Coming of Age
Page 31
“Dear Dadda … I am not to be tempted”: MM to SM, Dec. 12, 1919, LC, R-6.
“it would be a moral defeat”: MM to EM, Nov. 19, 1919, LC, A-7.
“I’m going out for the negative”: MM to MRM, Feb. 6, 1922, LC, A-17.
“I have such a strong emotional bias”: MM to EM, March 2, 1922, LC, Q-2.
“Write out every possible argument”: SM to MM, Feb. 28, 1922, LC, A-2
“Look me in the eye!”: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 37.
“Goodness knows whether I’ll do well”: MM to EM, March 7, 1922, LC, Q-2.
The Chair directed the speakers to move to the stage: Columbia Bulletin, March 1922.
“Those who are out of sympathy with”: Wellesley News, March 23, 1922.
The Wellesley squad won: Columbia Spectator, March 21, 1922.
“Are the Reds Stalking Our College Women?”: In The Delineator, June 1921.
They themselves were the agitators: Mead, Blackberry Winter, 103, 105.
Exploit your opponent’s weakness: Ibid., 109–10.
On what one has to do to succeed in politics: Ibid.
Margaret was good at public speaking: Ibid.
Léonie was a real poet: Ibid., 107.
Léonie’s poetry gave her celebrity status: Ibid., 109–11.
On the question of Margaret’s future: Howard, 35.
Debating was dishonest: Mead, Blackberry Winter, 109–11.
A unique talent must be lurking within her: Ibid.
“like a missile waiting to be directed”: Howard, 52.
When Margaret was a child, Grandma brushed her hair and told her stories: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 48.
“She told me about”: Mead, Blackberry Winter, 50.
CHAPTER 4: A COURSE IN OLD MAIDS
“So much of the trouble is because I am a woman”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 120; Modell, 78.
On the benefits for Ruth of hard physical exertion: Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 56–63; Banner, 7.
“resembled the platonic ideal of a poetess:” Bunny Bunzel quoted in Parezo, 107.
Ruth was described as shy and tentative: Modell, 144.
For a description of Ruth’s mannerisms: Caffrey, 103.
For a sense of Ruth’s affinity for her subject: Modell, 123–24.
“In spite of a diversity of local setting”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 18.
Some of Ruth’s students felt embarrassed for her: Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 4.
Margaret registered her concern: Ibid.
“Sometimes they would retire”: Ruth quoted in Mead, Ibid., 21.
“‘A suppliant goes out to a lonely part’”: Ibid., 22.
“for the Cheyenne, the use of torture”: Ibid.
Ruth was partially deaf: Modell, 38–39.
On Ruth’s interest in the infliction of self-torture: Modell, 41, 124.
Frederick Fulton was stricken with a debilitating illness: Caffrey, 16–17.
“worn face, illuminated with the translucence”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 98.
Ruth’s inattention as a child was caused by impaired hearing: Modell, 36.
Ruth’s “cult of grief” described: Modell, 28; Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 85.
Ruth made it a taboo to express emotion: Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 105–6; Modell, 41.
“any longing to have any person love me”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 110.
Bertrice accepted a job at a secondary school in Missouri: Modell, 43.
Ruth moved to Pasadena to help her sister: Ibid., 71–72.
Description of Miss Orton’s Classical School for Girls: Ibid., 73.
“What was my character anyway?”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 119.
“terrible destiny”: Modell, 85.
“we women … have not the motive”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 120; Modell, 85.
For a discussion of Ruth’s attitude toward old maids: Modell, 79.
Ruth brought up the unmarried teachers: Ibid.
“It really isn’t a joke at all”: Ibid.
“One is supposed to believe they’re not old maids”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 120.
Stanley was a professor of biochemistry: Caffrey, 75.
“And Ruth—your mask is getting thicker”: Stanley quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 540.
Ruth returned to New York to marry Stanley Benedict: Caffrey, 77.
“the ennui of life without purpose”: Ruth quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 120.
“Last night Stanley and I talked”: Ibid., 138.
Whatever the job she found, it would not hold her: Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 138.
Ruth was unable to find a publisher for her biographies: Howard, 55.
The class was “Sex in Ethnology”: Howard, 55; Caffrey, 95.
For a physical description of Boas: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 112.
“The whole face and head had in them something”: Kroeber quoted in Cressman, 101.
For a description of Boas as a teacher: Modell, 120–21.
Boas was able to perceive the innate talents of his students: Ibid., 123.
Ruth would study diverse forms of religious experience: Ibid.
“Not only the means of obtaining the vision”: Ibid., 18.
On Ruth’s research and writing of “The Vision in Plains Culture”: Modell, 124.
Esther Goldfrank was the anthropology department’s secretary: Caffrey, 103.
Edward Sapir was in charge of ethnographic studies for all of Canada: Darnell, 17–20.
“Let me congratulate you”: Edward quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 49.
CHAPTER 5: THE PROMISE OF HIS BIRTH
“Sapir … is by far the most brilliant among the young men”: Boas quoted in Darnell, 38.
General sense of Florence’s health discussed: Benedict journal, Jan. 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
The Sapirs went to New York for a reliable diagnosis, Darnell, 133–35.
Edward was thrilled to feel the dullness of Canada dropping away: Ibid., 189.
Edward wanted to talk about books, politics, or psychotherapy: Ibid., 164–67, 189–93.
Dr. Lilienthal would prescribe the course of treatment: ES to RB, April 2, 1924, LC, S-15.
Edward Sapir was born in 1884, in Lauenburg, Prussia: Darnell, 1–2.
Jacob Sapir auditioned twice for the Berlin Opera: Ibid.
Edward won the citywide Pulitzer competition: Ibid., 4.
On Edward’s appearance: McMillan, 94.
Edward took pride in projecting the aura of a Jewish intellectual of the bohemian sort: ES to RB, March 1, 1924, LC, l-90.
Edward possessed a sense of humor that was self-deprecating: As expressed in the over one hundred letters that have been preserved, LC.
While at Columbia, Edward mastered over a dozen languages: Darnell, 8.
On the quality of Edward’s voice: McMillan, 93.
In 1903, Edward attended Boas’s seminar in American Indian Languages: Darnell, 9.
“It’s only a question of a few years”: Cole, 204–5.
“polished and idiosyncratic perfection”: Brady, 67.
“The time is late, the dark forces of invasion”: Ibid.
During his early fieldwork in the Pacific Northwest, Boas had seen what the settlers had done to the native villages: Cole, 169–70.
“Your generation may be the last”: Boas quoted in ibid., 205–6.
Boas and the Eskimos on Baffin Island: Cole, 65–82.
Boas chose the destination of The Dalles for Edward’s fieldwork: Darnell, 19.
Edward’s informant was Louis Simpson: Ibid., 17.
The early phonograph and Edward’s reaction to using it: Brady, 21; Darnell, 19.
“A certain old man”: Kroeber, 80.
The phonograph was d
amaged in the field and could not be repaired: Darnell, 19.
“getting such good information”: Boas quoted in ibid., 20.
Boas made an effort to help Edward find employment: Darnell, 39–40.
Thanks to Boas, Edward was made the chief of anthropology within the Geological Survey of Canada: Ibid., 41–42.
“When you have a Jew”: Barbeau, 622 F1, 10.
In 1911, Edward fell in love with Florence Delson: Darnell, 45.
“As to your well meaning attempt”: Edward to Frank Speck, quoted in Darnell, 46.
Florence had already waged an eight-year battle with chronic lung disease: Darnell, 135.
As chief of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles.
The precise nature of Florence’s condition was not determined: Darnell, 135.
Florence was a candidate for drainage of her lung abscess: Ibid.
A lung abscess would be treated surgically: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles; Darnell, 135.
“Something to consider”: ES to RB, April 2, 1924, LC, S-15; Darnell, 135.
CHAPTER 6: A GLASS FULL OF CYANIDE
“She thought it took courage to die”: MM to EM, Feb. 11, 1923, LC, Q-2.
“I still have two more exams”: MM to EM, Jan. 31, 1923, LC, Q-2.
“No wonder your arm hurts!”: Howard, 58.
“The rest of the section is so dumb”: MM to MRM, Oct. 15, 1922, LC, A-17.
“awkward … intellectually eager but stiff”: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 114.
From stories about Leonard Bloomfield: Despres, 1–5.
“You are a dummkopf”: Hall, Part 2, 16.
“I’ve never studied so much”: MM to EM, Jan. 19, 1923, LC, Q-2.
“got into the habit of writing down”: Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 10.
For Boas’s undergraduate days in Heidelberg: Ibid., 9–10; Mead in Blackberry Winter, 112.
For Boas and his controversial antiwar sentiments: Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 9–10.
“Dr. Boas excused you”: MM to EM, Jan. 31, 1923, LC, Q-2.
“This morning was the Anthropology”: Ibid.
Margaret was expected “to take some responsibility” for Marie: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 114.
Lee Newton became “hysterically blind”: Ibid.
“in recognition of my helpful participation”: MM to EM, Jan. 31, 1923, LC, Q-2.
Louise shared Margaret’s left-wing sentiments: Rosenblatt, interview, OHP, 50–53.
Marie Eichelberg, the girl Margaret referred to as “the little freshman,” and others called “Margaret’s slave”: Howard, 73.
It was obvious that Marie Bloomfield was dead: Rosenblatt interview, OHP, 50–53.
The Journal of a Disappointed Man on the bedside table: Ibid., 50.
“Marie Bloomfield, 18 years old”: Obituary, New York Times, Feb. 8, 1923.
Margaret heard that Marie had killed herself by drinking cyanide: Caffrey, 186.
“Poor little lonely thing!”: MM to EM, Feb. 11, 1923, LC, Q-2.
“It was such a shock,”: MM to MRM, Feb. 22, 1923, LC, A-17.
“Marie’s death is spread all over the newspapers”: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 114.
“She could never be convinced that she was not totally inadequate”: MM to EM, Feb. 11, 1923, LC, Q-2.
Gildersleeve expected a response Margaret could not give: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 114.
“You will be needed by the other girls”: Quoted in Lapsley, 68.
CHAPTER 7: PAPER DOLLS
“Bought jam and cards!”: Benedict journal, Jan. 23, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Ruth often chopped logs for firewood: Lapsley, 87.
“Stanley finds me sexually undesirable”: Quoted in Modell, 131.
Stanley couldn’t put his disapproval into words: Lapsley, 63.
“The greatest relief I know”: Quoted in Lapsley, 96.
For the general sense that Stanley experienced her increasing independence of mind as abhorrent: Ibid., 63.
Stanley had work that absorbed him: Modell, 126.
“A good day to sit by one’s own fire”: Benedict journal, Jan. 1, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
“played Go Bang”: Ibid.
“We’ll have no crumb in common”: Ruth’s poem, quoted in Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 58.
“Anne Singleton,” a pseudonym: Lapsley, 66.
The Anthropology lunches were held at the Hotel Endicott on Columbus and 81st Street and then were moved to the Stockton Tearoom: Lapsley, 74.
Edward’s voice was low and rich: McMillan, 93.
“You produce a very fine piece of research”: ES to RB, April 15, 1923, LC, l-90.
“you probably have half-done the job”: Ibid.
The museum’s exhibition cases sat empty: Darnell, 82–83.
“My wife Florence is very ill again”: A theme running through Benedict journal, Jan. 1923. Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
“Bought jam and cards!”: Benedict journal, Jan. 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Description of Ruth cutting paper dolls with Edward’s daughter: Ibid.
Edward experienced anti-Semitic resentments from the administrative staff: Barbeau, 622 F4, p. 87.
“Tonight I’m giving a lecture”: Benedict journal, Jan. 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
“It’s unbearable that life”: Benedict journal, Feb 8, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
For a general sense of Margaret’s first visit to Ruth: Lapsley, 68.
On Ruth’s “blue devils”: Howard, 55.
“They’ve been determined to convince me”: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 114.
The story of the suicide of the Fultons’ servant: Ibid., 115.
For a description of how the administration dealt with Margaret: Ibid., 114.
“The one exception is Ruth Benedict”: Ibid., 115.
Ruth hoped to be hired for the job opening in the Anthropology Department: Mead, An Anthropologist at Work, 65.
On Elsie Parsons’s status in the Anthropology Department: Banner, 188; Goldfrank, 21; Peace, 40.
Although Ruth wanted the teaching job she wasn’t surprised when it was given to Gladys Reichard: Benedict journal, Feb. 13, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
“Gladys Reichard has accepted our teaching job”: Benedict journal, Feb. 13, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Boas thought Gladys Reichard needed the teaching job more than Ruth: Howard, 55.
“Why don’t you talk to Mrs. Parsons”: Benedict journal, Feb. 13, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
“Worst sick headache”: Ibid.
“Said nothing to Mrs. Parsons”: Benedict journal, Feb. 15, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
“Wrote Mrs. Parsons I was interested”: Benedict journal, Feb. 16, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
“Lunch with Dr. Goddard”: Benedict journal, Feb. 17, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Ruth accepted Parsons’s offer: Modell, 169.
Fieldwork threatened Ruth’s already fragile marriage: Ibid.
“At least there’s something else to think of besides life and death”: Benedict journal, March 12, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
For a general sense of how Ruth felt about Edward, see Lapsley, 65–67; Modell, 127–35.
“Worked on texts AM.”: Benedict journal, March 17, 1923, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
CHAPTER 8: HELL’S KITCHEN
“Three nights running”: Cre
ssman, 90.
Luther liked to go hunting with his father in the country: LC to MM, Dec. 25, 1921, LC, A-2.
Luther preferred living in the country over the city: LC to MM, Jan. 8, 1922, LC, A-2.
“Such a life!”: MM to EM, Nov. 19, 1922, LC, Q-2.
“I’ve been speaking to Father Sparks”: LC to MM, Jan. 8, 1922, LC, A-2.
“I don’t know if I want to live”: LC to MM, Jan. 8, 1922, LC, A-2.
For a description of how Luther used to go out with the family dog: LC to MM, Dec. 27, 1921, LC, A-2.
“unbroken line of brick buildings”: LC to MM, Jan. 4, 1921, LC, A-2.
Father Pomeroy warned Luther to be careful at the tenements: Cressman, 75–76.
“I have definite interests there”: LC to MM, Jan. 11, 1922, LC, A-2.
“do you know anything about the law”: LC to MM, Dec. 27, 1921, LC, A-2.
“Some young people”: Ibid.
Luther and Margaret had decided to put off starting a family: Ibid.; LC to MM, Dec. 9, 1922, LC, A-2.
“I went along with Papa”: LC to MM, Dec. 29, 1921, LC, A-2.
“Dearest little wife to be”: LC to MM, Sept. 22, 1921, LC, A-2.
“She said she would cooperate”: LC to MM, Dec. 20, 1921, LC, A-2.
“looked like ‘the Faustus’”: LC to MM, July 8, 1923, LC, A-2.
Luther was now a priest in the service of all people: Cressman, 82.
It was the culmination of four years of study at the seminary: Ibid., 79.
Luther chose for his thesis the life of John Wesley: Ibid.
Father Sparks arranged for him to split his time between two low-income parishes: Mead in Blackberry Winter, 119; Cressman, 87.
Luther was stunned to hear the woman had died: Cressman, 88.
Luther felt a sense of relief that he had not been present: Ibid., 88–89.
Luther was bothered by the inequality that deprived the poor of basic services: Ibid., 88–89.
For a description of the tenements of Hell’s Kitchen: Ibid., 75.
For how Luther felt walking into the dead woman’s home: Ibid., 88.
For a description of how Luther washed the dishes for the dead woman’s family: Ibid., 89–90.
“What did the church have to say about this?”: Ibid., 89.
For the next three nights Luther returned to the apartment: Ibid., 90.
For a description of Luther’s journey to the cemetery in the Bronx: Ibid.
Luther felt he had won back his self-respect: Ibid.