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Elizabeth Powell Bond Papers
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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Elizabeth Powell Bond (1841-1926) was the first Dean of Women at Swarthmore College, a position she held from 1890 to 1906. A birthright Quaker and lifelong member of the Society of Friends, she played an important role in the development of coeducation at the College.
Elizabeth Macy Powell was born on January 25, 1841, in Dutchess County, New York, the daughter of Townsend and Catherine Macy Powell. When she was four years old, the family moved to Macy homestead in Ghent, New York. She attended the State Normal School in Albany and became an instructor in calisthenics at Vassar College. While working in Florence, Massachusetts, she met her future husband, Henry Herrick Bond. Henry H. Bond. a lawyer in from Northampton, Mass., was not a Quaker. They had two sons, Edwin Powell Bond, born in 1874, and Herrick Tyler Bond, born in 1878 and died in infancy. Henry Herrick Bond died Oct. 22, 1881.
In 1886, Swarthmore College appointed Elizabeth Powell Bond Matron of the College. In 1890, she was named Dean. After her retirement in 1906, she was named Dean Emeritus. A member of Swarthmore Monthly Meeting, Dean Bond died at the Jeanes Home in Germantown, Philadelphia, PA, on March 29, 1926.
Much loved and respected by the College community, Dean Bond was an avid gardener, and when the old tennis courts were removed, a rose garden was established in her honor. A College guest room was also named in her honor. She was the author of two books and in her retirement, continued her interests in peace, women's rights, and racial justice. She lectured frequently and contributed poetry and prose to periodical publications.
The collection includes correspondence (1860-1926), diaries and journals (1856-1925), business papers, speeches and articles, pictures, and memorabilia relating to the personal and profession life of Elizabeth Powell Bond, first Dean of Swarthmore College. Having associated with Massachusetts literary and abolitionist circles, Dean Bond was familiar with such prominent personalities as William Lloyd Garrison, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Susan B. Alcott, and Bronson Alcott. She spent some time in the Garrison household before her marriage, and her brother, Aaron Macy Powell was active in the Anti-Slavery Society. Correspondents include Louisa M. Alcott, Ellen Emerson, Hannah Clothier Hull, William Lloyd Garrison, and others.
The collection is divided into seven series:
- Elizabeth Powell Bond's diaries and journals
- Elizabeth Bond's personal business papers, primarily financial
- Bbiographical and genealogical papers
- Correspondence
- Dean Bond's writings and speeches
- Personal memorabilia
- Photographs
- Johnson, Emily Cooper. Dean Bond of Swarthmore, a Quaker Humanist. (1927) BX 7796.B7 J6
Donors: Estate of Elizabeth Powell Bond and Hannah Clothier Hull, 1935(?)-1958 (?)
1 letter, gift of LaVerne Forbush, 1964
1 letter, gift of Elizabeth Lippincott, 1969
ca. 50 letters, gift of Philip Radley, 1972
ca. 10 items (letters, verse, pictures, etc.) gift of Wm. C. Coles, Jr., 1974
1906 Commencement speech, gift of Thomas V. Hodges, Acc. SCA 1998-007
Papers which became the nucleus of the collection were found in Dean Bond's furniture after her death, date unknown. Subsequently, related papers concerning Dean Bond from Philip Radley, and others were added to the collection, 1964-1974. The Radley letters reflect Elizabeth Bond's correspondence with the Radley family, friends who lived in England and were introduced through Rachel Hillborn, another friend and member of the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College, 1887-1913. A letter to John M. Moore at Friends Historical Library from Philip Radley (copy), included with an earlier checklist and stored with the collection, explains more about this group of papers.
In 1998, a manuscript copy of Dean Bond's 1906 Commencement speech was added to the collection. According to the donor, Thomas V. Hodge, S.C. Class of 1949, it was given to his father, Thomas V. Hodge, S.C. Class of 1906, who was befriended by Dean Bond and urged to transfer to Swarthmore College from the University of Maine for his junior and senior years.
Papers which became the nucleus of the collection were found in Dean Bond's furniture after her death, date unknown, and were processed prior to 1958. Papers relating to her brother, Aaron Macy Powell, were made into a separate collection. Subsequently, related papers concerning Dean Bond from Hannah Clothier Hull and others were added to this collection, 1964-1974. About fifty letters were given to FHL in 1972 by the Radley Family. This group of letters reflects Elizabeth Bond's correspondence with the Radley family, friends who lived in England.
The following materials were removed from the collection and recatalogued as indicated:
- Words by the Way, by Elizabeth Powell Bond -BX7616.B71W8
- Words by the Way, by E.P.B., Second Series. -BX7616.B71W82
- Life and Labors of Elias Hicks, by Henry W. Wilbur. - BX7795.H62W7, Introduction by Elizabeth Powell Bond.
- Dean Bond of Swarthmore, by Emily Cooper Johnson -BX7796.B7J6
- Relics #'s 98 & 98a transferred to relic collection; original bible discarded after pages with notes were photocopied.
Subject
- Publisher
- Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Finding Aid Author
- SKM
- Finding Aid Date
- 1997
- Sponsor
- Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
- Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
-
Some of the items in this collection may be protected by copyright. The user is solely responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns to reuse, publish, or reproduce relevant items beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to the law. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/.
Collection Inventory
Read to various groups, 1919.
Physical DescriptionAMs, bound volume
Ms bound volume
Given while Dean of College
Includes copies of some of her letters, record of letters written 1903-1905 and some business accounts
Includes: miscellaneous, 1921-1924; record of contributions to various organizations and institutions, subscriptions
Physical Description3 bound books
Includes notes for use of President Courtney Smith for his remarks at dedication of Robert Pyle Rose Garden in memory of Dean Bond, 9-10-1958.
Includes sketch of Dean Bond's life; clipping describing dedication of Elizabeth Powell Bond Guest Room in Parrish Hall, announcements of publication of Dean Bond's Words by the Way
Includes:
Physical Description22 letters
Describes Emancipation events which she attended. Garrison, Emerson, Wendell Phillips, Longfellow, and Alcott were also present.
ALS
Discusses Little Women and its sequel.
Physical DescriptionALS and typed copy
ALS and typed copy
ALS
Includes her invitation from Swarthmore College to serve as matron and letters in reference to her booklet.
Physical Description40 letters
Primarily letters from E.P.B. and Anna Rice Powell, E.P.B.'s sister-in-law, to Mary Radley
Physical Description14 letters
Primarily letters from E.P.B. to Francis E. and Mary Radley.
Physical Description31 letters
22 letters
Includes E.P.B. to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Radley, 7/1906, explaining her reason for resigning, and 11-29-1906, concerning Isabelle Josephine Meeteer, her successor at Swarthmore. Most of remaining correspondences is directed to Hannah Clothier Hull, concerning subscriptions to the Elizabeth Powell Bond Fund. The income from the Fund went to Dean Bond during her lifetime and subsequently to the purchase of books for the College Library.
Physical Description59 letters
29 ALsS
14 ALsS
15 ALsS
22 ALsS
11 ALsS
22 ALsS
38 ALsS
Includes letter 2-18-1921 E.P.B. to "My dear `Girls'," which is an brief autobiography of her early life, especially her interest in the Anti-Slavery Society.
Physical Description38 ALsS
Icludes AL (draft) E.P.B. to Dr. Peckham, 2-28-1922, with a brief account of her family and her life.
Physical Description17 ALsS
17 ALsS
6 ALsS
Approx. 59 ALsS
14 ALsS
24 ALsS
Includes a letter from Aaron M. Powell and correspondence in reference to her effort to collect E.P.B. correspondence.
Physical Descriptionapprox. 40 ALsS
Includes bound volumes, written speeches and record of talks. Arranged chronologically.
printed
Also notes on Importance of Primary and Secondary Schools
Printed in "Among the Clouds"
Printed in Friends Intelligencer, 6-17-05
2 copies
Printed in Friends' Intelligencer
Printed in Friend's Intelligencer
2 copies
Includes mss. on Motherhood
See also Relics #s 98 & 98a.
See also: Picture file: medium- portraits, Bond.
Original now hangs in Bond Hall, Swarthmore College.