Contents
Collection Overview
Biographical Note
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Search Terms
Container List
OVERSIZED MATERIALS
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Grace Harriet Spofford Papers, 1795-1974Finding AidEncoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.© 2005
| | | | | Creator: |
Spofford, Grace Harriet, 1888-1974 | | Title: | Grace Harriet Spofford Papers | | Dates: | 1795-1974 | | Dates: | 1935-1954 | | Abstract: | Teacher; Musician; Music
administrator. Papers include correspondence, diaries, memorabilia, speeches, writings, sheet music, photographs, and subject files on women in music. There are also a large number of files on organizations and conferences (primarily music-related), including the Music School of the Henry Street Settlement, the International Music Council of UNESCO, and the International Council of Women and National Council of Women.
| | Extent: | 23 boxes(12.25 linear ft.) | | Language: | English | | Identification: | MS 150 |
Elizabeth Couler and Grace Spofford in Atlantic City, 1918Grace Spofford was born in 1887 in Haverhill, MA. She studied piano from age seven and entered Mt. Holyoke College in 1905, transferring after one year to Smith College. After receiving an A.B. from Smith in 1909, Spofford taught piano at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, OH, and gave recitals in small towns in the midwest. In 1912, she went to Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD, where she studied piano and organ, taught piano, wrote music criticism for the Baltimore Evening Sun, and published A Guide for Beginners in Piano Playing (1916) with her lifelong friend Elizabeth Coulson. An injury combined with a love of administrative work led to jobs as Executive Secretary at Peabody (1917-24) and first Dean of the newly established Curtis Institute of Music (1924-31) in Philadelphia. After moving to NY in 1931, she worked as Associate Director of the NY College of Music, Executive Secretary of Layman's Music Courses, and manager of the Curtis String Quartet. In 1935 Spofford became Director of the Music School of the Henry Street Settlement where she worked to de-professionalize music and encourage widespread participation in music "shared as a common experience of life." After her retirement in 1954, Spofford represented the U.S. at many national and international music and music education conferences, was a delegate to the International Music Council of UNESCO, and served on the International and National Councils of Women. She died in 1974. Return to the Table of Contents
TThe Grace Spofford Papers consist of biographical material, correspondence, diaries, business papers (mostly financial), memorabilia, speeches, writings, sheet music, photographs, organization files, and subject files. The bulk of the material is the files on organizations (primarily music-related) for which and with which Spofford worked. There are also a large number of subject files on women in music including biographical files on individual women musicians. Though there is one item dated 1795, the bulk of the materials are dated from 1935 to 1954. Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents
Box |
Folder |
| | 1 | 1 | Sarah and Harry H. Spofford: clippings and obituaries,
1918-21 |
| 2 | Elizabeth Coulson: articles, obituaries, photographs,
ca. 1865-1972 |
| 3 | Passports and birth certificate,
1887-1969 |
| 5 | Biographical material,
1906-74 |
| 7 | Smith College: commencement book,
1909 |
|
| Baby's journal,(Grace Spofford's)
1887 |
|
| Elizabeth Coulson scrapbook,
1895-1905 |
Box |
|
| | 1 |
| Photograph album: Smith College |
Box |
Folder |
| | 2 | 1 | Alone,
1909, n.d. |
| 3 | Henry Street Settlement,
1936-37, n.d. |
| 4 | Director's Conference,
1953 |
| 7 | Unidentified,
1953, n.d. |
|
| Framed photographs: Harry and Sarah Spofford (3); Elizabeth Coulson (1) |
|
| Photo album: from Parent's Association of the Music School of Henry Street Settlement,
1954 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 4 | 1 | Correspondence,
1933-49, 1970 |
| 2-3 | Insurance and miscellaneous documents,
1932-67 |
| 4-5 | Cancelled checks,
1947-53 |
| 6 | Federal income tax returns,
1942-52, 1966 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 5 | 1 | Letters of recommendation and introduction,
1912-60 |
| 6 | Dorothy S. Ainsworth,
1959 |
| 13 | Aaron Copeland,
1954-67 |
| 14 | Elizabeth Coulson,
1929-40, n.d. |
| 18 | Geraldine Farrar,
1937-38 |
| 22 | Peggy Glanville-Hicks,
n.d. |
| 4 | Olga Koussevitzky (Mrs. Serge),
1955-73 |
| 6 | Fiorello LaGuardia,
1934 |
| 7 | Miscellaneous (unidentified),
1940-73 |
| 13 | Richard Neuberger,
1958 |
| 21 | Leopold Stokowski,
1927-54 |
| 26 | Lillian D. Wald,
1935-39 |
| 28 | Efrem and Mary Curtis Zimbalist,
1941-56 |
|
| Memories of the Gripsolm Cruise to the Lands of the Vikings and Russia,
1943 |
| 3 | Awards and Citations,
1951-69 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 7 | 4 | Articles and clippings,
1934-69 |
| 5 | "Thoughts of a Musicologist,"
1969 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 8 | 1 |
1924-66, n.d. |
| 2 | "On international understanding,"
1954 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 8 | 3 | Radio talks,
1937 |
| 4 | New York Leisure Time Commission,
n.d. |
Box |
|
| | 9 |
| Pamphlets and blank postcards,
1921-72 |
Box |
|
| | 10 |
| Printed music scores,
1916-41, n.d. |
|
| Wisdom in Miniature or the Young Gentleman and Lady's Pleasing Instructor,
1795 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 11 | 1 | American International Music Fund, Inc.,
1958 |
| 2 | Asian Music Circle,
1959 |
| 3 | Beekman Hill Neighbors,
1930-35 |
| 4 | Cleveland Music School Settlement,
1956-72 |
| 5 | Committee of Correspondence,
1954 |
| 6 | Federal Music Project,
1936-46 |
| 7 | Folk Festival Council of New York,
1933-34 |
| 8 | Foreign Service Institute,
1955-57 |
| 9 | Fortnightly Music Club of Cleveland,
n.d. |
|
| Curtis Institute of Music |
Box |
Folder |
| | 12 | 1 | Articles and clippings,
1928-39 |
| 3 | Concert programs, invitations and miscellaneous,
1924-31 |
Box |
|
| | 13 |
| Recital and concert programs,
1925-31 |
Box |
|
| | 14 |
| Overtones,(monthly publication)
1929-37 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 15 | 1 | Memorabilia and printed material,
1939-54 |
| 6 | Twenty-fifth anniversary,
1925 |
| 11 | School of Drama, Playhouse,
1937-50 |
|
| Unfinished Business, a firsthand account of the former director of the Henry Street Settlement by Helen Hall, New York,[on shelf]
1971 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 16 | 1 | International Conference on The Role of Music in the Education of Youth and Adults,
1953 |
| 2 | International Congress for Professional Education of Musicians,
1953 |
|
| International Council of Women |
Box |
Folder |
| | 16 | 3 | Music competitions for women musicians,
1958-66 |
|
| Standing Committee on the Arts and Letters |
| 6 | International Music Conference,
1953-68 |
| 7 | International Music Council,
1951-68 |
| 8 | International Society for Music Education,
1957-58 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 17 | 1 | Julliard School,
1942-69 |
| 2 | Katherine Gibbs School,
1949-59 |
| 3 | Koussevitzky Music Foundation,
n.d. |
| 4 | Layman's Music Course, Inc.,
1934-35 |
| 6 | Municipal Art Committee, City of New York,
1932-39 |
| 7 | Municipal Broadcasting Station Subcommittee,
1935-36 |
| 8 | Music Education Conference,
1931 |
| 9 | Music Educators National Conference,
1953 |
| 10 | Music for Youth, Japan,
1958, n.d. |
| 11 | Musicians Club of New York,
1972 |
| 12 | Musicians Emergency Aid of New York,
1932 |
| 13 | National Advisory Council on Radio in Education,
1930-35 |
| 14 | National Arts Club,
1962-72 |
| 15 | National Arts Guild,
1967 |
|
| National Council of Women |
Box |
Folder |
| | 18 | 1 | Printed material,
1953-64 |
| 2 | Concerts and lectures,
1957-64 |
| 3 | Radio broadcasts,
1951-65 |
| 4 | Reports and minutes,
1953-64 |
| 6 | National Federation of Music Clubs,
1958-69 |
|
| National Federation of Settlements |
Box |
Folder |
| | 18 | 7 | General,
1940, n.d. |
Box |
Folder |
| | 19 | 1 | National Guild of Community Music Schools,
1946-72 |
| 2 | National Music Council,
1954-72 |
| 3 | National Recreation Association,
1941, n.d. |
| 4 | National Youth Administration,
1939-41 |
| 5 | Neighborhood Music Schools, Inc.,
1949 |
| 6 | New York Association of Music School Settlements,
1931-43 |
| 7 | New York City Music Council,
1945 |
| 8 | New York College of Music,
1934-52 |
| 9 | New York Federation of Music Clubs,
1968-72 |
| 10 | New York State Board of Education,
1950, n.d. |
Box |
Folder |
| | 20 | 1 | Miscellaneous,
1912-71 |
| 3 | People to People, Music Committee,
1957-58 |
| 4 | Philharmonic Symphony Sociey of New York,
1933-57 |
| 5 | Philippine Women's University,
1963-65 |
| 6 | Pipers Guild of America,
1941 |
| 7 | Radio Institute of the Audible Arts,
1934-35 |
| 8 | Rural Music Schools Association,
1949-53 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 20 | 9 | Club of New York, Class of
1909, 1954-70 |
| 10 | Board of Counselors, Music Committee,
1950-58 |
| 11 | Society of Women Musicians,
1954 |
| 12 | Turtle Bay Music School,
1945 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 21 | 1 | Unitarian Church of All Souls, N.Y.,
1969-73 |
| 2 | United Nations,
1951, n.d. |
| 4 | United Nations Conference (International House),
1956-57 |
| 5 | United Neighborhood Houses,
1942-43, n.d. |
| 6 | Women United for the United Nations,
1967 |
| 8 | Works Progress Administration,
1934-43 |
| 9 | World Association for Adult Education,
1931 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 22 | 1 | Kennedy Center,
1967 |
| 4 | Veterans/War effort,
1942-45 |
| 6 | Music Education, Philippines,
1955-63 |
| 11 | Young People's Concert,
1964 |
Box |
Folder |
| | 23 | 1 | Women in music,
1914-57 |
| 4 | Joyce Barthelson,
1963-68 |
| 6 | Mabel Wheeler Daniels,
1961, n.d. |
| 7 | Emma Lou Diemer,
1964-68 |
| 11 | Peggy Glanville-Hicks,
1954-64, n.d. |
| 16 | Elizabeth Lutyens and Elizabeth Maconchy,
1963 |
| 17 | Florence Jepperson Madeson,
n.d. |
| 20 | Bernice Morrison Morris,
n.d. |
| 21 | Carolyn Allen Perera,
1963 |
| 23 | Jean Reti-Forbes,
1967, n.d. |
| 24 | Philippa Schulyer,
1960 |
| 30 | Elinor Remick Warren,
n.d. |
OVERSIZED MATERIALS
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| Scrapbooks,
1909-31, 1922-24 |
|
| Santayana, George, tr.: "The Music Of The Spheres" |
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