Katherine Frances Littlefield papers (MS.1U.L7)

The Katherine Frances Littlefield papers chronicle, primarily through letters to her mother Emma Littlefield, the early professional experiences of a Pembroke College graduate from 1902. The collection provides considerable insight into the daily activities of a young, educated female school teacher in early twentieth century America. During the period covered by the letters (1905-1909) Littlefield was a teacher of Music, Latin and Greek at schools in rural Maine, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

Also included in the collection is a small amount of correspondence between Katherine Littlefield's father, Providence attorney George A. Littlefield, with his wife Emma Littlefield, as well as a few letters from Katherine's siblings (Ivory, James, Henry and Barbara) to their parents. These letters principally discuss family matters including money concerns.

Katherine's letters, dated from 1905-1909 (excluding a single letter from 1887 she wrote to her mother as a young girl), describe in some detail the insular concerns of family, employment, and to a lesser extent social life that Littlefield experienced. Littlefield, from a middle class Providence, Rhode Island family who sent all five children to Brown University, never strays from those domestic concerns in the correspondence.

Rounding out the collection is a small amount of Pembroke related ephemera concerning 1902 graduation and dances; a few student grade reports for Katherine; two photographs of Pembroke students, as well as prepared remarks authored by Littlefield for "Ivy Day", 1901. These offer surface detail into Katherine Littlefield's experience as a Pembroke student, but do not extend insight into her personal activity.