Smith, Margaret Earhart, 1902-1960

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Margaret Earhart was born in Evanston, Illinois, on February 3, 1902, the daughter of Harry Boyd and Carrie (Beal) Earhart. After graduation from Vassar College in 1923 ME was involved with a number of journalistic pursuits in Ann Arbor, including research for a book on Emily Bronte, which included travel abroad. Teaching and psychiatric counselling were also part of ME's early work experience. In February 1926 she married Dr. Clement Andrew Smith (b. 1901), a pediatrician. They had four children: Pamela, Margaret Abigail, Reynolds and Hilary. In 1930 the Smiths moved to Boston, where Smith lived from then on except for the years 1932-1933 and 1943-1945.

In the years 1930-1943 Smith continued to work on the Bronte manuscript, which she eventually destroyed. She became active in early efforts to help refugees from Europe, was the first president of the Window Shop in Cambridge (see the Window Shop collection in the Schlesinger Library), and also helped individuals who were trying to get entrance visas to the United States.

From 1943 to 1945 the Smiths lived in Detroit. In 1943 Smith began to study for a masters degree in social work at the University of Michigan, with a particular interest in race relations sparked by the race riots in Detroit. That same year Smith, Mary Malcomson Raphael, and several other friends formed the Special Services Committee (see #19). The purpose of the Committee was to encourage, support and initiate programs that would facilitate workers' education and bridge the gap between labor and other parts of society. "It [SSC] is a flying wedge, whose principal purpose it is to explore facts, and serve as a kind of activating force." Most SSC work involved assisting other organizations within the workers' education movement; the SSC provided substantial funds for some programs, largely from Smith's family money. Through her work with the SSC, she became well known in the field of workers' education, developing contacts in unions, universities and government.

The Smiths moved back to the Boston area in 1945, and in 1949 Smith became an advisor to and faculty member in the Management Training Program at Radcliffe College. She also chaired the Labor Participation Committee of United Community Services of Metropolitan Boston (1949-1953) and was a trustee of Radcliffe College (1949-1960) and a trustee representative to the Advisory Board of the Women's Archives (1953-1956). Smith was on the boards of the Cambridge Settlement House, Cambridge Community Services, Shady Hill School, Family Services Association, Putnam Children's Center of Boston, and Vassar College. The Smiths maintained a summer home in Peacham, Vermont. Smith died of cancer on October 8, 1960.

From the guide to the Papers, 1940-1978, (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Records, 1939-1992 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Papers of Margaret Earhart Smith, 1940-1978 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Window Shop (Cambridge, Mass.). Records, 1939-1992 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Records of the President of Radcliffe College, 1960-1972 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Margaret Earhart Smith. Papers. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Radcliffe College Archives biography files, 1855-2007 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers, 1837 (1900-1975) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Howells family papers, 1850-1954 (inclusive). Houghton Library
referencedIn Smith, Hilda Worthington, 1888-. Papers, 1837-1975 (inclusive), 1900-1975 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Records of the Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration, (inclusive), (bulk), 1936-1977, 1936-1963 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Thomas J. Dodd Papers, undated, 1919-1971. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
referencedIn Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration. Records of the Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration, 1936-1977 (inclusive), 1936-1963 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Mary Hyde Eccles papers, 1853-2005, (bulk) 1939-2003. Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Friends Service Committee corporateBody
associatedWith American Labor Education Service corporateBody
associatedWith Arter, Rhetta M. person
associatedWith Bunting, Mary Ingraham, 1910- person
associatedWith Coit, Eleanor Gwinnell, 1894-1976 person
associatedWith Committee for the Extension of Labor Education corporateBody
associatedWith Dawson, Emma MacDonald person
correspondedWith Dodd, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph), 1907-1971 person
associatedWith Eccles, Mary Hyde. person
associatedWith Frankfurter, Felix, 1882-1965 person
associatedWith Friedmann, Ernestine L., 1885-1973 person
associatedWith Geddes, Donald Porter, 1899- person
associatedWith Golden, Clinton S. (Clinton Strong), 1888-1961 person
associatedWith Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration corporateBody
associatedWith Hudson Shore Labor School (West Park, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Jordan, W. K. (Wilbur Kitchener), 1902-1980 person
associatedWith Lindeman, Eduard C. (Eduard Christian), 1885-1953 person
associatedWith Luchek, Anthony person
associatedWith National Committee for the Extension of Labor Education corporateBody
associatedWith National Committee for the Extension of Labor Education (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Power, Sadye Harwick, 1901-1991 person
associatedWith Radcliffe College. Management Training Program corporateBody
associatedWith Raphael, Mary Malcomson, 1890-1954. person
associatedWith Reuther, Victor G. (Victor George), 1912-2004 person
associatedWith Smith, Clement A. (Clement Andrew), 1901-1988. person
associatedWith Smith, Hilda Worthington, 1888-1984 person
associatedWith Special Services Committee (Ann Arbor, Mich.) corporateBody
associatedWith Starr, Mark, 1894- person
associatedWith Summer School for Office Workers corporateBody
associatedWith United Community Services of Metropolitan Boston corporateBody
associatedWith Ware, Caroline F (Mrs. Gardiner Means), 1899- person
associatedWith Window Shop (Cambridge, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith Wood, Margaret D. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Evanston IL US
Peacham VT US
Detroit MI US
Ann Arbor MI US
Cambridge MA US
Subject
Jewish refugees
Labor and laboring classes
Labor laws and legislation
Lobbying
Race relations
Working class
Occupation
Counselors
Educators
Journalist
Teacher
Activity

Person

Birth 1902-02-03

Death 1960-10-08

Female

Americans

English

Information

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