Bertha Sanford Dodge papers
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The collection includes information about Dodge's writings, including correspondence with agents, publishers, editors, fellow writers and scientists; drafts and manuscripts; reviews; and research notes and source materials on various topics including the Falkland Islands, plant materials, fibers, and her father, Leo Wiener. There is correspondence about Dodge's collection of Guatemalan textiles, her teaching career, and that of Carroll Dodge. Also included are letters from MIT professor of naval architecture James R. Jack, 1919-1936, to Carroll Dodge on the subject of botany, and a letter from Margaret Compton (Mrs. Karl T. Compton) to Carroll Dodge concerning a collection of botanical slides made by Professor Jack.
Dates
- 1928 - 1994
Creator
Access note
This collection is open.
Conditions Governing Use
Access to collections in the Department of Distinctive Collections is not authorization to publish. Please see the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy for permission information. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection or MIT.
Biographical Note
Bertha Sanford Dodge, 1902-1995, received an A.B. from Radcliffe College in 1920 and an M.S. in chemistry from MIT in 1922. She published monographs and articles for children and adults on topics including science, medicine, history, botany, textiles, Latin America, and Vermont. Her books include: Introduction to Chemistry, 1948; The Story of Nursing, 1953; Plants That Changed the World, 1959; Hands That Help: Careers for Medical Workers, 1967; Potatoes and People: The Story of a Plant, 1970; Tales of Vermont, 1977; Marooned, 1979; Cotton: The Plant That Would Be King, 1984; and Quests for Spices and New Worlds, 1988. She also published works of fiction including short stories and a play. Dodge held a variety of teaching positions in mathematics and science at high school and college freshman levels, worked as an editor, and traveled extensively in Latin America with her husband, mycologist Carroll W. Dodge (Missouri Botanical Garden and University of Vermont). She was the sister of MIT mathematics professor Norbert Wiener.
Extent
9.3 Cubic Feet (9 record cartons, 1 manuscript box)
Language of Materials
English
Location
Materials are stored off-site. Advance notice is required for use.
Source of Acquisiton
Materials were given to the Department of Distinctive Collections (formerly the Institute Archives and Special Collections) in 1990 and 1994 by Bertha Dodge and her daughter, Mary Dodge Cobb. Additional material was given by Mary Cobb in 2000.
Processing Information note
Partially processed April 1995 by Elizabeth Kaplan.
Processing Information note
Needs review.
Processing Information note
Some collection descriptions are based on legacy data and may be incomplete or contain inaccuracies. Description may change pending verification. Please contact the MIT Department of Distinctive Collections if you notice any errors or discrepancies.
- Dodge, Bertha S. (Bertha Sanford), 1902-1995
- Dodge, Carroll William, 1895-1988
- Falkland Islands -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Gibson, Eleanor J.
- League of Vermont Writers
- Schultes, Richard Evans
- Textile fabrics -- Guatemala Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Textile fibers -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Vermont -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Creator
- Title
- Preliminary Inventory to the Papers of Bertha Sanford Dodge
- Status
- Ready For Review
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
Building 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307 US
distinctive-collections@mit.edu