M. Carey Thomas Papers

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M. Carey Thomas (1857-1935) became the first Dean and head of the English Department when Bryn Mawr College opened in 1884. Following the death of the college's first president, James Rhoads, in 1894, she was elected to succeed him in the position. She used her position to both expand the College, ensuring several new buildings were constructed on campus, and to influence college policies. Thomas was involved in the women's suffrage movement and an early promoter of adding a sex-based equal rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Although she was interested in rights for white, Anglo-Saxon women, Thomas's legacy of racism and antisemitism kept both Black and Jewish students out of Bryn Mawr even after she stepped down as president. This collection is comprised of documents from both Thomas's personal papers and the official records that survive from her time at Bryn Mawr College, including office subject files and a great deal of personal correspondence.

Collection Guide to the M. Carey Thomas Papers
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Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, January 05, 1892
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1892
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes to Mary Garrett in order to fill her in about the most recent work of the medical school committee. She also describes the new Bryn Mawr professors. Thomas also writes that Bessie is sick, and discusses the Bryn Mawr School.
Date:
1892-01-05
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, December 20, 1892
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1892
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes to Mary Garrett, expressing concern for her health, and telling her to rest. She also mentions there being a delay, seemingly in regards to a meeting about the Medical School.
Date:
1892-12-20
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, August 09, 1889
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1889
Description:
Mary Garrett writes to M. Carey Thomas, thanking her for her letter from Constantinople. She reminisces of her own time spent there, and expresses a desire to travel with Thomas. She gives general life updates about her summer, and hopes that Thomas and Mamie Gwinn continue to enjoy their travels. She also briefly alludes to tensions between herself and Mamie, saying that she hopes they are lessened soon.
Date:
1889-08-09
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, February 22, 1894
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1894
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes about her visit to Baltimore, about Mamie's grief, and of the errands that she ran in Baltimore. She asks Garrett to visit her in Bryn Mawr, despite how busy she will be.
Date:
1894-02-22
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, April 16, 1893
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1893
Description:
Mary Garrett again encourages M. Carey Thomas to not give up on the Presidency of Bryn Mawr College. She updates Thomas about her health and the treatments she is receiving.
Date:
1893-04-16
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, January 28, 1893
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1893
Description:
Mary Garrett asks M. Carey Thomas to write to her to tell her how her physical health is. She is perturbed that she received correspondence regarding Bryn Mawr School and the Medical School, with no word of how she is doing physically.
Date:
1893-01-28
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, September 30, 1885
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1885
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes to Mary Garrett from the train bound for Philadelphia. She references Bryn Mawr College's opening ceremonies, which took place on September 23, 1885, stating that while it was a trial, she was pleased with the speech that Mr. Gilman (the President of Johns Hopkins University) gave, though she found it ironic that it was his refusal to allow her to study at Johns Hopkins that set her on her European studies and her interest in founding Bryn Mawr College as a college for women. She also states that she will return to Baltimore the following week, and would like to meet with the teachers of Bryn Mawr School.
Date:
1885-09-30
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, July 21, 1886
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1886
Description:
Mary Garrett writes a letter to M. Carey Thomas, apologizing for being unable to see her while in London. She writes of her plans to travel to the Highlands, and states that she can still interview a candidate in London before leaving if she is available.
Date:
1886, 07-21
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, May 31, 1892
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1892
Description:
A short note in which M. Carey Thomas tells Garrett she is setting sail.
Date:
1892-05-31
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, June 19, 1891
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1891
Description:
M. Carey Thomas asks Mary Garrett why she did not have plans and estimates for landscaping work at the Bryn Mawr School sent to Thomas for approval, despite asking Thomas to oversee the project and tells Garret to make sure to keep her informed.
Date:
1891-06-19
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, August 06, 1893
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1893
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes to Mary Garrett about spending time at her family's summer home in Coombe Edge, PA. She writes that she wishes she had the leisure time to truly enjoy the trip and could spend it with Garrett.
Date:
1893-08-06
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, April 17, 1892
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1892
Description:
Mary Garrett writes to M. Carey Thomas, wishing her a Happy Easter. She writes of her love for Thomas, wishing that she could see her. She writes of the difficulty of dealing with her poor mental health, and wonders if Thomas will still want to be her friend if she does not improve. She then writes of the things that she did for the Easter holiday. She updates Thomas on the condition of Miss Valloy, and writes about visiting with friends.
Date:
1892-04-17
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, October 11, 1891
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1891
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes to Mary Garrett, chastising her for writing so infrequently. Thomas compares Mary's experience in Switzerland her memories of the country. Thomas informs Mary of her sister Margaret's engagement and that she has been working at the Bryn Mawr School almost constantly. Thomas includes a sonnet she has written with the letter.
Date:
1891-10-11
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, May 02, 1893
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1893
Description:
A short letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Garrett in which Thomas discusses her work, mutual acquaintances, and the role of Garrett's money in their projects.
Date:
1893-05-02
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, December 23, 1892
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1892
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes of talking with her father about Medical School business.
Date:
1892-12-23
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, December 07, 1893
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1893
Description:
M. Carey Thomas writes to Mary Garrett about her plans for the week, including dress shopping, and sends her some fabric samples with the letter. Thomas complains about a student sending angry letters about Bryn Mawr to a newspaper. A telegram from Thomas to Garrett asking her to send a check is included with the letter.
Date:
1893-12-07
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, March 09, 1893
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1893
Description:
Mary Garrett writes to M. Carey Thomas about her nurse, her health, and asks Thomas if she would consider spending the upcoming Easter holiday with her.
Date:
1893-03-09
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, December 18, 1893
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1893
Description:
Mary Garrett writes about her busy day, full of visitors and making arrangements for future plans.
Date:
1893-12-18
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, July 18, 1888
Title:
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, 1888
Description:
A brief note from Mary Garrett to M. Carey Thomas in which she expresses her regret for not being able to see Thomas before she left Baltimore.
Date:
1888-07-18
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, October 26, 1893
Title:
Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, 1893
Description:
A short note from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Garrett saying that she has spent the day in Philadelphia but needs to take the train back to Bryn Mawr soon.
Date:
1893-10-26
Collection:
M. Carey Thomas Papers, In Her Own Right, Bryn Mawr College

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