mnsss458 Eleanor Ernst Timberg Papers, 1930-2002 Finding Aid Sophia Smith Collection

Smith College Northampton, MA

2008

Finding aid exported into EAD from InMagic DB/Textworks 7.01. Encoded by Margaret Jessup. June 17, 2008 Finding aid written in English. Collection Overview Timberg, Eleanor Ernst Eleanor Ernst Timberg Papers1930-2002 MS 308 8 boxes (8.25 linear ft.) English Sophia Smith Collection

Smith College Northampton, MA

Editor; Special education activist; Secretary; Volunteer. The papers consist of diaries that span the years from 1930-94 (early diaries include material from her Smith College days) and Touch Toy company's semi-annual newsletters from the years 1977-97. Biographical Note

Eleanor Ernst was born in New York City in 1913. She graduated from Horace Mann School, received a B.A. from Smith College in 1934, and a certificate in political science from the London School of Economics in 1935. She worked as secretary to the editor of Encyclopedia Britannica from 1935-38; for Louis Finkelstein, chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary from 1938-40; and conducted weekly radio programs on Jewish holidays for WNYX. In 1940 she married Sigmund Timberg, a lawyer who worked in the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. She knew Alger Hiss and her diaries were subpoenaed by Joseph McCarthy to support his contention that certain social events she attended were actually meetings for Communist-front organizations. She co-founded Touch Toys, a business that makes surgical dolls for children and toys for people with developmental disabilities, in 1972.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Eleanor Ernst Timberg Papers consist of diaries that span the years from 1930-94 (early diaries include material from her Smith College days) and Touch Toy company's semi-annual newsletters from the years 1977-97.

[NOTE: The contents list for this collection is not online. Contact the Sophia Smith Collection if you would like one sent to you.]

The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection.

This collection has not been fully processed and therefore may be difficult to use.

The material in this collection may be protected by copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights for permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use." Permission must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

Eleanor Ernst Timberg Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

Periodic additions to collection are expected and may not be reflected in this record.

The papers were donated to the Sophia Smith Collection by Eleanor Ernst Timberg in 1997.

Processed in 1997.

Smith College--Students--History--Sources Anti-communist movements--United States--History--Sources Businesswomen--United States--Biography--Sources Jewish women--United States--Biography--Sources Women in the professions--United States--History--20th century--Sources Washington (D.C.)--Social life and customs Timberg, Eleanor Ernst