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Ms. Mabel Spofford was born on May 29, 1883, to Frank and Clara Todd Spofford in her greatgrandmother Adam’s house on Charter St., in Danvers. Ms. Spofford grew up in Danvers and when she was ten years old her family moved to the Charter St. house which she eventually inherited. After a lifetime of living and teaching elsewhere Ms. Spofford moved back to the house when she retired in 1950, and died there in 1981, at age 98. Despite a physical handicap, her childhood was active with ice skating, cycling and walking with her brother Ralph. This was a pattern of physical exercise that she continued all her life.

In her early childhood, Ms. Spofford developed an appreciation of art through nature studies. In high school she became exposed to a more formal art curriculum including pictures of European Gothic cathedrals. Years later she was able to fulfill her dream of traveling to Europe and sketching these historical buildings herself.

Graduating from Mass Normal Art School in 1902, she began her teaching career in Vermont in 1906. Her teaching style emphasized discipline and organization. Her diary often refers to “whipping a student.” One day she whipped three boys and had a tussle with a fourth. She ended that entry with “otherwise a good day.” Whipping was not unusual at that time and consisted of rapping a rule against the knuckles or open palm.

Ms. Spofford taught in Rockport (1911 to 1914) and Boxford before coming to Gloucester in 1922, where she remained until her retirement in 1950. Better organized than most teachers, she eventually become the head of the “Freehand and Mechanical Drawing” department at Gloucester High School. As head of the department she had up to three male teachers assisting her at any one time, including the local artist Howard A. Curtis from 1934 to 1950. While teaching in Gloucester she lived at a rooming house (hotel) called the “Winchester Arms” at 61 Middle St.. When the proprietor Mrs. Winchester retired in 1938, Ms. Spofford moved a few doors down the street to #51, another rooming house. When Ms. Spofford retired she moved back to Danvers where she became active in town activities and was once named Danvers Woman of the Year.

Having come of age with the values prevalent at the turn of the century, Ms. Spofford became an active member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Danvers Women’s Association. She was highly patriotic and always endeavored to lead a moral Christian life.

Further information on Mabel Spofford can be found at the Peabody Institute Library/Danvers Historical Society who have her diaries 1906 – 1920; correspondence 1913 – 1982; and papers relating to her Danvers Historical Tours on the occasion of the town’s bi-centennial.

The Mabel Spofford Collection has been donated by Diana Korzenik. Ms. Korzenik recently retired as a professor and chairperson of the Art Education Department at Mass. College of Art, as well as being a former instructor of a course in the history of art education at Harvard University. Ms. Spofford graduated from the Mass. Normal Art School, which is now the Mass. College of Art.

Addendum I (Accession #: 2011.80) was donated in 2011 by Irene J. Fazio.

Addendum II was donated on November 8th, 2016 by Ted & Juanita Tumelaire.

The collection is an extensive compilation of Ms. Spofford’s personal life and her 44 year professional career both as a teacher and an artist. It contains: Art source material, Art prints, Sketchbooks, Lecture notes, Correspondence, Cut out pictures, Teaching material, Eastern Art Association magazines, Miscellaneous drawings/paintings (14 portfolios), Personal papers and photographs.

I. Teaching material

II. Personal material

III. Portfolios

Box #1, Series I

Folder 1: Miscellaneous – Picture study source material; an appreciation of classic art – reproductions of pre-historic, European, Latin America

Order blanks Brown-Robertson Co. 1931, The Palmer Co.

Instructor picture studies scenes,1920s

Order catalogues, 1930s

Book of the Month Club miniatures, 1950

Folder 2: Miscellaneous – picture study – source material, order forms

Instructor picture study series, 1930

Order blanks: Brown-Robertson Co., 1928, 1939; Art Extension Press Inc., 1932;

The Palmer Co., 1931; American Art Bureau, ND; Artext Prints, Inc., 1945

Catalogues: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1933; Art Extension, 1927;

Colonial Art Co., 1937; Educational Pictures, ND; Trans Lux Picture Screen Co., 1930

Study prints, The Colonial Art Co., 1928

Folder 3:

Miscellaneous – catalogues; African art; teacher bulletin

Notes on own paintings, ND Catalogues: National Art Supply, Co., 1909; Class Gifts, 1915;

Art for Schools, 1911; School and Home Decoration, 1914-1920; J.L. Hammett Co., ND;

The Palmer Co., ND;

National Art Supply Co., ND

Publication: Art of Africa ND

Folder 4:

Miscellaneous – picture study – source material – miscellaneous prints; Egyptian art

Catalogues: Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art, 1934; Brown-Robertson, 1928;

All American Art, ND; Art & Health, ND

Order Forms: Art Extension Press, 1931; Palmer Co., 1931

Medici Christmas Cards: Medici Society of America, 1925

Egyptian Prints: Rochester Institute of Technology, 1950

Folder 5:

Miscellaneous – picture study – source material

Order forms: The Perry Pictures, Co., 1930; Elson Art Publication Co., 1930

Catalogues: The Perry Pictures, Co., 1930; Elson Art Publication Co., 1930

Prints: The Perry Pictures, Co., 1930

Publications: Museum of Fine Arts, 1930

Box #2, Series I

Folder 1: Perry pictures (prints); High Renaissance (prints)

Prints: The Perry Pictures, Co., ND; High Renaissance, ND Notes by MS, ND

Folder 2: Flemish/Dutch/German (prints); miscellaneous catalogues

Catalogues: Art Appreciation Harter School Supply Co., ND; Porter

Prints, ND; The Arts Section, Society for Visual education, ND;

The Colonial Art Co., 1933/1934; Keystone Art Lantern Slides, 1930

Notes & Stencils by MS, ND

Prints: Flemish, Dutch, German, ND

Folder 3: Irish art (prints)

Notes & Anatomy drawings by MS, ND

Prints: Irish Art, ND Class

Project: Normal Art School, Notes & Drawings by MS, 1904

Box #3, Series I

Folder 1: Thesis

Meeting the Art Needs of Gloucester’s Young People, Mass School of Art, 1939

Folder 2: Publications – Museum of Fine Arts

Catalogues: “James McNeill Whistler”, Museum of Fine Arts, 1934; “Ellbert Stuart”, Museum of Fine Arts, 1928

Guides: Museum of Fine Arts (4)

Prints: “Contemporary American Sculptors”, American Federation of Arts, ND

Bulletins: Museum of Fine Arts, 1939-1942 (16)

Folder 3: Ipswich book designs

Children’s’ art work; School programs, 1906/07

Watercolors: by MS? (3), ND

Folder 4 Lecture notes

3 Small Notebooks, 1897, 1907, 1917

Class Notes, 1950

Course Papers, ND

Box #4, Series I

Folder 1: 10 Small notebooks – lecture notes 1909, 1910-11, 1912-13, 1917-19, 1918-19, 1932, (4) ND

Folder 2: 9 Small notebooks – lecture notes 1904, 1913, 1913-14, 1914-15, 1915-16, 1919-20, 1920, 1920-21, (1) ND

Folder 3 Museum prints/catalogues

Paper back: Daily Life of the Greeks & Romans, 1946

Catalogue: Medieval Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1947

Pamphlet: Fogg Art Museum, 1927

Illustrated Handbook, Museum of Fine Arts, 1937

Calendar, Museum of Fine Arts, 1950

Box #5 Series I

Folder 1: School miscellaneous notes

2 Small notebooks, ND

Correspondence, 1915/16; Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1937

Order Forms: The American Federation of Arts, 1936;

Horace K. Turner co., 1931

Catalogues: Art Education Press, 1936; The Manual Arts Press, ND

Misc. Teaching Notes, ND

Photo, Gloucester Faculty?, ND

Folder 2: Catalogues

Prints: Contemporary Art in Latin America, ND

Correspondence: William Dixon, Inc., 1936; Mass School of Art, 1950;

The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co., 1948

Conference: Mass Normal Art School, 1921

Order Form: The Manual Arts Press, 1948; McMillan Co., ND;

Pitman Publishing Co., ND

Catalogues: Frederick Post Co., 1948; House of Little Books, 1948;

McCraw Hill, ND; C.S. Hammond Co., ND

American Red Cross, 1948

American Near East Society bulletin, 1949

Receipt: Cape Ann Scientific and Literary Ass., 1927

Statement: Retirement Contributions Commonwealth of Mass., 1947

Folder 3: Correspondence/school notes

Postcards: from Russell Williams, 1942, 1944; From MS to family, 1926;

(24) New York Univ., 1926; (2) from Antoinette Pusateri, 1944

Correspondence: from Beulah Wing, ND; from Leonard Craske, 1933; from Carrie Lyle, 1927; from A.F. Weaver, 1925; (4) notes from students, 1914

Christmas Card, ND

Small notebook: Gloucester High School, 1946-48

Folder 4: Pictures – cut out

Football, 1942; Animals, 1940; Colored Colonial, 1928/29; Birds, 1942

Folder 5: Pictures – cut out

Boats, 1931, 1938; Figures, ND; Buildings, 1926

Folder 6: Pictures – cut out

People, ND; Sleighs, 1840; Furniture, ND; Dragons, 1934; Figure drawings, ND; Faces, 1925

Box #6, Series I

Folder 1: Pictures – cut outs:

Sheep, children, houses and people, buildings, people at tables, lighthouses, 1927

Folder 2: Pictures – cut outs:

Waterscapes, mothers and babies, children, fairies, castles, water scenes, 1927

Folder 3: Pictures – miscellaneous

Camels, 1942; miscellaneous cutouts

Coursework Note book; Bulletins: Museum of Fine Arts, 1940-43

Art Contests & awards, 1948

Folder 4: Pictures – cut outs:

Horses, cows, cow heads, ND; Christmas, 1936; stained glass windows, ND;

Perspective of people, ND

Box #7, Series I

Folder 1: Straight lines/objects converging

Lesson plans: Middle school, 1907-09; Angle perspectives, 1925

Folder 2: Complete notes on courses

Art Appreciation, Art History, 1930’s

Folder 3: Miscellaneous teaching material

High school art courses circa 1945

Bulletins: (9) Lessons in Art Appreciation, 1937

Catalogues: Edward Lee McClain, High School, 1945

How to Make Posters, 1942

MISSING AS OF AUGUST 2012 CHRISTINA HANAWALT

Folder 4: Art history notebook, pre 1917

High school exams in art – 1920’s

Box #8, Series I

Folder 1: Gloucester High School notes (art)

Lesson Plans, 1934/36

Course Notes, 1934/36

Folder 2: Notes – middle school

Lesson Plans grades 7/8, ND

Folder 3: Greece – pictures and text, 1930

Box #9, Series I

Folder 1: Art education grammar schools

Danvers art education, student work, 1916

Rockport High School art education, student work, 1913-14

Folder 2: Art Appreciation

NYC high schools syllabus, 1930

Folder 3: Design

‘A Study of Basic Principles for Elementary Schools, City of Detroit’, 1909;

‘Principles of Beauty’, 1915

Pamphlet: ‘Complete Pictures’ by “A Girl” ND

Folder 4: Silhouettes, ND

Interior design, Univ. of Mass. Ext., course work, 1920

Box #10, Series I

Folder 1: Drawings

Fruits, ND; cutouts & drawings trees, ND; foreshortening circles, 1921

Folder 2: Borders and drawings

Curved line objects, ND; Nature, ND; Effects of Distance, ND;

Fashion study guide, ND

Folder 3: Civic beautification

Samples of child art & civic improvement, 1919

Design work, 1909

Folder 4: Human figure – student art

Folder 5: Art portfolio

Box #11, Series I

(30) Eastern Art Association magazines, 1917-1941 Annual Reports – Board of Education, NYC, 1918-1920

Box #12, Series II

Folder 1: Miscellaneous

Pamphlets: Decorative Painting on Textiles, ND; Batik, ND; Tie-Dyeing, ND;

How to use Kraft-fibre, 1917;

Order forms: Faulk Co., ND

Instructions for Linoleum Block printing, 1941

Ads for sketch pencils, ND

Catalogues: O-P Graft, 1947; Irving G. Banghart & Co., ND

Paperbacks: Art & Decoration in Crepe & Tissue Paper, 1919; Handbook of Modeling & Pottery Craft, 1931; Free Brush Pattern in color & design, 1929; Color Craft, 1926; Crafts with Crayola, 1929; Cross-stitch New Designs, 1956

Folder 2: Miscellaneous

Pamphlets: The Second Stencil Book, 1944; Craft Creations, Le Page, 1928;

Le Page’s Craft Book, 1924; Neptune Silkscreen Process Printing, ND; The Hammett Herald, 1846; Magnus Brush & Craft Materials, ND; Block Prints, ND;

Dennison’s Ropework Primer, ND

Catalogues: Craftworkers Supply, 1911; Waldcraft, 1922; All Year Giftbook, 1924; Drafting Outfits & Supplies, 1914; Dennison’s Handy Book, ND

Small Books: Le Page’s Craft League Library, 1925

Folder 3: Mable Spofford: Artwork

MS Sketchbook’s: 1885(?), 1895-97, 1905, 1909

Early paper doll cutouts 1880’s & drawings 1890’s

Folder 4: Mabel Spofford: School work

Slate sketchbook (preschool?)

Danvers High School notebooks

High School English notes

5th grade Penmanship notebook

1890’s sketchbook

Box #13, Series II

Folder 1: Mabel Spofford: School work

3 Grammar School report cards, 1890’s

Notebooks: Boston Cooking School, ND; high school math, 1895; high school, 1895; drawing exercises 6th grade 1894

Folder 2: Mabel Spofford: Artwork

Cartoon artwork 1910-11

Sketchbook 1895 (7th grade)

Art exercises, grades 6-8

Botanicals Portfolio 1896

Folder 3: Mabel Spofford: School work

High school lessons, language, geography, & penmanship, ND

High school color exercises, Mass Normal Art School, ND

Colored pencil drawings, ND

Box #13, Series II

Folder 4: Mabel Spofford: Artwork

Botanical pencil sketches, ND

Lessons: Values studies, High School, ND, Architecture, High School, ND;

Elementary Art, ND

Personal graphs of Artwork, ND

Needlepoint by Martha Spofford (mother)

Postcards: (2) of paintings by Anthony Thieme; (2) 1952/54

Photograph of Richard Recchio’s Leaping Frog sculpture

Letters (28) to MS, 1914-1930

Notebooks: , Travel to London, 1929

Poems (5)

Notes: (2) from childhood, 1892

Folder 5: Misc. Personal Material

3 photographs of Mabel as a child

2 photographs of Mabel as a young & middle-aged woman (Photo File #s 21687. 21688)

Xerox of contacts for more information.

Box #14, Series I & II

Folder 1: Addendum Acc #2011.80

1) 2 tin-types - Mabel & Ralph Spofford in baby carriage Baby - either Mabel or Ralph Spofford

2) 1 Photo mounted on card 5” x 3” - 8 Cherry St, Danvers. The house was designed and built by Lester Couch for Mabel's father and later inherited by Mabel Spofford

3) Carte de Visite - Mabel Spofford as a child

4) Snapshot 3.5” x 3.5” of Tug Eveleth in Gloucester

5) 2 small snapshots 2” x 2.5” of interior of a school, probably the Charter School, Danvers

6) Mounted photo 5” x 7” of a 3-masted brig - unidentified

7) 1 photo folder containing a small photo of Mabel Spofford as a young woman, with small card 1” x 2.75” inscribed Christmas Greeting and signed from Mabel

8) Small photo album 6” x 4.5” containing Spofford family photos dated 1919, 1921 & 1923. Most Dogtown - 1 Ralph Parsons on Whale's Jaw

9) 2 photographs 8” x 10” a) “Sketch” (model) of Richard Recchia's Mother Goose Memorial, 1840. Back has Recchia signing it to Muriel MacLeod with the specs for the finished statue added in pencil b) Mabel Spofford accepting an award from the Danvers Community Council as an elderly woman. No date.

10) 2 mounted photographs 8” x 10” of 4th and 7th grade classes in Fair Haven, VT. Students identified on the reverse.

11) 1 photograph 8” x 10” of Gloucester 'Mural' painted by Mabel Spofford and her High School Class.

12) 4 negatives 6” x 3.5” scanned and returned to Mrs. Fazio. a) The Gloucester 'Mural' framed and displayed on the wall of a school (?) office. (2 copies) b) Close-up of the Gloucester 'Mural' framed and displayed on the wall of a school (?) office. (2 copies)

13) 4 classroom tools: 3 hand drawn and colored women in National Costume with their country's flag: Panama, Philippines & Norway; 1 card & cloth padded figure of the Chinese God of Longevity

14) Letter from Chinese girl Shing, in China about 80 miles from Hong Kong, dated June 18, 1936 when at war with Japan

Series III – Spofford drawings & paintings in Portfolios

#1 (blue folder):

Pastels (12) 9x6 Charcoal (6) 11x8

#2 (blue folder)

Watercolors (31)

#3 (loose folder):

Watercolors

Still life (32) 11x15

Shore Scenes (14) 11x8

Still life (6) small sizes

Miscellaneous studies & sizes (4)

Flowers (19) 11x8

Flowers (3) small sizes

Pencil studies (8) flowers

1 charcoal study – nude male

#4 (loose folder)

Charcoal drawings: 8 medium, 18 small

#5 (loose folder)

Charcoal 131 WWI posters 8

#6 (loose folder)

Engineering drawings from Mass Normal Art school: (22) 17x14

#7 (loose folder)

Model drawings in pencil: (54) large sizes

#8 (loose folder)

Student instructions; poster assignments by students Series III – Spofford drawings & paintings in Portfolios

#9 (loose folder)

Oil on canvas/board: 17 small, 20 medium, 15 large

#10 (loose folder)

Furniture drawings from MNAS (16)

#11 (loose folder)

Pencil sketches from MNAS: 92 small, 12 medium

#12 (loose folder)

Pencil/gouache – flat patterns, ornamental design: 21 small, 13 large

#13 (loose folder)

Large charcoal drawings from MNAS: 43 figure drawings

Loose Pictures – portfolio case, large

2 posters

19 large watercolors

7 oil on canvas

1 building sketch

2 design watercolors

9 charcoal human/still life

Addendum I

Acc# 2011.80, Donated by: Mrs. Irene J. Fazio

2 tin-types - Mabel & Ralph Spofford in baby carriage

Baby - either Mabel or Ralph Spofford

1 Photo mounted on card 5” x 3” - 8 Cherry St, Danvers.

The house was designed and built by Lester Couch for Mabel’s father and later inherited by Mabel Spofford

Carte de Visite - Mabel Spofford as a child

Snapshot 3.5” x 3.5” of Tug Eveleth in Gloucester

2 small snapshots 2” x 2.5” of interior of a school, probably the Charter School, Danvers

Mounted photo 5” x 7” of a 3-masted brig - unidentified 1 photo folder containing a small photo of Mabel Spofford as a young woman, with small card 1” x 2.75” inscribed Christmas Greeting and signed from Mabel

Small photo album 6” x 4.5” containing Spofford family photos dated 1919, 1921 & 1923.

Most Dogtown - 1 Ralph Parsons on Whale’s Jaw.

2 photographs 8” x 10”

a) “Sketch” (model) of Richard Recchia’s Mother Goose Memorial, 1840. Back has Recchia signing it to Muriel MacLeod with the specs for the finished statue added in pencil

b) Mabel Spofford accepting an award from the Danvers Community Council as an elderly woman. No date.

2 mounted photographs 8” x 10” of 4th and 7th grade classes in Fair Haven, VT. Students identified on the reverse.

1 photograph 8” x 10” of Gloucester ‘Mural’ painted by Mabel Spofford and her High School Class.

4 negatives 6” x 3.5” scanned and returned to Mrs. Fazio.

a) The Gloucester ‘Mural’ framed and displayed on the wall of a school (?) office. (2 copies)

b) Close-up of the Gloucester ‘Mural’ framed and displayed on the wall of a school (?) office. (2 copies)

4 classroom tools

3 hand drawn and colored women in National Costume with their country’s flag:

Panama, Philippines & Norway

1 card & cloth padded figure of the Chinese God of Longevity

Letter from Chinese girl Shing, in China about 80 miles from Hong Kong, dated June 18, 1936 when at war with Japan

Addendum II

Donated by Ted & Juanita Tumelaire, Nov. 8, 2016.

Collection of Mabel Spofford’s postcards, letters, and photographs.