77-M218--78-M104
Howe, Helen, 1905-1975. Papers, 1872-1975 (77-M218, 78-M104): A Finding Aid
Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
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Radcliffe College
January, 1981
© 1981 Radcliffe College
Call No.: 77-M218, 78-M104
Repository:
Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute
Creator:
Helen Howe, 1905-1975
Title: Papers, 1882-1975
Quantity:
12 cartons, 1 file box
Abstract: Correspondence, writings, diaries, engagement books, etc., of Helen Howe, monologuist and author.
Preliminary inventory: January, 1981
By: Jane S. Knowles
Accession numbers: 77-M218, 78-M104
This collection was received by the Schlesinger Library from Reginald Allen, HH's husband and literary executor in December 1977 and July 1978.
Access. Folders 147-150, 152-155 are closed.
Helen Howe Papers, 1882-1975; item description, dates. 77-M218, 78-M104, folder #. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
HH, monologuist and author, was born in Boston on January 11, 1905, the daughter of Mark Anthony DeWolfe Howe, biographer and author, and Fanny Howe, essayist. She was the sister of Quincy Howe, editor and radio commentator, and of Mark DeWolfe Howe, professor of law at Harvard University. HH attended Milton Academy and Radcliffe College x'27, and studied acting with Georges Vitray in France. She taught at the Fiske School in Boston for one year and then went to the New York Theater Guild in 1926. There her talent for monologues was encouraged and she began performing, at first for friends and then in public. She was acclaimed in London in 1936 and ranked with Ruth Draper and Cornelia Otis Skinner for her pungent satirical sketches. During World War II she toured the country for "Community Concerts." Her first novel The Whole Heart was published in 1943, followed by We Happy Few (1946), The Circle of the Day (1950), The Success (1956), and The Fires of Autumn (1959). The Gentle Americans, 1864-1900: Biography of A Breed, a family history that focussed on her father, MADH, was published in 1965. In 1946 HH married Reginald Allen, Curator of the Gilbert and Sullivan Collection of the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York, and former administrator of the Metropolitan Opera and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
The collection includes extensive family correspondence and other papers, among them the writings and correspondence of Fanny Quincy Howe, the correspondence of Mark Anthony DeWolfe Howe with HH and other family members, the correspondence of HH with her brothers, her sister-in-law (Mary Manning Howe), and her nieces. It includes HH's professional correspondence and her correspondence with friends. Series II, HH's Writings, includes diaries, drafts of published novels, drafts of her unpublished autobiography, the unpublished account of her relationship with John Marquand and a complete ts. of the unpublished novel "The Center". The monologues (list included with inventory) have been removed and given to the Theater Collection, Harvard University.
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series I: Biographical data and correspondence
- A. Photographs, biographical data, diaries
- B. Family correspondence
- C. HH's correspondence with friends
- D. HH's professional correspondence (see also Series II)
- Series II: HH's writings, including correspondence re: novels and books.
See also Helen Howe papers, 1872-1975
(82-M96)
- Box 1: Photographs
- Carton 2: 1-31
- Carton 3: 32-68
- Carton 4: 69-98
- Carton 5: 99-129
- Carton 6: 127-198
- Carton 7: 199-232
- Carton 8: 233-262
- Carton 9: 263-300
- Carton 10: 301-313
- Carton 11: Drafts of The Gentle Americans
- Carton 12: Drafts and notes for "The Center," 1968-1972, HH's unpublished novel.
- FQH Fanny (Quincy) Howe
- HH Helen Howe
- HQM Helen Quincy Muirhead
- JPM John Phillips Marquand
- MADH Mark Anthony DeWolfe Howe
- MDH Mark DeWolfe Howe
- MH Molly(Mary) (Manning) Howe
- MMH Mabel (Muirhead)Hopkins
- MQD Mabel (Quincy) Davis
- QH Quincy Howe
- PTS Polly (Thayer) Starr
-
Series I: Biographical data and correspondence
-
A. Photographs, biographical data, diaries
-
1.
Clippings and programs in re HH
-
2.
Alfred Reginald Allen, 1876-1918, father-in-law, and Constant Huntington: clippings about
-
3.
Reginald Allen, husband, clippings about
-
5.
HH's diary, "Travels in Wartime", 1940s, ts.
-
B. Family correspondence
-
7-12:
HH to mother, Fanny Quincy Howe
-
7.
From England, 1923, ts, ms.
-
13-16:
FQH to HH
-
13.
April, 1921-July, 1923
-
17-37:
FQH's correspondence with family, clippings about FQH, writings
-
18.
FQH to Mary E. Huntington (sister), 1886-1893
-
19.
FQH to Mary E. Huntington (sister), 1894
-
20.
FQH to Katherine Bowditch Codman, 1886-1896
-
21.
FQH to and others to Katherine Bowditch Codman, 1894-1896
-
22.
FQH to Annie? 1893 and other letters to and from FQH
-
23.
FQH to Robert Chase, 1923
-
24.
FQH to Mabel Muirhead Hopkins (niece), n.d.
-
25.
FQH to Nancy Byrd Turner, 1918 and poems.
-
26.
Charles Townsend Copeland to FQH, 1891-1899.
-
27.
FQH's articles, and TLS from Ellery Sedgewick, 1933
-
28.
FQH's stories and dramatic scenes
-
29.
Prize valentine for Tavern Club, 1916
-
30.
FQH and Alice Bache Gould, Commonplace Book, v.1, 1882-1898
-
31.
FQH and Alice Bache Gould, Commonplace Book, v.2, 1885-1889
-
33.
Re: death of FQH, letters to HH, 1933
-
34.
Mabel Muirhead and aunts to HH re: death of FQH, 1933
-
35.
Poems, ts., printed, collected by FQH
-
36.
MADH's poems about FQH
-
37.
Clippings about FQH's anonymously published novel The Opal.
-
38-55:
HH to Mark Anthony DeWolfe Howe
-
38.
1920s, "while performing at the Blue Angel"
-
40.
1936, re London performances.
See also #57.
-
47.
"on the road", photocopies
-
49.
1944-1955, photocopies
-
50.
"After marriage" (1946)
-
51.
ca. 1947-1958 and to other family members
-
56-65:
MADH to HH
-
57.
1935-1936 re London performances; also clippings and enclosures.
-
60.
Re HH's engagement to Reginald Allen, 1946
-
64.
1953, includes letters to Mabel Muirhead Hopkins
-
66-77:
MADH's other correspondence, writings and clippings about.
-
66.
MADH to Dodd Mead and Co., 1902
-
67.
MADH to Eliza (Whitney) Howe, mother, re birth of HH, 1905
-
68.
MADH to William James, II, 1944-1945, 1955, and to Alice James.
-
69.
Family members to MADH, 1956, 1957
-
70.
Wallis Eastburn Howe to MADH, 1954-1959
-
71.
Amory Hare Hutchinson to MADH
-
72.
Family and friends to MADH and from
-
73.
Letters in re death of MADH, 1960-1961
-
74.
Youth's Companion, ed. MADH: contributors and correspondence 1872-1891
-
78.
George Howe to HH; Paul and Halsey Howe to HH
-
79-86:
HH to Mabel (Muirhead) Hopkins, cousin
-
87-90:
Mabel Muirhead Hopkins to HH
-
91-98:
Other correspondence of and about MMH
-
93.
Re HH's trip to help MMH, 1973 (1)
-
94.
Re HH's trip to help MMH, 1973 (2)
-
95.
Re HH's trip to help MMH, 1973 (3)
-
98.
Dawn and Simon Muirhead re: death of MMH, 1974
-
99.
Mabel Quincy Davis (aunt) and MADH to MMH
-
100.
Helen Quincy Muirhead (aunt) to HH, MQD to HH, 1913
-
101.
HQM to MQD (sisters)
-
103.
HQM to Mabel Muirhead Hopkins
-
104.
Reginald Allen to and from HH, 1955, and cards, n.d.
-
105-118:
Quincy Howe, correspondence and broadcasts
-
105.
QH to MADH, ca. 1937-1957
-
106.
QH to MADH, ca. 1958, n.d.
-
114.
QH to MMH, Fan Adams to QH
-
119-138:
Mark DeWolfe Howe, correspondence to, from and about
-
119.
MDH to and from MADH, 1934-1943, n.d.
-
120.
MDH to and from MADH, 1930s-1945, n.d.
-
121.
MDH to and from MADH, 1938-1942, n.d.
-
122-133:
MDH to HH
-
126.
1930s-1950s, numbered and extracted for Fanny Howe Senna (niece)
-
131.
"Snippets", ts. and cc.
-
132.
"Snippets", ms and ts, cc.
-
133.
"Snippets", ms and ts, cc.
-
134.
Van Wyck Brooks to MDH, MDH to QH, to his own children, to his wife, Mary (Manning) Howe.
-
135.
MDH to Helen Quincy Muirhead
-
136.
MDH, clippings about
-
137.
Re: death of MDH, 1967, clippings and letters
-
138.
Re: death of MDH, 1967, clippings and letters
-
139-143:
Mary (Manning) Howe correspondence to and from
-
143.
MH and MDH to Mabel Muirhead Hopkins
-
144.
Quincy Howe, Jr. to QH, MADH, and HH
-
145.
Clippings about QH Jr.
-
146.
Anne Purves Close to HH and clippings
-
147.
Tina Howe to Mabel Muirhead Hopkins, and to HH
CLOSED.
-
148.
Tina Howe to HH
CLOSED.
-
149.
Fanny Howe and Quincy Howe Jr. to Mabel Muirhead Hopkins
CLOSED.
-
150.
Fanny Howe and about FH
CLOSED.
-
151.
Re: Fanny Howe and Carl Senna, by FH: printed and ts.
-
152.
Christopher and Helen Braider to HH, and PHOTOGRAPHS
CLOSED.
-
153.
Donald and Carol, Christopher and Helen (Howe) Braider, to and from HH.
CLOSED.
-
154.
Susan and Harvey Quaytman to HH
CLOSED.
-
155.
Susan Quaytman von Schlegell to HH
CLOSED.
-
156.
Rev: von Schlegell, printed
-
C. HH's correspondence with friends
-
160.
Bancroft, Mary to and from HH
-
161.
Bancroft, Mary 1965-1974
-
162.
Bancroft, Mary to and from HH, also articles by MB
-
165.
Bowen, Catherine (Drinker)
-
168.
Cabot, Sally, 1925-1926
-
169.
Clark, Winifred, 1971-1973
-
170.
Clark, Winifred, 1973-1974
-
171.
D includes TLS from Ruth Draper
-
173.
Evans, Abbie Heuston
-
177.
Gilmour, Michael H.B, 1936-1940
-
182.
Kehanis, Art and Nan
-
183.
Keith, Liddy (Scott)
-
184.
Koski, Tina (HH's cook)
-
186-193:
From and re: John P. Marquand
-
186.
MDH and others to HH, 1934
-
187.
QH to HH, HH to MMH and MADH, 1935
-
188.
JPM to HH, 1932-1934
-
189.
JPM to HH, 1935-1936
-
190.
JPM to HH, "afterwards"
-
191.
Clippings and letters about JPM, 1960s
-
192.
HH to Stephen Birmingham, biographer of JPM
-
193.
HH to Millicent Bell, biographer of JPM, 1969-1973
-
194.
Christina Sedgewick Marquand to HH, Hawaii, 1931-1932
-
195.
Christina Sedgewick Marquand to HH, 1929-1951
-
196.
Christina Sedgewick Marquand to HH, 1940s
-
197.
Murray, Henry, to and from HH
-
198.
Murray, Henry, reprints
-
199.
N-O, includes ALS from Iris Origo
-
201.
Pigors, Faith, daughter of Lucy and Winthrop Ames
-
206-210:
HH to Polly Thayer Starr
-
212.
PTS to HH, 1969-1974
-
220.
Wheelright, John Brooks to Polly Thayer Starr
-
221.
Wheelright, Mary Cabot
-
222.
Whitehill, Walter Muir
-
224.
Willard, Helen (Harvard Theatre Collection)
-
225.
Wise, Robert and Agnes
-
226.
Young, Nancy Wilson Ross and PHOTOGRAPHS
-
227.
Yourcenar, Marguerite, and Grace Frick
-
228.
Unidentified correspondence, n.d.
-
229.
Unidentified correspondence, 1974/1975
-
230.
Cards received by HH, n.d.
-
231.
Friends to HH during ulcer attack, 1966
-
232.
"Subjects": A-Z. Clippings, notes, programs, memos re New York Society Library
-
D. HH's Business Correspondence.
-
233.
Letters to and from publishers (1)
-
234.
Letters to and from publishers (2)
-
235.
Letters to and from publishers (3)
-
236.
Authors' Guild, re: Helen Hull House
-
238.
Maine (Summer house in Somesville)
-
240.
Metropolitan storage warehouse
-
242.
Schlesinger library, notes and talk, 1971
-
243.
Urban League of Greater New York
-
244.
Wedding arrangements, 1961
-
Series II: Writings
-
245-253:
Draft of autobiography: "Monologue for Myself"
-
250.
"Current ideas", notes
-
251.
Journal, Maine, May-July, 1973
-
254.
Round of Parties and other sketches
-
255.
Address at opening of Hilles Library, 1967
-
256.
"Passing Scene, Observations"
-
258-262:
"Diary like notes of thoughts, of reading and of actual events n.d.
-
262.
"V" Soundings, 1970-1971
-
264.
"Notes and external journal"
-
265.
"How true": inner journal
-
267.
"Innocence recalled," notes
-
268v.
"The Circle of the Day," ts
-
269v.
"The Circle of the Day," ts
-
270v.
HH and Mary Howe, "The Circle of the Day," adapted from HHs novel
-
271.
"The Circle of the Day", notes for screen treatment
-
272.
Correspondence re novels and clippings, 1953, 1955
-
273.
Correspondence re novels and clippings, 1956/57
-
274.
Correspondence re novels and clippings, 1956/57
-
275.
The Success, correspondence
-
276.
Correspondence with McDonalds
-
277.
Diamond Cut Diamond, notes
-
279.
Notes, draft article on religion
-
280.
Fires of Autumn: clippings about
-
281.
Fires of Autumn: correspondence A-L, includes TLS from Jacques Barzun
-
282.
Fires of Autumn, correspondence M-Z
-
283.
Draft novel, no title, 1969, ts. and cc.
-
284.
"Daughters in Dialogue -Conversations between HH and Catherine Drinker Bowen," ts., given in 1971 at the Schlesinger Library.
-
285-296:
"A Poor Innocent Young" and other material about HH and JPM.
-
285.
"A Poor Innocent Young", ts.
-
286.
"A Poor Innocent Young", ts.
-
287.
"A Poor Innocent Young", partial cc.
-
289.
Notes "A Few Years from my life"
-
291.
Letters, 1934: HH to JPM, ts. and ms.
-
295.
HH on JPM, draft data on early stages
-
296.
HH on JPM, draft "An Unwritten Chapter"
-
297.
Poetry by others ts.
-
298-313:
Gentle Americans: correspondence, drafts, clippings
-
298.
Correspondence before publication (1)
-
299.
Correspondence before publication (2)
-
300.
Correspondence before publication (3)
-
302.
Draft, with comments by Jacques Barzun
-
303-306:
Correspondence about Gentle Americans
-
313.
Extracts from letters
-
Carton 11:
Drafts of Gentle Americans; "The Center": includes earliest preliminary notes, 1959; correspondence and printed source material; 1969 version; version completed in 1971, ts. and cc. ("Version typed by Louise N. Fisher, 1970-1971, revised with carbon")
-
Carton 12:
Drafts and notes for "The Center," 1968-1972, HH's unpublished novel.
Allen, Helen(Howe), see Howe, Helen, 1905-1975
Allen, Alfred Reginald, 1905-
Bancroft, Mary
Barzun, Jacques, 1907-
Boothby, Basil
Bowen, Catherine (Drinker), 1897-1974
Cabot, Sally
Codman, Katherine (Bowditch)
Copeland, Charles Townsend, 1860-1952
Davis, Mabel(Quincy), -1958
Draper, Ruth, 1884-1956
Gould, Alice Bache, 1869-1963
Hopkins, Mabel (Muirhead), -1974
Howe, Fanny Huntington (Quincy), 1870-1933
Howe, Halsey DeWolfe, 1921-
Howe, George, 1900-
Howe, Mark Anthony DeWolfe, 1864-1960
Howe, Mark DeWolfe, 1906-1967
Howe, Mary (Manning)
Howe, Quincy, 1900-
Howe, Wallis Eastburn, 1868-1960
Marquand, Christina (Sedgewick)
Marquand, John Phillips, 1893-1960
Muirhead, Helen(Quincy), -19
Murray, Henry Alexander, 1893-
Origo Iris
Sarton, May, 1912-
Starr, Polly(Thayer)
Turner, Nancy Byrd
Wecter, Elizabeth
Whitehill, Walter Muir, 1905-
Yourcenar, Marguerite
Actresses
Authors
Boston--Social life and customs
Diaries
New York (City)--Social life and customs
Theater
Maine--Social life and customs
sch00639
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