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Grace R. Greenbaum Epstein Scrapbook

 Collection
Identifier: BC15-18

Collection Scope and Content Summary

This scrapbook chronicles the activities of college life, through programs, notes, dance cards, menus, and photos. There are several items of particular note: a New York Times article by Virginia Gildersleeve touting that “College Girls are Healthy, Normal American Girls,” (November 17, 1912); articles about classmate/friend Freda Kirchwey’s participation in the garment workers’ strike of 1912; song programs; Epstein's report cards from 1912 and 1913 (freshman and sophomore years), including, from 1913, a letter about registering for the following year; Greek Games Program from 1913, which includes the invocation and other spoken/sung material; Field Day programs; Class Day programs; a handwritten, amusing invite to a “secret” party at Brooks; pen and ink sketches of classmates chatting and dancing.

Two non-Barnard related materials stand out: a program from the “Memorial Meeting in honor of the late Julia Richman” from Oct 12, 1912 – Richman was the first woman district superintendent of the New York City schools and had been the first president of the Young Women’s Hebrew Association, who passed away at age 56 in 1912. Grace’s father, Justice Samuel Greenbaum gave the Address and was Chairman of the Committee putting the program together; the Official Program for the International Lawn Tennis Matches (Australasia vs America) taking place in June, 1913 at the West Side Tennis Club.

Dates

  • Creation: 1911 - 1913

Access

This collection has no restrictions. This collection is located on-site.

Publication Rights

Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Barnard College Archives. The Barnard College Archives approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Reproduction Restrictions

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes.

Biography

Grace Rachel Greenbaum Epstein was born June 12, 1894 in New York City, one of four children. Epstein came from a family steeped in philanthropy and public service. Her mother, Selina Ullman Greenbaum, was a prominent advocate in the Jewish philanthropic community, helping to establish and assuming the presidency of the Jewish Working Girls’ Vocation Society in the 1890s; she also worked with the Young Women’s Hebrew Association and the National Council of Jewish Women, where she was an early member of the board of directors. Grace’s father, Samuel Greenbaum, was a lawyer and later a long serving judge on the New York State Supreme Court. Involved with a number of legal and professional organizations, he also sat on several boards, acting as trustee of the League for Political Education, the Jewish Welfare Board, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and the New York Public Library, among others.

Epstein entered Barnard in the fall of 1911 as a member of the Class of 1915, with psychology and German as her major areas of study. In college Epstein participated in numerous clubs, including the Suffrage Club, the Intercollegiate Socialist Society, the German Club, the College Settlement Association, and the Athletic Association. She played on the Varsity and Class Hockey Teams, sat on various committees, and was the Junior Class Corresponding Secretary and Historian. On Class Day, at the end of her senior year, she presented gifts to the other classes, and was among those voted “Biggest Bluffer” and “Nerviest.”

In 1917, she married Barrett Epstein, an executive for General American Transportation; he died in 1962. They had two daughters and one son. According to Selina Greenbaum’s entry on the Jewish Women’s Archives website, Epstein followed in her mother’s philanthropic footsteps, founding a women’s job bureau during the Great Depression. In the Barnard alumnae directory of 1947, she is listed as being a research worker at the Women’s City Club in New York; a previous edition listed her as part owner of Children’s Book and Play Service, Inc. in New York, NY. In an alumna questionnaire from 1956, she mentions being involved with Camp Lehman, a summer camp for boys (especially from immigrant families) that was affiliated with the Young Men’s Hebrew Association. An interview with Epstein is cited in Sara Alpern’s biography of her close friend, fellow classmate and editor of The Nation, Freda Kirchwey.

Extent

1.14 Linear Feet

Language

English

Abstract

This collection consists of the scrapbook of Barnard College alumna Grace R. Greenbaum Epstein. The scrapbook covers Epstein’s freshman and sophomore years at Barnard College, from 1911-1913. It includes programs, photos, menus, dance cards, and written notes from other students.

Collection Arrangement

Collection is unprocessed and order is not apparent.

Physical Location

This collection is located in the Barnard Archives and Special Collections, Barnard Library. To use this collection, please contact the Barnard Archives and Special Collections at 212.854.4079 or archives@barnard.edu.

Acqusition Information

The acquisition date and source is unknown.

Acquisition Information

The acquisition date and source is unknown.

Accruals

No additions are expected.

Alternative Forms of Material

Digitial surrogates are available online at: http://digitalcollections.barnard.edu/islandora/object/BC15-18:0

Processing History

This collection is unprocessed. This finding aid was updated by Cristina Fontánez Rodríguez in October 2017. Descriptive Rules Used: Finding aid adheres to that prescribed by Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Encoding: Machine readable finding aid encoded in EAD 2002.

Finding aid written in English.

Title
Guide to Grace R. Greenbaum Epstein Scrapbook
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Barnard Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
3009 Broadway
New York NY 10027 United States