One bound volume of 26 indexed letters handwritten by San Francisco educator Gertrude "Gerda" Dole (nee Kittleman) to her fiance Rodney Dole, over the summer of 1939 while she was a dancer at Eagle Theater in Roaring Camp for the Centennial Celebration in Sacramento, Calif.

Born in Oakland to Erwin and Josephine Kittelman on June 15, 1912, Gertrude "Gerda" Kittelman Dole grew up in the San Francisco area and showed an interest in dance at a young age. She studied acrobatics, tap and modern dance, later traveling with vaudeville companies, performing across the country. Gerda attended San Francisco State Teachers College and UC Berkeley, receiving her A.B. in Education in 1935. While she claimed as her permanent residence the family home at 1325 Pine Street in Berkeley, Calif., Gerda travelled frequently for professional dancing opportunities. She danced for Franchon and Marco, and then in the summer of 1939, she worked as a dancer for Mrs. Frellson's troupe at the Eagle Theater in Roaring Camp for Sacramento's Centennial Celebration. Gerda later married Rodney Dole, an artist whom she met while attending UC Berkeley. She taught Physical Education at San Francisco public schools for many years, including Commerce High School and Lowell High School. Following Rodney's sudden death in October 1946 at 41, Gerda married his brother, Olcott Ramsay Dole, and raised three daughters in Oakland, Calif. She later taught PE, typing and science at Fremont High School and Castlemont High School in the city. Olcott died in 1973 and Gerda Dole passed away on August 1, 2010, at the age of 98.

.1 linear ft. (1 folder)

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Collection is open for research.