Foster papers, 1897-1960 (bulk 1910-1960)
General International Standard for Archival Description
Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections South Hadley, MA
Finding aid generated in MARC format from database, then encoded using Perl scripts and XSL stylesheet. 2004-04-06
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Foster papers
Creation of Foster papers
Time of Creation of Foster papers
Foster, Katharine Condon, 1892-1960.
Biographical History for: Foster papers
Biographical Note Katharine Eleanor Condon was born on October 13, 1892 to Randall Judson Condon and his wife Eliza Sturtevant Condon in Everett, Massachusetts. She graduated from high school in 1910 in Helena, Montana, where her father was Superintendent of Schools. She entered Mount Holyoke College in the fall of 1910, majoring in art and English literature and earning her B.A. degree in 1914. She attended the University of Cincinnati in Ohio for additional work in "secretarial and home economics" in 1914-1915. In 1924-1925 she attended the School of Religious Education, Boston University, and assisted her father in Friendship, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts with editing the "Atlantic Readers." She was a private secretary in Cincinnati from 1915-1919. She began working for the Young Women's Christian Association in 1919 and held a variety of positions in that organization until 1931. On August 13, 1925 she married Frank C. Foster, a teacher at Hampton Institute, Virginia. The Fosters lived in Virginia, New York City, North Carolina, California, and Tennessee, but made their home in Friendship, Maine. They had two children, Randall Condon Foster, born 1929, and Walter Sturtevant Foster, born 1933. She died September 11, 1960 in Friendship, Maine at the age of sixty-seven.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Katharine Eleanor Condon Foster Papers consist of correspondence, a scrapbook, financial records, memorabilia, Asheville College publications, and biographical information. These materials chiefly reflect her years as a student at Mount Holyoke College, 1910-1914. Her letters written to her aunt, uncle, and parents describe her activities during her freshman and senior years, 1910 and 1913-1914. They include descriptions of faculty members, guest speakers, and events such as the Freshman Frolic, Founder's Day, an ice carnival, Senior Show, Mountain Day, and off-campus excursions. The letters also mention food, the end of the domestic work system, the support of missionary work, and physical education activities such as basketball and fencing. Her scrapbook contains addresses of friends, photographs, College publications, programs, copies of examinations, and other material reflecting her life as a Mount Holyoke student. The memorabilia consists of a cafe bill of fare, probably dating from her student years, and a Christmas card, 1947. Financial records concern her expenses at Mount Holyoke College, 1910-1911, 1913-1914. The Asheville College material concerns the institution in North Carolina where her husband served as Dean and later President. This material includes catalogues and student publications which describe the curriculum and facilities of the Asheville Normal and Collegiate Institute, 1897-1898, Asheville Normal and Teacher's College, Asheville Teachers College, and Asheville College, 1937-1943. Rounding out the collection is biographical information dating from 1914-1960. This material includes Foster's obituary.
College students - Massachusetts.
lcsh
Women college students - Massachusetts.
Mountain Day - Massachusetts - South Hadley.
Physical education for women - History - Sources.
Mount Holyoke College - Traditions.
Mount Holyoke College - Student expenses - 1910-1914.
Mount Holyoke College - Student life - 1910-1914.
Mount Holyoke College - Domestic work.
Mount Holyoke College - Examinations - 1910-1914.
Founder's Day.
lcnaf
Mount Holyoke College - Students.
Mount Holyoke College - History - Sources.
Asheville-Biltmore College - History - Sources.
Mount Holyoke College - Faculty.
Mount Holyoke College - Sports.
Asheville College.
Asheville Normal and Teachers College.
Asheville Normal and Collegiate Institute.
aat
series
Correspondence, 1910, 1913-1914
This series chiefly consists of seventeen letters written by Foster as a student at Mount Holyoke College. Seven are addressed to her parents, dated October 10-November 13, 1910, and ten are written to her aunt and uncle, dating October 1913-February 15, 1914. The letters discuss topics such as food, faculty members, Freshman Frolic, Founder's Day, Mountain Day, lectures by outside speakers, support of missionary work, physical education activities and events (such as basketball games and fencing), the end of domestic work, an Ice Carnival, her studies, especially in English, and Senior Show. Foster was an enthusiastic member of the College community and her letters provide lively and detailed descriptions of her activities within the limited time frame in her freshman and senior years.
Unrestricted
Correspondence, 1910
Correspondence, 1913-1914
Scrapbook, 1910-1915
This series consists of a scrapbook that Foster kept from 1910-1915. Most of this material reflects her years as a student at Mount Holyoke College, 1910-1914. This volume includes addresses of and notes from friends, College publications, examinations, programs, party favors, dance cards, and photographs of students and their activities.
Financial Records, 1910-1911, 1913-1914
This series contains lists of expenses, 1910-1911, 1913-1914. These records are from when she was a student at Mount Holyoke College and they reflect the people with whom she dealt.
Memorabilia, 1910-1914, 1947
This series consists of a breakfast bill of fare from "Tip Top Café," circa 1910-1914, and a Christmas card sent by the Fosters in 1947. The photograph on the front of the card may be of their home in Friendship, Maine.
Asheville College Publications, 1897-1898, 1937-1943
This series contains publications relating to Asheville College, in Asheville, North Carolina, where Frank Foster was Dean and President. The series includes a catalogue for the Asheville Normal and Collegiate Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, dated 1897-1898. Other publications date from 1937-1943. They are for Asheville Normal and Teacher's College, Asheville Teachers College, and Asheville College. They consist of catalogues, 1937-1943, summer school catalogues, 1938, 1939, 1941, and the "Highland Outlook," published by students at the school in 1940 and 1941. These books include historical information about the school, descriptions of the curriculum, and photographs of the campus and buildings.
Asheville Normal and Collegiate Institute Catalogue, 1897-1898
Asheville Normal and Teachers College Catalogues, 1937-1940
Asheville College Catalogue, 1940-1943
Asheville summer school Catalogue, 1938, 1939, 1941
Asheville College "Highland Outlook,"1940, 1941
Biographical Information, 1920-1960
This series consists of biographical notes, newspaper clippings, her marriage announcement, and her obituary. The series also includes a chronicle of "Some Dates and Events" in Foster's life, prepared by her family. This material dates from 1920-1960.