College Archives Research Guides:International Education



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INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AT SMITH

Smith College has a long tradition of educating women to meet global challenges. Beginning in the 1890s, Smith alumnae traveled to Asia to establish schools for girls, which in many cases, later evolved into colleges and universities. Smith alumnae were also establishing programs in Turkey, Serbia, and Spain. Today Smith has interest in programs all over the world. Over the years, Smith cooperated with intercollegiate and international organizations to influence the advancement of women’s education and status in their countries. Smith provided educators, funding, scholarships and opportunities for women from other countries to study at Smith. An early proponent of sending students abroad to study, Smith helped to develop in its students a sense of a global commitment to understanding women of all cultures. Smith continues to actively involve alumnae, faculty, staff, and administrators in roles that foster communication and a commitment to global education.

The records listed here will provide an excellent basis to start researching the history of Smith’s commitment to global education. Additional information may also be available in records not listed here. The Smith College Archives is located on Level A of Alumnae Gymnasium. The College Archives welcomes inquiries about the records. For further information please contact the Archives at (413) 585-2970

Records Relating to International Education in the Smith College Archives
International Institute for Girls in Spain Records, 1881-1986
	Size: 24 linear feet (53 boxes)	Access: unrestricted
	Contains correspondence, memorabilia, minutes, reports, photographs, and publications, including correspondence of Alice Gordon Gulick and William Hooker Gulick. The International Institute for Girls in Spain was founded in 1877 though the work of Alice Gordon Gulick and her husband William and functioned under a variety of names, jurisdictions and locations with Spain. In 1985 it was renamed the International Institute for Education (IIE) and now serves to educate Spanish men and women in American culture. Text is in English and Spanish. Finding aid is available in the Smith College Archives and at: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca103%5Fmain.html
Ginling College Records, 1920-1993 (bulk 1920-1954)
	Size: 3.94 linear feet (4 boxes)	Access: unrestricted
	Contains notes, letters, reports, photographs, articles, and bulletins from Alumnae Committee members, Ginling College students and faculty, and others involved with Ginling. Ginling College opened 1915 by five American mission boards. Became a Sister College of Smith College in 1916 and was supported by the College's alumnae until 1950. Finding aid is available in the Smith College Archives and at: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca16%5Fmain.html See also: “The American Context of China’s Christian Colleges and Schools Project” for information about the Smith-Ginling connection at: http://www.library.yale.edu/div/colleges/
Smith College Junior Year Abroad Records, ca. 1920- [on-going]
	Access: unrestricted, unless otherwise noted in finding aid/box listing
	Contains general materials, pamphlets, forms, documents, photographs and other materials related to Smith College's junior year abroad program. Also records of the Association of Former Juniors in France, 1931- . Periodic additions are expected. Box listing is available in the Smith College Archives. A listing of Smith alumna who attended their junior year abroad, and for which the Smith College Archives has letters home written by them is also available.
Office of the President Records, 1872- [on-going]
	Access: unrestricted, unless otherwise noted in finding aids
	Contains official correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other documents relating to the work of the president of Smith College. Many Smith College presidents were interested in globally expanding the mission of women’s education, and worked with alumna, friends, and their families to further women’s education worldwide. In particular, the work of William A. Neilson is notable. During Neilson’s tenure, 1917-1939, the Junior Year Abroad program was established at Smith; he worked tirelessly to bring student and faculty scholars from war-torn Europe to America, and created a number of committees at Smith to further ties with educators abroad. Finding aids for presidents L. Clark Seelye (1872-1910) through Mary Maples Dunn (1985-1995) are available in the Smith College Archives and at: L. Clark Seelye, 1872-1910: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca1%5Fmain.html Marion LeRoy Burton, 1910-1917: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca9%5Fmain.html William A. Neilson, 1917-1939: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca13_main.html Herbert John Davis, 1940-1949: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca11_main.html Benjamin Fletcher Wright, 1949-1959: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca14_main.html Thomas C. Mendenhall, 1959-1975: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca14_main.html Jill Ker Conway, 1975-1985: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca71_main.html Mary Maples Dunn, 1985-1995: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca73_main.html
Smith College International Summer Institute records, 1996-1998
	Size: 1.5 linear ft., (5 boxes) Access: unrestricted unless otherwise noted in finding aid.
	The program offered high school girls, foreign nationals or U.S. citizens living abroad, an opportunity to spend one month at Smith pursuing their academic interests. Records contain primarily correspondence, evaluation forms, course descriptions, student work, photographs, and general information about the Institute. Finding aid is available at the Smith College Archives and at: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca85%5Fmain.html
Edna Rees Williams papers, 1937-1992
	Size: 1.6 linear ft., (1 box ) Access: unrestricted unless otherwise noted in finding aid.
	English Professor, Smith College. The majority of the Williams papers concerns her work with foreign students at Smith College. In her capacity as Chair of the Committee on Foreign Students, Williams acted as a mentor and guide to many foreign students who studied at Smith. Additional material relates to her personal life, published work, and the Smith community in general. Types of material includes correspondence, photographs, books, articles, awards, slides, and an audio recording. Finding aid is available at the Smith College Archives and at: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca116_main.html
Helen Jeannette Peirce papers, 1917-1982
	Size: .5 linear ft., (1 box ) Access: unrestricted unless otherwise noted in finding aid.
	Peirce was an assistant professor Spanish at Smith between 1923-1963. She served as Class Dean for the classes of 1933 and 1939 and ran the Junior Year Abroad program in Spain and Mexico for several years. In addition, Peirce was the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Students during the 1953-54 academic year. Finding aid is available in the Smith College Archives and at: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca65.html
Margaret Alexander Marsh papers, 1911-1984
	Size: 6 linear ft. (13 boxes) Access: unrestricted unless otherwise noted in finding aid.
	Marsh served as Class Dean for the classes of 1952 and 1957 and directed the Junior Year in Geneva program during the 1958-1959 academic year. Finding aid is available in the Smith College Archives and at: http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/smitharchives/manosca87_main.html
Alumnae Biographical Files, 1879-present
	Size: 500 linear feet (1000 boxes) Access: unrestricted unless otherwise noted in finding aid/box listing.
	A number of alumnae of Smith College established, or were associated with schools, colleges and other global educational endeavors. In most cases, the Smith College Archives has biographical files on these alumnae, which may contain correspondence, newsletters, photographs, and other memorabilia about their experiences. Unfortunately, the College Archives does not have a comprehensive listing of all alumnae with international experience. A researcher will need to consult a variety of published sources to determine the names of these women.

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Last Updated: October 15, 2009