Register of the Ruth A. Parmelee papers, 1865-1974 (bulk 1922-1953)
Finding aid prepared by Jessica Lemieux.
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford University
Stanford, CA, 94305-6010
(650) 723-3563
archives@hoover.stanford.edu
© 2009
Title: Ruth A. Parmelee papers
Date (inclusive): 1865-1974
Date (bulk): 1922-1953
Collection number: 74099
Contributing Institution:
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford University
Stanford, CA, 94305-6010
(650) 723-3563
archives@hoover.stanford.edu
Language:
English
Physical Description:
7 manuscript boxes, 1 envelope (2.9 linear feet)
Language of Materials: The collection is in
English and
Greek.
Abstract: Includes diaries, notes, correspondence, reports, clippings, printed matter, and photographs, relating to the life and work
of Dr. Ruth A. Parmelee. Parmelee was born and brought up in Turkey by her missionary parents. After her education in the
United States, she began a long career in establishing reliable medical service in the Near East. Working in Turkey, Greece,
and Palestine, Parmelee specialized in obstetrics, training nurses, caring for war orphans, and in refugee relief work.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Archives
General Physical Description note:
7 manuscript boxes, 1 envelope
(2.9 linear feet)
creator:
Parmelee, Ruth A., 1885-1973.
Arrangement Statement
The collection is organized into four series: Correspondence, 1895-1969; Diaries, 1913-1946; Work files, 1863-1974 (bulk 1922-1953);
and Photographs, 1899-1957.
Access
Collection is open for research.
The Hoover Institution Archives only allows access to
copies of audiovisual items. To listen to sound recordings or to view videos or films during your visit, please contact the Archives
at least two working days before your arrival. We will then advise you of the accessibility of the material you wish to see
or hear. Please note that not all audiovisual material is immediately accessible.
Publication Rights
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Ruth A. Parmelee papers, [Box number], Hoover Institution Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives in 1974.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find
the collection in Stanford University's online catalog at
http://searchworks.stanford.edu/ . Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in the online catalog is larger than the number
of boxes listed in this finding aid.
Biographical Note
Ruth A. Parmelee was born in Trebizond (now called Trabzon), Turkey on April 3, 1885. She studied with her missionary parents,
Dr. and Mrs. M.P. Parmelee, until the family returned to the United States when she was eleven years old. Parmelee received
her B.A. from Oberlin College in 1907 and her M.D. from the University of Illinois in 1912. She completed her internship at
Philadelphia Women's Hospital.
Dr. Parmelee sailed for Turkey in May 1914 and was the first woman physician to settle in the Euphrates Valley. She set up
a medical practice in Harpoot, specializing in obstetrics, care of war orphans, and training nurses. She continued this work
until 1917, then resumed the same post from 1919-1922. In October of 1922, she moved to Thessaloniki, Greece, where she worked
under the American Women's Hospitals (AWH) organization, and with their support opened a hospital and the first school of
nursing in Greece. From 1925-1933, Dr. Parmelee was appointed Director of the AWH Grecian Area. During this period, she directed
the hospital in Kokkinia and continued to run the school of nursing, which moved with her from Thessaloniki. At Kokkinia,
Dr. Parmelee was assisted by Emilie Willms, R.N.
After a period of sick leave in the United States, Dr. Parmelee returned to Greece. From 1935-1941, she settled in Athens
and worked with several institutions as an advisor, council member, or director, including: Athens Municipal Hospital, Kokkinia
Hospital, Council for a Nursing School for Public Health, Patriotic Foundation of Social Welfare and Prevention (PIKPA) School
of Nursing, Archbishop's Committee for Relief of Bombarded Families, Seventh Military Hospital, AWH Civilian Relief Center,
and the Greek War Relief Committee.
In 1941, Dr. Parmelee left Greece due to the German occupation. She returned to the United States and studied at Harvard University
in 1942-1943, where she earned the degree of Master of Public Health. In September of 1943, the Near East Foundation sent
Parmelee with a relief group to the aid of Greek refugees at Camp Nuseirat, near Gaza in Palestine. As Senior Medical Officer,
she was responsible for 8000 escapees from the German occupation. The refugees came from the island of Samos, the Dodecanese
Islands, and mainland Greece. In the autumn of 1945, Dr. Parmelee was appointed to serve as the United Nations Relief and
Rehabilitation Administration's (UNRRA) Regional Medical Officer in the Cyclades Islands. From 1946-1947, Parmelee returned
to Athens, where she acted as Medical Advisor and Director of the Near East Foundation's School of Physical Therapy. After
a leave of absence spent in the United States, Dr. Parmelee returned again to Greece in 1948. She served Pierce College in
Elleniko (near Athens) until 1953, teaching hygiene, community health, and medical information for social workers. She then
returned to the United States, and died in 1973.
In recognition of her service, Dr. Parmelee received several awards. She was appointed by King Paul of Greece as Commander
of the the Royal Order of Efpiia in 1953, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Oberlin College in 1943, was
awarded the Silver Cross of the Chevalier of the Order of the Savior by King George II of Greece, and was given a citation
for outstanding and meritorious service in 1945 by General Sir Bernard Paget, British Commander of the Middle East Forces.
Scope and Content of Collection
Includes diaries, notes, correspondence, reports, clippings, printed matter, and photographs, relating to the life and work
of Dr. Ruth A. Parmelee. Parmelee was born and brought up in Turkey by her missionary parents. After her education in the
United States, she began a long career in establishing reliable medical service in the Near East. Working in Turkey, Greece,
and Palestine, Parmelee specialized in obstetrics, training nurses, caring for war orphans, and in refugee relief work.
The collection consists of four series, each of which presents a different aspect of Dr. Parmelee's achievements. The
Correspondence series contains letters with family and friends, and provides a personal narrative account of setting up Parmelee's medical
practice, caring for refugees, and establishing nursing schools and hospitals. Typescripts and handwritten notes in the
Diaries series record Parmelee's daily routine, though the level of detail varies greatly from day to day. The
Work files series comprises the bulk of the collection and provides an official account of Parmelee's work. Through reports and correspondence,
this series documents Parmelee's role in establishing nursing schools, promoting access to quality medical care among the
poor, and caring for refugees. It also reflects her efforts on behalf of several relief organizations, including the American
Women's Hospital, the Near East Foundation, and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. Finally, the
Photographs series illustrates Dr. Parmelee's travels, the cities and landscape where she lived, and her work in the camps, hospitals,
and nursing schools.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
American Women's Hospitals.
Near East Foundation.
Near East Relief (Organization)
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.
Greco-Turkish War, 1921-1922--Medical care.
International relief.
Nursing--Greece.
Refugees.
World War, 1914-1918--Civilian relief.
World War, 1914-1918--Medical care.
World War, 1914-1918--Turkey.
World War, 1939-1945--Civilian relief.
World War, 1939-1945--Greece.
World War, 1939-1945--Medical care.
World War, 1939-1945--Middle East.
Box: 1
Correspondence,
1895-1969
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence with Parmelee's family and friends, primarily dating from her work in Turkey and Greece from 1919-1953. Correspondence
directly related to Parmelee's work is found in the Work files series.
Arrangement
Arranged in chronological order.
Box/Folder: 1 : 1
Letters from Julius,
1895-1896
Box/Folder: 1 : 2
Correspondence and selected reports,
1919-1922
Box/Folder: 1 : 3-5
Personal correspondence,
1923-1969
Box/Folder: 1 : 6-8
Letters to family,
1943-1954
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs
Box: 1-2
Diaries,
1913-1946
Scope and Content Note
Includes diaries describing Dr. Parmelee's daily life and work. Contains accounts medical treatment, training nurses and midwives,
and soliciting funds for work. Also depicts conditions in Greece during World War II.
Arrangement
Arranged in chronological order.
Box/Folder: 1 : 9
Line a Day,
1913-1916, 1919, 1927, 1939-1941
Box/Folder: 1 : 10
Five Year Diary,
1934-1938
Box/Folder: 2 : 1-3
Calendar, typescript,
1935-1940
Box/Folder: 2 : 3-4
Current events, typescript,
1939 July 11-1941 July 19
Box/Folder: 2 : 5
Journal,
1941 July- November, 1943 March-December
Box/Folder: 2 : 6
Calendar, typescript,
1941 December-1943 March
Box/Folder: 2 : 7
Notes on Nuseirat and Cairo,
1943-1944
Box/Folder: 2 : 8-10
Handwritten notebooks,
1945 February-1946 November
Box: 2-5
Work files,
1863-1974
Bulk, 1922-1953
Scope and Content Note
Includes correspondence, reports, clippings, printed matter, and official documents reflecting Dr. Parmelee's work in Greece,
Turkey, and Palestine. This series illustrates Parmelee's role in establishing nursing schools in Greece, promoting access
to quality medical care among the poor, and caring for refugees displaced by the Armenian massacres, Greco-Turkish war, and
two World Wars. The material also reflects the career of Parmelee's friend and colleague Emilie Willms, and the involvement
of several relief organizations, including the American Women's Hospital, the Near East Foundation, and the United Nations
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.
Arrangement
Arranged in three subseries: General, 1863-1969; Turkey, 1873-1974; and Greece, 1922-1973. Material relating to Nuseirat Refugee
Camp in Palestine is filed in the Greece subseries, since the refugees involved were Greek.
General,
1863-1969
Scope and Content Note
Contains writings, official documents, notes, and clippings dealing with the entire course of Dr. Parmelee's career and upbringing.
Arrangement
Arranged in chronological order
Box/Folder: 2 : 11
Clippings from Parmelee scrapbooks,
1863-1895
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs
Box/Folder: 3 : 2
Work permits and travel documents,
1896-1952
Box/Folder: 3 : 5
Refugee stories, Armenian and Greek,
1917-1954
Box/Folder: 3 : 7
Outline of work,
1960, 1969
Box/Folder: 3 : 8
Vester, Bertha Spofford (Jerusalem),
1964
Box/Folder: 3 : 9
Notes on Greek and Kurdish lessons,
undated
Turkey,
1873-1974
Scope and Content Note
Depicts Dr. Parmelee's upbringing in Trabzon and her early work setting up a medical practice in Harpoot which specialized
in obstetrics, care of war orphans, and training nurses.
Arrangement
Arranged in chronological order
Box/Folder: 3 : 11
Harpoot, Turkey,
1922, 1966
Greece,
1922-1973
Scope and Content Note
Reports, correspondence, clippings, and notes regarding Parmelee's work in Greece and Palestine. Depicts Parmelee's work establishing
and reforming hospitals, establishing nursing schools, and caring for refugees. In addition to work that took place in Greece,
this subseries includes material on Camp Nuseirat near Gaza, where Dr. Parmelee took charge of a camp of Greek refugees.
Arrangement
Arranged in chronological order
Box/Folder: 3 : 12
American Women's Hospital, Salonica,
1922-1932
Box/Folder: 3 : 13-15
American Women's Hospital, general,
1923-1952
Box/Folder: 4 : 1
Nursing in Greece,
1923-1935
Box/Folder: 4 : 1
Nursing in Greece as related to Emilie Willms and Ruth Parmelee,
1923-1960
Box/Folder: 4 : 2-3
American Women's Hospital, Kokkinia, Greece,
1929-1952
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs
Box/Folder: 4 : 4
State School of Nursing (Greece),
1932-1937
Box/Folder: 4 : 5
Pierce College,
1932-1964
Box/Folder: 4 : 6-7
PIKPA School of Nursing,
1934-1948
Box/Folder: 4 : 9
World War II and occupation of Greece,
1940-1947
Box/Folder: 4 : 10
World War II, Greece,
1941
Box/Folder: 4 : 11
War relief, committee meetings,
1941
Box/Folder: 4 : 13-14
War relief, clippings,
1941-1973
Box/Folder: 5 : 2
Near East Foundation, Athens,
1942-1947
Box/Folder: 4 : 1
Near East Foundation annual reports,
1941-1947
Box/Folder: 5 : 4-5
Near East Foundation,
1943-1948
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs
Box/Folder: 4 : 9
Nuseirat refugee camp, Palestine
1943-1953
Box/Folder: 5 : 6-7
Cyclades Islands,
1944-1955
Box/Folder: 5-7
Photographs,
1899-1957
Physical Description:
1.0 Linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Contains photographic prints and negatives depicting Parmelee's work, including hospitals, staff, refugees. Includes images
of Turkey, Greece, and Palestine.
Arrangement
Arranged in chronological order
Envelope: mA
Panoramic views of Erzroom and Trebizond, Turkey,
undated
Box/Folder: 5 : 8
Portraits: Tsaldaris, Kondylis, and Plastiras,
undated
Box/Folder: 5 : 14
Monastery orphanage and Voudritsa,
undated
Box: 7
Album of views of Trebizond, Egypt, Constantinople, and relief work in Trebizond,
1895-1904
Box/Folder: 5 : 17
Kindergarten - Trebizond,
1899-1900
Box/Folder: 5 : 18
Trebizond to Erzroom,
circa 1900
Box/Folder: 5 : 19
Trebizond and the road to Erzroom,
1901
Box/Folder: 6 : 1-3
Harpoot, Turkey,
1906-1922
Box/Folder: 6 : 4
Camp Lembet, Salonica,
1922
Box/Folder: 6 : 9
American Women's Hospital, Salonica and Kokkinia,
1924-1932
Box/Folder: 6 : 10-13
American Women's Hospital, Kokkinia,
1927-1957
Box/Folder: 6 : 14
American Women's Hospital, Kokkinia, and School of Nursing,
1925-1934
Box/Folder: 6 : 15
American Women's Hospital Clinic at Moschato,
1929
Box/Folder: 6 : 18
Children's Hospitals, St. Sophia and Kokkinia,
1932-1940
Box/Folder: 6 : 19
Princess Irene of Greece,
1938
Box/Folder: 6 : 20
P.I.K.P.A. School,
1938-1939
Box/Folder: 7 : 3
Greek veterans,
1940-1941
Box/Folder: 7 : 5
Near East Foundation,
1941-1946
Box/Folder: 7 : 6
Nuseirat Refugee Camp, Palestine,
1944
Box/Folder: 7 : 10
Cyclades Islands, Syros,
1945
Box/Folder: 7 : 11
Cyclades Islands, Milos,
1945
Box/Folder: 7 : 12
Cyclades Islands, Tinos,
1945 August 15
Box/Folder: 7 : 13
School of Physical Therapy, Athens,
1946
Box/Folder: 7 : 14
St. Sophia Children's Hospital,
1947 August
Box/Folder: 7 : 15
Naples and Gibraltar,
1948
Box/Folder: 7 : 16
Pierce College garden party for veterans (old campus),
1949 June 4
Box/Folder: 7 : 17
Rehabilitation Center,
1951
Box/Folder: 7 : 18
Ekaterini, Sevasti, and Khora,
1951-1952
