Eleanor H. Little Papers
Scope and Content
The collection contains correspondence, published materials, clippings and photographs pertaining to her government career as Relief Administrator in Connecticut. Prominent New Deal correspondents include Corrington Gill, Harry Hopkins, and other members of the National Relief Commission. Also included are photographs of Rocky Neck State Park and Keney Park in Hartford, both Relief Commission projects.
Dates
- undated, 1915-1986
Access
The collection is open and available for research.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from the owner(s) of the copyright.
Biography
Eleanor H. Little was born on 9 December 1885, in Media, Pennsylvania. She lived in Pennsylvania until entering Wellesley College, where she received a B.A. in History in 1908. After graduation, Little worked as a matron at Sleighton Farms, a women's correctional institution near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until 1913. She attended Columbia University and received a Master's of Art degree in Sociology in 1915. Afterward, Little worked as a parole officer and psychologist for the Clinton Farms for Women, another correctional institution, in Clinton, New Jersey. Her major areas of professional activity included social work, guidance, and teaching; later in her career, she was interested in industrial engineering, industrial relations, and government service.
After leaving her position at Clinton Farms, Little moved into the realm of industry and worked for the U.S. Rubber Company in New Haven, Connecticut, where she was involved first in teacher, and later in industrial engineering, including planning job classifications. She stayed with U.S. Rubber until 1929, when the plant in New Haven closed. She transferred to the main office in New York in 1930.
In 1931, Little turned to government service. She became Secretary for the Connecticut Unemployment Commission. By 1933, with the creation of the Connecticut Emergency Relief Commission by Governor Wilbur Cross, she became secretary and later administrator of this agency. Little was responsible for administering the entire statewide relief program until 1937.
Little was elected representative to the Connecticut General Assembly in 1941 and again in 1945, where she served on two committees as chair: the Personnel Committee and the Public Welfare and Humane Institutions Committee. In addition to these responsibilities, she began volunteer work, and was connected with the State Farms and Department of Corrections from 1946 to 1969. Little also served as officer in various organizations: the League of Women Voters, the AAUW, the Guilford Board of Education, and the Wellesley Alumnae Association. A long-time resident of Guilford, Connecticut>, Miss Little died 15 March 1986.
Extent
2 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Eleanor H. Little was born in Media, Pennsylvania. She lived in Pennsylvania until entering Wellesley College, where she received a B.A. in History in 1908. In 1931, she became Secretary for the Connecticut Unemployment Commission. By 1933, Little was responsible for administering the entire statewide relief program until 1937. Little was elected representative to the General Assembly in 1941 and again in 1945, where she served on two committees as chair: the Personnel Committee and the Public Welfare and Humane Institutions Committee.
Arrangement
Series I: Correspondence (1933-1936) consists of three folders. Most of the correspondence relates to her work as Relief Administrator in Connecticut.
Series II: Reports And Publications (1933-1937) deals with Miss Little's work with the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. This series includes two published reports written by Miss Little, describing the Commission's work. Other publications include a photostatic copy of the Grave Survey conducted in 1934, major projects of Connecticut State Parks (1935), and several copies of the periodical Connecticut Social Trends..
Series III: Personal (1915-1986) is divided into two subseries. The first subseries relates to the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The second subseries is strictly personal. Also included are publications from Traveler's Insurance Company and a copy of the inaugural address of Governor Wilbur L. Cross in 1935.
Series IV: Newspaper Clippings (undated, 1932-1980) chronicles Miss Little's career in the Connecticut Relief Commission. The series also includes articles about relief on the local, state, and national level. Articles concerning state-funded projects are also included.
Series V: Photographs (undated, 1934-1945) includes many photographs of the Relief Commission's major projects, such as Rocky Neck State Park and Keney Park in Hartford. Included are photographs of Eleanor H. Little with prominent relief administrators and state political leaders.
Acquisition Information
Eleanor H. Little of Guilford, Connecticut, donated her personal papers to the University of Connecticut Library in July 1982.
Separated Material
The following materials have been separated from the collection and cataloged:
The Quartermaster review, v.14:no.1 (1934:July/Aug.) Dodd Periodicals Oversize
Rehabilitacion (San Juan, P.R.), v.1:no.10 (1934:July 3) Dodd Periodicals
- Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations Subject Source: Fast
- Connecticut (state) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Disaster relief Subject Source: Fast
- East Lyme (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Emergency management Subject Source: Fast
- Fliers (printed matter) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Guilford (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Hartford (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Keney Park (Hartford, Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Legislation Subject Source: Fast
- Local government Subject Source: Fast
- New Deal (1933-1939) Subject Source: Fast
- Parks Subject Source: Fast
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Public welfare Subject Source: Fast
- Publications (documents) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Rocky Neck State Park (Conn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Social service Subject Source: Fast
- Unemployment Subject Source: Fast
- United States (nation) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- Voluntarism Subject Source: Fast
- Title
- Eleanor H. Little Papers
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Archives & Special Collections staff
- Date
- 1983
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, University of Connecticut Library Repository
University of Connecticut Library
405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205
Storrs Connecticut 06269-1205 USA US
860-486-2524
archives@uconn.edu
