Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Elizabeth Smith diary
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Elizabeth Smith diary
- Date
- 1930-1934
- Creator
- Smith, Elizabeth, 1913-
- Extent
- 0.22 Cubic feet
- Subjects
- College students--Indiana--Indianapolis--History--20th century
- Women college students--Indiana--Indianapolis--Diaries
- Women college students--Indiana--Indianapolis--Social life and customs--History
- Women college students--Indiana--Indianapolis--Societies and clubs--History
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0009: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Elizabeth Smith diary, 1930-1934, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Elizabeth Smith (1913-?) lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, at least from 1913 to 1934. A graduate of Arsenal Technical High School (1930), she attended Indiana Business College (1930-1931) and Butler University (1931-1934). She worked as a secretary at Butler Fieldhouse and later for a number of unnamed banks. In 1940, Elizabeth was single. It is unknown if she married. Elizabeth’s father, William Smith (1888- ), worked for the Ford Motor Company in Indianapolis and later in Chicago beginning in 1933. Elizabeth’s mother, Ethel Smith (1889- ), was a homemaker. Elizabeth was an only child.
- American Letters collector Wade Hall is a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Since 1962, he has lived in Louisville, where he has taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He has also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He holds degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall is the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher’s Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Elizabeth Smith diary (dated 1930-1934; 0.22 cubic feet; 1 item) contains entries written by Elizabeth Smith of Indianapolis, dated June 6, 1930 to December 31, 1934. Elizabeth received this "five year diary" as a high school graduation gift and began using it immediately. Primary topics included in the diary are daily life in Indianapolis; college life, first at Indiana Business College and then Butler University; sorority life at Butler University; and social interaction among young adults during the Great Depression (1930-1934). Notable events mentioned in the diary are Elizabeth’s employment as a secretary at Butler Fieldhouse; Herbert Hoover’s presidential campaign speech at Butler FieldHouse on October 28, 1933; John Dillinger’s death in Chicago (July 22-23, 1934); and the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair (June-July 1933).
- The Elizabeth Smith diary is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.
Contents of the Collection
Diary, 1930-1934
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Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
