Catharine Beecher. 25 letters, Catharine to Louisa Wait, a former Litchfield [Female Academy, Sarah Pierce, principal] schoolmate, 1819-1825. Digital
Scope and Contents
(Of these 3 are undated, but were written during the same period.) Very full and confidential letters which document the metamorphosis of Catharine's character following Fisher's death. The first five, full of gay girlish gossip and nonsense, report on a visit to Boston in 1819. The following three describes in some detail Catharine's first experience in teaching at New London, and Fisher's courtship. In January and March 1822 she sends news of Fisher's proposal and his farewell visit before leaving for Europe. In September, after Fisher's death, she writes in a wholly changed tone, of her grief, her penitence for former hopes of worldly happiness, and her decision to devote her life to good works. In 1823 she reports on her long visit to Fisher's family. The next year, wholly sober and didactic, she describes the founding and operation of her Hartford school. The last letters are concerned with a new crisis. The defection of Louisa's fiance. Catharine's advice throws further light on her character.
Dates
- Creation: 1798-1956
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Access. Originals closed; use digital images. Or, use microfilm M-45. See container list below for list of microfilmed or unmicrofilmed material.
Extent
5.84 linear feet ((12 file boxes, 2 card file boxes) plus 6 folio+ folders, 4 oversize folders, 1 supersize folder)Physical Location
Collection stored off site: researchers must request access 36 hours before use.
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.