IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
MAY BENNETT HARSHBARGER
(1880-1966)
PAPERS, 1898-1993
1 linear foot
|
ACQUISITION: |
The papers (donor no. 146) were donated
by Laurence and Mary E.
Harshbarger in 1993. |
|
ACCESS: |
The papers are open for research. |
|
COPYRIGHT: |
Copyright
has been transferred to the University of Iowa. |
|
PHOTOGRAPHS: |
In box 2. |
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PROCESSED
BY: |
Your name, year»Michelle Galvin and Robert J. Jett, 1993. |
Biography
May Bennett, who became a schoolteacher
and farmer, was born in eastern Carroll County, Iowa, on April 14, 1880. She attended the Laudenbach one-room school
and upon completion of the eighth grade, began teachers training at the Normal
Institute in Carroll, Iowa. In 1898 she
began teaching in rural Iowa schools including the Dillavou school in western
Greene county, the Hiron and Riedesel schools north of Glidden and the Banan
school. While teaching, and for many
years afterward, May Bennett published articles for newspapers and magazines,
including the Des Moines Register and
the Normal Instructor. She used the proceeds to buy books for rural
schools.
May Bennett continued to teach until
1910 when she married Harry Harshbarger.
They had two children: Helen Louise Harshbarger (b. February 2, 1914)
and Laurence H. Harshbarger (b. April 3, 1921). Upon the death of her husband in 1926, May Harshbarger chose to
stay on and continue working the 80 acre farm instead of moving to town as was
the customary action by most widows.
She wrote: "In 1926 I lost my husband and was left breadwinner as
well as homemaker on our little farm."
Keeping meticulous records of every expenditure and sale, and, with the
help of a former student and the United States Agriculture Bulletins obtained
from Iowa State University, Harshbarger learned the art of farming while
running a household with two children.
May Bennett Harshbarger continued to
advocate the advancement of rural schools and became active in two clubs of
which she remained a member for many years.
The Goldenrod Magazine Club originated December 7, 1901 with its goal
being "the increase and diffusion of knowledge among its members and their
families." Each member subscribed
to a magazine, then bound it and sent it to the next member until it had
circulated through the group. The
Mothers' Club was organized in 1914 to provide an arena for women to exchange
ideas about raising children. Its motto
was "Not for ourselves, but for others."
May Bennett Harshbarger died July
15, 1966.
Scope and Content Note
The May Bennett Harshbarger
papers date from 1898 to 1993 and measure 1 linear foot. The papers are arranged in seven series: Clubs,
Correspondence, Farm Account Books, Memorabilia, Scrapbooks & Newspaper
Clippings, Writings, and Photographs.
The bulk of the collection consists of farm account books, detailing
sales and expenditures incurred while running the family farm. There is little biographical information
except for a reminiscence written by May Bennett Harshbarger's son, Laurence H.
Harshbarger, in 1993.
The first series, Clubs
(1943-1960), consists of newspaper articles detailing the history of the
Goldenrod Magazine Club and the Mothers' Club.
Included is an outline for the Mothers' Club Yearbook for 1933 written
by May Harshbarger.
Correspondence (1901-1947,
scattered) is scant, consisting of a few letters to the editor by May Bennett
Harshbarger, an incoming letter from May Harshbarger's daughter Helen, and a
letter "written to a cousin" from a serviceman stationed in Manila in
1901. Included is a letter Harshbarger
wrote in 1945 to the Farm Bureau Reading Project outlining her work on
advancing the curriculum among rural schools.
The Farm Account Books series
(1911-1950) is comprised of ledgers from both the farm and the household. The entries illustrate the duality of
Harshbarger's life as farmer and homemaker.
Included are mention of food, medical, clothing, fuel, insurance, taxes,
veterinary care, rent, charity club donations, poultry business, labor, cattle
and horse feed and machinery.
"Harry's last expenses" detail her husband's burial in 1926.
Memorabilia (1906-1959)
includes a booklet describing the Carroll County Normal Institute, articles of
incorporation of the Farmers Cooperative Association, and ribbons and judging
protocol of the 1940 Iowa State Fair.
Also included are diplomas from Carroll County Rural Schools and the
Normal Institute.
Scrapbooks and Newspaper Clippings
(1898-1959) consist primarily of clippings either collected or written by
Harshbarger. The bulk of these pertain
to the promotion of rural schools. One
of the scrapbooks (1898-1910), compiled while she was teaching school, includes
games and learning exercises she used as part of her curriculum. Included among the loose items are a true
story Harshbarger wrote for the Des
Moines Register in 1934, and a poem she authored about the Loudenback
school picnic in 1949.
Writings (1942-1952, 1993) is
comprised of 13 pieces written by May Bennett Harshbarger, primarily relating
to reading and writing for children and adults. One short piece entitled "A Family History In Pictures"
contains some autobiographical material.
Also included in this series is a piece written by Harshbarger's son,
Laurence, in 1993 about his mother.
Photographs (1903-1960) include group photographs of the
Goldenrod Magazine Club, the Mothers' Club, the Laudenbach school reunion, and
May Bennett Harshbarger at 23 and 80 years of age.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Clubs
Goldenrod Magazine Club,
1949
Mothers' Club, 1933, 1943,
1956, 1960 and undated
Correspondence, 1901, 1934, 1945, 1947 and undated
Farm account books
1911-1914, 1919
1924-1925
1925-1926
1926-1927
1928-1929
1930-1932
1934-1935
1937-1938
March 1, 1939-March 1, 1940
March 1, 1940-March 1, 1941
Box 2
1942-1944
January 1, 1945-January 1,
1946
January 1, 1946-January 1,
1947
January 1, 1948-January 1,
1949
1949-1951
Memorabilia
Carroll County Normal
Institute, 1906, 1911-1913
Diplomas, 1898, 1900, 1905 [filed
in Box 3]
Farmers Cooperative
Association, 1948
Iowa State Fair, 1940 and
undated
Miscellaneous, 1941, 1959
and undated
Scrapbooks & newspaper clippings
Volumes
1898-1910
1908-1945
1910-1959
Loose items
1934, 1949, 1956-1957, 1959
and undated
Writings, 1942, 1949, 1952, 1993 and undated
Photographs, 1903-1960 and undated (scattered)
Box 3
Diplomas