Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: Biography – Staff\/Personnel
LUCRETIA GARFIELD Correspondence 1919-1958 Part I<\/p>\n
TAGS:<\/strong> Lucretia Garfield, Harry Augustus Garfield, Williams College, US President James A. Garfield, Girl Scouts, social service, Ethel Zande, Katherine Pettit, Evelyn K. Wells, fundraising, donations, epidemics, weaving, Kitty and Allie Ritchie<\/span><\/p>\n Lucretia Garfield<\/strong><\/a> came from a remarkable family. She was born on January 18, 1894, in Ohio, the daughter of<\/span> Harry “Hal” Augustus Garfield<\/span><\/a> and Belle Hartford Garfield. Harry, her father, was President of<\/span> Williams College<\/span><\/a> in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and later headed the<\/span> Federal Fuel Administration<\/span><\/a> during WWI and throughout the 1918-1919 flu pandemic. Belle, her mother was a very sensitive and caring parent but was given to periods of anxiety that required extensive “rests.”<\/span><\/p>\n Harry was the son of the 20th President of the United States,<\/span> James A. Garfield<\/span><\/a> and his wife Lucretia, or “Crete” Garfield. President Garfield died at the hands of a disgruntled and narcissistic assassin.<\/span><\/p>\n As the daughter of Belle and Harry Garfield and granddaughter of First Lady Lucretia Garfield and James, Lucretia had a high bar to reach but she had also inherited the family tenacity and sensitivity to social need and service. Named for her grandmother, whose shortened nickname was “Crete,” she chose to be known as “Cre” and many of her letters to the staff at Pine Mountain are signed with the familiar “Cre” that she reserved for close friends.<\/span><\/p>\n Lucretia Garfield Comer was born in 1894. She married John Preston Comer on December 25, 1925, an Assistant Professor of Government at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. They had three children: John (“Jack”) P. Comer, Mary Laura Comer and Elizabeth Comer.<\/p>\n For more about Lucretia Garfield, her family and her affiliation with PMSS, go to her biography at LUCRETIA GARFIELD<\/a>.<\/p>\n [Note: All letters from PMSS staff are carbon copies, typewritten and unsigned. The initials at the bottom left of most PMSS letters indicate the writer (along with initials of the secretary). For example “EZ” are the initials of Ethel de Long Zande<\/b><\/a>, “KP” refers to Katherine Pettit<\/b><\/a>\u00a0and “EKW” to Evelyn K. Wells<\/b><\/a>. The transcriptions are in chronological order and not necessarily in order of the image number.]<\/span><\/p>\n 001-001d <\/strong>August 19, no year. Handwritten 4-page letter to Miss Wells from Helene(?) Storrow (Mrs. James J. Storrer) at “Sleepy Hill,” Lincoln, MA. [001]<\/strong> She is the Commission of the Massachusetts Council Girl Scouts; Mrs. Peabody suggested to her that PMSS might “enroll some(?) of the girls of your school among the Girl Scouts<\/em>“; [001b]\u00a0<\/strong>and is willing to suggest a captain(?); encloses literature; [001a] <\/strong>recommends Lucretia Garfield,<\/strong> daughter of the president of Williams College, and explains why she may be suitable; asks about financial arrangements; may be able to secure a playground worker; [001c]\u00a0<\/strong>asks for information so she can find the appropriate person; she holds school for the training of officers and knows them well. [001d] <\/strong>Many women studied at Columbia and elsewhere but she knows of no list of those seeking positions.\u00a0<\/p>\n 002 <\/strong>September 9, 1919. To Mrs. James J. Storrow from EZ (Ethel de Long Zande), who is interested in the Girl Scout literature and organizing the girls; only room for a volunteer; describes the girls’ needs; has met Miss Garfield; can provide living expenses only; volunteer must be adaptable to difficult weather and the “unexpected”;<\/em> hopes Miss Garfield will come to PMSS soon.<\/p>\n 003-003b <\/strong>September 2(?), no year. Handwritten 3-page letter to “My dear Miss Wells” from Helene(?) Storrow. [003]\u00a0<\/strong>Refers to her previous letter; [003a]<\/strong> Miss Garfield asked for more information. [003b]<\/strong> recommends Miss Garfield.<\/p>\n 004 <\/strong>September 11, 1919. To Mrs. Storrow from [unsigned], Secretary. Information has been sent and the School hopes Miss Garfield is interested.<\/p>\n 005 <\/strong>October 24, 1919. To Miss V.W. Buffum at Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, from EZ.\u00a0<\/p>\n 005 <\/b>September 15, 1919. To Mrs. Storrow in Lincoln, MA, from EZ, who adds teaching and recreation to Garfield\u2019s potential duties.<\/span><\/p>\n 007 <\/b>September 25, 1919. To Mrs. Zande from Lucretia Garfield. Accepts the position of Girl Scout leader and help on the playground and with teaching. Asks about dates, directions and clothing. Mrs. Storrer will be teaching Lucretia folk-dancing and singing games.<\/span><\/p>\n 006<\/b> October 24, 1919. To Miss V.W. Buffum at Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, from EZ. Asks Buffum to find someone to accompany Garfield when she arrives at Middlesborough. William Lewis<\/strong> will meet her with a mule. Asks about Polly Turner<\/strong><\/a>; encloses photos; mentions Berto<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n 008 <\/b>September 29, 1919. To Miss Garfield in Williamstown, MA, from EZ, who welcomes her; explained the addition of housemother assistant to her duties. <\/span>\u201cYou know all of us share in the home life of the children just as much as we can.\u201d <\/span><\/i>Describes clothing needs; encloses \u201csheet of directions\u201d and traveling instructions. Hopes she arrives by October 16.<\/span><\/p>\n 009<\/b> N.D. Handwritten note to Miss Lucretia Garfield from Ethel Zande. Details arrangements for meeting Garfield in Middlesborough (sic).<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n 010<\/b> October 17, 1919. Handwritten note to Mrs. Zande from Lucretia Garfield, who must stay home a few days longer with her mother who<\/span> \u201chas had a very hard week\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n 012<\/b> October 22, 1919. Typewritten letter to Mrs. Zande from Lucretia Garfield, who explains her mother\u2019s condition; plans to take her mother to a nerve specialist in Bethel; will delay her arrival for a few weeks or more. Suggests that Zande could fill the position with someone else. Offers to arrange a meeting for the PMSS fundraiser [Angela Melville<\/b><\/a>], perhaps at her own school, St. Timothy\u2019s in Catonsville, MD.<\/span><\/p>\n 011 <\/b>October 23, 1919. To Miss Garfield from EZ. Regrets Garfield can\u2019t arrive as scheduled.<\/span><\/p>\n 013 <\/b>October 28, 1919. To Miss Garfield from EZ, who expresses empathy, telling of a similar situation with her own mother. PMSS can hold the Scout leader position open for Garfield. Miss Buffum and Judge Marvin were disappointed when Garfield didn\u2019t arrive and EZ suggests that Garfield\u2019s father, a friend of the Judge, visit him. Miss Melville will be visiting Bryn Mawr but not any further south than Philadelphia.<\/span><\/p>\n 014-014a <\/b>N.D. [014] <\/b>A typewritten note asking Miss Garfield for a list of her degrees or certificates and institutions for the November PMSS Notes <\/em>(1920?). [014a] <\/b>A brief note, apparently handwritten by Garfield, with information about her education.<\/span><\/p>\n 016 <\/b>February 16, 1921. To Mr. James Garfield in Williamstown, MA, from EZ, who thanks him for his $5 annual subscription; encloses a subscription card and literature for others.<\/span><\/p>\n 017 <\/b>March 28, 1921. Two-page letter to Lucretia Garfield in New York City from EZ, [017]<\/strong> who hasn\u2019t written because of her \u201cvery broken and confused year\u2026<\/em>\u201d Thanked her for EZ\u2019s share of the workers\u2019 luncheon box; interested in Garfield\u2019s reports of Pine Mountain teas in New York. Describes PMSS\u2019s \u201cvery good year<\/em>,\u201d including getting electric lights and a nearly finished infirmary, but the school is \u201cdesperately poor<\/em>\u201d financially; Encloses fundraising material for those who wish to be godmothers or godfathers to the children. Described Easter celebration on the campus; singing, egg-hunt, Easter service, and an Easter play. <\/span>\u201cI sometimes wonder if children even in fortunate circumstances manage to get as much beauty packed into a festival as ours do here.\u201d <\/span><\/i>[017a]\u00a0<\/strong>EZ expresses interest in the work at Williams College; regrets how difficult it is to get “first-hand facts.” <\/em>Evelyn to attend the Knoxville Conference; describes her ideas for May Day.<\/p>\n 018<\/b> April 11, 1921. To Lucretia from EZ, who thanks Garfield for her annual subscription of $15; mumps epidemic; measles just starting; can\u2019t afford to finish the Infirmary<\/a>, so the two-room log house is the temporary hospital.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 019<\/b> May 27, 1921. To \u201cMy dear Girl,” from EZ. Appreciated scholarship donations from Garfield\u2019s grandmother (Mrs. Mason) and Miss Lynch; mentions Kay [Katherine B.] Wright<\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n 020<\/b> July 12, 1921. To Lucretia from EZ, who asked if she had paid a $12.30 bill; received clothing and toys from a donor in Williamstown.<\/span><\/p>\n 021-021f<\/b> July 26, 1921. Eight-page handwritten letter to Mrs. Zande from Lucretia. <\/span>[021]<\/b> Assures Zande that her bill was paid. <\/span>[021a] <\/b>Enjoyed visiting with Kay and Ethel Wright<\/strong>, who won\u2019t be returning to PMSS next year <\/span>[021b]<\/b> but Kay will be returning. <\/span>[021c] <\/b>Garfield is still indefinite about returning to PMSS; <\/span>[021d] <\/b>is interested in serving at the extension center. <\/span>[021e] <\/b>She may be able to come to PMSS if her parents go abroad <\/span>[021f]<\/b> and fill in for a few months. <\/span>[021g] <\/b>Confirms Grandmother Mason\u2019s address.<\/span><\/p>\n 022 <\/b>N.D. Typewritten note from EKW (Evelyn K. Wells), who asks about assigning Lucretia Garfield the playground. A handwritten unsigned note answers, <\/span>\u201cYes\u2026.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n 023-023c <\/b>August 24, 1921. Three-page handwritten letter to Mrs. Zande from Lucretia Garfield, <\/span>[023a] <\/b>Gives the dates when she can work: October 2 until January <\/span>[023b] <\/b>when her parents are abroad. <\/span>[023c] <\/b>The Institute is nearly over now.<\/span><\/p>\n 024 [no image available]<\/b><\/p>\n 025 <\/b>September 10, 1921. Two-page handwritten letter to Mrs. Zande from Garfield. Will arrive in Bristol on September 14 to return to PMSS with Kay. <\/span>[025a] <\/b>Closing and signature.<\/span><\/p>\n 068<\/b> February 23, 1922. To Lucretia from [unsigned]. Mrs. Zande is in Louisville; <\/span>\u201coverjoyed your two anonymous contributors<\/span><\/i>\u201d; enclosing literature. \u201c<\/span>I feel sure Mrs. Zande will want to buy a bond with this money, for large sums ought to be invested at once rather than spent.\u201d <\/span><\/i>Mentions <\/span>Delia<\/b>\u2019s twins, Cooley [Olive Coolidge]<\/a><\/strong>, Emily Chichester <\/strong>and Mr. Sharp.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 069-069a<\/b> March 8, 1922. Two-page letter to Lucretia in Williamstown, MA, from EZ, <\/span>[069]<\/b> who had been in Frankfort concerning the road;<\/span> \u201cI am glad you got the idea of our protest \u2018across\u2019 at Savannah\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/i>; pinned tenderfoot badges on the girls\u2019 troop at Line Fork. Mentions \u201cbetter babies posters\u201d; Mrs. Alderman\u2019s application and her possible salary;<\/span> \u201c…annual running expenses are over $50,000 this year, as they were last year. About a fourth comes in from annual pledges.\u201d <\/span><\/i>[069a] <\/b>Refers to speaking trips as \u201ccultivating\u201d new friends who may become large contributors later. The contributions from the trips at least pay for travel expenses, but sometimes more. The other income is from mailed literature (other than <\/span>Notes<\/span><\/i>) once or twice a year, associations and individuals, individual letters sent to mailing list friends, and letters to new people. <\/span>\u201cThe income from our endowment will amount now to $1,275.00 a year. This is a help, but you see it is not nearly as much as it ought to be.\u201d <\/span><\/i>Mentions Aunt Sal and Berto.<\/span><\/p>\n 026 <\/b>April 10, 1922. To Lucretia from EZ, who thanked her for the books and described how they are needed. Enjoying Miss (Olive) Coolidge, who can stay for May Day; EZ passed her second-class Girl Scout tests.<\/span><\/p>\n 027<\/b> April 15, 1922. To Lucretia in Williamstown, MA, from EZ. Encloses the week\u2019s form letter [Dear Friend letter?]; received $1000 gift for the Demonstration Cottage (Practice House<\/a>?), where Miss Atkins<\/strong> and two girls will live. Atkins will teach Domestic Science at the high school which gives the girls units of credit for their work; same with the boys under Mr. [Leon] Deschamps<\/strong><\/a> in Forestry and Orcharding.<\/span><\/p>\n 028<\/b> April 15, 1922. To Lucretia from EZ. Appreciates $15 gift; describes springtime at PMSS. The children are eating rice and cocoa for four weeks to save money for the Polish children.<\/span> \u201c…[W]e are so glad to have them realize in their own persons the sufferings of others.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n 029<\/b> April 19, 1922. To “My dear Miss Garfield” from KP (Katherine Pettit), who thanks Garfield for money for the blanket; mentions Miss Doughty<\/strong>\u2019s blanket; Miss [Daisy] Bilbrey<\/strong> leaves June 1st and her replacement will need to learn to weave blankets appropriately; mentions Garfield coming to PMSS in September; asks if Garfield knows a weaver for PMSS and someone to take charge of Line Fork<\/a>. Miss Atkins is staying and will <\/span>\u201chave a well-organized household Economics Department.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n 039<\/b> April 20, 1922. Typewritten letter to Mrs. Zande from Lucretia Garfield. Mr. E.I. Goodrich of Williamstown, MA, offers 2 dozen army coats to PMSS.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\nCONTENTS: LUCRETIA GARFIELD Correspondence 1919-1958\u00a0
Part I (1919-1922)<\/h3>\n1921<\/h2>\n
1922<\/h2>\n