Subseries 4: Nancy and William "Bill" L. Tracy Correspondence, 1940 July-1941

As the largest subseries, "Subseries 4: Nancy and William 'Bill' Tracy Correspondence" contains handwritten, typed, and illustrated letters, envelopes, telegrams, postcards, newspaper clippings, printed materials, and photographs sent between Taylor and her future husband, Tracy, from July 1940 to 1941. Beyond the professions of love and longing expressed in these letters between the young couple, their correspondence records personal details about their daily lives. As part of her daily accounts, Taylor’s letters provide the most extensive look at her life as a Bryn Mawr student, particularly focusing on her studies as a chemistry major. Taylor mentions the readings, quizzes, problem sets, exams, comprehensive conferences, and lab work for her Chemistry and Biology coursework, providing an insight into her workload and study habits. Taylor also describes Bryn Mawr social events and traditions, such as Parade Night, the Freshman show, May Day, graduation events, and Bryn Mawr dances, as well as activities she participated in for fun. Taylor’s letters from December 1940 through June 1941 repeatedly include a specific focus on her job prospects post-graduation. This focus includes her interactions with Bryn Mawr’s Bureau of Recommendations and her concerns about wanting to obtain a job as an assistant chemist while also being newly married. As a part of his daily accounts, Tracy’s letters describe his work, first in a factory making planes for the British, alluding to American aid provided to US Allies prior to American’s entrance in to the war, and then as a mechanical engineer working on directional gyroscopes at Sperry Corporation in New York. Tracy’s letters include additional mentions of World War II in both his description of registering for the draft in his letters from September and October 1940 and in brief reactions to radio broadcasts of news from the European front in some of his 1941 letters.

The correspondence between the couple, particularly letters sent in late 1940 and 1941, also include discussions regarding their plans, concerns, and hopes for their future as a married couple. Major topics discussed include their financial situation and their job prospects, particularly as they relate to Taylor. These discussions, along with the news about their family and friends included in their correspondence, offer glimpses into the lives, social roles, and thinking of young, white Americans prior to America’s entrance into World War II. Some of the individuals frequently mentioned in their correspondence include Taylor’s roommates, Mary Mason and Margaret “Peggy” Weltzein; Tracy’s aunt and uncle, Lucy and George Riggs; Tracy’s siblings, Alice, Dennie, and Reine; Taylor’s aunt, Susan N. Pulsifer; and their mothers, Elizabeth Taylor and Alice Tracy.

This subseries is arranged chronologically by the date the letter was written or, in the instance where the letter is not dated, the date postmarked on the letter’s envelope. Any undated material is placed in a folder at the end of the subseries.