Guide to the Ruth Crawford Mitchell Papers, 1914-1980 UA.90.F12

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Ruth Crawford Mitchell Papers
Creator
Mitchell, Ruth Crawford
Collection Number
UA.90.F12
Extent
12.5 Linear Feet (10 boxes)
Date
1914-1980
Abstract
The papers of Ruth Crawford Mitchell consist primarily of documents related to the Nativity Study carried out by the University of Pittsburgh between 1926 and 1930. The Nativity Study collected information on foreign-born and first generation American students applying to the university in an attempt to provide better services for them. The collection also contains information on a study of second generation foreign students, a Civil Affairs Training Program, immigration, countries and ethnic groups, lecture notes for Ms. Mitchell's classes, and her personal papers.
Language
English .
Author
Eric Skinner. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in Fall 2001.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

Ruth Crawford Mitchell was born on June 2, 1890 in Atlantic Heights, New Jersey. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vassar College, and a Master of Arts from Washington University with a thesis entitled "The Immigrant in St. Louis."

After graduating from Washington University, Mitchell became the Field Secretary for the Immigration and Foreign Community Program of the YWCA in 1914. In this position, Mitchell was responsible for establishing and staffing centers to help immigrant women adjust to life in the United States. When the United States entered World War I, she organized "hostess houses." These houses, staffed with women who spoke foreign languages, were designed to help foreign-born soldiers in the United States army.

In 1924, Mitchell came to the University of Pittsburgh where she worked as a lecturer in the Department of Economics. After becoming interested in her students' ethnic backgrounds, she chaired a project to learn more about the nativity of Pitt students. Over a four-year period, Mitchell collected information on students applying for admission and their family background. This information was used in budget requests in an attempt to provide better services to foreign-born students. The data showed similarities in the percentage of foreign students at the University of Pittsburgh to the number of foreign residents in Allegheny County.

After the Nativity Study was completed, Chancellor John C. Bowman asked Mitchell to assist in the design of classrooms for the Cathedral of Learning. Mitchell assisted in bringing together different ethnic groups, reflecting the various nationalities of people helping to build Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. A total of 19 different Nationality Rooms were constructed between 1938 and 1957.

Mitchell remained at Pitt until 1956, with a hiatus from 1944-1946 to serve with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency in Egypt. She retired in 1956 as Director Emerita of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Program. During her career, Mitchell received many awards, including Doctor of Humanities Honoris Causa, and the Chancellor's Medal, both from the University of Pittsburgh. Mitchell died on February 4, 1984 and is buried in Pepperell, Massachusetts.

Scope and Content Notes

The papers of Ruth Crawford Mitchell center primarily on her life-long interest in immigrants in the United States. This arises in the collection in the form of two studies, one on second-generation students of foreign descent and another on the nativity of Pitt students. The Nativity Study takes up the bulk of the collection and includes the three bound volumes which make up the summary of the study. The remainder of the Nativity Study includes reports, raw data, tables and information on individual students. Also included is information about the students' families, including such information as father's country of origin, native language, occupation and the family's religion. Similar information was collected on second-generation students, though the information is not in as great detail as the Nativity Study.

The remainder of the collection consists of personal papers, information about immigration, different countries and ethnic groups, and Mitchell's work as a lecturer in the Department of Economics. Information on a course for military personnel on civil affairs training also makes up a series in the collection. The final series in the collection contains information on the Pittsburgh Pact, which details the meeting and agreement which led to the merger of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Access Restrictions

Series VI contains student files and therefore the contents are restricted. Researchers must sign a confidentiality agreement in order to have access.

Acquisition Information

Accessioned August 15, 1968.

Previous Citation

Ruth Crawford Mitchell Papers, 1914-1980, UA.90.F12, University Archives, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Ruth Crawford Mitchell Papers, 1914-1980, UA.90.F12, University Archives, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Eric Skinner on September 17, 2001.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Eric Skinner on September 17, 2001. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 3948394

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

    Personal Names

    • Mitchell, Ruth Crawford

    Geographic Names

    • United States -- Emigration and immigration

    Genres

    • Faculty papers

    Other Subjects

    • Czecho-Slovak pact (1918 May 30 : Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Children of immigrants -- Education -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Children of immigrants -- Education -- United States
    • University of Pittsburgh

Container List