Box 1

Scope and Contents Scope Note: Folder 1 contains miscellaneous elements of Foster’s time at Bryn Mawr College, heavily focusing on her academic records. Records such as her official transcript and a journal of courses taken highlight her keen aptitude for studies of English literature and theater, which would continue later into her career. The impersonal approach of her academic records are contrasted by the enclosed draft of her essay “May Day in Oxford: as I went forth one May morning.” The essay provides a...

Scope and Contents Folder 2 of the Dorothy Foster Collection contains letters from September 30th 1902 to December 19th 1902, covering the first semester of Dorothy Foster’s junior year at Bryn Mawr. Against the backdrop of rigorous schoolwork and an active social life, Foster remarks in these letters on how much she misses being at home. In her active interest in the goings-on of her family and their wellbeing, she provides the reader with a clear contrast in the paces of everyday life and life at Bryn Mawr;...

Scope and Contents Folder 3, which dates from January 18th 1903 through February 27th 1903, consists of letters from Dorothy to her mother during the winter months of her Junior year at Bryn Mawr College. The letters paint a vivid picture of student life at the turn of the century with her descriptions of difficult coursework and extracurricular activities that she participates in. Researchers would likely find interesting her descriptions of changes on campus, such as the proposed proctoring system for exams,...

Scope and Contents Folder 4 contains letters Dorothy Foster wrote to her mother from March 6th 1903 through the end of the semester, on the topics of both life at Bryn Mawr and her family’s financial situation. Many of the letters detail campus life and the changing seasons, alongside an enlightening look into the study of the sciences during the early years of Bryn Mawr College. Researchers may find interesting the discussion of the Junior-Senior Dinner, a tradition that is no longer practiced at Bryn Mawr....

Scope and Contents Folder 5 contains letters from Dorothy Foster to her mother that cover the time from September 30th through October 29th 1903, the first month of Dorothy’s senior year. Present are discussions of student life and teas that are held on campus, while academics seem to have taken a backseat in her letter-writing to her mother. Researchers may find interest in the detailed descriptions of dinner party held by M. Carey Thomas at the Deanery, with its many expensive courses and ornate decoration....

Scope and Contents Folder 7 contains letters written by Dorothy Foster to her mother from January 7th 1904 through February 29th 1904, discussing day to day life on campus and her academic pursuits. Dorothy entertains friends, attends theatrical productions, meets with professors and alumni, and studies for exams. Researchers may find interest in Foster’s various sketches, that she uses as a means of sharing her experiences on campus with her mother. She sends her mother drawings of various subjects, such as...

Scope and Contents Folder 6 contains letters from November 1st 1903 to December 20th 1903, written by Dorothy Foster to her mother on life at Bryn Mawr. Dorothy discusses life on campus during her first semester as a Senior, with Bryn Mawr traditions such as Lantern Night and student-run activities such as Halloween masquerades. W. B. Yeats visits campus during this time period, an event that Dorothy writes much about. Dorothy balances both her intellectual extracurricular pursuits and her academic career,...

Scope and Contents Folder 8 contains letters from March 6th 1904 to April 23rd 1904, written from Dorothy Foster to her mother. Dorothy, in recounting her experiences with plays, operas, and concerts such as that of Strauss and Wagner, shows her true affinity for theater that would lead to her career studying and teaching Reconstruction and Shakespearian Drama. Her descriptions are precise, her criticisms well-articulated in a way that connotes a serious passion and talent for speaking of theater. This talent...

Scope and Contents Written from May 2nd 1904 to May 19th 1904, the final folder of letters from Dorothy Foster to her mother during her time at Bryn Mawr covers her last months at college, and the traditions they entail, including May Day, the Junior Senior Supper with the passing of the Loving Cup, and Commencement. Especially notable is Dorothy’s account of being crowned May Queen on May Day, and the joyous affair that ensues as she and her friends celebrate. In many senses, this folder contains the...