Scope and Contents of the Collection

Series I - General

Series II - Correspondence

Series III - Publications

Series IV - Lecture and research notes

Series V: Oversize

Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers, 1916-1985

Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Melvin Carlson, Jr..

Â© 2006


Collection Overview
	Creator:	Hornbeak, Katherine Gee
	Title:	Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers
	Dates:	1916-1985
	Abstract:	Professor of English. Contains biographical material, correspondence, publications, lecture and research notes, and oversize materials.
	Extent:	10 boxes(6 linear ft.)
	Language:	English
	Identification:	RG 42

Biographical Note

Katherine Gee Hornbeak was Professor of English at Smith College from 1930 to 1962. She was born in Tehuacana, Texas on January 24, 1897 to Samuel L. Hornbeck and Martha Gee, one of three sisters. Her twin sister, Louise, became a professor of history and taught in Oklahoma and her sister Harriett Lee ("Hattie) (b. Aug. 1892) was a schoolteacher who taught in Panama, the Philippines and in Texas. Her father was an educator and was eventually President of Trinity University (Texas). She graduated from Trinity University in 1916 and received a master's degree from Columbia University in 1922. After her Columbia degree she taught in high schools in Cleburne, Texas and Cleveland Heights, Ohio and at the North Texas State Normal College, Denton, Texas.

Professsor Hornbeak entered Yale University where she specialized in 18th century literature and social history, in particular, the works of Samuel Richardson and Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu. Her dissertation research took her to Great Britain financed in part by a Sterling Research Fellowship. After the completion of the Ph.D. at Yale in 1930 she came to Smith College where she moved through academic ranks until she was made full professor in 1955. Professor Hornbeak was known as an exacting teacher, but one who was fair and full of praise for her students.

Among her publications are the books The Complete Letter Writer in English, 1568-1800 (1934) and Richardson's Familiar Letters and the Domestic Conduct Books (1939). Both texts were published as part of the series Smith College Studies in Modern Languages.

Professor Hornbeak retired in May 1962 and entered Smith College in the fall of that year as a special student in order to study the Greek language, a study that continued for a number of years. Her studies brought her the Julia Harwood Caverno Prize in May 1964, a prize usually awarded to a member of the junior or senior class for excellent in Greek language and literature. She gained such proficiency that she was called upon to teach Greek as a lecturer at Smith College in 1965/1966.

The retreat owned by Smith College, Juniper Lodge, Silver Lake, New Hampshire was often her summer residence during her early years at Smith and for many years she served as the chair of its executive committee. Professor Hornbeck died on February 24, 1985.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers contain items related to Professor Hornbeak's affiliation with Smith College and her own education. There is extensive correspondence from her sisters Harriett Lee Hornbeak ("Hattie") and Louise Hornbeak. In addition there is correspondence with Ruth Hillyer Hill, Katherine Strayer and Anne Francis (Smith College, M.A., 1942; Headmistress of the Pontypool Girls' County School, Penygarn, Wales, 1945-1960s) and from various students and friends.

Professor Hornbeak's research and lecture notes reflect a teacher's use and reuse of notes throughout her teaching career. A file may contain notes for a particular course in a given year, but it is more apt to contain notes from a succession of years (sometimes dated to show succession). Folders labels suggest a date for a course as noted by Hornbeak but materials included may reflect a range of dates. Also there are situations where a particular file will include papers related to more than one course number. Duplication between files does occur and notes on a particular topic may appear in more than one file. For the most part files are as Professor Hornbeak left them and reflect these many apparent date and course conflicts.

The Hornbeak papers are divided into four series:

Series I: General materials (1930s-1985)

Series II: Correspondence (1916-1985)

Series III: Publications

Series IV: Lecture and research notes

Series V: Oversize materials

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Series I - General

Box	Folder
1	1	Biographical materials 1985, n.d.

Address books, Christmas card lists, etc. 1940s-1970s

Financial papers 1930s-1960s, 1985

Call slips from a British library n.d.

Photographs, some of Hornbeak, others not identified n.d.

Photograph album - snapshots of Colorado (?) n.d.

Photograph album - snapshots of New Hampshire and New England n.d.

Retirement items 1962

Certificate from Trinity University (Texas) "upon the fiftieth anniversary of [K.G.H.'s] graduation" May 30, 1966

KGH's Greek studies-Student papers and related documents 1963-1965

Greek 11 Examinations and papers 1966

Greek studies-Drafts of articles on 1964-1966

Family documents n.d.

Hornbeak's written examination for Yale University's English 123-Shakespeare for Professor C. B. Tinker January 1928

Yale University Commencement program and related material June 1930

Miscellaneous materials n.d.

European travel pamphlets

Series II - Correspondence

Box	Folder
2	1	Correspondence from Katherine G. Hornbeak 1945-1946; 1955-1979, n.d.

Correspondence from Katherine G. Hornbeak to Ruth Hillyer Hill

June 1929-Sep 1929

Oct 1929-Dec 1929

Jan 1930-Aug 1930

Correspondence from Ruth Hillyer Hill July 1929-Dec 1929

Correspondence from Ruth Hillyer Hill 1931-1932, 1980

Correspondence from Katherine Strayer 1931

Correspondence from Priscilla Presbrey 1928

Correspondence from Priscilla Presbrey 1929-1932, n.d.

Christmas letters from Katherine G. Hornbeak 1949-1958

Correspondence from Lois Ames 1966-1967

10a

Correspondence from Samuel L. Hornbeak ("Father") 1945-1947

10b

Correspondence from "Pattie" 1948-1950

Correspondence from Harriett Lee Hornbeak (Hattie) to Lona and Ruth Spruiell with occasional correspondence to Mrs. W. P. Withers (Carrie) from Harriett Hornbeak 1955-1957

Correspondence from Harriett Lee Hornbeak ("Hattie") to Katherine Hornbeak ("Tassie")

n.d.

1962

1968

Box	Folder
3	15	Feb 1969-Apr 1969

Aug 1969-Dec 1969

Jan 1970-May 1970

June 1970-Dec 1970

Jan 1971-Aug 1971

Sep 1971-Dec 1971

Jan 1972-May 1972

June 1972-Dec 1972

Box	Folder
4	23	Jan 1973-June 1973

July 1973-Dec 1973

1974

Correspondence from Louise Hornbeak ("Lub") to Katherine G. Hornbeak ("Tod") 1935-1985

Correspondence from Katherine G. Hornbeak to Anne Francis 1941

Correspondence from Anne Francis to Katherine G. Hornbeak 1941

Correspondence from Anne Francis to Katherine G. Hornbeak 1945-1981

29a

Correspondence from and related to Cuthbert Becher Pigot 1947

29b

Correspondence from C. B. Tinker and Remarks on C.B. Tinker and the 18th Century at a dinner Jan 18, 1947 1944-1949

29c

Correspondence from Jane Shaw 1947-1948

29d

Correspondence from Dorothy Robinson 1952

29e

Correspondence from Jean Hecht 1955

29f

Correspondence from W. Douglas Simpson 1955

29g

Correspondence from Arthur Raistrick 1955-1956

29h

Correspondence with the Duke of Northumberland 1955-1956

Correspondence from Diana Gould White 1966-1973

Correspondence from Virginia Corwin Brautigam and Herman A. Brautigam 1975-1978

Correspondence from and related to Marjorie Hanson 1976

Correspondence from Betty Baum 1977-1980

Correspondence from various individuals (usually only one item from each individual), some identified only by first name, Christmas greetings

Box	Folder
4	34	1928-1964

Box	Folder
5	35	1965-1970

1972-1984

n.d.

Correspondence from Trinity University (Texas) officials 1916-1922

Correspondence from North Texas State Normal College, Denton, Texas officials 1922-1924

Correspondence from Cleburne Public Schools, Cleburne, Texas official 1922

Correspondence from Cleveland Heights Schools, Ohio official 1926-1929

Correspondence from Yale University officials 1927-1979

Series III - Publications

Box
5		Publications 1949-1966

Series IV - Lecture and research notes

Box	Folder
6	1	English honors examinations-Notes, etc.

Lecture notes for English 11-Notes, etc.

English 19-Notes, etc.

English 19-Examinations and notes

Lecture notes for English 21 and syllabi

Examinations and notes for English 21

Lecture notes on Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Bunyan memorabilia (post cards, booklets, etc.) 1960s-1970s

Lecture notes on Congreve's The Way of the World

Lecture notes on Milton

Lecture notes on Milton's Paradise Lost

Lecture notes on Fielding's Joseph Andrews

Notes on Fielding and Fielding's Tom Jones

Lecture notes on Pope's Rape of the Lock

Notes on the [Royal] Game of Ombre

Notes on Pope

Notes on Pope's Essay on Man to Gen. Lit. 291 in Sage Hall March 13, 1957

Pope and Swift as satirists

Notes on Swift [1]

Notes on Swift [2] (satire)

Lecture notes on Richardson

Notes on Keats

Notes on Shakespeare's Comedies-English 21

Notes, etc. for English 29

Notes on Medieval drama

Lecture notes for English 40b-18th Century 1954

Notes for English 58-Boswell and Johnson 1946

Notes for English 58-18th Century 1949

Notes for English 58-18th Century 1945-1950

Lecture notes for English 58a-18th Century 1950/1951

Lecture notes for English 58a-18th Century 1951/1952

Lecture notes for English 58a 1958

Lecture notes for English 310 Spring Semester 1949

K.G.H.'s letter and questionnaire to English 310 students June 9, 1950

Lecture notes for English 310 1950-1951

Reading period lists, English 310 1947-1955

Examinations, English 310 1940s-1950s

Bibliographies on the Social Background of the 18th Century 1940s

Notes on Mandeville and Shaftesbury

Satire-Definitions of terms-Survey of 17th and 18th century dictionaries

Satire-General Notes

Satire lecture notes, English 310a 1939-1943

Satire lecture notes, English 310a (1) 1946-1951

Satire lecture notes, English 310a (2) 1946-1951

Satire lecture notes, English 310a 1953-1958

Satire lecture notes, English 310a 1959-1961

Satire lecture notes and syllabi 1962

Student cards-English 310a 1962 (?)

Lecture notes for English 310a

Examinations, English 310a (some for English 310) 1930s-1950s

Examinations, English 310a 1960s

Suggestions for term papers, English 310a and English 310b

Notes on Petronius

Notes on Erasmus and Rabelais

Notes on Lucian

Johnson as literary critic-English 310a and 310b

Johnson as literary critic-English 310b-Student assignment

Box	Folder
7	58	Johnsonon (various topics)

Lecture notes on Huxley, Waugh and Orwell

Reserve book list for English 310a and Roman satire materials, Latin 34b 1953-1958

Wit and burlesque notes

"Splitting the infinitive" notes

Notes on Don Quixote

Don Quixote illustrations, including Horst Lemke's

Notes on Sentimentalism and Richardson

Notes on Sentimental comedy 18th Century

Syllabi for English 310b 1960

Reading period and library reserve reading lists for English 310b

Examinations, English 310b 1930s-1960s

Memo book for English 310b 1958

Lecture notes for English 310b-Boswell and Johnson 1934

Outline and lecture notes for English 310b 1940s-1960s

Lecture notes for English 310b 1957-1961

Lecture notes and/or syllabi, English 310b 1957

Miscellaneous notes for English 310b

Map study, English 310b-18th Century London

18th Century London-Maps (Glass slides)

Notes on friendship and women

Notes on Addison and Steele

Notes on Defoe

Notes on Dryden

Notes on Macpherson's Ossian

Notes on Gray

Notes on Gentleman's Magazine

Notes on Goldsmith

Notes on James Thomson [1]

Notes on James Thomson [2]

Notes on Mary Astell

Notes on Rambler and Idler-17th and 18th Century journalism-English 310b 1950s

Notes on Juvenal and Johnson, English 310b

Social background of the age of Johnson (notes on)

Lecture notes on Boswell and Johnson

Notes on Boswell's Life of Johnson

Notes on Boswell as biographer

Notes and lecture notes on Johnson's Dictionary

Photographs and illustrations of Johnson and Johnsonian sites

Notes on Rasselas and Candide, English 59 and English 310b 1940s-1950s

Notes on P. H. Houston's Dr. Johnson (1923) 1930s

Notes for talk on the literary scene in England, 1761 April 1961

100

Notes on Boswell's papers (general)

101

Notes on Boswell's papers, v. 1-6

102

Notes on Boswell's papers, v. 8-12

103

Notes on Boswell's papers, v. 13-15

104

Clippings on Boswell's London journal 1950

105

Clippings on Boswell's papers 1948-1950

106

Clippings on Johnson and Boswell 1930s-1950s

Box	Folder
8	107	Satire unit student papers n.d.

108

Satire unit student papers [1] 1956-1957

109

Satire unit student papers [2] 1956-1957

110

Satire unit student papers 1958

111

Satire unit student papers [1] 1959

112

Satire unit student papers [2] 1959

113

Satire unit student papers [3] 1959

114

Irene Levy paper

115

Marian Allison McCrillis paper 1943

116

Mary-Elizabeth Bruce paper 1953

117

Katherine Reese paper 1947

118

Notes on Peacock and Bryon

119

Notes for English 314-English Novel

120

Notes for English 414 a and b 1957-1959

121

Notes for English 414 a and b 1960-1961

122

Notes on Sir Robert Walpole and for English 414b 1957-1959

123

Notes on diaries

124

Notes on biography

125

Notes on domestic handbooks-Yale University Library Summer 1931

126

Notes on women and domestic relationships

127

Samples of and/or for examinations in English literature 1940s-1950s

128

Notes on, drafts and letters of recommendation 1950s-1960s

K.G.H.'s personal files on Smith College's M.A. in English literature

Box	Folder
8	129	1952-1953/1954

130

1954/1955

131

[1] 1955/1956

132

[2]1956

133

K.G.H.'s copy of Newton Arvin's "The Grounds of Literary Judgment"

134

Notes on lecture by Elizabeth Drew, "Life and art in the novel"-Sage Hall Oct. 5, 1959

Research on the letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

Box	Folder
8	135	Correspondence from and to K.G.H. related to the Montagu letters 1938-1953

Notes on Montagu letters

136

[1]

137

[2]

138

[3]

139

Newspaper clippings on Montagu biographies and criticism

Box
9		Note cards on various subjects

Series V: Oversize

Box	Folder
10	1	Lithograph of cats, by Jim Sekim

Reproduction of the "View of the interior of the Rotunda at Ranelgh," by Caneletto from the National Gallery

Photostat of letter of Lady Elizabeth Montagu Sept. 4, 1772

Photostat of will of Lady Elizabeth Montagu August 27, 1809

Photostat of documents 18th century

Reproductions of etchings and paintings of 18th Century England

"18th Century England"-article in Life Sept. 13, 1948

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