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Mary Ethel Creswell papers

Mary Ethel Creswell papers

Descriptive Summary

Title: Mary Ethel Creswell papers
Creator: Creswell, Mary E. (Mary Ethel), 1878-1960
Inclusive Dates: 1890-1960
Language(s): English
Extent: 7.5 Linear Feet (6 boxes)
Collection Number: UA0014
Repository: University of Georgia Archives

Collection Description

Biographical/historical note

In 1919, Mary Ethel Creswell (1878-1960) became the first woman to receive a baccalaureate degree from the University of Georgia. Even before this accomplishment, Creswell had an impressive history. She had graduated from and worked at the Georgia State Normal School, attended the University of Chicago during summer quarters and taught for a while in the Walton County public schools. Creswell eventually moved to Washington D.C. where she was a Field Agent for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and became the Department's first female supervisor. It was during this time that she is credited with coining the term "home demonstration".

Andrew Soule, who was president of the State College of Agriculture at the University of Georgia, appointed Creswell director of the newly created Home Economics division in 1918. With the reorganization of the University of Georgia in 1933, Creswell became the first dean of the School of Home Economics, a position that she held until her retirement in 1945. After retiring as dean, Mary Creswell taught classes at the School of Home Economics from 1945 through 1949.

In 1949, University Chancellor Harmon Caldwell presented Mary Creswell with the first Alumni Service award given to a woman and in 1949-1950 she served as President of the University of Georgia chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi. In 1963, the newly constructed Creswell Dormitory was named in her honor.

Mary Creswell's younger sister, Edith Vaughn Creswell, was one of the first four female students who enrolled for classes at UGA in September 1918. She received her B.S. degree in Home Economics from the University of Georgia in 1920 and went on to become the first dean of women at Abraham Baldwin College in Tifton.

Scope and Content

The Mary Ethel Creswell papers consist of documents relating to her life before and after becoming the first woman to receive an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and the first dean of the School of Home Economics. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, speeches, clippings, certificates, and printed material. Additionally, some material pertains to Mary's sister, Edith Vaughn Creswell.

Organization and Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 5 series: miscellaneous, professional, personal, photographs and diplomas/certificates.


Administrative Information

Preferred citation note

Mary Ethel Creswell papers, UA0014, University Archives, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.

General Notes

RG 2-17


Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Correspondence
Creswell, Edith Vaughn
Creswell, Mary E. (Mary Ethel), 1878-1960
Home economics -- Georgia.
Photographs.
Universities and colleges -- Faculty.
Universities and colleges -- Georgia -- Athens.
University of Georgia. College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Women college students -- Georgia.

Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

1. Miscellaneous

boxfolder
11Biographical, certificates, passports, etc.
12Letters, 1890-1918
13Letters, 1932-1949
14Letters, 1950-1959
15Letters, circa 1960
16Photographs
17Printed materials I
18Printed materials II
19Newspaper clippings
110Speeches
111Programs
112Miscellaneous
113Verse by Chancellor David C. Barrow on the first registration of women at UGA, 1918 September
114Levana yearbook of State Normal School, Athens vol. 1, 1905
115Myers, Jennie Belle-memorial-ms 681
 

2. Professional

boxfolder
21[Mary Creswell-correspondence and vita], 1930
22[Home Economics-Biographies of leaders in the field, programs], 1930s
23Georgia State College of Agriculture, "Girl's and Boy's Club work---a manual for rural teachers", 1916 February
24Georgia 4-H Club [correspondence, program, news clippings], 1955
25Dawson Hall info/Soule hall info, 1952
26WWII materials [Home Economics], 1940-1943
27Creswell on Home Economics [writings and history], 1950s
28School of Home Economics [correspondence], 1933
29Notes for speeches, 1904-1957
210 Georgia alumni record , 1949-1950
211Mary Creswell misc. items [journals and pamplets], 1933-1946
212Home Economics courses, 1930s
213Early FACS documents, 1917-1954
214Correspondence-work, 1913-1960
215Mary Creswell clippings, 1902-1950
216UGA history [general and requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree-probably written by Tom Reed], 1950s
227"Old homes made new"
228Mary Creswell and FACS history, 1910-1950
229Edith Vaughn Creswell, 1906-1940s
230Mary Creswell notebook, 1936
 

3. Personal

boxfolder
217Correspondence-private, 1914-1959
218Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College (ABAC)-Creswell Hall-correspondence about breakfront bookcase, 1958
219Creswell homework [English 9, papers I, II and III], 1910
220Mary Creswell's early school notes and spelling book, 1892
221Creswell school work-"Housing and family welfare" and Home Economics 192, 1934
222Creswell-Illness, 1915
223Mary E. Creswell personal records beginning May 1956 [includes information on sister, Edith's, death], 1956
224Watercolors [by Mary and/or Edith Creswell ?], 1894-early 1900s
225Ink drawings [by Mary and/or Edith Creswell ?], 1897-1911
226Pencil drawings [by Mary and/or Edith Creswell ?], 1896-1897
boxfolder
31Household records, 1948
32Household records, 1949-1950
33Household records, 1957
34Study abroad [materials related to], 1929
35Study abroad materials (under B. Andrews), 1929
36[British pamplets] , 1943-1947
37British education pamplets, 1929
38[Journal-study abroad], 1929
39Letters and cards from abroad, 1926
310[Postcards-English and French], 1926, 1929
311[Poetry- various authors], early 1900s-1950
312The pleasures of walking edited by Mitchell, 1948
313[Pamplets-published by American Unitarian Association], 1920s
314Unitarian sermons [documents], 1920s-1940s
315[Christmas cards, postcards], early 1900s-1950s
 

4. Photographs

boxfolder
316Study tour-Britain [photographs], 1929
317[Mary Creswell-photographs], early 1900s-1957
 

5. Certificates and diplomas

box
4Certificates-Mary and Edith Creswell, 1903-1949
box
5Mary Creswell's Normal School diploma, 1903 May 18
Mary Creswell's University of Georgia diploma [framed], 1919 June