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Chase Going Woodhouse Papers

 Collection
Identifier: 1983-0009

Scope and Content

The Chase Going Woodhouse Papers reflect Mrs.Dr. Woodhouse's activities and interests including family and women's issues, service to the state of Connecticut and people in her community, and her professional life. Materials include correspondence, reports, speeches, articles, photographs, notes, publications, and newsletters.

Dates

  • undated, 1900-1984

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

Born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1890 the daughter of Seymour and Harriet Jackson Going, Chase Going Woodhouse received a B.A. (1912) and M.A. (Economics, 1913) from McGill University. She studied for her Ph.D. at the University of Berlin (Germany, 1913-1914) and the University of Chicago (1915-1916) and was named a Fellow in Political Economy at the University of Chicago in 1917. Married that same year to Edward James Woodhouse, she accepted a position at Smith College, where she taught from 1917 until 1925. After three years as a Senior Economist of the Division of Economics of the Bureau of Home Economics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (1925-1928), Woodhouse returned to academia as the Director of Personnel, Woman's College, at the University of North Carolina (1928-1934). In 1934, she accepted the position of Professor economics at Connecticut College, a position she held for ten years. From 1941-1943 she also served as the Secretary of the State of Connecticut and published a book, The Big Store, in 1943. Woodhouse was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1945 and served two terms (1945-1947, 1949-1951). For much of the remainder of her career she served as the Director of the Auerbach Women's Service Bureau (1945-1981).

Chase Going Woodhouse died in 1984 after a lifetime of dedicated public service.

CHRONOLOGY

1890
Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Daughter of Seymour and Harriet Jackson Going.
1907-1908
Student at Science Hill School, Shelbyville, Kentucky.
1912
B.A. McGill University, Canada.
1913
M.A. Economics, McGill University, Canada.
1913-1914
Doctoral student at University of Berlin, Germany.
1915-1916
Doctoral student at University of Chicago.
1917
Fellow in Political Economy at the University of Chicago. Married Edward James Woodhouse, Professor of Government.
1917-1918
Assistant Professor of Economics at Smith College.
1918
Associate Professor of Economics at Smith College.
1920-1925
Professor of Economics at Smith College.
1921
Son, Noel Robert Seymour Woodhouse, born.
1925
Daughter, Margaret Wark Woodhouse, born.
1925-1928
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
1928-1934
Director of Personnel, Woman's College, University of North Carolina.
1928-1944
Established and directed the Institute of Women's Professional Relations.
1934-1944
Professor of Economics at Connecticut College.
1941-1943
Secretary of the State of Connecticut (Democrat)
1943
The Big Store.
1945-1947
Representative of the Second District (eastern) of Connecticut to the U.S. House of Representatives.
1945-1981
Director, Auerbach Women's Service Bureau.
1946-1947
Director, Women's Division, National Democratic Committee.
1949-1951
Second term as representative of the Second District of Connecticut to the U.S. House of Representatives.
1959-1963
Executive Committee, Connecticut Mental Health Association.
1960
Delegate to the U.S. Conference on Children and Youth.
1960-1971
Sprague (CT) Planning and Zoning Commission.
1961-1966
Executive Committee, National Council for Community Service to International Visitors; President (1965).
1962
Governor's Committee on Libraries, Governor's Committee on a Branch of the University in Southeastern CT.
1962-1965
State Advisory Committee on Unemployment Compensation.
1962-1969
New England Governor's Research Committee.
1963-1965
Steering Committee,
1963-1973
Board of Directors, Southeastern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency.
1964-1974
Executive Committee,
1965
Delegate, State Constitutional Convention.
1965-1966
Governor's Clean Water Task Force.
1965-1971
Chair, Sprague Planning and Zoning Commission.
1966-1967
Chair, Governor's Commission on the Status of Women.
1968-1971
Eastern Connecticut Resource, Conservation and Development Commission.
1969-1970
Department of Human Services.
1970-1971
Steering Committee, Governor's Committee on Environmental Policy.
1972
Expectation Study Group, Comprehensive Health Planning, HEW.
1973
Winslow Award, Connecticut Public Health Association.
1973-1980
Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.
1974
U.S. State Department
1975
Chair, Task Force on Housing.
Chair, Commission on Connecticut's Future.
Connecticut Humanities Council.
1981
Connecticut Magazine.
1982
Ella T. Grasso
1984
New Canaan, CT
Alfred University
Allegheny College
Honorary Degrees:
Albertus Magnus College
Publications:
University of Hartford
St. Joseph's College
Connecticut College
Legal Rights of Children
The Big Store

Extent

116 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1890 the daughter of Seymour and Harriet Jackson Going, Chase Going Woodhouse studied at McGill University, the University of Berlin and the University of Chicago. She was employed by Smith College, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of North Carolina, Connecticut College before her election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1945. For much of the remainder of her career she served as the Director's of the Auerbach Women's Service Bureau (1945-1981). Chase Going Woodhouse died in 1984 after a lifetime of dedicated public service.

Arrangement

Series I: Writings (undated, 1923-1961) contains Mrs. Woodhouse's published and unpublished articles, speeches, notes and abstracts. Most of the material dates from early in her career (ca. 1930-1945). This material illustrates Woodhouse's interests in topics such as women's occupations, trends in occupations, women and higher education, women and public affairs, equal rights, home economics, housing and standard of living. Some of the unpublished articles, specifically those on careers for women, appear to have been written for the Institute for Women's Professional Relations. This series is organized by document type. Both published and unpublished articles are arranged alphabetically by title. The speeches are arranged alphabetically by title, when that information is available or by the location at which the speech was given. The handwritten abstracts and notes, which Mrs. Woodhouse made on books and articles, are in no particular order.

Series II: Auerbach Service Bureau (undated, 1944-1976) consists of Chase Going Woodhouse's files as director of this organization. The Service Bureau was supported by the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Organization; its mission was to inform, assist, and advise Connecticut women and women's organizations. The Bureau's efforts were directed at a state level rather than the town, city or municipal level. The series is divided into eight subseries: Annual reports (1944-1976), Bureau History and Functions, Correspondence, Bureau Activities, Foreign Visitors, Photographs, Newsclipping Scrapbooks, and Meeting Attendance Books.

Annual reports are listed in chronological order from 1944 to 1976. Each file contains an annual report for that year and usually several calendars of events, meeting fliers, and upcoming events (such as trips and lectures). In addition, the annual reports list all activities, meetings, and lectures the Bureau sponsored.

Bureau History and Functions contains information on the Service Bureau itself, including the Advisory Boards, subcommittees, procedural files and information on the directors, Mrs. Woodhouse and Mrs. Harrison. In addition, this subseries contains information on the Bureau's sponsor and namesake, Mrs. Beatrice Fox Auerbach.

Correspondence contains letters written by and to Mrs. Auerbach, Mrs. Woodhouse and Mrs. Harrison. Included in this subseries is the important signatures file (prominent individuals) among which are university presidents and national figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Rockefeller and Dean Rusk.

Bureau Activities is the largest of the subseries. It contains information on meetings sponsored by the Service Bureau. The meetings are listed by titles in alphabetical order and topics range from Child Welfare to Education to Publicity. Several of these meetings reflect Mrs. Woodhouse's particular interests: International Issues and Foreign Students. Included, also, are Bureau projects, scholarships, and trips. One of the major projects sponsored by the Bureau, Juvenile Justice, is located in Series VII.

Foreign Visitors (1947-1965) contains information on guests who were chaperoned by the Service Bureau when they visited the Hartford, Connecticut, area. Many of these guests were visiting in conjunctions with the Committee on Leaders and Specialists, American Council of Education project sponsored by the Department of State. The visitors were from many countries and observed various activities and functions of American life.

Photographs contains images of Service Bureau representatives, foreign visitors and meeting attendees.

Newsclipping scrapbooks is comprised of approximately forty (40) scrapbooks and several files on the Bureau and its activities.

Meeting attendance books lists the coordinator's name, meeting location, date, and name of the guest lecturer for scheduled events. Also included is a guest book, which may be from Mrs. Woodhouse's home.

Series III: Trends in Occupations Project (1900-1947) contains the tables, reports and research notes of Chase Going Woodhouse for Works Progress Act (WPA) Project #2085, which she directed. The purpose of the project, according to Woodhouse, was “to make available in usable form data concerning changes in occupational distribution in the United States since 1910 (1900 when available); and to interpret those data...” from the Institute of Women's Professional Relations at Connecticut College in New London, CT. This series is further subdivided into three subseries: Tables, Reports and Reference Files.

Tables are the compilations of the Trends in Occupations Project. The 54 tables are broadly divided by occupation. Within the table, data is compiled by sex, state, census area, region, and city (population over 100,000), for 1910, 1920 and 1930.

Reports contain reports about and from the Project, including a draft of the final report. The series is arranged chronologically.

Reference Files (1900-1953, bulk 1934-1937) contains publications gathered and notes taken by Mrs. Woodhouse. The major topics in this subseries are population trends, occupation trends and standards of living. The materials are arranged alphabetically.

Series IV: Status of Women (1908-1984, bulk 1960s-1970s) contains information on women's organizations, newsletters, federal and state reports, articles and publications concerned specifically with women and the women's movement. The materials are divided into two subseries: Organizations and Publications and Topics, both are arranged alphabetically.

Organizations and Publications is a compilation of newsletters and other publications from colleges and universities, state and federal agencies, and from regional and national organizations dealing with the women's movement.

Topics consists of publications and information focused on specific areas of the women's movement. The underlying theme throughout this subseries is how these issues affect or are affected by women.

Series V: Constitutional Convention (1965, 1969) contains the documents maintained by Woodhouse from the 1965 Constitutional Convention in the state of Connecticut. Mrs. Woodhouse was co-chair of the Committee on Constitutional Resolutions and the series reflects her position more than it offers information on the Convention itself. The Committee on Constitutional Resolutions dealt with resolutions that would change the Constitution of the state. The committee's work focused on the following issues: voting rights, home rule, reapportionment, and state eminent domain.

Series VI: Public Service (1929-1982) contains documents, reports and publications produced by, or as a result of, a council, committee, group or office held by Mrs. Woodhouse. The series demonstrates the spectrum of public service positions held by Mrs. Woodhouse and reflects her personal interests. The organizations were local (Sprague, Connecticut Planning and Zoning Board), state (Connecticut Humanities Council, Citizen's Advisory Council on Safe Schools), and political. Woodhouse's service positions were held concurrently with her tenure as director of the Auerbach Women's Service Bureau. Additional positions are noted in Series VIII, subseries Commissions.

Series VII: Juvenile Justice (1951-1980) contains publications, correspondence and grant files from the Connecticut Justice Commission and Project Juvenile Justice sponsored by the Auerbach Service Bureau. The series is divided into two subseries: Meetings, workshops and symposia and Publications.

Meetings, workshops and symposia contains materials on meetings, lectures, talks and workshops held throughout Connecticut and focused on the juvenile justice system.

Publications is further divided between Auerbach publications and other. The Auerbach publications are one of the significant products of the Juvenile Justice Project. Other publications consists of those concerned with juvenile justice and published by state and national agencies.

Series VIII: Recognitions (1913-1981) contains some of the awards presented to Woodhouse during her lifetime. The series has five subseries: Awards, Photographs, Diplomas, Commissions and Invitations and Letters.

Awards is a chronological list of plaques, certificates and letters of appreciation. The awards were presented from such organizations as the National Council of Negro Women, the United States Committee for UNICEF, and the Department of State.

Photographs contain portrait and snapshot images of Mrs. Woodhouse.

Diplomas contain the Master of Arts degrees granted to Woodhouse from McGill University and Honorary degree from the University of Connecticut.

Commissions includes commissions from the Advisory Council on Community Affairs, the Commission on Connecticut's Future, and the Advisory Council for the Unemployment Compensation Act.

Invitations and Letters consists of invitations to inaugural balls (Kennedy), correspondence pertaining to her resignation from the Office of Price Stabilization, re-election materials, and a booklet from Mohegan Community College announcing the winning entry and author Chase Going Woodhouse Poetry Prize.

Custodial History

The Constitutional Convention materials (Series V) were originally donated to the Connecticut Historical Society but were transferred to the University in February, 1984. The Auerbach Service Bureau annual reports (1945-1975) (Series II), were transferred to the Library in July, 1986 by the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College.

Acquisition Information

Chase Going Woodhouse donated her papers to the University of Connecticut Library in April, 1983.

Digital materials

Significant portions of this collection have been digitized and are available in the Library digital repository.

Separated Material

The following materials have been separated from the collection and cataloged:

99 patches Dodd A9747

American women Dodd A9745/A10392

Book of marriage Dodd A10387

Education for Ladies Dodd A10390

Family Dodd A10394

Farmers in a changing world Dodd C10728

Few are chosen Dodd A9746

History of Asylum Hill Congregational Church Dodd C10731

I Lost Everything Dodd A9765

Law and woman's work Dodd C10205

Legacy to Wage earning women Dodd C10729

Memoirs of Mary Lyon Dodd A9748

Model City Dodd A9764

Philosophy of housekeeping Dodd A9722

On and off the floor Dodd C10732

Samuel Ferguson Dodd C10730

Television and Social Behavior, v. III Dodd C7419

Textile problems for the consumer Dodd A10384

Trained woman and the economic crisis Dodd A10383

Understanding politics Dodd A9744

Volunteer’s adventures; a Union captain’s record of the Civil War Dodd C10733

Why women cry Dodd A10388

Woman's best years Dodd A10386

Woman's dilemma Dodd A10385

Woman's rights under law Dodd A9739

Women in Congress Dodd A9766

Women in industry Dodd A10393

The Women's Trade Union Leagues in Great Britain and the United States of America Dodd A9733

Women who work Dodd A10389

Working mothers and the day nursery Dodd A10391

Title
Chase Going Woodhouse Papers
Status
Published
Author
Archives & Special Collections staff
Date
1991 January
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

Contact:
University of Connecticut Library
405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205
Storrs Connecticut 06269-1205 USA US
860-486-2524