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Guide to the Virginia Judy Esterly Papers
D19xx.251
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Title: Virginia Judy Esterly papers
Dates: 1900-1956
Collection number: D19xx.251
Creator:
Esterly, Virginia Judy, 1882-1946
Collection Size:
9.4 linear feet.
Repository:
Claremont Colleges. Library.
Ella Strong Denison Library.
Claremont, California 91711
Abstract: The Virginia Judy Esterly Papers contain correspondence, documents, newspaper clippings, periodicals, printed material, pamphlets,
and ephemera that document Mrs. Esterly's varied interests in women. The items reflect her interest in domestic workers and
household employment, and the national effort to organize these women into unions in the period between the First and Second
World Wars. As a Scripps College faculty member and administrator, Mrs. Esterly's syllabi and lectures from her course on
the American Home, and speeches made to students, can be found in the papers. Mrs. Esterly was instrumental in establishing
the Ida Rust Macpherson Collection, the earliest major collection on women at any women's college in the United States.
Physical location: Please consult repository.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
This collection is open for research with permission from Ella Strong Denison Library staff.
Property rights reside with Scripps College. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs.
All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to Ella Strong Denison Library.
[Identification of item], Virginia Judy Esterly papers. Ella Strong Denison Library, Scripps College, Claremont, California.
The Virginia Judy Esterly Papers were acquired after the death of Mrs. Esterly.
Preliminary arrangement by library staff. Processed by Tanya M. Kato, 2009.
Biography / Administrative History
Virginia Judy Esterly was born 25 April 1882, at Hillsboro,Oregon to Fredericka Bremer Kelly and Martin Judy. She married
Ward Benjamin Esterly before she completed her studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and had two daughters, Josephine
and Virginia. After the death of her husband, she proceeded to complete her studies at the University of California for her
B.A. degree in 1923. From 1923 to 1930, she was Dean of Women at the University of Oregon. In 1923, she was Acting Dean
of Women during the Summer Session of the University of California, and Dean of Women of the Summer Session in 1924. She
completed work for her M.A. degree at the University of California in 1929 after a first-hand study of the education of women
in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. She carried on further graduate study at both the University of Oregon and the University
of Southern California. After leaving the University of Oregon, she moved to the community of La Jolla in San Diego, California
and became president of the San Diego Y.W.C.A. in 1933.
In 1934, Mrs. Esterly was appointed Assistant to the President and Counselor on Human Relations at Scripps College, and served
as secretary to the Board of Trustees. The duties of her position included teaching a course on the American Home, counseling
students, and representing the college before a large public. During the war years, she assumed many extra duties and without
complaint, relinquished the sabbatical leaves which were her due. She faithfully served the Scripps College community for
12 years.
Mrs. Esterly's interests were many sided. Her early experience as a teacher in China gave her an understanding of the peoples
of the East and led to her active interest in the Oriental Studies Society of the Associated Colleges of Claremont, of which
she was a director. She was also a member of the Educational Council of the Western Personnel Service, the Association of
American Colleges and Universities of the Pacific Southwest, and the Southern Branch of the National Council of Family Relations.
She was instrumental in creating the Fine Arts Foundation of Scripps College, and encouraged the work of the Scripps College
Press. She also helped establish the Ida Rust Macpherson Collection, the earliest major collection on women at any women's
college in the United States.
On 17 May 1946, Mrs. Esterly passed away a few hours after suffering a cerebral thrombosis. In her memory, the Virginia Judy
Esterly awards were established in order to recognize Scripps College students who combine the qualities of good scholarship,
effective service in student activities, and responsible citizenship.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Virginia Judy Esterly Papers contain correspondence, documents, newspaper clippings, periodicals, printed material, pamphlets,
and ephemera. The newspaper clippings were photocopied and deaccessioned. Duplicate items were also deaccessioned. The
material documenting Mrs. Esterly's efforts to establish the Ida Rust Macpherson Collection can be found in the Mrs. Esterly's
Files box and Early Files box in the Macpherson Collection.
The collection is organized into six series:
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1934-1950
Series 2: Teaching Material, 1931-1947
Series 3: Speeches and Writings, 1930-1946
Series 4: Topical Files, 1917-1952
Series 5: Research Files, 1900-1956
Series 6: Printed Material, 1918-1945
Series 2: Teaching Material, 1931-1947
Series 3: Speeches and Writings, 1930-1946
Series 4: Topical Files, 1917-1952
Series 5: Research Files, 1900-1956
Series 6: Printed Material, 1918-1945
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Esterly, Virginia Judy, 1882-1946
Nicholson, Gene
Scripps College
Women -- Societies and clubs
Women and war
Women college administrators
Women employees -- United States
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Microfilms
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Pamphlets
Periodicals
Photographs
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