The Complete Letter Writer in English, 1568-1800

manosca154 Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers, 1916-1985 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Melvin Carlson, Jr.. Smith College Archives

Northampton, MA

Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Deborah A. Richards. 2006-09-20 Finding aid written in English Smith College Archives Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers, 1916-1985 Finding Aid RG 42 Melvin Carlson, Jr. 2005

Collection Overview Hornbeak, Katherine Gee Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers1916-1985 RG 42 10 boxes (6 linear ft.) English Smith College Archives

Northampton, MA

Professor of English. Contains biographical material, correspondence, publications, lecture and research notes, and oversize materials. Biographical Note

Katherine Gee Hornbeak was Professor of English at Smith College from 1930 to 1962. She was born in Tehuacana, Texas on January 24, 1897 to Samuel L. Hornbeck and Martha Gee, one of three sisters. Her twin sister, Louise, became a professor of history and taught in Oklahoma and her sister Harriett Lee ("Hattie) (b. Aug. 1892) was a schoolteacher who taught in Panama, the Philippines and in Texas. Her father was an educator and was eventually President of Trinity University (Texas). She graduated from Trinity University in 1916 and received a master's degree from Columbia University in 1922. After her Columbia degree she taught in high schools in Cleburne, Texas and Cleveland Heights, Ohio and at the North Texas State Normal College, Denton, Texas.

Professsor Hornbeak entered Yale University where she specialized in 18th century literature and social history, in particular, the works of Samuel Richardson and Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu. Her dissertation research took her to Great Britain financed in part by a Sterling Research Fellowship. After the completion of the Ph.D. at Yale in 1930 she came to Smith College where she moved through academic ranks until she was made full professor in 1955. Professor Hornbeak was known as an exacting teacher, but one who was fair and full of praise for her students.

Among her publications are the books The Complete Letter Writer in English, 1568-1800 (1934) and Richardson's Familiar Letters and the Domestic Conduct Books (1939). Both texts were published as part of the series Smith College Studies in Modern Languages.

Professor Hornbeak retired in May 1962 and entered Smith College in the fall of that year as a special student in order to study the Greek language, a study that continued for a number of years. Her studies brought her the Julia Harwood Caverno Prize in May 1964, a prize usually awarded to a member of the junior or senior class for excellent in Greek language and literature. She gained such proficiency that she was called upon to teach Greek as a lecturer at Smith College in 1965/1966.

The retreat owned by Smith College, Juniper Lodge, Silver Lake, New Hampshire was often her summer residence during her early years at Smith and for many years she served as the chair of its executive committee. Professor Hornbeck died on February 24, 1985.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers contain items related to Professor Hornbeak's affiliation with Smith College and her own education. There is extensive correspondence from her sisters Harriett Lee Hornbeak ("Hattie") and Louise Hornbeak. In addition there is correspondence with Ruth Hillyer Hill, Katherine Strayer and Anne Francis (Smith College, M.A., 1942; Headmistress of the Pontypool Girls' County School, Penygarn, Wales, 1945-1960s) and from various students and friends.

Professor Hornbeak's research and lecture notes reflect a teacher's use and reuse of notes throughout her teaching career. A file may contain notes for a particular course in a given year, but it is more apt to contain notes from a succession of years (sometimes dated to show succession). Folders labels suggest a date for a course as noted by Hornbeak but materials included may reflect a range of dates. Also there are situations where a particular file will include papers related to more than one course number. Duplication between files does occur and notes on a particular topic may appear in more than one file. For the most part files are as Professor Hornbeak left them and reflect these many apparent date and course conflicts.

The Hornbeak papers are divided into four series: Series I: General materials (1930s-1985) Series II: Correspondence (1916-1985) Series III: Publications Series IV: Lecture and research notes Series V: Oversize materials

Information on Use Terms of Access and Use

The papers are open for research according to the regulations of the Smith College Archives without any additional restrictions.

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the documents must be requested from the Smith College Archives. Smith College owns copyright to any published material relating to college events and activities. Provenance and copyright ownership of other materials is unknown and researchers are responsible for determining any question of copyright.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection: Katherine Gee Hornbeak, Box #, Smith College Archives.

History of the Collection

The Katherine Gee Hornbeak Papers were donated over a period of time to the Smith College Archives from a variety of sources.

Additional Information Series I - General 1 1 Biographical materials 1985, n.d. 1 2 Address books, Christmas card lists, etc. 1940s-1970s 1 3 Financial papers 1930s-1960s, 1985 1 4 Call slips from a British library n.d. 1 5 Photographs, some of Hornbeak, others not identified n.d. 1 6 Photograph album - snapshots of Colorado (?) n.d. 1 7 Photograph album - snapshots of New Hampshire and New England n.d. 1 8 Retirement items 1962 1 8a Certificate from Trinity University (Texas) "upon the fiftieth anniversary of [K.G.H.'s] graduation" May 30, 1966 1 8b KGH's Greek studies-Student papers and related documents 1963-1965 1 8c Greek 11 Examinations and papers 1966 1 8d Greek studies-Drafts of articles on 1964-1966 1 9 Family documents n.d. 1 9a Hornbeak's written examination for Yale University's English 123-Shakespeare for Professor C. B. Tinker January 1928 1 9b Yale University Commencement program and related material June 1930 1 10 Miscellaneous materials n.d. 1 11 European travel pamphlets Series II - Correspondence 2 1 Correspondence from Katherine G. Hornbeak 1945-1946; 1955-1979, n.d. Correspondence from Katherine G. Hornbeak to Ruth Hillyer Hill 2 2 June 1929-Sep 1929 2 3 Oct 1929-Dec 1929 2 4 Jan 1930-Aug 1930 2 5a Correspondence from Ruth Hillyer Hill July 1929-Dec 1929 2 5b Correspondence from Ruth Hillyer Hill 1931-1932, 1980 2 6 Correspondence from Katherine Strayer 1931 2 7 Correspondence from Priscilla Presbrey 1928 2 8 Correspondence from Priscilla Presbrey 1929-1932, n.d. 2 9 Christmas letters from Katherine G. Hornbeak 1949-1958 2 10 Correspondence from Lois Ames 1966-1967 2 10a Correspondence from Samuel L. Hornbeak ("Father") 1945-1947 2 10b Correspondence from "Pattie" 1948-1950 2 11 Correspondence from Harriett Lee Hornbeak (Hattie) to Lona and Ruth Spruiell with occasional correspondence to Mrs. W. P. Withers (Carrie) from Harriett Hornbeak 1955-1957 Correspondence from Harriett Lee Hornbeak ("Hattie") to Katherine Hornbeak ("Tassie") 2 12 n.d. 2 13 1962 2 14 1968 3 15 Feb 1969-Apr 1969 3 16 Aug 1969-Dec 1969 3 17 Jan 1970-May 1970 3 18 June 1970-Dec 1970 3 19 Jan 1971-Aug 1971 3 20 Sep 1971-Dec 1971 3 21 Jan 1972-May 1972 3 22 June 1972-Dec 1972 4 23 Jan 1973-June 1973 4 24 July 1973-Dec 1973 4 25 1974 4 26 Correspondence from Louise Hornbeak ("Lub") to Katherine G. Hornbeak ("Tod") 1935-1985 4 27 Correspondence from Katherine G. Hornbeak to Anne Francis 1941 4 28 Correspondence from Anne Francis to Katherine G. Hornbeak 1941 4 29 Correspondence from Anne Francis to Katherine G. Hornbeak 1945-1981 4 29a Correspondence from and related to Cuthbert Becher Pigot 1947 4 29b Correspondence from C. B. Tinker and Remarks on C.B. Tinker and the 18th Century at a dinner Jan 18, 1947 1944-1949 4 29c Correspondence from Jane Shaw 1947-1948 4 29d Correspondence from Dorothy Robinson 1952 4 29e Correspondence from Jean Hecht 1955 4 29f Correspondence from W. Douglas Simpson 1955 4 29g Correspondence from Arthur Raistrick 1955-1956 4 29h Correspondence with the Duke of Northumberland 1955-1956 4 30 Correspondence from Diana Gould White 1966-1973 4 31 Correspondence from Virginia Corwin Brautigam and Herman A. Brautigam 1975-1978 4 32 Correspondence from and related to Marjorie Hanson 1976 4 33 Correspondence from Betty Baum 1977-1980 Correspondence from various individuals (usually only one item from each individual), some identified only by first name, Christmas greetings 4 34 1928-1964 5 35 1965-1970 5 36 1972-1984 5 37 n.d. 5 38 Correspondence from Trinity University (Texas) officials 1916-1922 5 39 Correspondence from North Texas State Normal College, Denton, Texas officials 1922-1924 5 40 Correspondence from Cleburne Public Schools, Cleburne, Texas official 1922 5 41 Correspondence from Cleveland Heights Schools, Ohio official 1926-1929 5 42 Correspondence from Yale University officials 1927-1979 Series III - Publications 5 Publications 1949-1966 Series IV - Lecture and research notes 6 1 English honors examinations-Notes, etc. 6 2 Lecture notes for English 11-Notes, etc. 6 3 English 19-Notes, etc. 6 4 English 19-Examinations and notes 6 5 Lecture notes for English 21 and syllabi 6 6 Examinations and notes for English 21 6 7 Lecture notes on Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress 6 8 Bunyan memorabilia (post cards, booklets, etc.) 1960s-1970s 6 9 Lecture notes on Congreve's The Way of the World 6 10 Lecture notes on Milton 6 11 Lecture notes on Milton's Paradise Lost 6 12 Lecture notes on Fielding's Joseph Andrews 6 13 Notes on Fielding and Fielding's Tom Jones 6 14 Lecture notes on Pope's Rape of the Lock 6 15 Notes on the [Royal] Game of Ombre 6 16 Notes on Pope 6 17 Notes on Pope's Essay on Man to Gen. Lit. 291 in Sage Hall March 13, 1957 6 18 Pope and Swift as satirists 6 19 Notes on Swift [1] 6 20 Notes on Swift [2] (satire) 6 21 Lecture notes on Richardson 6 22 Notes on Keats 6 23 Notes on Shakespeare's Comedies-English 21 6 24 Notes, etc. for English 29 6 25 Notes on Medieval drama 6 26 Lecture notes for English 40b-18th Century 1954 6 27 Notes for English 58-Boswell and Johnson 1946 6 28 Notes for English 58-18th Century 1949 6 29 Notes for English 58-18th Century 1945-1950 6 30 Lecture notes for English 58a-18th Century 1950/1951 6 31 Lecture notes for English 58a-18th Century 1951/1952 6 32 Lecture notes for English 58a 1958 6 33 Lecture notes for English 310 Spring Semester 1949 6 34 K.G.H.'s letter and questionnaire to English 310 students June 9, 1950 6 35 Lecture notes for English 310 1950-1951 6 36 Reading period lists, English 310 1947-1955 6 37 Examinations, English 310 1940s-1950s 6 38 Bibliographies on the Social Background of the 18th Century 1940s 6 39 Notes on Mandeville and Shaftesbury 6 40 Satire-Definitions of terms-Survey of 17th and 18th century dictionaries 6 41 Satire-General Notes 6 42 Satire lecture notes, English 310a 1939-1943 6 43 Satire lecture notes, English 310a (1) 1946-1951 6 44 Satire lecture notes, English 310a (2) 1946-1951 6 45 Satire lecture notes, English 310a 1953-1958 6 46 Satire lecture notes, English 310a 1959-1961 6 47 Satire lecture notes and syllabi 1962 6 48 Student cards-English 310a 1962 (?) 6 49 Lecture notes for English 310a 6 50 Examinations, English 310a (some for English 310) 1930s-1950s 6 51 Examinations, English 310a 1960s 6 52 Suggestions for term papers, English 310a and English 310b 6 53 Notes on Petronius 6 54 Notes on Erasmus and Rabelais 6 55 Notes on Lucian 6 56 Johnson as literary critic-English 310a and 310b 6 57 Johnson as literary critic-English 310b-Student assignment 7 58 Johnsonon (various topics) 7 59 Lecture notes on Huxley, Waugh and Orwell 7 60 Reserve book list for English 310a and Roman satire materials, Latin 34b 1953-1958 7 61 Wit and burlesque notes 7 62 "Splitting the infinitive" notes 7 63 Notes on Don Quixote 7 64 Don Quixote illustrations, including Horst Lemke's 7 65 Notes on Sentimentalism and Richardson 7 66 Notes on Sentimental comedy 18th Century 7 67 Syllabi for English 310b 1960 7 68 Reading period and library reserve reading lists for English 310b 7 69 Examinations, English 310b 1930s-1960s 7 70 Memo book for English 310b 1958 7 71 Lecture notes for English 310b-Boswell and Johnson 1934 7 72 Outline and lecture notes for English 310b 1940s-1960s 7 73 Lecture notes for English 310b 1957-1961 7 74 Lecture notes and/or syllabi, English 310b 1957 7 75 Miscellaneous notes for English 310b 7 76 Map study, English 310b-18th Century London 7 77 18th Century London-Maps (Glass slides) 7 78 Notes on friendship and women 7 79 Notes on Addison and Steele 7 80 Notes on Defoe 7 81 Notes on Dryden 7 82 Notes on Macpherson's Ossian 7 83 Notes on Gray 7 84 Notes on Gentleman's Magazine 7 85 Notes on Goldsmith 7 86 Notes on James Thomson [1] 7 87 Notes on James Thomson [2] 7 88 Notes on Mary Astell 7 89 Notes on Rambler and Idler-17th and 18th Century journalism-English 310b 1950s 7 90 Notes on Juvenal and Johnson, English 310b 7 91 Social background of the age of Johnson (notes on) 7 92 Lecture notes on Boswell and Johnson 7 93 Notes on Boswell's Life of Johnson 7 94 Notes on Boswell as biographer 7 95 Notes and lecture notes on Johnson's Dictionary 7 96 Photographs and illustrations of Johnson and Johnsonian sites 7 97 Notes on Rasselas and Candide, English 59 and English 310b 1940s-1950s 7 98 Notes on P. H. Houston's Dr. Johnson (1923) 1930s 7 99 Notes for talk on the literary scene in England, 1761 April 1961 7 100 Notes on Boswell's papers (general) 7 101 Notes on Boswell's papers, v. 1-6 7 102 Notes on Boswell's papers, v. 8-12 7 103 Notes on Boswell's papers, v. 13-15 7 104 Clippings on Boswell's London journal 1950 7 105 Clippings on Boswell's papers 1948-1950 7 106 Clippings on Johnson and Boswell 1930s-1950s 8 107 Satire unit student papers n.d. 8 108 Satire unit student papers [1] 1956-1957 8 109 Satire unit student papers [2] 1956-1957 8 110 Satire unit student papers 1958 8 111 Satire unit student papers [1] 1959 8 112 Satire unit student papers [2] 1959 8 113 Satire unit student papers [3] 1959 8 114 Irene Levy paper 8 115 Marian Allison McCrillis paper 1943 8 116 Mary-Elizabeth Bruce paper 1953 8 117 Katherine Reese paper 1947 8 118 Notes on Peacock and Bryon 8 119 Notes for English 314-English Novel 8 120 Notes for English 414 a and b 1957-1959 8 121 Notes for English 414 a and b 1960-1961 8 122 Notes on Sir Robert Walpole and for English 414b 1957-1959 8 123 Notes on diaries 8 124 Notes on biography 8 125 Notes on domestic handbooks-Yale University Library Summer 1931 8 126 Notes on women and domestic relationships 8 127 Samples of and/or for examinations in English literature 1940s-1950s 8 128 Notes on, drafts and letters of recommendation 1950s-1960s K.G.H.'s personal files on Smith College's M.A. in English literature 8 129 1952-1953/1954 8 130 1954/1955 8 131 [1] 1955/1956 8 132 [2]1956 8 133 K.G.H.'s copy of Newton Arvin's "The Grounds of Literary Judgment" 8 134 Notes on lecture by Elizabeth Drew, "Life and art in the novel"-Sage Hall Oct. 5, 1959 Research on the letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu 8 135 Correspondence from and to K.G.H. related to the Montagu letters 1938-1953 Notes on Montagu letters 8 136 [1] 8 137 [2] 8 138 [3] 8 139 Newspaper clippings on Montagu biographies and criticism 9 Note cards on various subjects Series V: Oversize 10 1 Lithograph of cats, by Jim Sekim 10 2 Reproduction of the "View of the interior of the Rotunda at Ranelgh," by Caneletto from the National Gallery 10 3 Photostat of letter of Lady Elizabeth Montagu Sept. 4, 1772 10 4 Photostat of will of Lady Elizabeth Montagu August 27, 1809 10 5 Photostat of documents 18th century 10 6 Reproductions of etchings and paintings of 18th Century England 10 7 "18th Century England"-article in Life Sept. 13, 1948