Elaine Hoff Norton Papers, 1935-2000, n.d.
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
Elaine Yvonne (Hoff) Norton was born May 15, 1918 in Cleveland, Ohio to Clayton Melvern Hoff and Mabel Frances (Snyder) Hoff. She graduated from Lakewood High School in Cleveland, Ohio.
Hoff entered Oberlin College as a freshman in September 1936. She started taking biology and botany courses immediately after beginning classes at Oberlin, earning Freshman Honors for the 1936-37 academic year. Hoff’s academic success with life science courses led to a strong relationship with Oberlin College Professors George T. Jones and Paul B. Sears.
Professor Sears gave Norton the opportunity to work with A.C. Norris (OC 1898) on the reforestation of sugar maples and farm woods management in Lorain County, which led to her senior research project, “The Improvement of Farm Woods Management in Lorain County.” Hoff worked extensively in the Pamona Grange in Lorain County, researching the decrease of yield of maple syrup that farmers were experiencing. This research project was so successful that many Granges in Lorain County began to adopt Hoff’s scorecards on better management of farm woods for a higher yield of maple syrup production.
Hoff received an A.B. from Oberlin College in 1940 and continued her studies at Oberlin as a Master’s student immediately afterward. She was inducted into Sigma Xi, the international honor society for scientific research, in 1941 for her excellence in botany research. Norton’s master’s thesis, titled “Sugar maple groves in Lorain County, Ohio: Factors affecting sap yield,” expanded the work done in her senior research paper and addressed problems brought up by the initial undergraduate research. “Sugar maple groves…” required a great deal of cooperation with not only Oberlin College faculty, but Lorain County farmers as well. Hoff was well respected throughout the county Granges that she worked in and her contributions would eventually lead to better yields for farmers. After completing her research, Hoff received the A.M. in Botany in 1942. She kept in close contact with Professor Jones after graduating, corresponding with him and his wife, Mary, on a regular basis.
After leaving Oberlin, Hoff married World War II veteran Roger Clarke Norton (Columbia University B.A. 1965, M.A. 1936) on February 6, 1943 in Wilmington, Delaware. They moved to Camden, New York, where they raised six children, and stayed for the remainder of their lives. Norton waited until her children were school aged to begin her career in teaching. She taught 6th grade at North Bay Elementary, Camden from 1962 to 1965. She then studied at State University of New York: Oswego and received an A.M. in Education in 1967. Norton taught Life Science at Camden Central School until the end of her teaching career in 1974.
Norton remained active throughout her retirement, and was especially involved with the Camden community. She was the curator of the local Carriage House Museum, and an officer and steward of the Rome Sand Plains chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Norton was able to continue her passion of the outdoors with her various activities, leading nature walks, bird surveys, and camping trips. She and her husband traveled the world extensively, and led many family trips all over the country.
Elaine Hoff Norton died on January 2, 2007 after a short bout of pneumonia. She was predeceased by her husband, Roger Clarke Norton, and a son, Roger Clarke Norton, Jr. She is survived by five daughters: Mary Norton Woodbury Young (OC 1968), Ruth Elaine Norton (OC 1971), Martha Norton Wilson, Patricia Norton (Krueger), and Catherine Norton Estill.
Sources Consulted
Elaine Hoff Norton’s former student file (located in Bosworth Hall, Stewardship Records).
Author: Louisa Hoffman Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
The Elaine Hoff Norton collection is a modest sized volume of academic and personal papers and photographic materials. The content of the collection focuses largely on Norton’s time at Oberlin College as an undergraduate and graduate student.
Norton’s course materials and writings make up the bulk of the collection. These materials provide an in depth look into her coursework at Oberlin College, especially her work with botany and life sciences. The writings also contain Norton’s senior research and master’s thesis papers, and notes and research contained in the course materials demonstrate Norton’s dedicated effort on these papers. Photographs and negatives contained in the photographic materials also show many of the locations Norton studied for her papers and the types of plants (mainly maple trees) that were involved in the research.
Norton’s dedication to life science studies at Oberlin College led to her close personal relationship with Professor of Botany George T. Jones and his wife, Mary. This relationship is demonstrated in the correspondence series that is made up almost entirely of letters received by Norton from Jones, spanning from soon after Norton left Oberlin up until the years very close to Jones’ death. There are also three personal photographs in the photographic materials series of George and Mary Jones sent to Norton.
Where Norton’s collection is strong in materials from her time at Oberlin College, it is greatly lacking in materials after Oberlin. Norton’s career as a teacher is almost entirely undocumented, as well as her busy and productive life as a retiree. An ecology study in the writings series was written in 1962 during her studies at SUNY—Oswego for her master’s degree in teaching. There is also a small lecture in the lectures and talks series given to the Camden (New York) Grange in 2000 about her research done in granges throughout her life.
The collection is divided into seven series: Series 1. Certificates and Degrees, Series 2. Correspondence, Series 3. Course Materials, Series 4. Lectures and Talks, Series 5. Photographic Materials, Series 6. Printed Matter, Series 7. Writings by Elaine Hoff Norton.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Certificates and Degrees, 1940-42
This series contains both the A.B. and A.M. degrees Elaine Norton received from Oberlin College. Also included are two certificates received from the Sigma Xi honor society for scientific research.
Series 2. Correspondence, 1940-43, 1949-62, 1964-89, 1991-94, 2000
The correspondence consists almost entirely of personal letters received from Oberlin College Professor George T. Jones, and his wife, Mary. The other correspondence includes letters received by Norton during and soon after her master’s thesis regarding her research, as well as a letter from Oberlin College Professor Yolanda Cruz sent in 2000 thanking Norton for her support of the college’s Biology and Environmental Studies departments.
Series 3. Course Materials, 1935-42, n.d.
The course materials include notes, reports, and drawings created by Norton during her time at Oberlin College as both an undergraduate and a graduate student. Most of the course materials are from Norton’s life science and botany classwork while attending Oberlin.
Series 4. Lectures and Talks, 1936, 1939, 1941, 2000, n.d.
This series consists of three lectures and talks given by Norton on the subject of her work with maple trees and farm research. Also contained in this series are materials regarding lectures and talks given by Norton, such as announcements, brochures, and preparation notes.
Series 5. Photographic Materials, 1937-38, 1940-41, 1952, 1962, c. 1974, n.d.
The photographic materials are black and white, color, and photocopied photographs and negatives. The photographs are mostly from Norton’s time at Oberlin, and document her personal life as a student, as well as sites that she researched for class projects, her senior research project, and master’s thesis. Also contained in this series are three photographs sent to Norton by Professor George T. Jones that depict vacation scenes.
Series 6. Printed Matter, 1939-44, 1951, 2002, 2007, n.d.
The largest amount of printed matter is in the form of articles and clippings regarding Norton, including her obituary from 2007. Also contained in this series is a bookplate for the Beardslee collection at Oberlin College designed by Norton while still a student.
Series 7. Writings by Elaine Hoff Norton, 1937, 1940-42, 1962, 1966, n.d.
The writings by Norton are all unpublished and are almost entirely writings from her time at Oberlin College; this includes her senior research paper and Master’s thesis in their complete and final form. Two writings regarding botany and environment, and a study of education written outside of Oberlin College are also included in this series.
INVENTORY
Series 1. Certificates and Degrees, 1940-42
Box 1
Oberlin College degrees, 1940, 1942
Sigma Xi certificates, 1941-42
Series 2. Correspondence, 1940-43, 1949-62, 1964-89, 1991-94, 2000
Box 1 (cont.)
Received from Professor George and Mary
Jones, 1949-62, 1964-89, 1991-94
Received from others, 1940-43, 1982, 2000
Series 3. Course Materials, 1935-42, n.d.
Box 1 (cont.)
Bacteriology class notes, n.d.
Bacteriology lab report, 1941
Botany class notes, 1937, 1941, n.d. (2f)
Botany lab drawings, n.d.
Dendrology class notes, 1936
Ecology research notes, 1939 (2f)
Geology field trip projects, n.d. *Restricted
Box 2
Master’s examination questions, 1942
Miscellaneous class notes, 1935, n.d.
Morphology of Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and
Spermatophytes lab outline, 1938
Physiography of the U.S. class notes, 1940
Physiography of the Western U.S. class
notes, 1942
Resources and Conservation class and field
trip notes, 1941
Scorecards for graduate research project, 1941
Sketchbook (figure drawing), 1936 *Restricted
Zoology lab drawings, 1938
Series 4. Lectures and Talks, 1936, 1939, 1941, 2000, n.d.
Box 2 (cont.)
“Grange Reflections,” 2000
“Maple Sugar Reforestation,” 1939
Notes for lectures, 1941, n.d.
“The Promise of Life” exhibit (hostess), 1936
“Research in Beech-Maple Woodlands of Lorain
County,” 1941
“Results of Detailed Survey of Twelve Farm
Woods in Pittsfield Township” (lecture
announcement), 1941
Series 5. Photographic Materials, 1937-38, 1940-41, 1952, 1962, c. 1974, n.d.
Box 2 (cont.)
Photocopies of photo album with Oberlin
photographs, c. 1937-41
Photographs and negatives, 1937-38, 1940, n.d.
Golf course and clouds photograph,
Spring 1937
East branch Vermilion River negatives,
April 1938
Oberlin negatives, n.d.
Pond S. Woods negatives, June 3, 1938
Sewerage disposal plant negatives,
Fall 1940
War day campaign parade and bonfire
negatives, 1938
Box 3
Photographs of Professor George and Mary
Jones, 1952, 1962, c. 1974
“Candid Camera” shot by ship photographer
on board “Queen of Bermuda,”
June 1962
George and Mary Jones, July 1952
George T. and Mary B Jones, Oberlin, Ohio,
1924-1974, c. 1974
Photographs with negatives of sugar maple
research, 1941
Series 6. Printed Matter, 1939-44, 1951, 2002, 2007, n.d.
Box 3 (cont.)
Articles and clippings, 1939-44, 1951, 2002,
2007, n.d.
Bookplate for Beardslee collection (designed by
Elaine Hoff), 1941
Series 7. Writings by Elaine Hoff Norton, 1937, 1940-42, 1962, 1966, n.d.
Box 3 (cont.)
“Abstract aspects of the transition from square to
octagonal in early American churches,”
n.d. *Restricted
Canadian trip, 1940
“Development of the policy of sustained yield utilization
of natural resources, with emphasis on farm
woodlots of Ohio,” 1941
“Green and brown algae as origin of higher land
plants,” 1937
“Improvement of farm woods management in Lorain
County” (senior research project), 1940
“Marsh or bog? A field study in ecology,”
1966 *Restricted
“My philosophy of education,” 1962
“Natural resources of Ohio and their conservation,” 1942
“Sugar maple groves in Lorain County, Ohio: Factors
affecting sap yield” (Master’s thesis), 1942