Dorothy Elderdice (1892-1979) Papers, 1903-1987

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MS-2009-04

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection primarily consists of diaries, letters, photographs, awards, poetry, play notes, play lists, and a few of her pageants. Dorothy’s diaries are sporadic in the beginning, but at that time they are more detailed regarding her personal relationships with friends, and family. After 1948 the diaries feature social issues pertinent to the civil rights movement, equal rights for women, and human rights. She also continued to write about her friends and her daily life. Her last entries are about dealing with her final illness, cancer. Most of the papers and diaries came to the college's archives shortly after she died. Dorothy wrote of diaries from when she was in Florida and Idaho, however these diaries were not received with her papers and diaries. There are also a number of years for which no diaries have been located (1931-1947). The early diaries were borrowed by the local American Association of University Women for transcription in the early 1980s and returned. Condolence letters sent to Ms. Shipley were sent on to the college’s archives at a later date. There was also a file from college president Ralph John’s office placed with her papers. This file is kept separately from her papers. Photographs were placed in two folders in Box 8. Pages were removed from two early diaries which had rusted metal binder rings. The pages were placed in order in file folders and the binders that held the pages were placed in envelopes and then with their respective pages.

Dates

1903 - 1987
Majority of material found in 1903-1930, 1948-1979
Other: Date acquired: 1967

Creator

Elderdice, Dorothy, 1892-1979 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Unrestricted

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright: McDaniel College may hold copyright to sections of this material. McDaniel College makes no representation that it is the owner of any copyright or other literary property in the materials contained in its archives and special collections, (b) that in providing access to or permitting the reproduction of any such materials, McDaniel Archives does not assume any responsibility for obtaining or granting any permission to publish or use the same, and (c) that the responsibility (i) for determining the nature of any rights, and the ownership or interest therein, and for obtaining the appropriate permissions to publish or use and (ii) for determining the nature of any liabilities (including liabilities for defamation and invasion of privacy or publicity) that may arise from any publication or use, rest entirely with the researcher. Copying: Papers may be copied in accordance with the Archives' usual procedures.

Biographical or Historical Information

Note written by Barbara O'Brien

Extent

4.50 Linear Feet

9.00 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Papers and diaries of Dorothy Elderdice (1892-1979).

Arrangement Note

Series, genre, chronological

Physical Access Requirements

Photographs are kept in cold storage. Please notify Archives 24 hours in advance to research photographs.

Custodial History

Dorothy Elderdice donated her academic medals from her college years to College Archivist Samuel B. Schofield for the museum room and a special display forh the college's 100th anniversary in 1967. She donated the monograph of her father’s life to the Hoover Library at McDaniel College on February 15, 1973. A second copy of the monograph of her father’s life came to the Archives with her papers which were gifted to the college library in accordance with her will on August 19, 1981.

Source of Acquisition

Dorothy Elderdice and Dorothy Elderdice Estate

Method of Acquisition

Medals were given to the college by Dorothy Elderdice in 1967 for the college's Centenniel Anniversary. Papers and diaries were bequeathed to the college as part of Dorothy Elderice's estate and received by the college in 1981.

Appraisal Information

Dorothy Elderdice, in later diaries, mentions annual diaries for 1930-1948. These diaries were not in her papers when they were donated to the college. An attempt to find them was conducted by the Carroll County Branch of the Association of University and College Women in 1980 and none for this period were found. See Series 7-8