NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Peck, Mary. GRAY Nov. 22, '51 MARY GRAY PECK 30 EASTCHESTER ROAD NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y. Dear Edna: Ive had to suggest that if the Congressional Lib. already has copies of the Woodhall magazine, the N.Y. Public Library is the next most appropriate place. Indeed as Victoria was flourishing down town in the financial district place where she published her uninhibited skeet - and was jailed here, and was a thorn in the respectable side of the suffrage movement in this city - the N.Y. Pub. Lib. may be the logical place for it. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was not unsympathetic to Victoria's outrageous views. And I need not tell you that Mrs. Stanton flew to Victoria with SBA's tale of Mrs. Tilton's "confession" of relations with Beecher, thereby precipitating the famous trial. Mrs. Tilton certainly was a damn fool, innocent or guilty. Nobody will ever know which of the latter she was. The N. Y. Public Lib. is in my opinion the foremost in the country as regards its collections. But that is true of every group who are passionately devoted to a cause. they have revolries, suspicions, personal attractions and dislikes. There were dissensions among the disciples of Christ as to who should be first in the Kingdom of God! As to our Revolutionary forefathers -- what John Adams thought about Jefferson at the height of their careers unfortunately got into print-- which they both regretted when the years cooled them off. I spoke to Alda about sending you her letters and she will get them off soon. I wish to goodness that you would write a book about the movement giving a picture of the human side as you glean it from the most vivid of all sources - letters! I must close, am going to N. Y. tomorrow to a luncheon at which Ada Comstock is one of the guests. I'm wondering when Alma Lutz's biography of SBA is coming out? Its a good thing you told her a few things and showed her documentary proof that Lucy Stone and the N. E. movement was going strong before SBA was converted to votes for women. I hope the Lutz biography will be unbiassed. I'd like to know if Lucy Anthony burned the SBA diaries! -- As you may surmise I trod very lightly over some periods of CCC's life. Mrs. Catt never once objected to anything I put in or left out or tried in any way to guide the narrative. I used my best judgment in selecting what material would best illustrate her character and permanent contribution to our national development. As it was I had to exclude about a third of my first draft. I kept what seemed to me most important and let it go at that. Those old pioneers who preceded her generation didn't pull their punches in dealing with each other, and neither did CCC's set!! After the luncheon I go to a Philharmonic Orchestra concert & will prod Alda again about her letters! Give my love & best wishes to dear Maud Wood Park. I am fairly well but not good for much. Hope you are overcoming arthritis! Always very affectionately & gratefully yours M.Q.P. THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL FUND COMMITTEE 21 Ashmont St., Melrose 76,Mass. September 10,1947 Received of Miss Mary Gray Peck One Hundred Dollars - - - - - Edna L. Stantial Treasurer. Contribution deductible in income tax return under section 23 (0) and (q) THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL FUND COMMITTEE 21 ASHMONT ST., MELROSE 76, MASS. MRS. MAUD WOOD PARK, Chairman MRS. EDNA LAMPREY STANTIAL, Secretary-Treasurer JUDGE FLORENCE E. ALLEN MRS. J. BORDEN HARRIMAN MRS. LEWIS JEROME JOHNSON MISS KATHARINE LUDINTON MRS. MALCOLM MCBRIDE MRS. JAMES PAIGE MISS MARY GRAY PECK MISS FRANCES PERKINS MRS. GIFFORD PINCHOT MRS. F. LOUIS SLADE MRS. HALSEY W. WILSON February 15, 1948 Dear M.G.P.: We've heard at last from the Treasury Department and they have given us a ruling on our Fund. I think you may already have reported the gift as The Woman's Rights Collection and if so, it is all right. But if not, The Woman's Journal Fund is the correct listing. I've sent official receipts like the enclosed to all donors of $25.00 or over. Probably most people have taken it for granted that we are exempt. Sent out 700 letters last week and have $240 up to this morning. Mrs. Dean of White Plains sent $25. Saturday and said she would keep in touch with you for further news. I hope we'll make the goal without any further help from those who have already given or pledged. Mr. Hill has written me and given us a figure that sounds too good to be true. If it is correct, we shall have the necessary amount at the end of this month I know. But he hadn't checked all volumes when he wrote. Mrs. Park has gone in town to a meeting of the Women's Action Committee today and I am cleaning up desk work on the Fund. Our love to you, Edna 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N. Y. August 12 , 1 9 5 0 Very dear Maud Wood Park ; - You have been much in my mind all summer - ever since Edna Stantial was here in June , bringing news of you and telling of her new responsibility for the Blackwell Family papers. And it is in that connection that I have wanted to write you. But first, how is your dear self these Korean days ? I've just plowed thru yesterday's session of The United Nations , and feel the need of changed thought. I know you are with Edna at [Nantucket] Martha's Vineyard and you must be thankful to be away from the mainland ! I've been away from home a couple of weeks at my niece's near Philadelphia. Had a good time looking at Austin lay Malik out in Television . Also revisited some of the historic landmarks in and around Philadelphia . Independence Hall still seems t0 me our finest National Monument , bless it's old cracked Liberty Bell ! Now to the main purpose of this letter ;- [*collection*] As you know , the League of Women Voters have recently developt an active interest in the history of their organization as seeming from the N. A. W. A., and they are depositing and cataloging in the Congressional Library at Washington the contents of their files dealing with the suffrage movement . Inview of the fact that Susan B. Anthony and Mrs Catt placed their feminist libraries in the Congressional Library, and now the League is adding to the collection , does it not seem to you that the material which we sent to you and Edna Stantial after going over Mrs Catt's papers in 1947 ought to be placed in the N. A. W. S. A. Collection in the Congressional Library ? Especially since the Blackwell papers are going there ? This means that somebody will have to sort and catalog Mrs Catt's papers . Mrs Slade was greatly impressed with Edna Stantial's account of her work on the Catt material , and I believe she has in mind raising money to make it possible for Edna to give her whole time to documenting the miscellaneous material we had to assemble within the six months after Mrs Catt's death. I know from experience that this is a job that requires time, expert training, knowledge of the subject and infinite patience . Of these qualifications Edna ranks at the top grade . However she has the additional qualification of being custodian of the Blackwell papers, which are dealing with the same movement . We could find nobody to compare with Edna to document this material ! When Mrs Slade gets back home from her vacation , I expect to offer her a substantial contribution to start a fund sufficient to [*not done*] enable Edna to give her whole time for a couple of years or so to the documenting of the Catt and Blackwell papers, 2 and I am telling you before anybody else , so that in case you agree with me that this is the best way to get the suffrage source material all placed in the same collection , in Washington the logical place , you may be thinking it over. I have some correspondence files of Mrs Catt's, including her letters to me for many years , which I shall hand over to Edna if this project goes thru . Doubtless you have letters you will wish to give. There is another thing I wish to mention - your Front Door Lobby. [*publ 1960*] I wonder if you have considered getting it printed for distribution among the leading libraries of the country ? I know Mrs Catt placed a copy in her collection in the Congressional Library, but why don't you leave money in your will to have that superb job of bringing Congress up to the mark publicized for the future? It is your permanent memorial in the history of our country . This is a long letter and I apologise for being so prolix , but I have been thinking these things over for a good while and had to get them off my chest . I am aging, dear Maud , and am beginning to shirk hard work . However life has not lost its savor. I should like to live it all over again - with my experience of the first time to guide me in the repeat performance . With a world of loving remembrances going back over meny years, and hoping that you will approve and support the project of securing Edna as documentation expert for Catt and Blackwell archives - I remain as I always have been, Your admiring and grateful friend, Mary Gray Peck 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N.Y. August 22, '47 Dear Maud Wood Park and Edna Stantial ; - Last night Alda Wilson and I had our final conference with the Keeper of Mss. and one of the book experts who came to look over what has not been sold of Mrs Catt's books. Mr Robert Hill is the "Keeper", and Mr Dornbusch the "expert" . It was a most absorbing experience to see the "expert" select books I would have cast into the incinerator for the N.Y. Public Library shelves. I know perfectly nobody will ever call for some of the volumes he selected - unless perchance another "expert" comes along hoping to ask for something the NYPL cant produce. I was interested to learn that when neophytes come to the NYPL to finish off their course in the Library work, the nut given them to crack is to make a chronological list of the editions of Bancroft's History of the USA. It seems that your Boston historian was so popular that before one edition was disposed of he had another on the ways. So there is no telling what edition you are consulting by means of the date of publication! At least this is what I gleaned from their malevolent discourse. Now to more important themes. (a) Have you a set of SBA's "Revolution"? If not do you want one? (b) We have two bound volumes "The Woman Citizen" 1918 - 1919 ; 1919 - 1920 - which we kept for you if you want them. Also I will try to retrieve for you if possible any copies 2 missing from your file. The unbound incomplete file we had may still be in a box sealed for sending off, but not yet sent. I am very sorry that my memory failed about your file being incomplete, and some dopies damaged by vandals clipping. I went to visit my niece in Jenkintown, Pa., early in July after I had completed the job of going thru the mass of papers brought down from the attic - more dead than alive. Alda packed the consignments and send them off. Unfortunately I had not listed the separate consignments. (c) Would you like a folder of clipped editorials of C.C.C.'s or do you consider your Woman Citizen file enough? An interesting scrapbook could be made of them - a job for some industrious student. Now to a long over-due apology for not replying or alluding to your most deeply appreciated invitation to come to see you and visit the Radcliffe Collection. At first I was unable to leave on account of the work on the papers. Afterwards I just wasn't up to leaving home in the torrid weather. I have planned to drive up to Rochester with Alda Wilson, taking the remaining section of suffrage photographs - six big albums of pictures mounted and lettered by Alda most beautifully with explanatory notes - to be placed in the Anthony Memorial. I enclose - no, I will have to wait, but I will send later Mrs Lewis's account of the opening of the house last June. You will be interested to hear about it. I must close and rush off to an appointment at luncheon. Most grateful and affectionate remembrances to you both, Mary Gray Peck The NYPL has a very complete set of suffrage source material, among the rest your Legislative Congressional Report 1917-19. We gave them a lot. M.G. Peck's first draft of letter suggested as appeal for funds for preservation of Feminist Archives. A situation has developed in regard to preservation of historic documents and records of the Woman Suffrage movement in this country which calls for careful attention from all who had any connection directly or by inheritance with that dramatic struggle. A number of colleges and universities have taken the lead in forming documentary collections of material relating to the movement in response to the increasing demand from writers for biographical and other data about the leaders and events of the period. Following the death of Susan B. Anthony, her feminist library was given to the Library of Congress in Washington. After the victory of Votes for Women in 1920, Mrs Carrie Chapman Catt in closing the offices of the National American Woman Suffrage Association in Washington and New York deposited considerable historical material in the NAWSA Collection in the Library of Congress and in the New York Public Library. She also sent back to the States material relating to suffrage campaigns in various States. But this material, valuable as it is, has within the last decade been augmented by a series of priceless collections of personal letters, diaries and miscellaneous papers, many of which are at present in the legal custody of Mrs Edna Stantial, 21 Ashmont Street, Melrose, Mass. These papers are in part a bequest from Alice Stone Blackwell, who made Mrs Stantial her Executor, and in part manuscripts from the files of Mrs Carrie Chapman Catt which were turned over to Mrs Stantial to be invoiced and indexed and ultimately deposited in the NAWSA collection given by Mrs Catt to the Congressional Library. The task of putting this mass of papers in a form to be available for research can only be appreciated by one who has attempted it. It takes a person of trained experience in indexing and cross-indexing and classifying papers. It also takes the physical stamina of the unshorn Samson! When Mrs. Maud Wood Park back in the 30's conceived the idea of starting a Woman's Rights Collection in Radcliffe College, she secured the assistance of Mrs Edna Stantial in arranging the material. Mrs Stantial did her job scientifically - as the following recent testimonial will authenticate ; - ( Insert quotation from man who used the collection) Mrs Stantial is willing to classify and index the rich material which has come to her recently for permanent deposit in the Congressional Library, but the magnitude of the task makes it imperative that she be enabled to get secretarial help. She is not seeking personal remuneration. She is giving her trained service freely because of her long connection with the cause she is engaged in. She expects to spend the next three years cataloguing the material in her possession. 2 The purpose of this letter is to appeal to you for help in raising the extremely modest sum of $3000 to finance the project of getting these papers properly arranged and made accessible to students and literary searchers. After your income taxes are paid this year, in making out your fiscal budget for next year please give generously to the project of preserving the records of a remarkable social movement. If you could see these papers you could not resist the [interest they arouse] impulse to preserve them for future reference. Dear Edna : - Ive done my durndest in the foregoing. Do whatever you like to it. I shd. think it might be a good idea to get several people to sign the appeal so that more sections of the country cd. to interested. Can you send me Alice Parks address? Is it Palo Alto?? is that enough??? Give MWP my undying affection. Ever yrs, MGP 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N. Y January 21, 1950 Dear Alice Stone Blackwell ; - You will be interested to hear what took place at the final Board Meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, held on January 9th at the home of Mrs F. Louis Slade, 49 East 67th Street, New York City. As you know, Mrs Slade for some years past had invited the Board to hold its annual meetings at her home on the anniversary of Mrs Catt's birthday, and had entertained the board members at luncheon after the business session. Mrs Catt was present at these meetings, including the one on January 9, 1947, shortly before her death, at which time she insisted on retiring as president, and was succeeded by Mrs Slade. At the final meeting on January 9, 1950, there were present - Mrs Slade, Pres.; Mrs Raymond Brown, 1st Vice-pres.; Mary Gray Peck, Cor. Sec.; Mrs Halsey Wilson, Rec. Sec.; Mabel Russell, Treas.; Miss Anna Lord Strauss, Director; Mrs Alfred G. Lewis, Director; Mrs. Thos. B. Wells, Director; Miss Esther Ogden, Director; Mrs George A. Piersol, Director; Judge Dorothy Kenyon, Legal Advisor; Mildred Adams Kenyon and Alda Wilson and Mrs Charles E. Heming, Pres. of the Carrie Chapman Catt Memorial Fund, guests. I shall only give you a summary of proceedings at the final session of the long and historic meetings of the "Grand Old Board" which Alice Stone Blackwell managed to get together under the same roof in 1890. For the record I must say a word of admiration for the place where we wound up our affairs and "passed into history". Mrs Slade's home, just off Fifth Avenue and Central Park, is a beautiful and spacious private mansion with five floors and an elevator to take you to them if you dread the stairways. It is one of the places I ever was in where the food served was equal to the best china and silver! We assembled at 11 A.M. and started in discussing what to do with the "Dickinson Bequest", a legacy left to the NAWSA subject to a life interest in the income of the principle which was to be paid to two relations, cousins of Melissa Dickinson, maker of the will. Melissa Dickinson was a cousin of Susan B. Anthony, and the will had been pending for many years. Mrs Catt kept the surface association alive in order to get the legacy, and finally the last of the claimants to a life interest in the estate died in 1948, and about $31 000 had been paid into the NAWSA Treasury. There were two proposals for the disposition of the greater part of the legacy. There was unanimity on the motion to give $5 000 to the International Alliance of Women, also $1 000 to the Susan B. Anthony Memorial in Rochester, N.Y. But there 2 was diversity of opinion as to what to do with the remaining $25 000. Some wished it to go to the National League of Women Voters, others wished to give it to the Carrie Chapman Catt Living Memorial Fund. The discussion lasted all through the business session, all through the luncheon, and until we had made up our minds. The fact that the two women were present – i.e., Miss Strauss & Mrs. Heming, who are top officers of the two organizations concerned, was a salutary feature of the discussion. They could both see that we all wanted to do the wisest thing and that we were honestly pulled in both directions. We finally voted with one abstention to give the $25 000 to the League, which is in every sense a Living Memorial to Mrs Catt. It was a painful decision for me personally to make, and the main reason for my decision was that the League is a permanent, well-organized, progressive force in the nation, with a constitution and by-laws, and responsive to the will of its members. The Memorial Fund is a temporary proposition, admirable in purpose and most worthwhile, but in my opinion it should obtain support through its own drawing power on public opinion. The final incident in the meeting was a fitting conclusion for the last Board Meeting of the old National American Suffrage Association. Mrs Piersol, who had religiously made a point of coming to these annual meetings, sometimes from great distances, was seated at the table next to Anna Lord Strauss. She has grown quite hard of hearing the past year, and the discussions during the business sessions were considerably retarded by our efforts to keep her informed. But now at the close, when our differences had been gradually resolved in agreement, she turned to Miss Strauss who is Lucretia Mott's great-grand- daughter and said - "You Know I remember seeing Lucretia Mott, and I have never forgotten something she said which comes back to me very appropriately at this moment. It was at a Quaker meeting in Philadelphia. I was about seven years old and was there with my parents. There had been a long discussion about something which ended in reconciliation and agreement. Then Mrs Mott moved for adjournment in these words, - "And now while we are under the canopy of Love let us part'." All of us present realized that this was the inspired benediction over the adjournment of the last Board Meeting of the NAWSA. It was unpremeditated, quite spontaneous, it linked the end with the beginning in a complete and historic whole. It was a perfect "last word". It has been in my mind to write to you, dear Miss Blackwell, ever since I got your Christmas greeting with its bracing messages from yourself and other folks who can get cast down without being destroyed. I wonder if women today have the moral stamina of the women of your generation? How I should enjoy a talk with you - about China, about India, about Communism, about the English-speaking nations! Meantime I can only send these bare outlines of what went on at the last meeting of the organization you were so closely related to. Ever most affectionately yours Mary Gray Peck MARY GRAY PECK 30 EASTCHESTER ROAD NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y.. May 24, 51 Dear Edna: - I'm just back from N. Rochelle P.O. where I mailed 3 parcels of First Class mail to you - weighing circ 30lbs on which I paid $15.19 postage - it was officially weighed in my presence so don't let 'em soak you for any more! I cd. have economized by separating and being less extravagant in wrapping printed matter. But I am so glad to get the letters off to you that "damn the expense!" Shall be glad to hear your adventures in Washington when you have time to write. It is my understanding that these letters go to NAWSA collection. Lib. Cong. Love to M.W.P. and you MGP Private Post Card Mrs. Edna Stantial 21 Ashmont St. Melrose 76 Mass. I don't have your Vineyard address. 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle NY. July 13, 50 Dear Edna Stantial:- I've read Front Door Lobby, so you neednt send me your copy. Maud let me take it when I was working on CCC Biog. It seems to me that as a source document it is of importance, but that it will have to be presented to libraries. Does it have to be printed? How about micro-filming, or some other way of copying? How long is it? As I remember it is longer than a report and shorter than a smallish book. Printing is pretty expensive. How many copies do you think would be adequate? and where should they be placed? Would 25 copies strategically placed in leading libraries and private collections be sufficient? Mrs. Catt's home here is at last sold for a private residence to a plastic surgeon and wife, who practice in New York City - Dr. Wilson A. Swanker by name. Alda Wilson has met them and likes them. They got the place for less than $25,000, I understand, but please dont quote me as this is inferential, not authentic information. Anyway it was high time the house was sold, as taxes were high and the longer it stood empty, deteoration was going on. The Swankers certainly got a lovely home for a song, but they will have to spend several thousand dollars on it at once. How about my suggesting to Maud that the Blackwell papers ought to be helped on their way to the Congressional Library – or is she already committed to that? Didnt you say that it is proposed to collect a fund for that purpose? Thanks for the souvenir program for celebration at Lucy Stone House. What a whiz you are! Energy in all its forms is yours. Love & best wishes to Maud & Edna M. G. P. Dear Justina Wilson:– CCC thinks it is fine to get Mrs. Morrisson's article in magazine. Have had no chance to read it to CCC, but have read it with great pleasure myself. Have corrected two errors on p3. otherwise have only 2 minor criticisms indicated on appended slip. Go to it immediately, Old Top! M.G.P. [*(Mary Gray Peck) Mrs Mary Foulke Morrisson*] June 4, 1947 Dear E.S. 1) Of course I am honored to have my name on your list for letterhead committee sponsoring microfilming Woman's Journal. 2) Wom. Cit - Wom. Journal file. It is most important for you to have complete file of Jour. Citizen, & so I will send CCC's which is not entirely complete on to you You can sent duplicates to Smith. 3) We have a folder of Bertha Lutz correspondence with CCC which I lookt over last night till midnight, then checked into folder & decided to send to you. Some of the worst typed pages I destroyed as it is inhumane to expect people to plow thru it! Bertha is a strange brilliant, frustrated creature, as egoistical as Rosika Schwimmer, but without Rosika's persecution complex. Also she is much more kindly and loyal. 4) There are three folders Schwimmer–CCC correspondence!!! It shd. be kept at least until Rosika dies – if she ever does! It would be like RS to quote CCC quite incorrectly if she thought she cd. get something thereby. We ought to have documentary evidence at all times in our possession RS is my pet abomination. The only two constructive things she ever did are organizing the suffrage movement in Hungary and collecting feminist documents for her "Archives" which she has given to the N.Y. Public Library. It must have been well paid for, as she never does anything for nothing. The poor devil is desperately ill – diabetes – and poor. The only real friend she has is her harrassed secretary, Miss Wynner. She has alienated everybody who tried to help her. Love – M.G.P. Exceprt from letter of Mary Gray Peck to Mrs. Park. 30 East chester Rd. New Rochelle, N.Y. Jan. 10, 1[9434] 1934 You will be glad to hear that the birthday party, yesterday, was a delightful celebration .....Mrs. Slade presided at the speakers table, Mrs. Catt on her right, Mrs. Pennybacker left, others at that table were Mr. Brownlow, former Police Commissioner of Washington, who told some juicy bits about his fracus with the pickets and how he fried ham three times a day in the basement of the hail [u] till they could not continue their hunger strike. Mrs. Catt's birthday party STATE STREET TRUST COMPANY BOSTON, MASS State Street Trust Company DEPOSITED FOR ACCOUNT OF BOSTON, 19 Items received for deposit or collection are accepted on the following terms and conditions. This Trust Company acts only as depositor's collecting agent and assumes no responsibility beyond its exercise of due care. All items are credited subject to final payment and to receipt of proceeds of final payment in cast or solvent credits by this Trust Company at its own office. This Trust Company may forward items to correspondents and shall not be liable for default or negligence of correspondents selected with due care nor for losses in transit, and each correspondent shall not be liable except for its own negligence. This Trust Company or its correspondents may send items, directly or indirectly, to any bank including the payor, and accept its draft or credit as conditional payment, in lieu of cash. Items and their proceeds may be handled by any Federal Reserve bank in accordance with applicable Federal Reserve rules, and by this Trust Company or any correspondent in accordance with any common bank usage, with any practice or procedure that a Federal Reserve bank may use or permit another bank to use, or with any other lawful means. This Trust Company may charge back, at any time prior to midnight on its business day next following the day of receipt, any item drawn on this Trust Company which is ascertained to be drawn against insufficient funds or otherwise not good or payable. An item received after this Trust Company's regular afternoon closing hour shall be deemed received the next business day. DOLLARS CENTS BILLS COIN CHECKS-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Z-44 TOTAL SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES AVAILABLE AT ALL OFFICES [*Send the GP copy of letter to Mrs Catt from ELS - feb 6 1941*] MARY GRAY PECK 30 EAST CHESTER ROAD NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK Jan 14, 1948 Dear Edna Stantial;-- Your letter of the 12th just rec'd. and your reference to correspondence with - letter from rather - Dorothy Straus astonished me. She is one of the two executors of CCC's estate, Alda Wilson being the other. Miss Straus knows that I spent the summer going thru CCC's papers at the request of Alda and according to CCC's instructions, and that we have distributed the papers. I told her over the phone where I had sent them. This is the first I have heard about "any plan for the disposal of all the papers received from Mrs. Catt's estate". All I can say is they are disposed of! Why on earth didn't she say something about her plan before this passes me. I have just re-read Mrs Catt's will. There is no specific mention of papers, but she left all her "household effects" furniture silver etc to Alda to be distributed according to CCC's general instructions in a letter. Alda turned over to me the job of looking over & distributing the books & papers. CCC herself told me she wanted to "destroy her papers". She had no idea that they should be preserved as a collection. I had the conception of their value and at Alda's request sent them where we thought they wd. be preserved and be accessible to researchers. Selah! I am awfully glad MWP came on to the NAWSA Board meeting, and that she suffered no ill-effects. Mrs. Slade greatly appreciated her coming. As I have told you before, you would get a lot of valuable information about the cost of microfilming from Mr. Robert Hill, Keeper of Mss. New York Public Library. He is eager to get in touch with you. Much love to you - M.G.P. P.S. If you had got me in touch with Robt Hill, he wd have sent you the set of "The Revolution" instead of Harvard. He tried to reach you via Radcliffe but in vain. 21 Ashmont St. Melrose, Mass. Oct. 6, 1941 Dear Mrs. Catt: I have been over to Miss Blackwell's today and have read your letter with her. I took with me the copy which you had sent me. Now I want to tell you how upset I am over the second paragraph of your letter, on page2. Please, please do not have a bonfire of your speeches. They are a part of the history you talked with me about during my visit with you. If you don't want to have them shipped here to Mrs. Park to be added to her collection, won't you mark them so that some day they may be added to the Library of Congress collection of suffrage material? Dear Mrs. Catt, you must not be modest about this. They belong with the papers that are already there and those that are now being organized for later deposit. We were sorry that Mrs. Park could not be persuaded to give her papers to the Congressional Library. She is so Radcliffe "conscious" that she cannot be persuaded against her present plan. At the moment she hasn't actually deposited anything there. But do you know that she thinks as you do that the Blackwell papers should go to Washington? Mary Gray Peck agrees with me and I hope she will keep after you and blow out the matches as quickly as you light them! Another solution is to put all of your papers together and have them sealed for some future date, when your contemporaries are not here to delve into them. Mrs. Park has some very personal files which she thinks ought to be sealed for a period of twenty years, but I am not sure that is a good idea. While she is doing the story she ought to complete it and know what the archives contain. And now to go back to Alice Blackwell's affairs: I think she understands the point of view of the Committee and is grateful to you for the analysis you have had made. I think her eyes were opened a little to what has been going on within her own household and family. She is such a dear goodperson, and cannot believe anyone would take advantage of her! Lovingly yours, Edna (Stantial) About Collection of Archives Copy. 30 Eastchester Road, New Rochelle, New York, May 15, 1949 Dear Edna Stantial:- It was a boon to get the carbon copy of your letter of May 3 - which never reached me, but I haven't yet asked Alda Wilson it it is at the house. I now have a fair idea of what you have and what you wd. like to get. I'm certainly interested in the quotes from CCC's letters about her idea of keeping papers and burning speeches, etc. Well you did a remarkable job of influencing her, because she certainly did stop at a certain point in her destruction! I have decided to send you as full a file of CCC's speeches as possible. They have historical data not available elsewhere, especially the ones made at the International Alliance meetings. I am so glad you will bother with the clippings. That takes spunk! But as you say, they help tie up by dates and places some of the speeches and general articles which have no evidence of dates. When we began to sort out the stuff, we were inclined to save every scrap of CCC's handwriting, - just as you say the Blackwells did from the beginning of time -- much of it fragments or notes for speeches. But there was so much that we began to doubt the wisdom of our pious wish to preserve every jot and tittle. Then, too, CCC herself would certainly draw the line at having odds and ends handed down to posterity. So we are more selective at present. I thought how the world today would value similar notes in Franklin's and Jefferson's handwriting! Then I remembered one letter of Franklin's published in the Shuster book, which never should have been preserved, and which the venerable sage of the Revolution certainly would have burned had he remembered it. It is incredible what things we will set down on paper! One need not be a Parson Weems, and still have scruples about giving the world the inmost thoughts of famous people. Not that dear CCC's speeches need to be censored -- but she certainly would not want to be handed down to posterity in a finished condition -- not in grab-bag chaos. So we'll bet the boxes off to your house as soon as I get over running a temperature! Many of CCC's books have been bought by Dauber and Pine Bookshops, N.Y. The house begins to show the departure of many of its treasures. The gardens are beautiful as ever with bulbs in bloom, apple and cherry trees in full glory, and Alda wants you to know that that wonderful border of iris which you sent Mrs. Catt from your mother's garden, is showing tiny buds and by Memorial Day will be "busting" forth. CCC never failed to tell her friends where those dozens and dozens of iris plants came from. I wish your mother might have known the intense joy they gave CCC and Alda and me too! At the moment the apple and cherry trees are in full glory. It is sad to see this lovely place getting ready for new owners, but since its presiding genius is departed, the temple is desolate. Why keep clinging to the empty shell? With much love to M.W.P. How fortunate she is to be withyou! I do hope to get up to see you and the Suffrage Collection at Radcliffe this year. And I marvel at your courage to attempt this greater collection for the Washington archives. It will take years of your time. We've already worked here for two years and haven't made a dent. Ever most appreciatively and affectionately yours. Mary Gray Peck THE ALICE STONE BLACKWELL FUND COMMITTEE 21 Ashmont Street, Melrose 76, Massachusetts 15 December 19th, 1951. Trustees Mrs. Ada Comstock Notestein Mrs. Maud Wood Park Mrs. Edna Lamprey Stantial Dear M.G.P. - Alma Lutz called me at last and I managed to get the information about the Anthony diaries. By the way she has found a publisher and her book is to be called "Crusader for Women's Rights". She tells me that Katherine Anthony is writing a biography of Susan B. Katharine is a distant cousin - 5 or 6 generations off. Here is a transcription of thenotes I took when Alma Lutz was talking to me: "Mrs. Bacon's last letter tells me that she has not yet decided what to do about Susan's diaries. Before I saw them, when I was writing my book, I found that they had cut out the story of the Beecher-Tilton scandal. All of that has been deleted. "Mrs. Bacon (Ann Anthony Bacon, now in California) is Lucy Anthony's literary heir. Lucy did the deleting. Luther Anthony, the brother of Lucy, apparently has nothing to say about any of the papers. "I did find that Susan wrote mild statements in her diaries. There are many impatient statements about Lucy Stone, Mrs. Matilda Joslyn Gage, and Clara Colby. The diaries showed clearly Susan's feeling toward Lucy Stone. "There were many intimate glimpses on the Woodhull. "I saw almost all of the diaries; a few years were missing. Mrs. Bacon wasn't very anxious to have anyone see them, In general they were only helpful in getting dates straightened out. "I am sorry they want to hush up the diaries. There seems to be/nothing in them to make Susan's character seem unkind." I told Miss Lutz that Miss Blackwell had a Letter from Mrs. Catt some time ago, probably when we were trying to get material for the Radcliffe room. [She] CCC said that she had written to Lucy Anthony asking her to save the papers of Susan B. for the Library of Congress Collection, and that if she stillhad her feeling toward destroying the diaries, Mrs. Catt hoped she would agree to seal them for a period of years, at least until "all of us are gone who might suffer from them". Perhaps someone could write to Mrs. Bacon and make this request. Alice Park lives in Palo Alto and has gotten together some of the letters from Susan to the western women. Maybe she is the one to contact her. I have had considerably correspondence with her in the past and I would be glad to write her after Christmas unless someone else might have more influence. All for now. I've been resting lately. Got some bad burns from using cleaning fluid - the fumes got in under my smock and did a job on my left side and breast. Yesterday I went to the doctor for a final check up and he was shocked to see the scars left. However, I feel tip top and have had remarkable improvement in the arthritic condition from the use of cortissone. So that is my good news. Hope you are well and that Christmas will be a happy time for you. Lovingly, Edna "Constance is fine." Excerpts from letters of Edna Lamprey Stantial to Mary Gray Peck May 13, 1951 ....... The boxes of material which Mrs. Catt sent to Mrs. Park for the collection at Radcliffe did include some of the clippins and magazine articles. I think they are all included, either in Mrs. Park's own box or in the Congressional Work file. Mrs. Park made the decision about their placement. I found that Frances Perkins made her report of her career much more complete by including newspaper clippins and magazine articles. She sent a good many speeches too, either printed or mimeographed, or typed. These help no end in understanding a person, don't you think? So now that we are to do the complete file for Washington, I think we ought to have everything except the very personal things that Mrs. Catt would not have added herself to a national collection. She wrote me once, (Aug. 10, 1945) "No letters of mine, unless they are really useful, will be sent to you or to anybody for keeping. That is one of the memorabilia of which I do not approve." You will want to keep this in mind when you are sorting out the personal letters. Because of that Miss Blackwell destroyed at least a dozen of Mrs. Catt's letters written to Henry Blackwell years ago. They complained of some of the actions of Susan B. Anthony et al, and Miss Alice decided that they were too personal for public inspection. But now we wish we had sealed them, because we know that Miss Anthony's friends will not hesitate to file any of the letters they have received. A person who is going to write any new life of Miss Anthony or Mrs. Stanton must certainly make a careful study of the letters to and from Miss Anthony in the Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell collection. No biography will be complete without those letters! We have no room for the framed pictures, but we did put into the files of individual women some of the duplicate pictures which Mrs. Catt sent to us after she had completed the one set which was to be placed in the Susan B. Anthony Memorial at Rochester. I like to think of you in that delightful sun-room office of CCC's taking a moment every once in a while to have a look-see at the lovely garden. I'm glad to hear from you that the iris are in bud. Mrs. Catt wrote me on Memorial Day in 1944 to say that she had many beautiful specimens from the plants which went to her in 1941 from my mother's garden - I think Guy sent her over a hundred. Send me any suggestions that occur to y[o]u. I'll do what you say about duplicates - the first to go to Radcliffe and then Smith on the lists for second choice. Mrs. Grierson is such a treasure! 21 Ashmont St. March 20th 1947 Dear "M. G. P". I have been planning to write you a note ever since MWP got your telegram announcing Mrs. Catt's passing, but time flies by and I haveneglected a good many important matters. You must be a very sad lady these days - as are all of us of course, but you were so very close to our dear CCC that you are bound to feel it more than those at a distance. Mrs. Park and Miss Blackwell were terribly grieved and for a week or more were really very broken. My husband and I noticed it with Mrs. Park because she is with us, but when we called on ASB we found that she was taking it even harder. I have written to Miss Wilson to ask her to check on the insurance policy which Mrs. Catt had taken out at the time of our raising the fund for ASB. It was a joint policy payable half and half during their joint lives, the entire income to go to the survivor. As I explained to Miss Wilson, we have all of the annuity policies of ASB in a box in Melrose. Mrs. Park, Miss Comstock and I are the trustees of the fund, and I seem to have the details to take care of. It is perfectly all right for Miss Blackwell to have the policy but I am so afraid it will get lost in her "chowder" that I promised Mrs. Park to write and make arrangements to have it put in safekeeping with the others. I wish you could come on and visit us. Can't you this spring when you want a change? Our garden will begin to come along soon and you could sleep in Melrose and do whateveryou wanted in Boston and vicinity. And we could show you our room at Radcliffe! I hope you and Miss Wilson will let me have for our CCC collection in Cambridge any letters, suffrage leaflets ect. that you may come across. Let us be the ones to decide which ones must be thrown aw ay. Mrs. Catt sent us a good many things which she considered useless and which all fitted in to our files - usually in a way to help explain a special event or circumstance concerning the campaign. We haven't completed the files of the N.A.W.S.A yet because Mrs. Catt wrote me that there would undoubtedly be a good many things coming along when she cleaned out her attic. From time to time, as Miss Wilson will tell you, she sent along a set of folders, or a box of loose papers. The annual reports of the N.A.W.S.A. are among the things we want expecially. My love toyou. Mrs. Park hasn't gotten over her toe operation as well as we expected. She walks a little more each day but gets very tired. Except for that she is wonderfully well. RIght now she is terribly upset over Truman's speech and the Russian situation We're really having fun living together. My husband loves her to death and does so many cute things to help out. Of course you know he is a saint! Must close, Affectionately, Edna S. Mrs. Gut W. Stantial Excerpts from letters of Edna Lamprey Stantial to Mary Gray Peck: September 14, 1953 I've read your letter carefully and will do as you say. When all of your personal files come to me later I'll take out all of the Hyde Letters and mine also, and copy the parts you have marked to be kept "as important to the archives collection." I'm sure that in a few years it won't matter what we wrote to one another-- for the generation working on the papers then won't believe most of it could possibly have been true. I'd like to be an invisible speck on the walls of the Library of Congress some day and see the gasps of surprise and of great interest too, when they read some of the old letters and manuscripts. I think when people ask us what to send that we should say "Send us anything and everything about state and national work. We can find a place for any duplicates we receive." They might throw out the very thing we need to finish up a file of fliers or leaflets. I'm especially anxious to get together a good Anti-suffrage collection. We need some of the N.A.W.S.A. Bulletins, though Mrs. Park had a few duplicates which can go into the Catt collection. I have an idea that Mrs. Catt's went to the New York Public Library. I feel that if we have a bulletin numbered #20, that a researcher will look elsewhere for others in the collection. All photographs should be identified and if we can have the dates on them, it will be helpful. Mrs. Catt suggested once that we keep a list of all of the local suffrage organizations listed in papers and magazine articles, as well as on letterheads in the Blackwell papers. Eventually this would give us a good history of the work in the states. We've started a card list here. [*Copy for your information*] 21 Ashmont St., Melrose 76, Mass., June 6th [*1952*] Dear Miss Peck: Mrs. Park is terribly concerned over the news today that an appeal was sent recently for gifts of money for the support of the Woman's Archives Collection at Radcliffe College. The information came to her soon after she had mailed a communication for the newly organized Suffrage Archives Committee asking for financial assistance in completing the records of the Suffrage Movement and of Mrs. Catt's work for the Library of Congress Woman's Rights Collection. The director of Radcliffe Archives had asked Mrs. Park to look over the list of names early in the year to whom they wanted to send a report of their progress in assembling archives. But when the list was given to them originally (in 1942) it was to be used only for patronage invitations for the opening of the Collection of Mrs. Park's papers at the College, and she especially asked that no appeal for funds be made to her friends on that list. Mrs. Park had the assurance today that Professor Schlesinger would send an explanation to the several women who had written to inquire about the duplication of appeals, but she wanted me to send you a note also so that her friends would understand that she had no part in the appeal for her college. She finds it most embarrassing! Cordially yours, Edna L. Stantial For Mrs. Park Dear MGP-- I could shoot Radcliffe They are so greedy! G[iv?]en this will clear up the matter for Gertrude Thompson, et al. A report goes to you soon. The letters--300--were mailed yesterday & today. new P signed all. Excerpts from letters of Edna Lamprey Stantial to Mary Gray Peck 1954, June 5. "This is the anniversary date of the letter about the suffrage archives. We asked for $3000 and got only a little over $1000. Even the older friends who used to give large sums do not have it to give now. But we can get a good supply of folders, a new typewriter and the necessary bond paper which will be needed and have some left to pay for some secretarial help. Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Lewis made pledges but we have had no response to our letters to them reminding them and I fear that either or both of them are too ill to hear about our problems. But I must spend my time on the papers rather than trying to raise money to pay some one else to help with the work. I think I'll make an annual report of the progress of the work and send it to the donors of record so that they may see that their money is being wisely spent. I remember what a lot of fine letters we received after we had sent out a report of the finances of the Blackwell Fund. Several people wrote that it was the first time that they had ever received a report of the entire amount raised and spent. It takes time but it is worth it, I'm sure. It was an unfortunate thing that Radcliffe mailed that appeal to Mrs. Park's friends who were on the sponsored list for the opening of her room. At least a dozen have written to Mrs. Park since they received Professor Schlesinger's explanation. Miss Sherwin and Gertrude Thompson were two of those who protested to Radcliffe. I think the Radcliffe letter arrived just a week before the appeal for the Suffrage Archives Committee. New Rochelle, July 7, '43 Dear Maud :-- You are right in criticizing my spelling. I see I spell franchise both ways. I derived the probably erroneous idea that it is allowable to spell words with z sound both ways, -- from some quarter. I was at one time a partisan of reformed spelling, & it has ruined me linguistically if not verbally. I am only too conscious of the fact that a partisan is a battle-ax or spear or something, but we will draw the veil! Certainly I overworked the phrase "old leader". On page 23, - 6 lines from top please substitute "her" for "old leader". p26 -- begin the ¶ "Mrs Catt retired". --p32 - 5 lines from bottom substitute "she delivered" for the offending epithet. As for wrack - "The cloudcapt towers, the gorgeous pallases the solemn temples, yea, the great globe itself [shall dissolve] and all which it inherit shall dissolve, And, like this insubstantial paeant faded, I am not a wrack behind. We are [of] such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep". I remember Prof. Skeat making a long lecture on this word, deriving it from the Anglo Sax Wraecan. Ive just looked the passage up & find that three editions spell the cofounded thing rack or racke! Nevertheless, Furness spends five long pages of notes on it to come to the same conclusion as Skeat-- i.e. that it comes from wraecan, allied to wrecan, our wreak meaning some drifling fragment. - as "cloud-rack". I meant for you to keep the ms. It is as near linen paper as I cd. get--but is only abt. 25% linen. Please strike out the burning Wilson in effigy phrase but leave in picketing White House. They did that in war-time, didn't they? I remember the newspapers speaking about it when we had Balfour & others here riding back & forth thru the White House gates, & the W. P. standing there carrying banners with derogatory inscriptions. While Wilson was in France they burned his speeches I appreciate very much your kind words about the sketch. I sweat blood over it! It is very hard for me not to make mistakes--assinine mistakes--in typing. I want very much to see your collection & it is barely possible I may appear on the scene Aug 26. Best love & good wishes M.G.P. Peck COPY [*Mary G. Peck memorandum attached to letter to her from Mrs. Harper, dated July 13, 1930: "Letter from Ida Husted Harper to M.G. Peck replying to inquiry about Dr. Comfort, whose name was proposed for inclusion in the Honor Roll Tablet, Memorial to prominent workers for woman suffrage in New York State, which was placed in the Capitol at Albany. Interesting comments on Susan B. Anthony's Diaries - Mrs. Harper's work on History of Woman Suffrage - reason why there is no complete file of Minutes of the annual conventions of the National American Woman Suffrage Association in existence." (NAWSA) (see note) *] [*Comment on reasons given for no complete file of minutes refers to the National Woman Suffrage Association and not the National American. Miss Peck says NAWSA. The latter was not organized until 1890 (April 14) after the merger of the National and the American associations. Editor*] [*July 13, 19308} Chautauqua, New York My dear Miss Peck: ["] Your letter followed me here, where one can not get time to write a postal. I gave it to a very enthusiastic admirer of yours, Dr. Richard Burton, and, if he has found the time to draw his breath, you have probably heard from him. He thinks the Lord didn't make many women in the same class with you and Frances Potter. He is a very popular lecturer here. I evidently didn't unearth Dr. Anna Manning Comfort in my writing of the Life and History or she would have been mentioned. Miss Sherwin wanted me to serve on the Committee for making up the Honor Roll but I refused to take the responsibility. In the proof sheets of the names selected, which were sent me, were a number that never had lifted a fingerfor woman suffrage. I have never learned how they were received by the convention at Louisville. My own name was not in the first list that was sent out. I rarely ever see any of the old suffragists and their names don't seem to have much meaning to the Club in which I live. I took good care of Miss Anthony's diaries till I had finished with them and then I begged Lucy Anthony to let me destroy them but she would not consent, and so I left them at Moylan. The last I heard, that iconoclast who wrote the life of Beecher wastrying to get them for Rhets Childe Dorr, but I don't know whether he succeeded. In 1884 the National Board in its wisdom decided that there should not be any more "reports" of National Conventions! Miss Anthony struggled along to raise the money and get out the one for 1884, and there was not another I think till 1891. I had a hard time to write the History for those years. Yes, I nearly "worked my head off" to get out that History and only my loyalty to Miss Anthony enabled me to do it, but words cannot express how thankful I am that I stuck to it. I should not consider that my life was worth living if I hadn't written those books. But I was never the same woman after the History was finished. I shall be in New York the last of September and shall try to see you. It was too hot for anything social when I was on the way here, the last of June. Love to Mrs. Catt and yourself, Sincerely yours, IDAHUSTED HARPER [*(The History is THE HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE in six volumes) Editor*] as good condition as they come to me. I trust that you are steadily improving in health and will be able to come down this way soon. Perhaps what I say about the condition of the files here may discourage you. I should add that since I worked on them, Clara Hyde has gone through them and did some classifying the results of which I have not examined. My eyes gave out last summer and I stopt research and wrote up what material I had. With very best regards and renewed congratulations on your beautiful poem, Ever yours, Mary Gray Peck MGP 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N.Y. January 10, 1934 Dear Mrs. Park; You will be glad to hear that the birthday party, yesterday, was a delightful celebration which everybody enjoyed to the full. The large ballroom of the Cosmopolitan Club was filled with tables seating eight, and old suffragists flocked thither to the number of 200. The walls were hung with the "tattered banners" of former years. Mre. Slade presided at the speakers table, Mrs Catt on her right, Mrs. Pennybacker left, others at that table were Mr. Brownlow, former Police Commissioner of Washington, who told some juicy bits about his fracus with the pickets and how he fried ham three times a day in the basement of the jail till they could not continue their hunger strike. Rose Young, Mrs. Pennybacker, Alice Duer Miller, Mrs. Raymond Brown, Mrs. Laidlaw, Esther Ogden, Ruth Morgan, Mrs. Loines of Brooklyn and a few feeble remarks from me, were a [a/p]part of the program. Miss Morgan read some tributes sent from Europe, Mrs. Slade read a number from prominent people in this country, from Mrs. Roosevelt and Frances Perkins down. Your poem was a high spot of the occasion, and was finely rendered by Mrs. Slade. As people left to go home we gave a copy as souvenir to all. Many asked for several copies to take to friends. I am sending you some leftovers for your personal use, so you may see how well your verses set up. Nothing we had contributed more sold happiness than your noble tribute, so characteristic and so finely rendered. The day would have been incomplete without you. Four"pallbearers" bore in the huge three tiered birthday cake, yellow and blue, with seventy-five candles. The real cake was the top tier, and the big bottom was a hollow round cavity filled with little cake boxes with a piece of cake in each, tied with blue and yellow ribbons, which were passed round to everybody. There were some yells and stamping in unison which lent the proper atmosphere of ribaldry to certain moments. Mrs. Catt had all the time she would take with reminiscences, grave and gay, and she wore the superb star sapphire pin given her at the Chicago convention. After the affair was over, the moving picture folks swooped down and kept her for an hour in blinding lights, saying an impromptu three minute speech over and over for the newsreels. About 50 women hung around till the last dog was hung, watching her work up the movie act and applauding each improving performance. At five o'clock it was finally over and she got into her car and came home. She stood up well under it, but this morning says she feels every year of her age. She starts for Washington Friday, to attend the Cause and Cure. I could wish she were not so tired. This birthday business coming every year just before she goes to Washington is going to be more and more serious. She is interested in the Breckinridge book and as soon as she gets home from Washington will write you. I noted that her name did not appear in the appendix index. Not knowing the scope of the book, of course, it is unfair to criticise the omission, but I should think offhand that the winning of the vote was worthy of mention, at least. I have been wading through the Tennessee mess ! What a situation ! The letters I dug out of the files from the various suffragist factions and their enlightening comments on the political situation as well as on oneanother are pretty disillusioning. It was an appropriate close to a struggle which was consistently discreditable to the human race which forced it on women. As to the letters of which you spoke, I should greatly appreciate it if you will send them to me. Probably I have seen some of them in the office files here, but there is great consufion and many gaps in the latter, as much has been destroyed and they are pretty mixed up as they have been moved three times, and each time were treated like a pack of cards to be thoroly shuffled. I will return your collection to you in Mary Gray Peck 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle. N.Y. April 19. '39 My dear and Honored Alice Stone Blackwell:-- I read your letter, with enclosed clipping giving the Boston Post's reaction to Maud Wood Park's remarks about America's great women, to Mrs. Catt, and I hope you will not be offended to learn that Mrs. Catt shouted with laughter! There are so few things to laugh about these days that we should make the best of each chance. Please don't give a moments anxiety to any newspaper interview. Mrs. Catt has been misquoted too many times to get steamed up over anything she reads in any of 'em. She isnt feeling strong enough to make the journey to Boston to see the Lucy Stone Play which we hoped to drive up to see. The gloomy weather or something has depressed her vitality. We have had only two sunny days so far this month. She says to tell you that since you are a year her senior, and have published the finest propaganda journal any movement ever had, and are the representative sentative of the Stone-Blackwell family, she thinks the Boston Post did a good job in placing you first among contemporary American Women. May I express appreciation of your Easter message, dear Miss Blackwell? I am honored to be on your list of friends. I should be very glad to have a talk with you about the ominous world situation. There are compensations in being old, these days. One is not reluctant to go out of this hell-bent so-called civilization. Apparently the democracies are on the way out, and state socialism is on the way in, and it may eventually be a good change. If a sane and beneficial government administered state socialism, it would be better than the democratic state as at present working very poorly. I trust you have heard the apology of the President General of the DAR for the action in re Marian Anderson. It's a pity that organization never has attracted anybody with brains to run it! Affectionately yours -- Mary Gray Peck dry. I imagine she takes these domestic arrangements into consideration in regard to leaving hospital and taking a nurse home. I am staying nights with Alda Wilson - we have been using my car going back & forth to hospital. At the present rate my gas coupons wont last till Aug. 8 - but when they give out C.C.C. will be back home, I hope! I will keep you informed, so dont worry. Affectionately yours, Mary Gray Peck June 13, 1944 Mary Gray Peck - 30 Eastchester Road - New Rochelle, N.Y Dear Alice Stone Blackwell:- Thank you for your handwritten not of June 11. You are an example to the sloppy writers of today in dating your letters, and I hasten to reply. Mrs. Catt in many ways is better, and if it were not for recurrent bladder discomfort and difficulty she could go home with a nurse. She herself is very reasonable in understanding the reason for continued stay in hospital where every appliance is at hand for immediate treatment. You may not know that she has had difficulty in getting reliable permanent help in her home. Her cook is an erratic old dame who may take it into her head any day to stay at home (she goes home nights) and leave things high & dry till she feels like returning to the job! She has done this twice without warning, but such is the strigency in domestic helpers that Mrs. Catt has condoned it. She is good & pleasant when she comes, says she has had a headache & thinks that is enough to say about her absence. Then Mrs. Catt has day help for cleaning & laun- [*Catt Illness 1944*] 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N.Y. May 26, 1944 My dear Alice Stone Blackwell; No doubt you have learned through the papers of Mrs. Catt's illness, and I am writing this to let you know of her improvement, which we hope will be continuous. Her attack came rather suddenly in the middle of the night Monday, the 22nd. She had been complaining of not feeling well for a couple of days, the doctor saw her Monday, and said he would get a nurse and for her to stay in bed awhile. The nurse came Monday evening. In the middle of the night Mrs. Catt had a very bad heart attack, and was taken to the hospital and put under the oxygen tent. She responded nicely to treatment, the temperature has gone down, and she will sit up a little while today. I told her I would write to you and give you her love. I am staying nights at her home with Alda Wilson, her companion. They have day help only, the cook, an elderly woman, going home nights, whila a fine young woman comes [n]three days a week to clean and a laundress one day a week, also. I leave my car in the drive so that we could get to the hospital in a very few minutes if necessary. We spend the afternoons with Mrs. Catt, reading a little, if she feels like it. There are plenty of things the nurses have to do to her so that she doesn't have time to get lonesome. You will be pleased to know that the biography of Mrs. Catt I have been at work on is being published very soon. It is being brought out by the H. W. Wilson Company, New York, the same company which published the Woman's Centennial volume, "Victory". It is about 500 pages, with as many illustrations as they would let me have, and a full index. I need not tell you who wrote your mother's biography what a job it is to get such a book through the press. My book unfortunately will not have the rate charm that enhances Lucy Stone's story in your telling. The most I can hope is that it will give an adequate idea of the monumental accomplishments of Mrs. Catt's long and dynamic career. In closing, let me assure you that everything possible is being done to assist Mrs. Catt through this illness, and that things look very favorable at present. With best wishes for you who have done so much for women in this country and throughout the world, hoping that you are in comfortable health, and with best regards to Edna Stantial if you think to give them to that indefatiga[v]ble soul, I am affectionately yours, Mary Gray Peck Mary Gray Peck 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N. Y. May 24, 1943 Dear E.S. I want to write considerably mors (and let us hope juicier) stuff into the biographical outline C C C sent you. That sketch was purely documentary & for people who wanted dates & facts. I will do it over in a different style and send it to you. What kind of paper - size - do you want it on - ordinary commercial? Does it have to correspond with other documents Give best love to M W P - also yourself! M G P Edna Stantial 21 Ashmont St. Melrose Mass. [*Mary Gray Peck*] 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N. Y. Feb 4. 1937 Dear Miss Blackwell. It was very kind of you to write the paragraph estimating Mrs. Catt's contribution to the suffrage movement, and I thank you not only for that, but for the letter enclosing it. Both are exactly like you, and are much appreciated. I am cutting and rewriting the first draft of the Catt biography and find it a hard job. Age has withered my literary powers and I feel inadequate to my task. However, I keep at it, remembering that Herbert Spencer managed to get a lot done by working only 4 hours a day all his life. Your biography of Lucy Stone is a beautiful piece of work. I hope you are well, and can find amusement in reading. I cant stomach present day fiction with its emphasis on reproductive and excretory functions. The latest novel I've read specialized in "privies". Give my love to Ida Porter Boyer. Ask her to tell you how I stole her speech one time in Ohio. Thanking you again, & with affectionate good wishes, Mary Gray Peck SBA & E.C. Stanton, showing 'em all up in a most interesting compilation. A scene about the founding of the IWSA or some episode about it - a scene from her trip around the world bringing in her (to me) tremendously dramatic meeting with the Chinese women revolutionists. Also introducing Dr. Jacobs - A scene showing the effect on Tammany in NY of the WS Party & Miss Hays political talents as organizer - The N.Y. victory or perhaps the Cooper Union meeting forbearing the 1915 defeat wd. be more dramatic - Second election to presidency and Atlantic City Convention --- Mary Gray Peck 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, N. Y. May 8, '38 Dear M.W.P. Mrs Slade over the phone the other day told me about the conversation you two had, after the Monday board meeting about CCC's 80th Birthday celebration. Among other things she mentioned the possibility of a dramatization of Mrs. Catt's life on lines similar to your Lucy Stone play. Needless to say I was more than pleased. Strangely enough two scenes - the two I should think you might begin with - are very like the opening scenes in L.S. a childhood episode - hoopskirt scene, or snake scene, or election day scene - and a courtship scene. When Mr. Catt proposed,, CCC as you probably know had a written contract drawn up giving her freedom to devote 4 months of each year to field work for suffrage. I perceive that this was the second marriage & that there was considerable time & other things in between childhood & this event. Well all I started to say was that there seems to be a general pattern to which LS & CCC conformed. They were congenital feminist & contract signers!! There cd. be a corking scene about her college career - insisting that military training be given girls as well as boys! I nearly passed out when I learned that, insisting that girls be allowed to deliver orations instead of the lowlier essays, & to be allowed to debate. - A grim scene from the South Dakota campaign 1890 - Elected SBA's successor 1900 - Possibly a scene about the Womans Bible episode bringing in a lovely [episode] scene involving C & ages to drop butter or spill tea on that rug. & now it looked as if ink were to be added. However, the pen probably was dry or wdnt. work if it were full, like most fountain pens, for it neither leaked nor was once put to paper by its owner. No notes were taken. We merely listened to the oral narration of Mrs. Basses life, and it was worth hearing. I never realized before the interesting contrast the political women afforded to the rest of you. Pardon this crazy rattled conglomeration. Yours ever - M G P 2 MARY GRAY PECK 30 EASTCHESTER ROAD NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK & the drive of Congress - you are the one to select the scenes to epitomize that - A Tennessee scene - Victory scene - I certainly shd. like some treatment of her contribution to the peace movement which would not be anticlimax. - All this is as you see a dumping on the table of a lot of unformulated and chaotic ideas. merely to start the ball rolling. I'm working like the devil on the biog. no time for anything else till its done. Mrs. Geo Bass came to see CCC today - they talked a blue streak for 5 hrs. Toward the las Mrs. Bass began to get pale, & whe I took her to the 5.10 p m train she was hangin on the ropes! Bass is writing her autobiography & as she seems likely to offer a cup of vitriol to the Wom. Party I cheered her on with all my powers! Wish you have been here to add to the joy of the occasion. It was worth a lot to me to hear them. Bass came seeking confirmation of certain items she wants to incorporate which involve C. She had a notebook & a fountain pen which she took out of a dazzling patent leather (yes) brief case. She opened the book & uncapt the pen and hung her head with pen in it point down toward the green rug over the area of her chair. I watched in silent horror expecting to see a drop of ink fall to the floor. Every woman who comes to tea manages determined to write objectively, and not be sloppy. Well, if it never gets printed I'll deposit in the Radcliffe Woman's Rights Collection! Did I tell you that my niece & family are living in Chvy Chase, Md., for the duration? Her husband is on leave from Smith College for the duration while he works for the Naval Air Force - putting new gadgets into bombers etc. He is Lieut. Commander so he can get into any plant to see what's what. Best regards ever & anon - M.G.P. Aug. 13. 1943 Mary Gray Peck - 30 Eastchester Road - New Rochelle, N. Y. My dear M.W.P. No use postponing any longer. I just am too lazy or "wore out" or debilitated to hie me to Boston for the 26th. - and on no consideration would I think of inflicting myself on you after the grilling & hectic summer you have been thru. I do hope to visit you sometime and it frightens me to have you Say you want me to see your prospect "while you are here." Now dont tell me you are getting ready to pass out as soon as you get the collection off your mind ! Let's live to see what kind of peace follows this war, at least ! I think the program for opening the exhibit is extremely interesting -- I didn't know V. Deane was a Radcliffe trustee. When did she graduate ? She is a great girl even tho' she does wave her[e] beautiful hands around while speaking. I am finishing a final revision of the biog. hope to submit it to publisher for examination in a week or so -- have practically copied almost the whole thing over cutting etc. I shd. like to see it published by CCC's 85th birthday, but feet very humble & pessimistic. If I had not had such a tremendous admiration for her I'd have done a better job. I was too July 31, 1952. Quitsa Lane, Chilmark, Mass. Dear M.G.P. - Here we are at Chilmark, - a whole month - and Ihaven't [a]ttempted to use this old typewriter. It is such an ancient machine that [I] really can't write a decent letter on it, but it is easier to read than [m]y scrawl. The letters went out on June 5 - 250 of them - and to day we have $800. Mrs. Raymond Brown sent $100 as did Mr. Edward Keating and Mrs. Dwight Morrow. Mrs. Halsey Wilson sent a pledge of $100 andhas paid $50. on it. Judge Allen and Mrs. James Paige have made pledges of $25. Anna Lord Strauss sent $100. So you see the others are all small gifts of $5aad $10. but they add up. I think with the pledges we can count on the first $1000. Mrs. Park was so well when she first came home fromthe hospital that she insisted on signing every letter. I think that helped. But our lists are old now and about 30 came back, "addressunknown". The U.S. Postoffice has no directory searching now - drat them -so nothing gets forwarded. They simply stamp the letters "return to sender:. It's most unsatisfactory. This has certainly been a hot month, even at the seadide, so I haven't done anything about checking some additional lists. Miss Adele Clark said she would get a group of women together in Richmond and send a gift from Virginia but I haven't heard about her. I offered to send her any number of copies of the appeal that she might need. Found two copies of your little punch and judyshow, "How We Make Them Love Us or Pitfalls in Politics". It was given in 1923 at the Cleveland Convention I think. Do you have a copy? If so, I'll put one in the Radcliffe Collection and one in the National archives in Washington. Unless you want one for the New York Public Library. I wrote in the spring to the librarian at the New York Public to ask if they wanted the copies of the Woodhulland Claflin Weeklies, but have not heard from them. Mrs. Piersol's daughter wrote me that her mother had died on November 12th. She had a fall in June. The letter was written by Miss Ruth Reeder. Mrs. Alfred Bewis did not reply at first when we asked her to sign the appeal but late in June she wrote that she had been ill for two months. I had to run an extra lot of letters late in June in case some new names came to me from the committee, so I added her name and Mrs. McBride's and Mrs. Edwards'. Mrs. Richard Edwards wrote that she was sending a large carton of her papers to Melrose to be included with the history of suffrage and the early years of the N.L. of W.V. The Connecticut women and the Rhode Island women sent me huge lot last year and they weave into the story, filling many gapes in correspondence of the Congressional Committee. is all for now. I wanted you to know that I hadn't forgotten that I sed to write you, and I hope youhaven't entirely melted away during this of hot weather. ve to you from M.W.P. and from me, affectionately, 21 Ashmont St. Melrose, January 8th Dear M. G. P.: I have been wondering about you in these snowstorms that hit New York and was interested in your letter to Mrs. Park. You certainly have been snowed in! I cut this clipping out of the Ladies Home Journal some time ago and intended to write to the new Postmaster General to ask him about the technique for proposing the issuing of a new postage stamp in memory of Mrs. Catt. Now it occurs to me that the N.A.W.S.A. Board might like to make the proposal to him. We ought to congratulate him on his appointment - the first one to come up from the ranks. (Let him know that women have stood for that kind of succession ever since the L. of W. V. was organized and began working for the merit system.) Some kind of biographical sketch of the individual must accompany the request for a stamp, I know, and it seems to me that it may have to be done through a Congressman. But we could start it through the P.M. anyway. You could do a good job on the sketch, and the N. Y.women on the Board would have considerable influence with your Representative in Washington. This may be a "pipe dream", but I'd really like to see it done. Of course we'd want to let him know that her portrait had appeared on stamps in other countries. I could find out which ones if you haven't the complete list. The stamp is usually issued from a town which has been important in the life of the person memoralized, and of course New Rochelle would probably like that honor. You know how stamp collectors by the hundred thousand request "first-day covers" every time a new stamp is issued. But July 19th and 20th are the anniversary days of the first convention at Seneca Falls and this is the 100th anniversary year of that important event. It may be that someone is already thinking of proposing a stamp commemorating that convention, with Seneca Falls as the place of issue. If we could stress Mrs. Catt's connection with suffrage enough I don't see why the stamp could not tie up with that convention. You may all think that two separate stamps should be issued. Mrs. Catt's might come out on Aug. 26th instead. page 2. Andof course you may allthink all of this unimportant. Anyw I had the idea and wanted to pass it on to you. - - - And now another thing: Mrs. Merk, our first graduate student working on a Ph.D. thesis in the Woman's Rights Collection at Radcliffe, has sent me a list of the missing numbers of the Proceeding of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Only one on the list came to us in the trunk from Mrs.Catt's house. I had sent her the list of those we had and she felt sure (Mrs.Catt, I mean) that she had all of the missing ones in her attic. Will you make an appeal to the member of the Board for the issues for the years [xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 1897, 1899, 1905, 1906, 1909 and 1918? We want so much to have that file complete. - - - I have about 700 envelopes ready for another appeal for funds for the Journal microfiles and shall get to work on it so that a letter can go out before February 1st. We have $1598 as of today, which Mrs. Park will report to the meeting in New York. It is a real relief to hear that we do not have to raise the sum first mentioned by Mrs.Catt. I have asked two firms to look at the complete files at Radcliffe and to give us an estimate. But I shall be glad to have further work from the New York Librarian. I shall think of you all meeting on Friday. It will be good to get first-hand news of the N.A.W.A.A. plans from Mrs. Park when she comes home. Did you get your southern vacation, or is that coming later? You ought to come on this way sometime and see our collection. We could even show you some snow!!! Affectionately. There, and when they did not return on time, CCC & Alda thought only that their car had broken-down. Then came 4 detectives, 2 local, two Paterson, who broke the news. CCC took it as coolly as though murders were ordinary incidents in life -- and why not in these days of race extermination But Alda was shaken to the core, could not bear to have it discussed. I am concerned about the fact that there is no one in the house nights with them as Alda ought not to have the whole Dec. 19, '45 Dear Maud Wood Park: The sight of your other- worldly Chinese card of Christmas greetings -- so poignantly different from the Chinese scene of today -- makes it imperative that I respond by sending my annual message! Well -- to speak of world affairs first -- what a pity that we had our Washington & Franklin & Adamses & Jefferson 150 years ago where we need them so much worse today! I've just finished van Doran's Autobiographical Writings of Benj. Franklin and am suffering a recrudescence of admiration for the Revolutionary Fathers as over against Mr. Truman, James Byrnes Gov. Dewey and Gen. MacArthur. How infinitessimal is the rate of our progress into world government compared with the coalescence of the 13 Colonies. What is it that makes us hang onto the past when we know old ways wont do for new forces? This talk of universal military training in an age of atomic energy and a war of scientists!! -- No doubt you know as much as we do here about the sudden domestic explosion in CCC's household. There had been 6 weeks of peace and comfort following the returne of Hugh and Gene Humphrey from "War Work" in Poterson, N.J. and life now serenely on the surface . but apparently There were unseen strains & passions! The detectives who came to interview CCC said neither Hugh nor Gene were intoxicated, and that accords with our experience with their habits. They were always well-behaved & temperate. They had gone to Poterson to clear out the house they occupied while working I used to love nothing so much as ski-ing into the woods. It is quite wonderful how easily one can skip thru underbrush on skis, and the[e] deep woods in winter are unlike any other place for silence & peace. I should greatly like to know what you are reading, what thinking, and to hear that you are coming down this way soon. We have had a horrid worthless set of plays this season! You havent missed any thing [there]. With every good wish -- Yours -- M.G.P -- responsibility of CCC's care in case another sudden illness should attack CCC in the night. We are none of us as young and husky as we should be -- leaving at this dangerous hour. And that leads me To ask if you are back to your normal state of health? I skipped & slid all down the sidewalks, today where I went downtown for the first time in 3 days to post last-minute Xmas parcels. The tremendous fall of snow has made it difficult to use my car as one cant get near enough to the curb to park because of the ridge of snow thrown up by snow-plows. I wonder if you have had as much trouble as we have? I went down town by bus and such a crowd -- worse than the shuttle at rush hour. I imagine you are not at your shore cottage, although you must love it all seasons. You will remember Mrs. Alfred Lewis, of Geneva, N.Y. She has a huge home overlooking Geneva and Seneca Lake where she has lived winter and summer until this year. But she has finally capitulated and gone into Geneva to spend the winter in an apartment. I know perfectly well she is mourning her exile from that magnificent view of a winter world. I am homesick for my old farm upstate near Geneva, too. THE ALICE STONE BLACKWELL FUND COMMITTEE 21 ASHMONT STREET, MELROSE 76, MASSACHUSETTS 15 Trustees Mrs. ADA COMSTOCK NOTESTEIN JANUARY 8, 1948 MRS. MAUD WOOD PARK MRS. EDNA LAMPREY STANTIAL Dear Mary Gray Peck: I cut the enclosed clipping out of the Ladies Home Journal some time ago and intended to write to the new Postmaster General to ask him about the technique for proposing the issuing of a new postage stamp in memory of Mrs. Catt. And now her birthday comes tomorrow and the matter is uppermost in my mind. It o[s]ccurs to me that the N.A.W.S.A. Board will be meeting and they may like to be the ones to make the proposal. We ought also to congratulate him on his appointment - the first one to come up from the ranks. We ought to let him know that women have stood for that kind of succession ever since the League was organized and began working for the merit system. Helen Gardener would be so pleased to know of it. Some kind of biographical sketch has to accompany the request for a stamp, and it probably has to be done through a member of Congress. But we could start the ball rolling. You could do.the sketch, briefly, and the New York women who have influence could help with pressure on the members of Congress and maybe on the President. We could tell him that Mrs. Catt's picture has already been used on the stamp of Turkey! Acommemorative stamp is usually issued from a town which has been important in the life of the person memoralized and of course New Rochelle might want to claim the honor. But July 19th and 20th are the anniversary days of the first convention at Seneca Falls and this is the one hundredth anniversary year of that important event. It may be that someone has already thought of proposing a stamp commemorating that convention and the women who organized it, but I hope we can stress Mrs. Catt's connection with the suffrage move- ment enough to tie her up in some way with the anniversary. We might even aim for a stamp on Aug. 26th for Mrs. Catt instead. What say -shall we all work together for a stamp in honor of CCC? ---- And now another thing: When Lois Merk was working on our collection at Radcliffe for her Ph.D. thesis on the History of Woman Suffrage in Mass. or some such title, she sent me a list of the missing numbers of the Proceedings of the Natl American Woman Suffrage Association. Only one on the list came to us in the trunk from Mrs. Catt's house. When I wrote Mrs. Catt a year or two ago she thought she would find all of the missing issues in her attic. Do you think you can appeal to the Board members for the issues for the years 1897, 1899, 1905, 1906, 1909, and 1918? I shall think of you all at your meeting on Friday and shall look forward to getting first-hand news from Mrs. Park when she comes back home. Affectionately, Edna GRACE THOMPSON SETON LAKE AVENUE GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT April 22/47 Dear Mrs Park -- I appreciate your excellent answer to my wish to know of whereabouts of Women's Archives of Mrs Catt or others -- It is a big job but I am nibbling away at it. With many thanks for your cooperation. Sincerely Grace Thompson Seton Chair Letters and Women's Archive National Council of Women of U.S.A. IWSA Cong PostWar 8 Geneva 1920 9 Rome 1923 10 Paris 1926 11 Berlin 1929 12 Istanbul 1935 Apr 18-25 13 Copenhagen 1939 14 Interlaken 1946 15 Amsterdam-July-1949 16 Naples Sept -1952 17 Ceylon [Colombo] - 1955 NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY (2360) COPYRIGHT EMMELINE PANKHURST. PAINTING OF 1927 BY GEORGINA BRACKENBURY POST CARD LONDON S.W.I. 6:15PM 24 JLY 1953 POSTAGE ON LETTERS for EUROPE EMMELINE PANKHURST 1858-1928 Of Lancastrian and Manx liberationsist descent; married a reformer. Invented Militancy; almost perished hunger-striking. Woman Suffrage attained, worked for the Empire; became Canadian State Lecturer on Hygiene. Died Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Whitechapel. Dignified, modest, graceful, with lovely eyes and exquisite voice, her passionate eloquence was irresistible. Worshipped by women, men bore her terrific onslaughts unresentingly. Accepting service as nothing, she dismissed compromises unthanked. Fearless, disinterested, always hopeful, like Joan of Arc inexplicable and immortal. Ethel Smyth. Did you know her? A wonderful portrait Best wishes, Cornelia Printed for the National Portrait Gallery, London, by B. Matthews: (Photo Printers) Ltd., Bradford, England. Miss Mary Peck 30 Eastchester Rd. New Ruchelle N.Y., U.S.A. Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.