Cynthia Propper Seton Papers, 1951-1982
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid exported into EAD from InMagic DB/Textworks 7.01. Encoded by Margaret Jessup and Jennifer Smar. 2006-04-07
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Cynthia Propper Seton Papers
Creation of Cynthia Propper Seton Papers
Time of Creation of Cynthia Propper Seton Papers
Seton, Cynthia Propper
Biographical History for: Cynthia Propper Seton Papers
Biographical Note Cynthia Propper was born Oct 11, 1926 in New York City to Charlotte Jansen and Karl Propper. She graduated from the Fieldston School in Riverdale, New York and earned her B.A. from Smith College in 1948. She was married to Paul Seton, the Smith College physician and psychiatrist; the two had five children: Anthony, Julia, Margaret, Jennifer, and Nora. After living in Natick and Stockbridge, Massachusetts the family moved in 1957 to Northampton, where they remained for the rest of Seton's life. Starting in 1956 Seton worked as a journalist, serving for 12 years as a writer for the Berkshire Eagle of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where she wrote a column on modern motherhood called "Skirting the Issue." Her column was also printed in the Washington Post for a year, from 1959-60. She published three essay collections and five novels. Additionally, Seton also wrote articles for magazines such as The Atlantic Monthly, Redbook, and McCall's, and regularly contributed book reviews to several publications. Many critics praised Seton's work, calling her "a latter-day Jane Austen, writing a comedy of manners." Her third novel, A Fine Romance, was nominated for a National Book Award in 1976. In addition to writing, Seton lectured on literary and feminist topics and taught at the Indiana Writer's Conference. After a decade-long battle with Hodgkin's disease and leukemia, Seton died in Northampton on October 23, 1982.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Cynthia Propper Seton Papers consist of 1 linear foot of material dating from 1946 to 1982, with the majority dating from the later 1960's to the end of Seton's life. The collection consists mainly of Seton's writings, including drafts and finished typescripts of her columns, essays, and novels. Personal papers are less extensive, and are primarily Seton's detailed correspondence to her longtime friend and confidante Frances Richardson, whom Seton met in 1951 while their husbands were both at Yale Medical School. These discuss Seton's views on women's rights, writing, travels, her children, and her later battle with Hodgkin's disease. Seton's search for what it means to live a fulfilling life runs heavily throughout the correspondence, a theme she also discusses at length in her writings. The collection also contains several photographs and some biographical information, mostly articles featuring Seton's politics and experience as an older feminist and mother, but also obituaries and other materials relating to her death. Major themes addressed in the papers are the social movements of the 1960s (especially the women's movement); the impact of feminism on middle-aged women; Smith College; the city of Northampton; and the writing process. Organization of the CollectionThis collection is organized into three series: I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS II. CORRESPONDENCE III. WRITINGS
Authors, American--20th century--Biography--Sources
lcsh
Feminism--United States--History--20th century--Sources
Female friendship--United States--History--20th century
Family--United States--History--20th century--Sources
Women authors, American--20th century--Biography--Sources
lcnaf
Northampton (Mass.)--History--20th century--Sources
series
SERIES I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
Contents
Articles and clippings about Cynthia Seton, 1971-83
Obituary clippings, 1982, n.d.
Eulogies, Oct 1982
Photographs, 1946-88, n.d.
SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE
To Frances Richardson, 1963-82
To David Richardson, 10 Nov 1967
SERIES III. WRITINGS
Articles
Literary reviews, clippings, and typescripts, 1973-81
"Ah, Did You Once See Shelley Plain?," n.d.
"The College Town," Feb 1974
"Higamous Bigamous Who Is Monogamous?," n.d.
"On Being Bored By Mistake," 1972
"One Woman and Two Myths," 1972
"On Women, Men, and Monogamy," n.d.
Untitled essay, perhaps related to The Mother of the Graduate, n.d.
Books
The Half-Sisters: incomplete typescript, n.d.
The Mother of the Graduate: typescript, Mar 1970
A Special and Curious Blessing
Typescript, 1968
Galley, 25 Apr 1968
Page proof, 30 Apr 1968
Published copy, 1968
Portions of an untitled novel, n.d.