Mary Freeman Crabbe Diaries SC0489
University Archives staff and Patricia White
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
1997; April 2024
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
Fax Number: (650) 723-8690
specialcollections@stanford.edu
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Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Mary Freeman Crabbe diaries
Identifier/Call Number: SC0489
Physical Description:
0.5 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1890-1895
Language of Material:
Undetermined .
SCOPE AND CONTENT
These diaries were recorded during two separate periods in Mary Freeman's life. There are
three volumes written as a teenager from January 1, 1890 to December 31, 1891. Entries
concern her daily activities such as school, visiting with friends, family matters,
attending church, playing piano for church groups, and a summer visit to Nevada in 1891.
These volumes also include various lists of parties attended, books read, and miscellaneous
social events.
The second set of eight volumes was written between January 1, 1894 and December 31, 1895,
during her second and third year at Stanford. These entries largely concern her social life
as a student, with some mention of classes, exams, and study habits. She also mentions
lectures attended, including those by David Starr Jordan, Benjamin Harrison, Harriet Hosmer,
Helen Campbell, Walter Camp, and Susan B. Anthony. Other subjects of note include a
"bachelor party" in Roble, a fraternity or club stunt at night outside Roble, a basketball
game between Stanford women and the prep girls, a Halloween Dance at Roble Gym, and jokes
among audiences before lectures began.
BIOGRAPHY
Mary Freeman, from Woodland, California, attended Stanford University from 1893 to 1897,
when she graduated with an a.b. in English. She lived in Roble Hall and, judging from the
Stanford Quad, was not particularly active in student organizations. In 1908 she married
John Hammond Crabbe.
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item], Mary Freeman Crabbe Diaries (SC0489). Dept. of Special
Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information
Resources, Stanford, Calif.
Provenance:
Gift of Tom Flood, 1995
Publication Rights:
Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the
documents or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the
Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives.
Access Restrictions:
The materials are open for research.
PARTIAL INDEX TO VOLUME FOR JANUARY 1, 1894 TO MARCH 25, 1894
lecture by Joseph Le Conte
page 20
talk by Jacob Voorsanger
page 30
talk by David Starr Jordan
page 32
lecture on Hull House by unnamed woman; comments on Stanford's lack of social life,
in particular dancing
page 54
"bachelor party" -women came dressed as men, smoked, drank "beer" (sarsaparilla),
and imitated college men
page 60-64
Frosh-Soph Tie-Up between classes of '96 and '97
page 66-68
talk by Harriet Hosmer and reception for her; mentions Professors Fairclough and
Newcomer
page 78-79
singing songs in the Quad and being chased out by the watchman
page 98
comments on Benjamin Harris's visit to campus
page 102-103
talk by John Joseph Keane; Mrs. Stanford was present
page 103-104
a fraternity or club initiation stunt outside Roble Dorm
page 104-106
Founders' Day service with Benjamin Harrison and Horace Davis
page 107-108
basketball game between Stanford women and "prep" girls [probably Castilleja
School]
page 120-121
PARTIAL INDEX TO VOLUME FOR MARCH 26, 1894 TO JUNE 10, 1894
Stanford Glee Club concert in Woodland and reception at the Freeman home
March 27
talk by Benjamin Harrison
April 15
her friend Blanche votes for student body president (Mary is not in favor of woman
suffrage)
April 24
lecture by Helen Campbell on college woman
May 8
David Starr Jordan visits Roble and reads poetry
May 13
Memorial Exercises with talks by students
May 15
PARTIAL INDEX TO VOLUME FOR AUGUST 7, 1894 TO OCTOBER 6, 1894
David Starr Jordan talk, mentions Stanford's financial troubles
Sept. 25
PARTIAL INDEX TO VOLUME FOR OCTOBER 7, 1894 TO FEBRUARY 6, 1895
Reading by a Miss Calhoun; electric lights failed; jokes and songs in crowd while
waiting for her to arrive -mentions Shirley Baker singing
Oct. 9
Halloween party at Roble Gym, with visit of 50 ghosts (presumably male students)
dancing on tennis courts and then trying to get into the gym
Oct. 30
Lecture by Walter Camp on college athletics; reports on the jokes made prior to the
talk
Nov. 13
Football rally; band played music; boys danced but not the girls
Nov. 23
PARTIAL INDEX TO VOLUME FOR FEBRUARY 7, 1895 TO MAY 6, 1895
Attended church services in new church in Palo Alto
Mar. 10
Three lectures: Dr. Jordan on evolution; Jenkin Lloyd Jones on Emerson; Dr. Jordan
on his trip to Mexico
Mar. 19
PARTIAL INDEX TO VOLUME FOR MAY 7, 1895 TO AUGUST 23, 1895
Talk by Susan B. Anthony and Miss Shaw
May 21
Faculty/Senior baseball game
May 24
Graduation exercises
May 29
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Woodland (Calif.) -- Social life and customs.
College students.
Women.
Diaries.
Box 1, folder 1
Diary
January 1, 1890 to December
31, 1890
Box 1, folder 2
Diary
January 1, 1891 to August
31, 1891
Box 1, folder 3
Diary
September 1, 1891 to
December 31, 1891
Box 1, folder 4
Diary
January 1, 1894 to March 25,
1894
Box 1, folder 5
Diary
March 26, 1894 to June 10,
1894
Box 1, folder 6
Diary
June 11, 1894 to August 6,
1894
Box 1, folder 7
Diary
August 7, 1894 to October 6,
1894
Box 1, folder 8
Diary
October 7, 1894 to February
6, 1895
Box 1, folder 9
Diary
February 7, 1895 to Mary 6,
1895
Box 1, folder 10
Diary
May 7, 1895 to August 22,
1895
Box 1, folder 11
Diary
August 23, 1895 to December
31, 1895
