The correspondence is primarily with her classmates but there are also two thank-you letters written for memory books she distributed to Mount Holyoke community members at her reunion in 1974. Also included are newspaper clippings about her, an obituary notice and a wedding announcement for her daughter.
Dates
- 1915 - 1979
- Majority of material found within 1915 - 1919
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted
Biographical Note
Priscilla Merrifield Spaulding was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on December 22, 1898 to Edwin Rufus Spaulding, foreman of the Springfield Printing and Binding Company and Mary Colburn Spaulding. She attended Central High School in Springfield before entering Mount Holyoke College in 1915. She majored in English, economics and sociology and graduated in 1919. From 1919-1923 she worked as Society Editor for the "Springfield Union" newspaper. On September 29, 1923 she married George B. Sheppard, an Assistant Superintendent of the Houston Gas and Fuel Company in Houston, Texas. The couple had three children. Between 1934-1956 she worked as a salesperson and assistant to Sheppard while he was the owner and manager of the Carolina Suburban Gas Company in Laurens, South Carolina. After her husband's death in 1956, she was the president of the company until 1961. She also gave violin lessons and played in the Spartanburg and Greenville Symphonies. In addition, she acted as Mount Holyoke College Class of 1919 president, 1980-1991. She died on May 7, 1991 at age ninety-two in Laurens, South Carolina.
Extent
2 boxes (1919 Spaulding)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Sheppard, Priscilla Merrifield Spaulding, 1898-1991; student and businesswoman. Mount Holyoke College graduate, 1919. Papers consist of a scrapbook, correspondence, memorabilia, a Mount Holyoke College pin, biographical information and photographs; primarily contains photographs and mementos from her time as a student at Mount Holyoke.
Arrangement
Arranged in 7 series: Series 1. Scrapbook. Series 2. Photograph Albums. Series 3. Correspondence. Series 4. Memorabilia. Series 5. Mount Holyoke College Pin. Series 6. Biographical Information. Series 7. Photographs.
- Armistice Day -- 1918 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Armistice Day -- Massachusetts -- South Hadley Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- College students -- Massachusetts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Connecticut River -- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- May Day -- 1916-1917 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- May Day -- Massachusetts -- South Hadley Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Basketball Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Buildings -- Photographs Subject Source: Local sources
- Mount Holyoke College -- Campus -- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Commencement -- 1919 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Field hockey Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Photographs Subject Source: Local sources
- Mount Holyoke College -- Plays, pageants, etc. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Schedules Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Skiing Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Sports Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Student life -- 1915-1919 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Students Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Tennis Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College -- Traditions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College Manuscript Collections Subject Source: Local sources
- Mountain Day -- 1915 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mountain Day -- Massachusetts -- South Hadley Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mountain Park (Holyoke, Mass.) -- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Student activities -- Massachusetts -- South Hadley Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women college students -- Massachusetts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1914-1918 -- United States -- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- christmas cards Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- postcards Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- programs (documents) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- scrapbooks Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- valentines Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- Sheppard papers, 1915-1979 (bulk 1915-1919)
- Subtitle
- Finding Aid
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Date
- #169; 2003
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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
