| Creator | Dow, Katherine |
| Title | Katherine Dow papers |
| Dates | 1921-1926 |
| Identification | MS 276 |
| Quantity | 1.5 linear feet (1 oversize container) |
| Collection Abstract | The collection consists of one scrapbook, two oversize group photographs of the Class of 1925, and one personal copy of the Simmons Song Book with annotations to the interior. The scrapbook documents Katherine Dow’s time as a student at Simmons College and a young woman living in Boston in the 1920s. It also documents her connections to other communities including Newton Technical High School, Lasell Seminary, Harvard College, and Bowdoin College. There is a particular focus on the twenty-fifth reunion of Harvard’s class of 1897 due to Dow’s familial connection. The scrapbook material includes programs, correspondences, invitations, calling cards, photographs, newspaper clippings, tickets, advertisements, and notes on life at Simmons. |
| Historical Abstract | Katherine Dow was born in Chicago, Illinois, but was raised in Auburndale, Massachusetts. She entered Simmons College in 1921 as the class of 1925, but left Simmons in 1923 due to personal reasons. While at Simmons, Katherine took advantage of the cultural opportunities of Boston attending plays, talks, and concerts while also maintaining a close connection to her home community of Newton. After leaving Simmons, Katherine married Daniel A. Howe in 1929 and settled in the surrounding Boston area. |
| Language | Material in English |
| Location | Collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Archives staff for more information. |
Collection is open.
Copyright for materials resides with the creators of the items in question, unless otherwise designated.
Please contact the University Archivist with requests to publish any material from the collection.
Materials are in fragile condition.
[Identification of item: description and date], Katherine Dow papers, MS 276, Simmons University Archives, Boston, MA, USA.
Gift from Eva Castellano, in 2021.
Accession number: 2024.006
Processed by Abigail Smith
This collection guide was encoded by Kelsey Kolbet, June 2024.
Katherine Dow (1903-1997) was born in Chicago, Illinois. Shortly after her birth, the family returned to their home in Massachusetts and Dow spent the rest of her childhood in the Auburndale community of Newton, Massachusetts. After finishing her education at the Burr School in Auburndale and Newton Technical High School, Dow was admitted to Simmons College and became a member of the Class of 1925. While at Simmons, Dow made full use of the cultural opportunities available in Boston during the 1920s. She attended events at Simmons as well as concerts, plays, lectures, and church services throughout the city. The calendar pages of her scrapbook document the personal challenges Dow experienced while a student, which eventually led to Dow leaving Simmons in 1923. Katherine married Daniel A. Howe in 1929. The couple lived in several communities across the Boston area, but eventually settled in Needham, Massachusetts where they raised their son, Stephen Howe.
The collection consists of one scrapbook, two oversize group photographs of the Class of 1925, and one personal copy of the Simmons Song Book with annotations to the interior. The scrapbook documents Katherine Dow’s time as a student at Simmons College and a young woman living in Boston in the 1920s. It also documents her connections to other communities including Newton Technical High School, Lasell Seminary, Harvard College, and Bowdoin College. There is a particular focus on the twenty-fifth reunion of Harvard’s class of 1897 due to Dow’s familial connection. The scrapbook material includes programs, correspondences, invitations, calling cards, photographs, newspaper clippings, tickets, advertisements, and notes on life at Simmons.
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
