Harriet Bliss Ford papers

Harriet Chalmers Bliss Ford was born in 1876 in New York City. She attended the Mary A. Burnham School and graduated with Smith College's Class of 1899. She married George Burdett Ford, an architect and city planner, in 1912. From the time of her graduation until her marriage, Ford worked as an editor for Century Magazine. Participating as a member of the National Board of the YWCA beginning in 1924, Ford served as the organization's third vice-president, and volunteered for the New York Smith College Club and the University Club. During WWI, Ford worked in close contact with the Paris headquarters of the American Red Cross for two years and acted as chairman of the Paris committee of the Smith College Relief Unit in France. Ford served as the first chairman of the Alumnae Fund Committee of Smith College from 1927-1929, and as the director of the Alumnae Association from 1925-1928. In addition to her work with the Alumnae Association, Ford was also on the Board of Trustees from 1928-1936, and was a resident trustee from 1931 until the end of her life. Ford was also active in the National Committee on the Cause and Cure of War, and was named the organization's administrative chairman in 1937. Living in New York City for several years, Ford eventually returned to Northampton in 1941 and joined the committee to study and make recommendations for a charter for Northampton and the city's Tercentary. During World War II, she served as chief of the Office of Price Administration for Northampton and the surrounding area. Ford died on February 20, 1964 at the age of 87 in Northampton, Massachusetts after a long illness.