So far, the trip continues to go swimmingly. Today, I spent a little over three hours pouring over Smith College's archival collections pertaining to Margaret Mitchell. It was quite an experience. As one who adores every library I've ever set foot in and relishes research, I was pretty much in heaven.
Today was much warmer than yesterday; the temperature was in the mid-60s. I've evidently become acclimated to this climate as prior to this trip I would have considered this weather chilly. Instead, it felt great!
New England Food
I again had lunch at the Smithsonian Cafe and Chowderhouse and tried another New England delicacy. I again had that famous clam chowder (chow-dah!), but, at the behest of the nice girl who remembered me from yesterday, I also tried something called a Popover. I had no idea what that was, so I decided to go for it.
Evidently, a Popover is this almost-burned bread that has eggy stuff inside. As you can see from the pictures, it's sort of hollow in the middle. I can't say it was the most appetizing thing I've ever eaten, but apparently people love them up here. Frankly, it made me miss some good ol' Southern cheese biscuits, but I digress. The soup was scrumdiddlyumptious like yesterday, and I might get it one more time before I have to leave on Thursday.
Background on the Research
Researching at Smith was so much fun! Honestly, I think I had a smile on my face the entire time. Although I was allowed to take pictures of all of the materials I viewed, I unfortunately am prohibited from posting any of them online due to copyright laws. Nevertheless, I can still quote them!
That being said, it's important first to establish why I came all the way to Massachusetts to study a woman who lived virtually her whole life in Atlanta, Georgia.
Margaret Mitchell was born in 1900 in Atlanta and was the daughter of Eugene and May Belle Mitchell. Her parents were born during Reconstruction, and both of her grandfathers served in the Confederate army. I think it's important to remember this because it explains why she romanticized the antebellum south to such a degree in Gone with the Wind. It also explains and contextualizes her experiences when she was a student at Smith.
She only spent one year at Smith College, but it was harrowing and life-altering. She was a freshman in 1918, which means she was beginning her education amid the end of World War I, the height of the Russian Revolution, and at the beginning of the Spanish flu epidemic. Moreover, the Suffrage movement in America was reaching its peak, with women getting the vote only two years later. Obviously, this was a tumultuous time in human history, and Margaret Mitchell did not pass through this time period unscathed.
Margaret's mother, May Belle Mitchell, was one of the most prominent Suffragettes in the Southeast and was part of the generation that got women the vote. In fact, Margaret often said her earliest memory was of her mother pinning a strap across her body that read "Votes for Women!" when she was three years old. As a result, May Belle insisted not only on Margaret going to college, but also on her choosing Smith, which she considered the finest women's college in the country.
Margaret did not really enjoy her time at Smith, and there is good reason for this. For one, moving from Hot-lanta to freezing cold Massachusetts was a sharp change. She felt embarrassed about her accent, and was self-conscious about her abilities in school.
In what is now a disturbing and embarrassing display of behavior, Margaret actually walked out of her class because one of her classmates was Black. Having grown up in the segregated South, she had never interacted with Black people before and was taken aback. Certainly, when I first read about this incident in a biography a few years ago, I felt ill. Although it is important to remember Smith was not exactly a bastion of racial equality in 1918, that in no way excuses Margaret's behavior. Yet, it does put her later philanthropy in an interesting light and, I think, shows how far she came when she was older. Mitchell has long fascinated me for being such a paradox, and knowing about this incident is integral to understand who she was.
In addition to experiencing this new environment, she met her fiance, Clifford Henry, while at Smith. Clifford was a pilot in World War I, and he was killed on October 17, 1918 - only weeks before the end of the war.
She always said Clifford was the love of her life and that she never got over his death. In fact, every year on the anniversary of his death, Margaret sent his family a bouquet of white roses. She did this until she herself died in 1949.
Obviously, Clifford's death impacted her tremendously. Bear in mind, her brother, Stephens Mitchell, was also serving overseas. The stress she was under was unbearable, certainly, but things only became worse in 1919 when her mother contracted and then died of Spanish Influenza. Margaret's father sent her a telegram that her mother was dying and for her to return to Atlanta immediately; although she rushed as fast as she could, she got there the day after her mother died. This should probably sound familiar to anyone who has read or seen the movie of Gone with the Wind as Scarlett O'Hara's mother dies of typhoid only a day before she returns home.
What I Got to See and Hold
First off, I think it's pretty great that the Smith College Archives still uses a card catalog! Neat, eh?
Smith's collection of Margaret Mitchell material is small, but there are some real gems in the collection. One folder in particular was bursting with newspaper clippings, most of which were about her death.
Evidently, the Atlanta Jounral, which was where Margaret worked as a reporter for a few years, ran a series of biographical articles about her as a sort of memorial. There were two that specifically dealt with her time at Smith, and one of them concluded with a rather sad letter she wrote to her brother not too long before she left Smith:
Steve, sometimes I get so discouraged I feel that there is no use keeping on here [Smith]. It isn't in studies, for I am about a 'C' student - but I haven't done a thing up here. I haven't shone in any line - athletic, literary, musical, or anything.
Of course, I suppose my year has been rather broken up with the flu and Clifford's and Mother's death, but in a college of 2,500 there are so many cleverer and more talented girls than I. If I can't be first, I'd rather be nothing. At any rate, I've learned a lot and I suppose that's what I came here for. It does seem that I could have done better though. Better luck next time.
The newspaper article dates that letter as March 17. I presume it was from 1919, considering she mentions her mother's death. I felt sad reading this one today; the tone of defeat is so strong here, and she seems so self-conscious about her learning and, in her eyes, shortcomings.
There were many more gems like this one. There was a letter to Smith College Libraries from 26 November 1954 by C. Mildred Thompson, one of Margaret's classmates. Evidently, Mildred and another classmate's daughter named Rachel Neely were responsible for Smith having any of Margaret's materials at all. Mildred's letter expressed how much she wanted the library to have materials on Margaret, particularly letters she wrote.
There was also an amusing story about the movie of Gone with the Wind: Apparently, Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland both wanted to meet Margaret so badly that they sent her a telegram asking for a few minutes to talk, then on the day the movie premiered they showed up at her door! According to Mildred, Margaret said she thought they were both students at Washington Seminary trying to sell her something. She did a double-take, though, and realized who they were.
There is also a Smith College Club of Atlanta that functions as an alumnae group. In 1950, less than a year after Margaret's death, the club established a scholarship in her memory; all of the money would fund girls from Georgia who wanted to attend Smith. The archives I looked at today had several letters and newspaper clippings going through the entire process of establishing the scholarship. The letter states that all young women who receive this money will be known as "Margaret Mitchell Scholars." The scholarship still exists today!
They also had records of Margaret's Honorary Master of Arts, which she received in 1939. She was ecstatic that they had chosen her for this, which she expressed in her letter back to Smith.
I wish I could include this picture, but the program for the Commencement had an illustration on the front of a woman clearly marching for women's rights, but she was holding a sign that read "We're Going with the Wind." It's amusing, and I could probably write an entire article just analyzing the program, but suffice it to say 'twas interesting.
One of my favorite letters was to Mary Clark. I'm not sure what her connection is to Smith, but evidently she had asked Margaret whether there would be a sequel to Gone with the Wind. This paragraph is Margaret's response:
You are very nice and flattering to want a sequel but there will not be any sequel. When you ask about what finally happened to Rhett and Scarlett, I can only say I do not know. As far as I was concerned, the story ended and ended very definitely and conclusively exactly where it ended. It never occurred to me, when I wrote it, that there was a "Lady or Tiger" tinge to it. People, as an Oriental proverb goes, carry their own destinies on their foreheads.Burn! This letter made me laugh so hard, that had to put my hands over my mouth to avoid bothering the other patrons.
The newspaper articles about her death were very moving. There was an entire memorial issue of the Atlanta Journal devoted to her. There was also a clipping of an article about her funeral. It was on the front page, apparently, and had pictures of her hearse and the funeral procession.
Perhaps my favorite out of the articles on her death was one about the many condolences that came about her. Vivien Leigh wrote a very sweet statement about her:
Vivien Leigh, British actress who won fame with her portrayal of Scarlet [sic] O'Hara in the film version of Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind," said in London yesterday she was "deeply grieved" by the death of Margaret Mitchell.
"I have the most enchanting memories and unending gratitude and affection for Margaret Mitchell," Miss Leigh said. "That the strength of her pen could emanate from such a delightful and diminutive person will ever be a source of bewilderment and joy to all who were happy enough to know her."The article has a similar statement from Clark Gable, but the best was from the local librarians:
A young librarian at Atlanta's Carnegie Library wept unashamedly yesterday as she displayed a giant "Gone with the Wind" scrapbook the library staff had compiled of clippings and movie stills. "Margaret Mitchell always gave us credit for the research work she did - and we're so proud that she did most of it here," the librarian said. "It always gave our patrons a thrill when Miss Mitchell walked in, but she never asked for special attention and never seemed to realize she attracted attention."
As someone who is in library school, I am especially moved by this testimonial.
There were so many cool and fascinating items I got to read today. I told the research librarian that I was done with the materials for now, but I may go back tomorrow just in case. It was a privilege to see this information and to hold history in my hands.
Funny Idea for Thomas Cooper
One thing I really liked about Smith's library and archives was the bookmarks they made. They're hilarious!
I love this idea!
One More Cool Thing...
Smith has a huge year book collection in their archival reading room. I looked through the one from 1919, but it had nothing about Margaret Mitchell. However, I got to read another famous alumna's year book...Gloria Steinem!
Gloria graduated in 1956. Evidently, Smith would only put pictures of graduating seniors in the year books (hence why Margaret is not in one). I wish, wish, wish, WISH I could post Gloria Steinem's year book picture, but alas.
Oh, I forgot to add that the year books also have pictures of the students posing in groups in front of their dorms. Where did Gloria Steinem live? In a little dorm called LAURA Sales. That's right, people, Gloria Steinem lived in a dorm with my name on it. I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but I'll take it.
At the End of the Day...
Overall, today was wonderful! I had so much fun that I'll probably go haunt the library again tomorrow for old time's sake. As I walked home, I bought myself an ice cream cone, then walked to the hotel. I can't say life gets much better than this: a beautiful spring day, research, libraries, archives, and ice cream. Ahhhh....
So long for now!
Laura
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