A Guide to the Eleanor H. Little Papers

Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library

Summary Information

Repository:
Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library
Title:
Eleanor H. Little Papers
ID:
1982.0003
Date [inclusive]:
undated, 1915-1986
Physical Description:
2 Linear Feet
Language of the Material:
English
Abstract:
Eleanor H. Little was born in Media, Pennsylvania. She lived in Pennsylvania until entering Wellesley College, where she received a B.A. in History in 1908. In 1931, she became Secretary for the Connecticut Unemployment Commission. By 1933, Little was responsible for administering the entire statewide relief program until 1937. Little was elected representative to the General Assembly in 1941 and again in 1945, where she served on two committees as chair: the Personnel Committee and the Public Welfare and Humane Institutions Committee.

Preferred Citation

[Item description, #:#], Eleanor H. Little Papers. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library.

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Biography

Eleanor H. Little was born on 9 December 1885, in Media, Pennsylvania. She lived in Pennsylvania until entering Wellesley College, where she received a B.A. in History in 1908. After graduation, Little worked as a matron at Sleighton Farms, a women's correctional institution near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until 1913. She attended Columbia University and received a Master's of Art degree in Sociology in 1915. Afterward, Little worked as a parole officer and psychologist for the Clinton Farms for Women, another correctional institution, in Clinton, New Jersey. Her major areas of professional activity included social work, guidance, and teaching; later in her career, she was interested in industrial engineering, industrial relations, and government service.

After leaving her position at Clinton Farms, Little moved into the realm of industry and worked for the U.S. Rubber Company in New Haven, Connecticut, where she was involved first in teacher, and later in industrial engineering, including planning job classifications. She stayed with U.S. Rubber until 1929, when the plant in New Haven closed. She transferred to the main office in New York in 1930.

In 1931, Little turned to government service. She became Secretary for the Connecticut Unemployment Commission. By 1933, with the creation of the Connecticut Emergency Relief Commission by Governor Wilbur Cross, she became secretary and later administrator of this agency. Little was responsible for administering the entire statewide relief program until 1937.

Little was elected representative to the Connecticut General Assembly in 1941 and again in 1945, where she served on two committees as chair: the Personnel Committee and the Public Welfare and Humane Institutions Committee. In addition to these responsibilities, she began volunteer work, and was connected with the State Farms and Department of Corrections from 1946 to 1969. Little also served as officer in various organizations: the League of Women Voters, the AAUW, the Guilford Board of Education, and the Wellesley Alumnae Association. A long-time resident of Guilford, Connecticut>, Miss Little died 15 March 1986.

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Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence, published materials, clippings and photographs pertaining to her government career as Relief Administrator in Connecticut. Prominent New Deal correspondents include Corrington Gill, Harry Hopkins, and other members of the National Relief Commission. Also included are photographs of Rocky Neck State Park and Keney Park in Hartford, both Relief Commission projects.

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Arrangement

Series I: Correspondence (1933-1936) consists of three folders. Most of the correspondence relates to her work as Relief Administrator in Connecticut.

Series II: Reports And Publications (1933-1937) deals with Miss Little's work with the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. This series includes two published reports written by Miss Little, describing the Commission's work. Other publications include a photostatic copy of the Grave Survey conducted in 1934, major projects of Connecticut State Parks (1935), and several copies of the periodical Connecticut Social Trends..

Series III: Personal (1915-1986) is divided into two subseries. The first subseries relates to the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The second subseries is strictly personal. Also included are publications from Traveler's Insurance Company and a copy of the inaugural address of Governor Wilbur L. Cross in 1935.

Series IV: Newspaper Clippings (undated, 1932-1980) chronicles Miss Little's career in the Connecticut Relief Commission. The series also includes articles about relief on the local, state, and national level. Articles concerning state-funded projects are also included.

Series V: Photographs (undated, 1934-1945) includes many photographs of the Relief Commission's major projects, such as Rocky Neck State Park and Keney Park in Hartford. Included are photographs of Eleanor H. Little with prominent relief administrators and state political leaders.

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Administrative Information

Publication Statement

Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library

University of Connecticut Library405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1205archives@uconn.eduURL: http://lib.uconn.edu/libraries/asc/

Revision Description

Revised for consistency. 2018 March

Access

The collection is open and available for research.

Acquisition Information

Eleanor H. Little of Guilford, Connecticut, donated her personal papers to the University of Connecticut Library in July 1982.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from the owner(s) of the copyright.

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Related Materials

Separated Material

The following materials have been separated from the collection and cataloged:

The Quartermaster review, v.14:no.1 (1934:July/Aug.) Dodd Periodicals Oversize

Rehabilitacion (San Juan, P.R.), v.1:no.10 (1934:July 3) Dodd Periodicals

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Controlled Access Headings

  • Fliers (printed matter)
  • Hartford (inhabited place)
  • United States (nation)
  • East Lyme (inhabited place)
  • Guilford (inhabited place)
  • Rocky Neck State Park (Conn.)
  • Social service
  • Keney Park (Hartford, Conn.)
  • Correspondence
  • Publications (documents)
  • Parks
  • Photographs
  • Local government
  • Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations
  • Public welfare
  • Connecticut (state)
  • New Deal (1933-1939)
  • Voluntarism
  • Emergency management
  • Unemployment
  • Disaster relief
  • Legislation
  • United States. Federal Emergency Relief Administration
  • Connecticut. Department of Correction
  • Connecticut. General Assembly. House of Representatives
  • Connecticut. Emergency Relief Commission
  • Hopkins, Harry L. (Harry Lloyd), 1890-1946
  • Gill, Corrington, 1898-1946

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Collection Inventory

Series 1: Correspondence, 1933-1936

Title/DescriptionInstances
Correspondence, 1933
box 1 folder 1
Correspondence, 1934-1936
box 1 folder 2
Correspondence, confidential, 1934-1936
box 1 folder 3

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Series II: Reports and Publications, undated, 1933-1937

Title/DescriptionInstances
Reports and Publications, 1933
box 1 folder 4
Reports and Publications, 1934
box 1 folder 5
Reports and Publications, 1935
box 1 folder 6
Reports and Publications, 1933-1937
box 1 folder 7
Reports and Publications, 1937
box 1 folder 8
Reports and Publications, FERA, undated
box 1 folder 9

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Series III: Personal, undated, 1915-1986

Title/DescriptionInstances
FERA related materials, 1934-1936
box 1 folder 10
Papers, 1934-1936, 1970, 1980
box 1 folder 11
Clinton Farms, 1958-1963
box 1 folder 12
M.A. Thesis, 1915
box 1 folder 13
Awards, undated, 1955
box 2 folder 14
Awards, 1965
box 2 folder 15
Funeral materials, 1986
box 2 folder 16

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Series IV: Newspaper Clippings, undated, 1932-1979

Title/DescriptionInstances
News clippings, undated
box 2 folder 17
News clippings, 1932
box 2 folder 18
News clippings, 1933
box 2 folder 19
News clippings, 1934
box 2 folder 20
News clippings, 1935
box 2 folder 21
News clippings, 1936
box 2 folder 22
News clippings, 1937
box 2 folder 23
News clippings, 1973-1979
box 2 folder 24
Newspaper extracts (typed copied), 1936
box 2 folder 25

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Series V: Photographs, undated, 1934-1945

Title/DescriptionInstances
Fort Wright, 1934
box 2 folder 26
Cup Presentation, 1935
box 2 folder 27
Rocky Neck State Park, 1936
box 2 folder 28-31
Bridgeport Relief Inspection, undated
box 2 folder 32
Keeney Park, Hartford (exterior), undated
box 2 folder 33-34
Keeney Park, Hartford (interior),, undated
box 2 folder 35
FERA projects, undated
box 2 folder 36
Stratford Dyke, undated
box 2 folder 37
Unidentified, undated
box 2 folder 38
Order of Women Legislators (OWLs), 1945
box 2 folder 39
Pencil, ink cartoon, 1934
box OS folder 40

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