Letters, Senior Year, Semester I , 1920 November-1921 February

This folder contains letters from the first semester of her senior year. The major themes of this file are the events at Bryn Mawr, Henrietta’s relationships with Tom and Jim, and some health issues.

Henrietta attends many events over her senior year, including the senior reception to the freshman, the college Christmas party, and President Thomas’s receptions. Henrietta further describes her relationship with Tom, with whom she is quite infatuated, and Jim, who remains adoring of her. These relationships highlight the relative agency held by Henrietta: she talks about men frankly and is able to have platonic relationships, as well.

An odd health phenomenon that Henrietta often discusses in this file is the loss of feeling in her big toes. Her process of revitalizing the feeling illuminates early twentieth century medical practices, as the doctor prescribes her nitroglycerin and strychnine in order to help her combat the effects.