By Louisa C. Hoffman
Title: Eleanor Gould Packard Papers, 1920-1981, undated
ID: RG 30/447
Creator: Packard, Eleanor Gould (1917-2005)
Extent: 0.8 Linear Feet
Arrangement:
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Correspondence, 1941-1981
The correspondence series consists of letters received by Eleanor Gould Packard from four individuals: Andrew Bongiorno, Professor of English at Oberlin College; Josef Marais, South African folk singer; Howard Haycraft, mystery novelist; and most notably, Oliver St. John Gogarty, Irish poet and author. The correspondence received from Gogarty consists of notes and edits of writings to be published in The New Yorker.
Series 2. Primary and Secondary Education, 1920-1934, undated
The materials in this series document the years Eleanor Gould was in primary and secondary school. Gould’s early academic distinction is documented in this series by clippings announcing various honors she received and scholastic awards from numerous academic competitions. Also included are class projects, essays, and papers, and other materials documenting Gould’s hobbies outside of school.
Series 3. Oberlin College Education, 1933-1938
This series contains academic materials covering the years Eleanor Gould attended Oberlin College, including exams, notes, and papers. These course materials cover a variety of different subjects, including art, French, history, life sciences, and psychology. The series also documents Gould’s high academic standing with honors listings and Phi Beta Kappa announcements. Also included in this series are photographs of Gould during her time at Oberlin College. The photographs picture Gould and friends at the Oberlin College campus, as well as a class photograph of Gould from her first year at Oberlin College.
Date Acquired: 08/21/2015
Languages: English [eng]
The Eleanor Gould Packard papers document her early childhood and college academic achievements and experiences. The materials demonstrate Packard’s early aptitude for writing and research, which eventually lead to her lifelong career in editing.
The majority of the collection is made up of primary and secondary academic materials, such as academic awards and honors, class assignments and notes, essays, school projects, and yearbooks. An example of Packard’s early grasp of the English language is highlighted in a prize-winning essay written for the What to Do magazine when she was fifteen in 1932. Packard’s attention to detail is showcased in various class notes and assignments written while at Oberlin College.
Packard’s fifty-four-year career with The New Yorker is not represented in the collection, except for one small series of letters in the correspondence series. These letters were written to Packard by Oliver St. John Gogarty (1878-1957) while working on a piece for The New Yorker. Three of the five letters are signed by Gogarty under a pen name, “Sinjin.”
The Eleanor Gould Packard papers are organized into three series: Correspondence, Primary and Secondary Education, and Oberlin College Education.
Accruals:
Acc. No. 2015/447.
Access Restrictions:
Two items restricted in Series 2 and Series 3 as noted on inventory.
Acquisition Source:
Susan H. Packard
Acquisition Method:
One donation from Susan H. Packard, Eleanor Gould Packard's daughter.
Related Materials:
Eleanor Gould Packard papers, 1939-2005 (MssCol 23233), Manuscripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. https://archives.nypl.org/mss/23233
Preferred Citation:
Eleanor Gould Packard papers, 1920-1981, undated, RG 30/447, Oberlin College Archives.
Processing Information:
Processed by Louisa C. Hoffman, June 2019
