MS 0611.1
Correspondence , 1918, 1927, 1943
1 folder
Chronological
Forms part of MS 0611, The Grace Mabel Bacon Papers.
Restrictions: Unrestricted
Last Updated: 2003/07/11
Description:
This series contains excerpts from Bacon's
letters, September 28, 1918 to January 17, 1919,
and letters to the "Mount Holyoke Alumnae
Quarterly" in 1927 and 1943. The excerpts of her
letters span from her trip to Europe from Quebec
aboard the "Vestris", a ship that sailed in 1918.
An outbreak of influenza aboard the ship
affected many passengers. The ship was separated
from the rest of its convoy during a storm and
there was no doctor aboard to help the ill, but
Bacon survived. She mentions Ruth MacGregor,
Mount Holyoke College Class of 1910, who died on
the ship and was buried at sea. Bacon also
describes her experiences in St. Nazaire, France
working with Belle Mead, Mount Holyoke College
Class of 1900, for the American Red Cross at the
end of World War I. The two women salvaged Red
Cross supplies and clothing damaged by a fire
aboard a ship the materials were on. The two
women supervised local children and German
prisoners of war working for them and provided
thousands of refugees with food and clothing.
When the Red Cross work ended in January, 1919,
Bacon decided to remain in France working as the
head waitress at a canteen. Not long after this
she became involved in organizing German classes
for the US Army under the Young Men's Christian
Association (YMCA) Army Educational Commission.
Shortly thereafter she was sent to Coblenz to
instruct American soldiers there. Bacon's
letters to "The Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly"
concern an article she sent to them and
information about her retirement for the Class of
1901 notes.
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MS 0611.2
Writings , 1914, 1919, 1960
1 folder
Chronological
Forms part of MS 0611, The Grace Mabel Bacon Papers
Restrictions: Unrestricted
Last Updated: 2003/07/11
Description:
This series includes two newspaper articles from
the "Springfield Daily Republican" in 1914 and
1919, an article in "The Mount Holyoke Alumnae
Quarterly" from 1919, a syllabus in German for
the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Army
Educational Commission of the American
Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) and an obituary for
Ellen C. Hinsdale, Mount Holyoke College
Professor Emeritus of German. In her 1914
newspaper article, Bacon describes her
experiences in Munich right as World War I is
breaking out. She details the tense events that
ensue up until her departure by ship back to the
United States. In a newspaper article from 1919
she describes the city of Coblenz, Germany while
she is teaching for the A.E.F. She talks about
the activities of American soldiers: a cruise, a
visit to a castle, trips to the theater, as well
as the conditions in the occupied city. The
article for the "Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly"
is a very detailed account of her experiences
working for the A.E.F. in Coblenz and her
experiences visiting war-torn France. Her
account includes general information about the
creation of the A.E.F. as well. She describes
her time exploring the city of Coblenz and the
occupation of the city. The syllabus in German
she authored was used for classes that she taught
for the A.E.F.
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MS 0611.3
Biographical Information , ca. 1919-1967
1 folder
Chronological
Forms part of MS 0611, The Grace Mabel Bacon Papers
Restrictions: Unrestricted
Last Updated: 2003/07/11
Description:
This series contains newspaper clippings,
biographical notes, and a tribute dating from
about 1919-1967. The clippings describe her work
with the Red Cross in France, her harrowing
journey on the ship "Vestris", her career and
retirement from Mount Holyoke College, and her
death. Also included are obituaries for her
siblings Ruth Grey Bacon, Frances Gertrude Bacon
Ruggles, and George A. Bacon. The tribute,
written soon after Bacon's death by Mount Holyoke
classmate Anna L. Bates, describes her academic
and career pursuits as well as her personal
interests.
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MS 0611.4
Photographs , ca. 1901-ca.1943
1 folder
Chronological
Forms part of MS 0611, The Grace Mabel Bacon Papers
Restrictions: Unrestricted
Last Updated: 2003/07/11
Description:
This series contains photographs of Grace Bacon
that are mostly formal portraits. There is a
portrait of her when she was a young woman in her
twenties, possibly her senior photograph at Mount
Holyoke College. A snapshot, possibly taken in
1901, shows her posing in a dramatic collapse in
a room full of half-packed boxes. A photograph
from the "Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly" shows
Bacon in her Army uniform wearing a hat, a tie
and a jacket with U.S. pins on the lapels. There
are also portraits of her when she was older,
perhaps in her forties, wearing an evening dress.
Another portrait of her was taken later, perhaps
in the 1940s. A photograph of Bacon with her
bicycle and dachshund was probably taken after
she retired in 1943.
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