Olivia Pound, 1874-1961 [RG0913.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG0913.AM:  Olivia Pound, 1874-1961

Papers:  1909-1961, mostly 1958-1961
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska:  Educator, writer
Size:  3.5 cu.ft.; 7 boxes

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Olivia Pound was born April 30, 1874 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The daughter of lawyer and judge Stephen B. Pound, Olivia received her early education from her mother, Laura Biddlecome Pound. After some preparatory school training, she earned her B.A. in 1895, and M.A. in 1907 from the University of Nebraska. Olivia attended Columbia, Harvard, and Chicago universities as well. In 1897, she joined the Lincoln High School faculty and became girls’ vocational guidance director in 1914. Olivia was named assistant principal of the school in 1918 and held the position until her retirement in 1943. Olivia wrote nearly 20 textbooks and contributed numerous articles to educational publications. She was president of the National Association of University Women, 1913-1914 and 1919-1920. Her honorary and social university affiliations included Phi Beta Kappa, Mortar Board, Chi Delta Phi, Pi Lambda Theta, and Kappa Kappa Gamma. Never married, Olivia lived with her sister Louise in the family home at 1632 L St. until shortly after Louise’s death in 1958. Olivia sold the house and spent the rest of her life in an apartment. She died April 6, 1961 at her home after a prolonged illness. Olivia was survived by her brother Roscoe Pound, Dean-Emeritus at Harvard Law School.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection is arranged in six series: 1) Correspondence; 2) Writings; 3) Louise Pound Estate; 4) Clippings; 5) Legal and Financial Materials; and 6) Miscellaneous materials.

Series 1, Correspondence, forms the bulk of the collection. It consists of Olivia’s personal correspondence from the late 1950s until her death, including several folders each of sympathy cards on the death of her mother and sister, get-well cards from her 1960 hospital stay, and Christmas cards. As a longtime teacher and an active community member, Olivia’s acquaintances from all over the country frequently wrote or sent cards.

Series 2, Writings, includes material written by Olivia Pound as well as by other people. Olivia’s former students often sent her copies of their published and unpublished work.

Series 3, Louise Pound’s estate, contains correspondence between Olivia, local lawyers, and others. As executrix of her sister’s will, Olivia handled all negotiations, including the sale of the house and the publication of Louise’s Nebraska Folklore collection with the University of Nebraska Press. Roscoe played a minor role in Louise’s estate due to his out-of-state residence and to the ongoing illness of his second wife. His absence resulted in a large amount of correspondence with Olivia, which can be found in the first series.

Series 4, Clippings, consists of articles by or about Pound family members as well as clippings on Nebraska history. Several articles from across the country regarding Louise’s death are included, one of which Olivia personally corrected content errors. Other articles of interest concern Roscoe Pound’s life, the sale of the Pound home, and early Lincoln history.

Series 5, Legal and financial materials, contains general documents as well as material specifically relating to the Pound family home and Olivia’s estate.

Series 6, Miscellaneous, includes additional material that explains Olivia’s professional and personal life. It contains several personal appointment books and some of Olivia’s personal notebooks. Material related to Olivia’s numerous association memberships, including the Lincoln Friends Group (Quakers) and the Wooden Spoon Club for Women, can be found in this section.

Note: Several folders of materials relating to Edward Taylor (of Lincoln, Nebraska) were transferred to RG2714.AM: Taylor-Langworthy Family.

RELATED COLLECTIONS IN THE ARCHIVES:

RG0909: Pound Family (photos only)
RG0910: Laura Biddlecomb Pound
RG0911: Roscoe Pound
RG0912: Louise Pound
RG2239: Mamie Meredith

INVENTORY

Series 1 – Correspondence
Subseries 1: General
Box 1
Folder

1. Dates unknown
2. 1920-1949
3. 1951-1958
4. 1959, January-September
5. 1959, October-December
6. 1960, January-June
7. 1960, July-October
8. 1960, November-December
9. 1961

Subseries 2: Letters from individuals
Box 1
Folder

1. Roscoe Pound, 1958-1959
2. Laura Pound
3. Mamie Meredith, 1958

Box 2
Folder

4. Mamie Meredith, 1959-1961
5. Frank Fehlman, 1940s

Subseries Three: Letters to individuals
Box 2
Folder

1. Paul Sayre (biographer of Roscoe Pound)
2. Mamie Meredith
3. Wilda Ferree

Subseries Four: Greeting cards
Box 2
Folder

1. Sympathy cards at death of Laura Pound, 1928
2. Sympathy cards at death of Laura Pound, 1928
3. Sympathy cards at death of Laura Pound, 1928
4. Sympathy cards at death of Laura Pound, 1928

Box 3
Folder

5. Sympathy cards at death of Louise Pound, 1958
6. Sympathy cards at death of Louise Pound, 1958
7. Sympathy cards at death of Louise Pound, 1958
8. Sympathy cards at death of Louise Pound, 1958
9. Christmas cards, 1958
10. Christmas cards, 1958
11. Christmas cards, 1958
12. Christmas cards, 1959

Box 4
Folder

13. Christmas cards, 1959
14. Christmas cards, 1959
15. Christmas cards, 1959
16. Christmas cards, 1959
17. Christmas cards, 1960
18. Christmas cards, 1960
19. Get well cards from hospital stay, 1960
20. Get well cards from hospital stay, 1960

Box 5
Folder

21. Get well cards from hospital stay, 1960
22. Get well cards from hospital stay, 1960

Series 2 – Writings
Box 5
Folder

1. By Olivia Pound
2. By others
3. By others
4. By others

Series 3 – Louise Pound Estate
Box 5
Folder

1. July-December 1958

Box 6
Folder

2. January-September 1959
3. October 1959-December 1960, plus miscellaneous materials

Series 4 – Clippings
Box 6
Folder

1. Regarding Olivia
2. Regarding Louise
3. Regarding Louise directly following death
4. Regarding Lincoln and Nebraska history
5. Regarding University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Lincoln Public High School
6. Miscellaneous articles regarding Pound family
7. Miscellaneous clippings

Series 5 – Legal and financial materials
Box 6
Folder

1. General materials
2. Property tax materials
3. Olivia Pound estate

Series 6 – Miscellaneous
Box 6
Folder

1. Miscellaneous notebooks

Box 7
Folder

2. Olivia’s appointment book, 1939
3. Olivia’s appointment book, 1943
4. Olivia’s appointment book, 1944
5. Olivia’s appointment book, 1958
6. Olivia’s appointment book, 1959
7. Association materials, 1919-1959
8. Association materials, 1960-1961
9. Miscellaneous programs
10. Family tree materials gathered by Olivia
11. Miscellaneous completed addresses and empty envelopes
12. Tribute to Olivia Pound by Mabel Thompson
13. Miscellaneous including greeting cards with Pound family home photo and postcard addressed to Alexander, the family cat

Subject headings:

Cather, Elsie Margaret, 1890-1964
Cline, Williams, Wright & Johnson (Lincoln, Neb.)
Education — Nebraska — Lincoln
Fehlman, Frank
Ferree, Wilda, 1901-1992
Lincoln (Neb.) — Schools
Lincoln (Neb.) — Social life and customs
Lincoln Public High School (Lincoln, Neb.)
Meredith, Mamie Jane, 1888-1966
Pound, Laura Biddlecome, 1841-1928
Pound, Louise, 1872-1958
Pound, Nathan Roscoe, 1870-1964
Pound, Stephen Bosworth, 1833-1911
Religious Society of Friends (Lincoln, Neb.)
Sayre, Paul L., 1894-1959
Taylor, Edward Langworthy, 1899-1974
Taylor, William George Langworthy, 1859-1941
University of Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.)
Women authors — Nebraska
Women teachers — Nebraska — Lincoln
Wooden Spoon (Lincoln, Neb.)

APD/ct              06-05-1975
ELC/kfk             11-12-2003
Revised TMM   12-22-2006