WOODRUFF, NELL HODGSON, 1892-1968.
Nell Hodgson Woodruff papers,
1913-1982
(bulk
1943-1968)
Nell Hodgson Woodruff papers, 1913-1982 (bulk 1943-1968)
Emory University
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
Atlanta, GA 30322
404-727-6887
rose.library@emory.edu
Permanent link: http://pid.emory.edu/ark:/25593/9029r
Table of Contents
Descriptive Summary
| Creator: | Woodruff, Nell Hodgson, 1892-1968. |
|---|---|
| Title: | Nell Hodgson Woodruff papers, 1913-1982 (bulk 1943-1968) |
| Call Number: | Manuscript Collection No. 47 |
| Extent: | 5.5 linear feet (11 boxes) and 2 oversized papers boxes (OP) |
| Abstract: | Personal papers of Nell Hodgson Woodruff including correspondence, photographs, printed materials, memorabilia, and a portrait. |
| Language: | Materials entirely in English. |
Administrative Information
Restrictions on access
Special restrictions apply: Some material is restricted from use for privacy considerations.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.
Related Materials in This Repository
Robert Winship Woodruff papers, Ada Fort papers, Hunnicutt family papers, and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing records.
Source
Gift, 1969.
Custodial History
Separated from the Robert W. Woodruff papers, 1976.
Citation
[after identification of item(s)], Nell Hodgson Woodruff papers, Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, Emory University.
Processing
Processed by Elizabeth Russey, April 14, 2005.
This finding aid may include language that is offensive or harmful. Please refer to the Rose Library's harmful language statement for more information about why such language may appear and ongoing efforts to remediate racist, ableist, sexist, homophobic, euphemistic and other oppressive language. If you are concerned about language used in this finding aid, please contact us at rose.library@emory.edu.
Collection Description
Biographical Note
Nell Kendall Hodgson Woodruff was born October 20, 1892 in Athens, Georgia, to Edward Hodgson and Mary Strahan. She graduated from a two-year nursing program at St. Mary's Hospital in Athens before marrying Robert Winship Woodruff on October 17, 1912. During World War I, Nell Woodruff served as an American Red Cross nurse aide volunteer, training other nurse aides. She volunteered again during World War II and was given permission to serve as a nurse's aid in any United States hospital. In 1946 Emory's Nursing School Alumni Association recognized her devotion to nursing education with its first honorary life membership. The Georgia State Nursing Association also bestowed a life membership on Woodruff in 1952 for her service to Georgia's nursing profession. A longtime leader in nursing and health fields, she served as an official United States delegate to the World Health Assemblies in 1954 and 1955. In 1967 Emory University renamed its school of nursing for Nell Woodruff. She died less than a year later on January 23, 1968, in Albany, Georgia.
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of the personal papers of Nell Hodgson Woodruff from 1913 to 1982. The papers primarily pertain to Woodruff's nursing career and to her interest in nursing and include correspondence, photographs, certificates, notebooks, printed materials, a copy of a portrait, and memorabilia. Woodruff's correspondence is mostly personal and discusses travel, family news, and the Woodruff homes in Atlanta, Ichaway and a ranch in Cody, Wyoming. There is extensive correspondence between Nell Hodgson Woodruff and Robert W. Woodruff concerning their marriage and affection for each other. Other correspondents include Mary C. Astor, Charles Mayo, Carolyn Adkins, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and family members.
The papers contain a number of items related to Nell Hodgson Woodruff's interest in nursing. The collection includes photographs and material related to her activities with the Red Cross during World War I and World War II, including training manuals and teaching notes. The collection also contains a woolen hat from the Red Cross. The papers also document Woodruff's involvement with the World Health Assembly in 1954 and 1955. Photographs, correspondence and reports to the United States delegation, and other material document these two assemblies. Official minutes and documents from the assembly were not retained and are available at the World Health Organization in Washington, D.C. The papers also contain architectural plans, photographs from the groundbreaking ceremonies, and two resolutions passed by the Emory University Board of Trustees relating to the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.
The bulk of the collection contains material collected after Nell Woodruff's death. Most of this material was culled from the Robert W. Woodruff papers and include condolence letters, obituaries, a scrapbook, photographs, and two audio recordings of her funeral. Documents concerning the settlement of Woodruff's estate have been restricted for privacy considerations. In addition, there is a draft of Devotedly Miss Nellie, a posthumous biography of Nell Woodruff commissioned by the Georgia Nursing Association.
Arrangement Note
Arranged by record type.
Selected Search Terms
Personal Names
Corporate Names
- Emory University.
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.
- World Health Assembly.
- World Health Organization.
Topical Terms
Geographic Names
Form/Genre Terms
Occupation
Container List
| Personal papers | ||
| Box | Folder | Content |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | American Red Cross Abridged Textbook on First Aid, 1913 |
| 1 | 2 | American Red Cross, certificates, 1917-1941 |
| 1 | 3 | American Red Cross, nursing journal, 1917-1918 |
| 1 | 4 | American Red Cross Nurses Aides, photographs [including Nell Woodruff], [ca. 1920] |
| OP1 | 1 | American Red Cross Nurses Aides, photographs, [ca. 1920] |
| 1 | 5 | American Red Cross Nurses Aid Program, clippings, 1943 |
| 1 | 6 | American Red Cross Textbook on Elementary Hygiene and Home Care of the Sick, 1913 |
| 1 | 7 | American Red Cross Volunteer Nurses Aid Program notes [taught by Nell Woodruff], 1942 |
| 1 | 8 | Clippings, 1952-1971 |
| 1 | 9 | Conference on Problems in Nursing Service, Academy of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 1954 |
| 1 | 10 | Correspondence, undated |
| 1 | 11 | Correspondence, 1918-1945 |
| 1 | 12 | Correspondence, 1946-1947 |
| 1 | 13 | Correspondence, 1948-1949 |
| 1 | 14 | Correspondence, 1950-1951 |
| 1 | 15 | Correspondence, 1952-1953 |
| 1 | 16 | Correspondence, 1954-1955 |
| 2 | 1 | Correspondence, 1956-1962 |
| 2 | 2 | Correspondence, 1963 |
| 2 | 3 | Correspondence, 1964 |
| 2 | 4 | Correspondence, 1965 |
| 2 | 5 | Correspondence, 1966 |
| 2 | 6 | Correspondence, 1967 |
| 2 | 7 | Correspondence, 1968 |
| 2 | 8 | Driver's license, Georgia, 1945 |
| 2 | 9 | Emory University donations, 1954-1965 |
| 2 | 10 | Georgia Department of Public Health, 1954 |
| 2 | 11 | Georgia State Nurses Association, clippings, 1953-1964 |
| 2 | 12 | Georgia State Nurses Association, pamphlets, 1946-1968 |
| 2 | 13 | Menu, Nell and Robert W. Woodruff 55th wedding anniversary dinner, October 17, 1967 |
| 2 | 14 | Menu, Nell Woodruff birthday dinner, October 20, 1967 |
| 2 | 15 | Menus [from NHW European travels] |
| 2 | 16 | Passports, 1927-1964 |
| OP2 | 1 | Photograph, children delievered by NHW[?], 1950 |
| 2 | 17 | Photographs, Giovanni Migliara |
| 2 | 18 | Photographs, Nursing |
| 2 | 19 | Photographs, Nell Hodgson Woodruff |
| OP1 | 2 | Portrait, Nell Hodgson Woodruff |
| 2 | 20 | Railroad passes |
| Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing | ||
| 3 | 1 | Architectural drawings [proposal], 1968 |
| 3 | 2 | Brochure, 1969 |
| 3 | 3 | Bulletin, 1958-1959 |
| 3 | 4 | Clippings, 1943-1970 |
| 3 | 5 | Correspondence, 1969-1970 |
| 3 | 6 | Photographs, Emory University Nursing Students, 1907, 1923 |
| 3 | 7 | Photographs, Tea honoring Nell Woodruff, January 10, 1968 |
| 3 | 8 | Photographs, Groundbreaking ceremonies, January 18, 1968 |
| 3 | 9 | Photo proof sheets, Groundbreaking ceremonies, January 18, 1968 |
| 3 | 10 | Press releases, 1964-1968 |
| 3 | 11 | Program, Dedication ceremonies, April 1970 |
| OP1 | 3 | Resolution to rename Emory's Nursing School, October 19, 1967 |
| 3 | 12 | Resolution to rename Emory’s Nursing School [photocopy], October 20, 1967 |
| World Health Assembly | ||
| 3 | 13 | Seventh World Health Assembly, delegate credentials, 1954 |
| 3 | 14 | Seventh World Health Assembly, delegate guidebooks, 1954 |
| 3 | 15 | Seventh World Health Assembly, photographs, 1954 |
| 3 | 16 | Seventh World Health Assembly, travel arrangements, 1954 |
| 3 | 17 | Seventh World Health Assembly, travel receipts, 1954 |
| 3 | 18 | Seventh World Health Assembly, U.S. delegation memos and reports, 1954 |
| 3 | 19 | Seventh World Health Assembly, U.S. delegation position papers, 1954 |
| 3 | 20 | Eighth World Health Assembly, Comite de Damas program, 1955 |
| 3 | 21 | Eighth World Health Assembly, delegation credentials, 1955 |
| 3 | 22 | Eighth World Health Assembly, delegate guidebooks, 1955 |
| 3 | 23 | Eighth World Health Assembly, photographs, 1954 |
| 3 | 24 | Eighth World Health Assembly, reception invitation, 1955 |
| 3 | 25 | Eighth World Health Assembly, travel arrangements, 1955 |
| 3 | 26 | Eighth World Health Assembly, travel receipts, 1955 |
| 3 | 27 | Eighth World Health Assembly, U.S. delegation memos and reports, 1955 |
| Posthumously collected materials | ||
| 4 | 1 | Condolence letters, A, 1968 |
| 4 | 2 | Condolence letters, B, 1968 |
| 4 | 3 | Condolence letters, C, 1968 |
| 4 | 4 | Condolence letters, C, 1968 |
| 4 | 5 | Condolence letters, D, 1968 |
| 4 | 6 | Condolence letters, E, 1968 |
| 4 | 7 | Condolence letters, F, 1968 |
| 4 | 8 | Condolence letters, G, 1968 |
| 4 | 9 | Condolence letters, H, 1968 |
| 4 | 10 | Condolence letters, H-I, 1968 |
| 4 | 11 | Condolence letters, J, 1968 |
| 4 | 12 | Condolence letters, K, 1968 |
| 4 | 13 | Condolence letters, L, 1968 |
| 5 | 1 | Condolence letters, M, 1968 |
| 5 | 2 | Condolence letters, M, 1968 |
| 5 | 3 | Condolence letters, N-O, 1968 |
| 5 | 4 | Condolence letters, P, 1968 |
| 5 | 5 | Condolence letters, R, 1968 |
| 5 | 6 | Condolence letters, S, 1968 |
| 5 | 7 | Condolence letters, S, 1968 |
| 5 | 8 | Condolence letters, T, 1968 |
| 5 | 9 | Condolence letters, U-V, 1968 |
| 5 | 10 | Condolence letters, W, 1968 |
| 5 | 11 | Condolence letters, W-Z, 1968 |
| 5 | 12 | Condolence telegrams, A-B, 1968 |
| 5 | 13 | Condolence telegrams, C, 1968 |
| 6 | 1 | Condolence telegrams, D-F, 1968 |
| 6 | 2 | Condolence telegrams, G, 1968 |
| 6 | 3 | Condolence telegrams, H-I, 1968 |
| 6 | 4 | Condolence telegrams, J-L, 1968 |
| 6 | 5 | Condolence telegrams, M, 1968 |
| 6 | 6 | Condolence telegrams, N-P, 1968 |
| 6 | 7 | Condolence telegrams, R-S, 1968 |
| 6 | 8 | Condolence telegrams, T-V, 1968 |
| 6 | 9 | Condolence telegrams, W-Z, 1968 |
| 6 | 10 | Correspondence, 1968 |
| 6 | 11 | Correspondence, 1968 |
| 6 | 12 | "Devotedly Miss Nellie," correspondence, 1977-1978 |
| 6 | 13 | "Devotedly Miss Nellie," corrected draft, chapters 1-2, 1988 |
| 6 | 14 | "Devotedly Miss Nellie," corrected draft, chapters 3-4, 1988 |
| 6 | 15 | "Devotedly Miss Nellie," corrected draft, chapters 5-6, 1988 |
| 6 | 16 | "Devotedly Miss Nellie," source material ("Engagement Days: A Playlette"), 1919 |
| 6 | 17 | Emory University Board of Trustees tribute, 1968 |
| 6 | 18 | Funeral arrangements |
| 6 | 19 | Funeral, floral tributes, 1968 |
| 6 | 20 | Funeral, floral tributes, 1968 [cont'd |
| 7 | 1 | Funeral, floral tributes, 1968 [cont'd] |
| 7 | 2 | Funeral, floral tributes, 1968 [cont'd] |
| 7 | 3 | Funeral, guest book, 1968 [1 of 2] |
| 8 | 1 | Funeral, guest book, 1968 [2 of 2] |
| 8 | 2 | Funeral, photographs of gravesite, 1968 |
| 8 | 3 | Memorial donations, 1968 |
| 8 | 4 | Memorial donations, 1968 [cont'd] |
| 8 | 5 | Memorial donations, 1968 [cont'd] |
| 10 | 1 | NHW estate, correspondence, 1968 [RESTRICTED] |
| 10 | 2 | NHW estate, inventories, 1968 [RESTRICTED] |
| 10 | 3 | NHW estate, trust funds, 1968 [RESTRICTED] |
| 10 | 4 | NHW estate, trust funds, 1968 [RESTRICTED] |
| 10 | 5 | NHW estate, trust funds, 1968 [RESTRICTED] |
| 8 | 6 | Obituaries, 1968 |
| 8 | 7 | Organ dedication in memory of NHW at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, January 30, 1977 |
| OP1 | 4 | Portraits (2), 1937 [photographer: Foster] |
| OP1 | 5 | Plaque, Georgia Nurses Association, 1968 |
| 8 | 8 | Scrapbook (NHW), undated [1 of 2] |
| 8 | 9 | Scrapbook (NHW), undated [2 of 2] |
| Audiovisual material | ||
| AV1 | - | Woodruff, Nell H., funeral, ministers only, 1968 |
| AV1 | - | Woodruff, Nell H., funeral, ministers and music, 1968 [very poor quality] |
| Ephemera | ||
| 11 | - | American Red Cross woolen hat |
| 9 | - | Ceramic miniature bedpan |
v1.11.0-dev