Gertrude L. Didcoct Papers, 1890-1979, n.d.
General International Standard for Archival Description
Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Patricia J. Albright. 2005-12-16
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Gertrude L. Didcoct Papers
Creation of Gertrude L. Didcoct Papers
Time of Creation of Gertrude L. Didcoct Papers
Didcoct, Gertrude L. (Gertrude Lukins), 1882-1979
Biographical History for: Gertrude L. Didcoct Papers
Biographical Note Gertrude Ruth Lukins Didcoct, a teacher, librarian and Mount Holyoke College graduate, was born on April 2, 1882 in Streator, Illinois to William Lukins and Dora Ramsey Lukins. She attended Streator Township High School, then went to Mount Holyoke College from 1901-1906, graduating with a B.A. in biology and mathematics (she remained affiliated with the Class of 1905). She married John Joseph Didcoct, a professor of secondary education at George Peabody College for Teachers, on August 22, 1911 and had two children. She was a high school teacher of mathematics at Streator Township High School from 1906-1911 and a librarian at George Peabody College from 1929 until about 1944. She died in Washington, D.C. on April 9, 1979 at the age of ninety-seven.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Gertrude L. Didcoct Papers contain correspondence, memorabilia, biographical information and photographs. Most of the collection consists of letters that she wrote twice each week to her brother and mother while she was a student at Mount Holyoke College, 1901-1905. She discusses dormitory life, her friends, classes and professors, and College president Mary Emma Woolley. She frequently mentions difficulties with her studies. She also discusses Sunday services; visiting lecturers; parties and preparing food with a chafing dish; College regulations; clothing and shopping; visits to nearby towns in Massachusetts as well as Boston and New York City; minstrel shows with students in black face; her expenses; sports books that she is reading; her domestic work; and College traditions such as Junior Lunch, Junior Prom, Mountain Day and Faculty Show. The collection contains several letters to Didcoct as well, dating from 1890-1900 and written by relatives and friends. Three of these letters are from a cousin who describes his activities while training in Georgia with members of Company C of the Illinois Volunteer Calvary in the summer of 1898 during the Spanish-American War. Memorabilia consists of invitations, programs, brochures, announcements and a class of 1905 letter, 1895-1905, n.d. Biographical information consists of two biographical notes concerning Didcoct, circa 1911 and circa 1927, an obituary for her husband, 1927, and her obituary, 1979. Photographs date from circa 1901-1905 and include one of a dormitory room interior at Mount Holyoke and two of students at parties.
Mount Holyoke College-Students.
lcsh
Mount Holyoke College-Faculty.
Mount Holyoke College-Traditions.
Mount Holyoke College-Domestic work.
Mount Holyoke College-Student life-1901-1905.
Mount Holyoke College-Student expenses-1901-1905.
Clothing.
Student activities-Massachusetts-South Hadley.
College students-Massachusetts.
Women college students-Massachusetts.
Soldiers-United States.
Spanish-American War, 1898.
Didcoct, Gertrude L. (Gertrude Lukins), 1882-1979.
lcnaf
Woolley, Mary Emma, 1863-1947.
aat
series
Correspondence
September 9-22 1901
September 23-30 1901
October 3-16 1901
October 20-31 1901
November 4-17 1901
November 21-28 1901
December 1901
January 1902
February 3-15 1902
February 16-26 1902
March 1902
April 1902
May 1902
June 1902
September 1902
October 1902
November 5-8 1902
November 10-27 1902
December 1902
January 1903
February 1903
March 1903
April 1903
May 1903
June 1903
July-August 1903
September 1903
October 1903
November 1903
December 1903
January 1904
February 1904
March 1904
April 1904
May 1904
June 1904
July 1904
August 1904
September 1904
October 1904
November 1904
December 1904
January 1905
February 1905
March 1905
April 1905
May-June 1905, n.d.
Memorabilia 1895-1905, n.d.
n.d.
Biographical Information circa 1911, 1927, 1979
Photographs circa 1901-1905
circa 1901-1905