Carol Waldron diaries and legal documents
Collection
Identifier: SSC-MS-00483
Scope and Contents
This collection consists primarily of Carol Waldron's diaries, which are extraordinary both in providing an almost-complete, factual life history and in offering rich documentation of Waldron's inner life. Entries are profoundly reflective and analytical, and unflinchingly honest regarding self and others. Among other deeply personal topics, Waldron writes at length about her unhappy marriage and its gradual demise, and about the process of aging. The diaries begin during her teenage years in the 1930's and continue into her 70's. Also included are correspondence, her family tree, a photograph, bible, scrapbook, memrabilia, and legal documents pertaining to Waldron's divorce and to a suit filed by Waldron against the John Hancock Life Insurance Co.
Dates
- 1915 - 2002
Creator
- Waldron, Carol Talmadge (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for use without restriction beyond the standard terms and conditions of Smith College Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Access
Until we move into New Neilson in early 2021, collections are stored in multiple locations and may take up to 48 hours to retrieve. Researchers are strongly encouraged to contact Special Collections (specialcollections@smith.edu) at least a week in advance of any planned visits so that boxes may be retrieved for them in a timely manner.
Conditions Governing Use
All property rights, including copyright, to materials in this collection created by Carol Waldron are owned by Smith College Special Collections. For reproductions of materials that are governed by fair use as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission to cite or publish is required. For those few instances beyond fair use, or which may regard materials in the collection not created by Carol Waldron, researchers are responsible for determining who may hold materials' copyrights and obtaining approval from them. Researchers do not need anything further from the Smith College Special Collections to move forward with their use.
Biographical Note
Carol Willis Talmage was born November 10, 1925 to Ila Hoag Talmage and Harry Talmage. She married Steven Waldron and with him had four children: Christopher (1945), Nicholas (1949), Deborah (1953), and Abigail (1956). She divorced Steven Waldron in 1971, became financially self-sufficient by learning to repair cars and taking in lodgers, among other things, and served as chair of the Lexington, Massachusetts branch of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in the 1970s. According to a 1977 legal document, Waldron was a "blood recruiter" at that time. Waldron was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis around 1966; her daughter, Deborah, has the same disease. Carol Waldron died on March 8, 2007 in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Extent
6.25 linear feet (5 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Overview
Carol Waldron (1925-2007) was a mother of four who divorced her husband, became self-sufficient, and was active in the Lexington, Massachusetts branch of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in the 1970s. She was also diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1966. This collection consists primarily of her personal diaries, which are extraordinary both for their completeness and their candor about Waldron's life and feelings.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was donated by Carol Waldron on September 11, 2003 (accession number 2003-S-78). The materials in the collection have not been rearranged or physically processed since they were acquired.
- Divorce
- Family -- United States -- 20th century
- Marriage -- United States -- 20th century
- Multiple sclerosis -- Patients -- United States -- Diaries
- Older women
- Photographs.
- Second-wave feminism
- Significant others
- Teenage girls -- United States -- Diaries
- Waldron, Carol Talmadge
- Women -- United States -- 20th century -- Diaries
- Women with disabilities -- United States -- Diaries
- correspondence
- diaries
- legal documents
- Title
- Finding aid to the Carol Waldron diaries and legal documents
- Status
- Legacy Finding Aid (Updated)
- Author
- Madison White
- Date
- 2018
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2017-07-26T17:48:24-04:00: This record was migrated from InMagic DB Textworks to ArchivesSpace.
- 2018-10-12: Updated to conform to DACS
- 2018-12-20: Finding aid updated to current standards and published
- 2020-03-17: Added boxes 1-5, updated dates
Repository Details
Part of the Sophia Smith Collection of Women's History Repository
