Does the archives represent Mount Holyoke College as a community?

Saleha Chaudhry

During our first class meeting at the archives, I was struck by two different things that gave me a strong impression of Mount Holyoke College as a community. The method of maintaining and reviewing the archival material was such a respectful and careful process that I felt that there must be a sense of community that compels the archivists and students to follow this procedure. Also, Mary’s letter painted Mount Holyoke as a strong and connected community with friendships and diversity.

The archives at Mount Holyoke keep anything and everything related to a former student. Nothing is too trivial for storing. Every student’s record is kept filled with information about grades, parents, and health. The material is not glamorous and not used to promote any particular image of the school. This gives a feeling of a natural and flowing community that is dedicated to all the students and faculty that inhabit the campus. Also, the records for every student are very extensive. For example, the archives had letters that were written by an uncle of an alum that migrated to California for the Gold Rush. The full expanse of a student’s life is maintained, not only material that connects her to Mount Holyoke. It is crucial to represent the entire lives of its members for a community to exist and prosper. When we were looking at Mary’s letter at the archives, we used a method called a close reading process. This process required that the reader only look at the content of the letter without criticizing the style or quality of the writing. Fundamental aspects of community are trust and respect. Mary could trust the Mount Holyoke archives to respect her letters and allow her the dignity she deserved.

The letter itself was a good indicator of Mount Holyoke as a community. Mary spent almost the entirety of the letter discussing Hazing Day and her preparations for the event. She was excited about the day and put lots of effort into creating her costume. Hazing Day can be seen as an example of the “invented tradition” discussed in Hobsbawm’s article. A ritual such as Hazing Day connected students together and also connected them with Mount Holyoke and its past. It allowed them to feel a belonging with students of the past and others to come. Also, participating in Hazing Day facilitated bonding amongst Mary and her friends and also between Mary and her senior. This all demonstrates Mount Holyoke’s desire to create a network of relationships between all the years of students. When there are connections available between the various groups on campus, a hardier and far more vibrant community emerges.

After our first trip to the Mount Holyoke archives, I believe that they do represent Mount Holyoke as a community. The method of maintaining records and the letters and personal materials of former students both reveal the strong structure that holds Mount Holyoke together.