Kilpatrick Diaries
Entries in the Diaries of William H. Kilpatrick relating to Mossman and/or Bonser
Diraies on film at Milbank Memorial Library, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York.
Please note that i used Kilpatrick's own indicies to find these entries.
In addition, i typed them in from photocopies of his handwritten notes.
Therefore, as a list of entries Kilpatrick made in his diaries about
Mossman and Bonser, this is likely to be neither complete nor wholly
accurate. Words i could not decipher are denoted "(?);" the same mark is
used when Kilpatrick makes a reference i did not understand. Words in
[these brackets] are Kilpatrick's; in {these} are my notes. Enjoy!
VOLUME 8: 1912 (Roll 2)
p. 78: In the evening we go to hear a discussion on Bonser's "Industrial Arts." He was good, but in my opinion there is yet need of study to clarify the ideas involved.
p. 106: Study re Bonser's paper. I am much pleased with it; tho there are evident crudities.
VOLUME 9: 1913 (Roll 2)
VOLUME 10: 1914
VOLUME 11: 1915 (Roll 3)
p. 31 Feb 13: Arrived at Town Club. Bonser speaks, sensibly but very drily. I can hardly see how a person as good as B. can be so poor a talker.
VOLUME 12: 1916 (Roll 3)
p. 71: Hear Bonser before the Horace Mann teachers. His positions differ from mine in that he insists on looking to social ends [(1) health, practical efficiency, citezenship, leisure; (2) information & knowledge, habits & attitudes, appreciations].
VOLUME 13: 1917
p. 66 4/13: It seems that the Dean-who has more or less of an obsession for Bonser-wishes Bonser to undertake the remaking of the Horace Mann curriculum. I surmise that Pearson takes this as a reflection on him. Pearson seems to wish my ideas to be used.
I say outright that we must have some understanding. . .
VOLUME 14: 1918
p. 46 2/23: Went then to the Elementary Club luncheon, a very good crowd. Sat in a circle including Hillegas & Miss Chander. Hosie (?) presided. McMurry spoke fairly but too long. Bonser poorly-tho his ideas were probably good. I spoke for 8 minutes. .
.
p. 156 8/3 {written quickly?} In fact I am supplanting both McMurry (?) and Bonser in point of influence on (?) forward looking practice. If only I can rise to the occasin, I can have all the influence I want.
p. 188 9/14 Saturday-Meet Bonser in a discussion of our soldier (?) teaching problem. I fear it will be difficult for us to agree, but agree we must.
VOLUME 15: 1919 (Roll 4)
p. 130 7/2 Miss Bamburger, Bonser & I talk over (?) her dissertation topic. I make it clear that the decision and responsibility lies with him.
VOLUME 16: 1920 (Roll 4)
VOLUME 17: 1921 (Roll 4)
VOLUME 18: 1922 (Roll 5)
p. 8* 1/3 Read and comment on. . . a paper submitted by Mrs. Mossman.
p. 56* 3/31 With 444. . . Mrs. Mossman begins her report. Benson (?) is blatant as usual. But the interest is very good.
p. 85* 5/26 Then go out of the (?) to help discuss Mrs. Mossman's dissertation topic & outline.
p. 191 8/17 Talk with Mrs. Mossman about her dissertation plans.
VOLUME 19: 1923 (Roll 5)
p. 136 6/30 Receive Mr. Chang's appendix to his dissertation made at Bonser's suggestion. Now I fear that B. doesn't like it. I feel sick about it. I wish I had never had Chang on my hands.
p. 137 7/2 I talked of the responsibility of women in the new regime (?), and particularly in Georgia to furnish a wiser leadership. I did not feel it very successful, but Bonser spoke pleasantly of it, quite to my surprise.
p. 164 8/18 Read Mrs. Mossman's dissertation. Discuss with Mrs. Mossman her dissertation.
p. 220 11/8 Talk to Mrs. Mossman about her dissertation.
p. 228 11/24 In the evening read Mrs. Mossman's dissertation.
p. 229 11/26 In afternoon meet Hillegas & Bonser on (?) Mrs. Mossman's dissertation. We agree to recommend it.
VOLUME 20: 1924 (Roll 5)
p. 11 1/3 . . . read Mrs. Mossman's dissertation, revised draft. I approve & so tell Hillegas.
p. 23 1/25 Attend Mrs. Mossman's doctoral examination. She does well. After it is all over, she tells me she got more help from me than from anywhere else.
p. 45 2/28 Go to the meeting where I am to speak. Room crowded. . . (?) speaks not on topic as I understood it. Bonser does well on the reconstruction of the curriculum.
p. 214* 10/20 Discuss with Mrs. Mossman her scheme of portraying correlated differences of educational positions. It seems to go well. I hope she may be able to bring to the group {ED 303R?} an idea of the distribution. . . .
p. 246 11/26 Meet Ed. 303R. Mrs. Mossman presents her classification of different possible positions on subject matter, methods, &c. It goes fairly well, tho we need more time.
p. 259 12/12 In the afternoon talk with Mrs. Mossman about her work & plans.
VOLUME 21: 1925 (Roll 5)
p. 62 3/21 Read Mrs. Mossman's account of her scale of points.
p. 78 4/6 In the evening attend a dinner of the Research Group (Caldwell's). . . Talk mostly with Mrs. Mossman.
p. 263 11/21 {in meeting} Courtis is on my side, as is Bonser. . .
VOLUME 22: 1926 (Roll 6)
VOLUME 23: 1927 (Roll 6)
VOLUME 24: 1928 (Roll 6)
p. 12 1/4 Talk with Mrs. Mossman and Miss Maloney about a book they are writing. It seems to promise well.
VOLUME 25: 1929 (Roll 6)
VOLUME 26: 1930 (Roll 7)
p. 92 {strolls w/ Bonser}
p. 89 5/28 Meet various people in the office. . . Mrs. Mossman (regarding Mrs. Maloney's book). . .
p. 158 9/25 In the afternoon talk in my office with Miss (?) who seems to have trouble with her dissertation. . . . Later I talk to Bonser, her Chairman, and encourage him to a stronger stand.
VOLUME 27: 1931 (Roll 7)
p. 15-16 1/9 Work in the office. Talk to Mrs. Mossman about including one of her courses among the general courses. I am sorry for her. She is not quite capable enough to override the unfair treatment she receives.
p. 137 Hear (yesterday) that my good friend and colleauge Dr. Bonser is dead. It is a great loss to the college. He was by odds the best man in the elementary field here but was not agressive (and was progressive) so the dean (J.E.) passed him by and impo
rted McLaughney, a great mistake.
p. 169 7/21 In afternoon attended memorial exercises to Professor Bonser in Milbank Chapel. Room full. Dean James E. R. speaks and well.
VOLUME 28: 1932 (Roll 7)
p. 14 1/8 In afternoon talk with Mrs. Mossman about Yearbook on activity curriculum.
p. 46 2/23 Tuesday-Breakfast at 8:00 with Mrs. Mossman on the Activity Curriculum Committee. Present: W.S. Gray, E. Horn, Oberholtzer, Miss Mildred English (of Raleigh), Mrs. M & I We get on quite amicably and make real progress. I seem not quite as effi
cient as I should have been.
p. 117-119 5/27-29 Friday-Write some (?) two or three hours till the committee on the Activity Program yearbook met: Mrs. Lois C. Mossman, Chairman, Ernest Horn of Iowa, W.S. Gray of Chicago, and Miss Mildred english of raleigh, N.C. with Miss Castle sen
t by Oberholtzer from Houston, Tex. We, with Margaret {Kilpatrick's daughter; see p. 1 of vol. 30}, sit at one table for meals.
Meet from 2 to 4. Early it appears that Mrs. Mossman's analysis & scale had been misunderstood by both Horn & Gray. So . . . (?) we shall have to go at things another way. I am sorry but see no escape. They have difficulty in understanding each other.
Horn & Gray & I play golf on the Macy (?) course till threat of rain drives us in.
At 8 we meet again. Mrs. M makes a further effort to give her conception of activity so as to defend her scale analysis, but H. & G. still will not understand. so I push (?) Gray's idea of a list to be checked in three degrees and Horn's list as a beginn
ing of factors or elements. We spend the rest of the evening . . . (?) our own conceptions as to what we wish and then in framing sentences to put into a questionaire.
{p. 118} May 28 Saturday-Our committee meets at 9:10 with Gray absent because of a cold and fever. We work principally at remaking the issues and subissues. Adjourning at 12:30
Horn & I play golf. . .
The Committee meet at 4:30 and works till six, principally om the drafting of subissues. . . .
At 8 we meet again, Gray still absent. Work rather irregularly. Horn defends his use of "subjects," but he does not convince me.
{p. 119} May 29 Sunday-Gray clearly has an infection stays in bed all day at (?)'s direction and cannot leave at 4 with Horn. We meet 9:30-1:15 working very much as last night, principally at stating positions. Margaret & Ted bring up the boys and stay t
o dinner. . .
Our committee meets about an Hour principally to map out a schedule.
VOLUME 29: 1933 (Roll 7)
p. 23 1/28 Mrs. Mossman is troubled about her committee on the activity program. I don't wonder. Horn and Gray are determined to bring the report to scientific standards, which means, I fear, emasculation of exposition.
p. 56 3/4 Mrs. Mossman comes to talk over the Activity Year Book. It appears that the Society is dubious of how she is succeeding (?).
p. 66 3/15 Meet in the afternoon with Mrs. Mossman, Dr. Gates & Dr. Horn of the Activity Yearbook and go over the possibilities of the coming meeting. We seem to get on well.
p. 68 3/18 Saturday-Work till 11 preparing for the meeting of Mrs. Mossman's committee on the Activity Yearbook. We convene at 11. Mrs. M, Miss English from Raleigh, Dr. Adelaide Ager of Milwaukee State T. C., Dr. W. S. Gray of U of Chicago, Gates, Hosic
& I of T.C. Question was asked as to the . . . (?) of the Year Book. I say I think we can determine it. Gray takes a cold but determined stand to the contrary. When he explains what he means by "evaluation" I accept. We start in and try to map out what w
e sha
ll do. On the whole we get on well enough, tho it is clear Gray feels himself in the camp of the enemy. We work all day, and finally seem to see a plan we can work.
March 19 Sunday.-We meet at 9:30 and . . . (?) to noon. Our chapter outline is fairly satisfactory as a compromise. At no place does it quite allow the friends of the Activity Program to state their case freely, but I hope we can still make it. We certai
nly m
iss Bonser. Feel greatly relieved when we adjourn.
p. 73 3/25 Return to College and talk with Mrs. Mossman on her committee work.
p. 107 5/8 Talk to Mrs. Mossman about the activity program.
p. 159 7/13 Work on some theses for Mrs. Mossman's committee.
p. 179 8/12 Saturday.-Work on activity yearbook, first reading what others have written to get the "feel" of it all. Talk with Mrs. Mossman about one of her chapters. Begin on the revision of my chapter on the definition. This I find quite upset by the r
evised data. . . .
Aug 13 Sunday.-read Times. Write on activity yearbook, nearly finishing the revision of my chapter. . . .
p. 180 8/14 Serve (as an emergency call) on a panel discussion: The New Place of the Elementary School in the Community. . . . It went fairly well. I took part rather freely. Mrs. Mossman summed up well. Hillegas did badly, Miss Dunn (?) well.
p. 220 10/14 Work on Mrs. Mossman's committee report. Talk with her about it.
p. 222 10/17 Work on Mrs. Mossmans ms of the Activity Yearbook, especially trying to criticize her chapter IV.
VOLUME 30: 1934 (Roll 8)
p. 17 1/6 Then we went to a luncheon in the Grace Dodge Room. Talk with. . . Mrs. Mossman and others.
p. 56 3/2 Mrs. Mossman comes in much excited over the Yearbook meeting. I had planned to go to Cleveland for no other purpose than to support her before the National Society meeting but as my cold caught me (?) I decided I could not and wired her on Frid
ay (before the meeting Saturday night) that I could not come. She had, however, moved her hotel without making arrangements for mail or telegrams and she hoped up to the last moment that I should appear. Whipple who was scheduled form an adverse report ha
d fallen ill but fortified by drink still came and spoke. Apparently he won sympathy for the cause he attacked. Rugg replied (?) and was asked to take my place which he did rigorously. Others came to Mrs. M's rescue and on the whole she felt it turned out
well. She also managed (?) so that the opposition felt she had been more than fair. So that all in all she fas feeling excited, . . . (?), by the event. I was sorry to have any think that I failed to let her know what to expect.
p. 182 7/17 In the evening attended a panel discussion in elementary education: Mrs. Mossman (vice McLaughey, ill), Hillegas. . . &I.
p. 203 8/9 Go to the Horace Mann auditorium where I address a group. . . of advanced students working in connection (?) with Mrs. Mossman and others.
VOLUME 31: 1935 (Roll 8)
p. 39 2/9 Go at 9:30 to Staff meeting (SectionIV) of Ed 200F. . . Dr. Mossman absent by conflict.
p. 43 2/16 At 9:30 meet Ed 200F staff. . . Mrs. Mossman has a class conflict.
p. 82 4/13 Meet staff of section IV, then at 11 meet the section. We have a good discussion on the curriculum. Many seem to think it was the best we have had. Mrs. Mossman. . . congratulated me on my part.
p. 99 5/10 Meet with the examination committee to conduct the first Ed.D. oral examination-a historic event. The candidate is Leonard Power. I preside. Others present are Englehardt, McLaughey, Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Mossman. . .
p. 211 10/1 Meet class at 7 (7:05). On the platform: Rugg, Cattrell, Featherstone, Miss Ostrandler, I, Mrs. Mossman, Russell and Hopkins (?). We are much surprised and gratified, tho troubled, to find some 450 present. [This is, I believe, more than the o
ther 3 sections combined].
VOLUME 32: 1936 (Roll 8)
p. 25 1/18 Still working on syllabus revision (I felt compelled to rewrite part of Mrs. Mossman's).
p. 26 1/23 Revise Mrs. Mossman's topic in the syllabus revision.
p. 79 3/27 Study Mrs. Mossman's revision of Topic II of the Ed 200F syllabus.
p. 86 4/2; p. 216 9/22; 219 9/24; 221 9/29: {meeting w/ Ed 200F, sect.1 staff; Mossman present.}
p. 97 4/14 The panel goes well. Rugg leads it off, wasting time at the beginning as usual but in the end stating the issue. Hopkins and Mrs. Mossman. . . have a lively set-to. I take part toward the close.
p. 224 10/1 We meet for staff conference in Mrs. Mossman's office.
VOLUME 33: 1937 (Roll 8)
VOLUME 34: 1938
p. 281* Christmas Cards Received 1938: . . . 19. Lois Coffey Mossman
p. 285* Christmas Cards Received 1939: . . . 29. Lois Coffee Mossman
VOLUME 35: 1939
p. 1* 1/1 On July 1 My connection with Teachers College ceased.
VOLUME 36: 1940
(no index)
p. 273* Wedding announcements Sent (WHK continued). . . 98. Mr. & Mrs. N. R. Mossman
p. 279 {Christmas Cards Received 1940} 72. Mrs, Lois Coffey Mossman
p. 284 Christmas Cards Sent 1940. . . 12. Professor Lois C. Mossman
VOLUME 37: 1941
(no index)
p. 294 Christmas Cards Sent 1941:. . . 7. Professor Lois C. Mossman
VOLUME 38: 1942
p. 52 3/7 Write a short statement. . . on teacher's morale for Mrs. Mossman and the T.C. Elementary Education Club.
p. 270 Christmas Cards Sent 1942. . . 29. {Mr. & Mrs.} Mossman
p. 279 {Christmas Cards} Recieved 1942. . . 115. Mrs. Lois Coffey Mossman, Gladstone, N.J.
VOLUME 39: 1943
VOLUME 40: 1944
p. 25 1/31 At 2 Mrs. Mossman comes by . . . (?) to lunch with us. The poor woman has suffered a stroke and has been forced to retire from Teachers College. She is a loyal adherent of my general position (?) and was glad to see the outline of my book on l
earni
ng.
{according to his diary, Kilpatrick was in Jacksonville (v. 40, p. 138) on June 18, 1944-the day Mossman died. If he heard of her death at that time, he did not mention it. He noted that he read the New York Times on June 15 and thereafter; apparently he
received a very recent copy each day (e.g. v. 40, p. 161). He arrived home August 15, 1944 (v. 40, p. 163). No mention of her death is made in his summary of 1944.}
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