Ada Louise Comstock Papers, 1897-1950
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Smith College Archives Northampton, MA
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Ada Louise Comstock Papers
Creation of Ada Louise Comstock Papers
Time of Creation of Ada Louise Comstock Papers
Comstock, Ada Louise.
Biographical History for: Ada Louise Comstock Papers
Biographical Note Born on December 11, 1876 in Moorhead, Minnesota, Ada Comstock was the eldest of three children; she was bright, vivacious, and very much a tomboy in her early childhood. Her father, a successful lawyer, recognized her capabilities and potential and set about to cultivate them by encouraging an early and sound education for his daughter. Ada completed her high school education at the age of fifteen and then went on to college. In 1895 she transferred from the University of Minnesota to Smith College, where she completed her last two years of undergraduate study. As a Smith student, Ada often questioned the established rules and norms of college life. While a resident of Hubbard House, she was given a case of champagne which the housemother felt should be given away. Instead, in what was characteristically her spirit, she decided to store it in the water cooler to refresh her friends! After graduating from Smith in 1897, Ada went on to a graduate program at Moorhead State Normal School where she became certified to teach. She then entered Columbia University for graduate work in English, History, and Education, and by 1899 was ready to return home to look for a job. In 1907, after teaching rhetoric at the University of Minnesota, she was appointed the University's first Dean of Women. In this capacity, she was instrumental in improving the quality of life for the women of the college, arguing persistently that a college was responsible for one's physical and intellectual well-being. In 1912, Ada came to Smith as the first ever Dean of the College and to teach English. Particularly challenging to her was the opportunity to advise and teach young women in an all-female institution. One of the most important tenets of her educational philosophy was the inculcation in young women of self-respect, one aspect of which was knowing how to employ oneself. Ada believed very strongly throughout her entire life that a college education should inspire women to take a part in the shaping of the world. In 1917, when the Presidency of Smith College became vacant, Ada was given the responsibility of its operation for approximately 6 months, but was neither given the title of acting President nor was she considered for the position. Despite Ada's significant and numerous contributions to the College, Smith was not ready for its first woman President. Ada was an early member of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae, later called the American Association of University Women which she served as president. She was a founding member and one of the five American voting delegates to the first conference of the International Federation of University Women in London in 1920 and at the second in Paris in 1922. One of their objects was the forwarding of higher education for women in every country in the world. She was active in other areas in public life as well. In 1929 she was the only woman named by President Herbert Hoover to an eleven-person commission to study problems of law enforcement. She was a president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Vice Chairman of the American Council of Institute of Pacific Relations and served on the National Committee for Planned Parenthood. The chance to become the President of a women's college presented itself to Ada in 1923 when Radcliffe offered her the position of their first full-time President. Throughout most of her administration, Ada Comstock struggled with trying to maintain a balance between Radcliffe's association with Harvard and its establishment as an independent women's college. Under President Comstock, Radcliffe was able to launch a nationwide admission program, improve student housing, construct new classroom buildings and expand the graduate program. In short, Radcliffe's permanence was assured. In 1943, Ada felt her work at Radcliffe was complete. She had brought the institution to distinction and maturity, and it was now time to move on. Her honors were numerous, fourteen honorary degrees were conferred on her, including Smith's L. H. D. in 1922. Each of the three institutions she had served, the University of Minnesota and Smith and Radcliffe Colleges have residence halls named for her. At the age of sixty-seven, she stepped down from the Presidency and shortly after announced her marriage to Wallace Notestein, Sterling Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University, a man she had known since her days at the University of Minnesota. Retirement for Ada was an extremely busy period in her life. She continued to be actively involved with the Board of Trustees of Smith College, worked on plans for the graduate center at Radcliffe, did extensive educational committee work, administered a two-career household, and traveled extensively with her husband. Mrs. Notestein died in December of 1973. [Some of this information was taken from the Ada Comstock Scholars Program's History of Ada Comstock at http://www.smith.edu/ada/history.php]
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Ada Louise Comstock Papers contain biographical materials, correspondence, employment histories, speeches and writings, information on her voluntary services and photographs that span Comstock's life and career as Dean of Smith College, President of Radcliffe College and retirement.
lcnaf
Swan, Mabel Dick.
Greene, Helen French, 1868-
Peloubet, Harriet Louise.
Solomon, Barbara Miller.
Smith College--Faculty,
lcsh
Smith College--Presidents.
Radcliffe College--Presidents.
series
Series I: Biographical Materials
This section of the collection contains an index to the collection, awards and degrees, information on Ada's marriage, memorabilia and obituaries.
Collection Index n. d.
General 1923 - 1998
Memories 1974
Awards and Degrees 1958 - 1966
Marriage 1943 - 1969
Obituaries 1973 - 74,n. d.
Comstock House 1975 - 1986
"From Western Prairies to Eastern Commons: A Life in Education, Ada Louise Comstock Notestein, 1876 - 1973" -- By Barbara Miller Solomon 1993
Series II: Correspondence
This section of the collection consists of correspondence, both professional and personal with several letters to and from Ada's closest friend, Mabel Dick Swan.
Smith College 1945 - 1967
Mabel Dick Swan 1937 - 1962
Mabel Dick Swan 1963 - 1969, n. d.
Mabel Dick Swan 1972 - 73, n. d.
General 1912 - 1973
Helen French Greene 1917 - 1923
Harriet Louise Peloubet 1932 - 36
Comstock Family 1914 - 1920
Series III: Employment
This section contains folders housing information pertaining to much of Ada's work, both professional and voluntary dating from 1912 to 1969.
University of Minnesota n. d.
Smith College: Dean's Reports 1912 - 1923
Smith College 1912 - 1923
Smith College: Press Board 1920
Radcliffe College: Inauguration 1923
Radcliffe College 1923 - 1943
Series IV: Photographs
The collection contains five folders of photographs dated from 1897 through 1967 with a few undated photos.
Photographs (Given to Walter F. Ellis) n. d.
General 1897, n. d.
General 1920, 1940
As Mrs. Notestein 1949 - 1967
of portrait presented to Smith College by Cecilia Beaux 1923
Series V: Speeches, Writings, and Publications
This section of the collections is further divided into three smaller sections - speeches, writings and publications including two large bound collections of speeches and writings.
Publications 1915 - 1945
Reunions
Invitations from classes for reunions 1947 - 1976
Smith College Alumnae Council 1946
Speeches
Smith College A. A. U. W. 1922, n. d.
Smith College A. C. A. 1916, n. d.
Amherst College 1921 - 22
Bryn Mawr College 1922
"The College Curriculum as a Matter of Teaching" n. d.
Smith College Commencement 1925
Commencement Address n. d.
"How to Become a Dean of Women" n. d.
Smith College
Greetings to the Class of 1921 1917
Heads of House 1913 - 1921
Higher Education 1925, n. d.
League of Women Voters n. d.
"Welcome to Madame Curie" 1921
Phi Beta Kappa Society n. d.
Student Government 1921
"Prayer for Colleges" n. d.
"Vocational Training for Women" 1915
on War Activities n. d.
General n. d.
Smith Clubs 1912 - 1939
General 1930s
General 1940s
General 1950s
on Press Release 1949
on Memorial Service for Elizabeth Cutter Morrow 1955
General (boxed) 1937 - 1940
General: Compiled by Robert Loeffler n. d.
Bound Collection of Speeches and Writings I 1981
Bound Collection of Speeches and Writings II 1981
Voluntary Services
Alumnae Association Class of 1897 1947 - 1967
President Mendenhall Inauguration 1959 - 1969
Smith College Panel on Postwar Planning 1945 - 46
Board of Trustees 1940 - 44
Board of Trustees 1945 - 46
Board of Trustees: Committee on Needs 1945 - 46
Board of Trustees: Committee on Needs (library) 1945
Board of Trustees 1946 - 47
China Colleges - Commission on Women's Higher Education in China 1945 - 46
China Colleges - China Institute 1945 - 47
China Colleges - International Federation of University Women n. d.
Reid Hall 1947 - 1949
Reid Hall 1950 - 1954
Reid Hall 1955 - 1958
Reid Hall 1959 - 1960
Reid Hall 1961 - 1965
Smith College Alumnae Council 1937 - 1960
Smith College Anniversary Observance Committee 1948 - 49
Smith College Anniversary Fund 1945 - 46
RESTRICTED
Trustees Committee of Instruction 1945 - 49
Correspondence re: Deanship 1945 - 47
Candidates for Dean (in alphabetical order) 1945 - 48
Committee to find President 1948 - 49
Selection of New Trustee (1946) 1945 - 46