Carol Leonard Papers, 1966-2008
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith College Northampton, MA
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Margaret Jessup. 2008-12-10
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Carol Leonard Papers
Creation of Carol Leonard Papers
Time of Creation of Carol Leonard Papers
Leonard, Carol
Biographical History for: Carol Leonard Papers
Biographical Note Governor Hugh Gallen signing New Hampshire midwifery legislation, with group of women including Carol Leonard looking on, 15 August 1981 Carol Leonard was born in Bangor, Maine on June 10, 1950. She received a B.S. in biology from New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire in 1974. She trained as a midwife from 1975 to 1977 with Dr. Francis Brown and has been a practicing midwife since 1978. In 1979 she co-founded the Concord (New Hampshire) Midwifery Service, where she practiced until 1987. In 2000, she founded the Longmeadow Farm Midwifery Service and Birthing Home at her farm in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, one of only two midwife-owned and operated, free-standing birth centers in the state. Leonard was a board member of the New Hampshire Feminist Health Center, where she trained and was a well-woman health care provider, as well. She was the first midwife certified to practice in New Hampshire (1985) and a charter member of the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) (1982). Through the years she held numerous positions within MANA and was elected president of the organization in 1986. In 1984 Leonard received the Bronze Medal for Bravery from the Australian government for saving a man's life, and in 1990 she went to the former Soviet Union to study birthing practices. This trip was videotaped and featured on ABC's 20/20 in April 1991. Leonard is on the faculty of Birthwise Midwifery School in Bridgton, Maine, a nationally accredited program. She is the author of Lady's Hands, Lions Heart: Memoirs of a Midwife (2008), co-author, with Elizabeth Davis, of Women's Wheel of Life: Thirteen Archetypes of Woman at Her Fullest Power (1996), and published a two-part series on menopause titled Women of the Thirteenth Moon: The Baby Boomer's Survival Guide to Menopause.
Carol Leonard began donating her papers to the Sophia Smith Collection in 1991.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Carol Leonard Papers consist of 3 linear ft., and date from 1966 to 2008. They offer a glimpse into the general practice of midwifery, the legal status of lay midwifery in the State of New Hampshire, and Leonard's profession as a midwife. Types of materials include correspondence, clippings, articles, photographs, case files, surveys, legal documents, and writings. They document the general practice of midwifery, the legal status of lay midwifery in the State of New Hampshire, and Leonard's profession as a midwife. Types of materials include correspondence, primarily from Leonard's clients expressing gratittude and describing their experiences and feelings following childbirth; clippings and articles about her; documentation of her travel to Russia in 1990 to observe childbirth practices and to help improve maternity care there. There are also records of Leonard's work with the New Hampshire Division of Public Health in formalizing the legalization and regulation of lay midwifery in that state; general information about the practice and legal status of midwifery in New Hampshire, the U.S. and other countries; materials pertaining to Leonard's involvement in several midwifery practices, as well as correspondence and printed materials pertaining to the early years of the Midwives Alliance of North America. Materials pertaining to Carol Leonard's writings include a pre-publication copy of her book Lady's Hands, Lions Heart: Memoirs of a Midwife. There are also photographs of Leonard, her clients, family and friends.
This is a continuing collection to which materials will be added from time to time.
The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection, although researchers must sign the "Access Agreement Form" before viewing them. Certain photographs are closed, and new accessions are closed until processed.
The Sophia Smith Collection owns copyright to the papers, with the exception of Leonard's book, Lady's Hands, Lions Heart: Memoirs of a Midwife, to which she has retained rights. Permission must be obtained to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use." Copyright to materials authored by persons other than Carol Leonard (including Elizabeth Davis, co-author of Women's Wheel of Life: Thirteen Archetypes of Woman at Her Fullest Power) may be owned by those individuals or their heirs or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.
Related materials can be found in Midwives Alliance of North America Records
Processed by Burd Schlessinger, 2008
Childbirth -- History -- United States --20th century --Sources
lcsh
Midwifery -- United States --20th century --Sources
Midwives -- New Hampshire -- Biography -- Sources
lcnaf
Midwives' Alliance of North America
series
SERIES I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS (1966-2008)
This series contains legal documents, including the contract stating the terms between Leonard and potential clients. It also includes photographs of Leonard alone, and with clients, family and friends; and clippings and articles about her, including documentation of her travel to Russia in 1990 to observe childbirth practices and to help improve maternity care there. Restricted photographs are filed separately.
SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE (1976-92)
The correspondence, primarily from Leonard's clients, includes letters of gratitude and thanks. Numerous letters describe the women's experiences and feelings following childbirth; several also contain discussion of payment for Leonard's services. There is some personal correspondence from friends and colleagues, and a small amount of business correspondence not related to clients.
SERIES III. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES (1976-92)
This series primarily documents Leonard's work with the New Hampshire Division of Public Health in formalizing the legalization and regulation of lay midwifery in that state. There is general information about midwifery as a medical specialty, the practice and legal status of midwifery in other countries, applications for license to practice midwifery in New Hampshire, and documentation of the lay midwifery certification and examination process. The series also includes materials pertaining to Leonard's involvement in several midwifery practices, as well as correspondence and printed materials pertaining to the early years of the Midwives Alliance of North America. Also of interest is documentation of investigations into several cases of infant and maternal mortality (involving midwives other than Carol Leonard).
SERIES IV. WRITINGS (1988-2008)
Materials pertaining to Carol Leonard's writings include a pre-publication copy of her book Lady's Hands, Lions Heart: Memoirs of a Midwife, correspondence pertaining to an early proposal for the book, a diary entry, and a dream recall.
SERIES I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
Resumes, and internet printouts1985, 2008, n.d.
Articles, clippings, travel documents, basal temperature charts, calendars, and business cards1978-84, n.d.
Legal documents1977-78, n.d.
Financial information: checkbooks, bills, and receipts1978-85
Soviet training mission: clippings, correspondence, and articles1990-91
Photographscirca 1966-94, n.d.
SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE
General
Seattle Midwifery School1983-85
Third-partyn.d.
SERIES III. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Midwives Alliance of North America
Correspondence1983-86, n.d.
Fliers, brochures, notes, mailing list, and printed materials1984-91, n.d.
State of New Hampshire Lay Midwifery
Certification and regulation
General information: articles, statistics, forms, and correspondence and memoranda1978-85, n.d.
Scope of Practice2003
Applications to practice1985
Written examinations1985, n.d.
Advisory Committee
Case histories of infant or maternal mortality1985-86
Client files1978-86, n.d.
Concord Midwifery Service: policies and procedures, fliers, and forms1983, n.d.
Longmeadow Farm Midwifery Service and Birthing Home: correspondence, brochure, and internet printout1999, 2008
New Hampshire Childbirth Education Association: newsletters1977
New Hampshire Midwives Association: proposed regulations and flier1982, n.d.
New Hampshire Women's Health Services: pregnancy surveys and names of Board of Directorsn.d.
Conferences and workshops
Presentations by Carol Leonard
International Confederation of Midwives: "Delivery Over an Intact Perineum": correspondence, forms, articles, and notes1987
Other1984-92, n.d.
General information about other conferences and workshops1976-79, n.d.
Forms, and handoutsn.d.
Product information1980, n.d.
Childbirth and midwifery, general information about: articles and clippingscirca 1974-80s
Spirituality: articles, and fliers1985-87, n.d.
Miscellaneous documentsn.d.
SERIES IV. WRITINGS
Lady's Hands, Lions Heart: Memoirs of a Midwife
Desktop publishing copy, publicity, and internet printouts1999, 2008
"Midwife": correspondence, and contract1988 (probably re: early version of Lady's Hands, Lions Heart)
Diary entry and dream recall1988, n.d.
Notes about midwiferyn.d.
Photographs of women giving birth1977-80, n.d.
[CLOSED]
OVERSIZE MATERIALS
Calendars, clippings, correspondence, and writings1977-91, n.d.
BOOKS ON SHELF
Carol Leonard, Bad Beaver Tales: Love and Life on a New Sustainable Homestead in Down East Maine, Volume I - Camp Kwitchabitchin 2012