A Guide to the Home Management House Diaries: M'Ledge Moffett Collection, 1932-1937
A Collection in
University Archives, McConnell Library, Radford University
Collection number RU 4.1.1
Radford University, University Archives, McConnell Library
University ArchivesMcConnell Library
PO Box 6881
801 East Main Street
Radford, VA 24142-6881. USA
Phone: 540-831-5701
Email: archives@radford.edu
URL: https://www.radford.edu/content/library/archives/finding-aids.html
© By Radford University. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Gene Hyde, Spring 2010.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
An appointment for research is required. The collection is open for research. No interlibrary loan.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Home Management House Diaries, M'Ledge Moffet Collection, Radford University Archives, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA. Home Management House Diaries: M'Ledge Moffett Collection, Accession # RU 4.1.1, University Archives, McConnell Library, Radford University
Acquisition Information
Accruals
No additional accruals are expected.
Processing Information
Processed by Gene Hyde, Spring 2010.
Historical Information
M'Ledge Moffett was born in 1892, the only child of William Ledgerwood Moffett and Mary Stoops Moffett. The name M'Ledge was formed from shortened versions of her parents names, Mary and Ledgerwood. Moffett's came to what is now called Radford University as a faculty member in 1913 as the youngest faculty member and the only member of the Household Arts Department. For the first several years after the college opened, Moffett taught all of the Household Arts courses (Elementary Sewing, Elementary Cooking and Household Management) which met five times a week. In 1920, the Radford Normal School was reorganized and President J.P McConnell appointed Moffett as the new Dean of Women, a year before she received her Master of Arts degree. She was the first person to hold that post at any of the Virginia institutions of higher education. She held the Dean's post until her retirement in 1962. She died in 1969.
The Home Management House (or Cottage) provided Home Economics majors at Radford to live together in a house situation and actively practice skills such as home budget planning, cleaning, cooking, meal planning, housekeeping, and other tasks. Living in the Home Management Cottage carried credit, and was listed as Home Economics 46: Home Management Cottage in the 1934 Radford State Teachers College Bulletin. From the 1934 Bulletin: Home Economics 46: Home Management Cottage: This unit of work is an experiment in co-operative living, giving ample opportunity for each student to put into practice the knowledge gained previously and to develop responsibility. Each of the housekeeping activities - cooking, table setting and serving, cleaning, acting as hostess and manager, budget-making and buying - is done in the home atmosphere rather than in a laboratory. Here classroom theory and laboratory experimentation are converted into real home-making knowledge. Emphasis is placed on development of appreciations, ideals and standards rather than skill. Required of all seniors one quarter. Credit, one session hour.
Scope and Content
The Home Management House Diaries portion of the M'Ledge Moffett Collection holds a guest book and various diaries spanning the years 1932-1937.This collection includes diaries kept by the students who lived in the Home Management Cottage from 1932-1937. Also included is a paper describing the overview of the program entitled Diary of the Home Management House which was written between February 1932 and April 1937. A guest book and the envelopes the diaries arrived in are also present in this collection.
Arrangement
Folder 1: Diary of the Home Management House...February 1932 to April 1937
Folder 2: Guest Book
Folder 3: Diary - February 27, 1932 - November 20, 1932
Folder 4: Diary - November 21, 1932 - June 4, 1934
Folder 5: Diary - June 19, 1934 - December 20, 1934
Folder 6: Diary - January 2, 1935 - March 21, 1935
Folder 7: Diary - June 7, 1935 - August 25, 1935
Folder 8: Diary - September 25, 1935 - February 8, 1936
Folder 9: Diary - February 2, 1936 - March 19, 1936
Folder 10: Diary - September 22, 1936 - April 2, 1937
Folder 11: Envelope that contained the diaries