Finding Aid for the Ruth V. Hewlett and Theodosia Stickney Papers, 1900-1998 MS 85 University Archives The State University of New York at Buffalo 2006 Contact Information University Archives, The State University of New York at Buffalo 420 Capen Hall | Buffalo, NY 14260 Phone: 716 645-2916 | Fax: 716 645-3714 Email: lib-archives@buffalo.edu

Ruth and Theodosia, Atlantic City, c.1949

©2006. The State University of New York at Buffalo. All rights reserved.

Collection Overview

Collection Title:	Ruth V. Hewlett and Theodosia Stickney Papers, 1900-1998
Collection Number:	MS 85
Creator:	Hewlett, Ruth V., 1906-1998
Creator:	Stickney, Theodosia H. (Theodosia Hewlett), 1903-1997
Extent:	6 manuscript boxes (2.5 linear feet)
Repository:	University Archives, The State University of New York at Buffalo
Abstract:	Photograph albums of Ruth V. Hewlett and Theodosia Stickney [née Hewlett], graduates and lifelong donors of the University at Buffalo. Also includes photograph albums belonging to their older sister, Josephine Hewlett, an alumni of the School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo.

Processing Information

Encoded by: Jessica Tanny, April 2006

Processed by: Erin Verhoef, April 2006

Terms of Access and Use

The Ruth V. Hewlett and Theodosia Stickney Papers, 1900-1998 are open for research.

Copyright

Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Preferred Citation

[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 85, Ruth V. Hewlett and Theodosia Stickney Papers, 1900-1998, University Archives, The State University of New York at Buffalo.

See the Archives' preferred citations instructions for additional information.

Acquisition Information

Collection transferred from University Development in February of 2000. University Development received it in 1998, after the death of Ruth V. Hewlett.

Biographical Note

Josephine W. Hewlett, Theodosia C. Stickney and Ruth V. Hewlett, born and raised in Buffalo, were all students at the State University of New York at Buffalo. The eldest, Josephine, was born in 1900, followed by Theodosia in 1903 and Ruth in 1906. The sisters traveled extensively throughout their lives, as the importance of leisure was instilled in them at a young age. The family took frequent trips to Atlantic City and also spent a lot of time at local resorts like Point Abino. Their appreciation for nature, history and ethnography is evident in the photo documentation of their travels.

Josephine (also known as Joey or Jo) was a graduate of the UB School of Social Work. She later worked as a case supervisor for the Erie County Department of Social Welfare. After her death in October, 1944, Theodosia and Ruth donated $300.00 towards the "Josephine W. Hewlett Memorial Fund," which was used to help build the library for the School of Social Work. Theodosia and Ruth remained close to the university, becoming lifelong donors.

Theodosia (commonly known as Teddy) completed her undergraduate work at the Connecticut College in New Haven, Connecticut. After which, she moved back to Buffalo and earned her Masters degree in Psychology from UB in 1928. She then took a position as dean of students at Erie County Technical Institute, while teaching sociology, psychology, and industrial and labor relations. Later in her career, she accepted a position with the New York State Department of Labor, where she set up one of five junior placement programs in the state. She and her husband, Richard Stickney, retired and moved to Wilmington, NC in 1965. Richard died in 1982 and Theodosia died in 1997.

Ruth (also known as Ruthie or Ri) earned her undergraduate degree in Library Science from UB in 1928. She went on to earn her MA in Library Science from University of Michigan. She was the arts and music librarian at Syracuse University and then at Tufts University until her retirement in 1971. Upon retirement, she moved next door to Theodosia in Wilmington, NC, where she died in 1998.

In 1992, the two sisters jointly bequeathed a portion of their estates to the UB Foundation to establish the Hewlett Family Enrichment Fund. The fund was to benefit the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; the School of Social Work, and the Humanities Institute. An additional bequest of $3,000 in memory of Ruth was designated for the School of Information and Library Studies.

Scope and Content Note

The collection is comprised of photo albums, loose photos and slides documenting the recreation and travel of the three sisters between the years 1900-1998. Their interests in sailing, travel, archeology and music are represented through the collection of pictures. Also included, are pictures from the girls' summer camp that they went to during the 1920's and 1930's. Travel journal entries of boating trips are compiled in Series I, which relate to slides in Series III.

Each album page was numbered. If any photo fell loose while numbering it was recorded by the number of the page. All other loose photographs were housed in separate folders. All albums that could be disbound were disbound. One oversized album, "Josephine: 'The famous hitch to Buffalo,'" (#2.3) was photocopied and the originals shelved separately.

Photo albums are named according to information from the original cover or information from the first page of the album. If possible, owner or creator of album is noted.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series: Loose photographs, Photograph albums, Slides.

Arranged according to format: photo albums, slides, other documentation, and then arranged in rough chronological order.

Container List