4. Photographs, 1894-1983

The collection consists of the papers of the Pollitzers and Hoben families. The papers document the lives and activities of members of the families, with particular emphasis on Margaret Pollitzer Hoben, Alice K. Pollitzer, and Polly Hoben Greenberg Hoben regarding their studies and writings on early childhood education. The collection includes biographical materials, writings, correspondence, and photographs.

Biographical materials consist of newspaper clippings, applications, obituaries, memorial materials, books reviews, and a scrapbook pertaining to Margaret Pollitzer Hoben, her husband, Lindsay Hoben, her mother and father, Alice K. Pollitzer and Sigmund Pollitzer, and other family members including her cousin Carrie Pollitzer, daughter Polly Hoben Greenberg, and father-in-law Allan Hoben. A small portion of the biographical materials covers the Lindsay family, a family from whom Lindsay Hoben was descended.

The majority of the collection consists of writings typescript and manuscript drafts of articles and talks, published journal, magazine, and newspaper articles, notebooks and working files by Margaret Pollitzer Hoben, Lindsay Hoben, Alice K. Pollitzer, Allan Hoben (1874-1935), Polly Hoben Greenberg, and Allan Hoben. The majority of the collection consists of the working files to Polly Hoben Greenberg’s unpublished book, “Her Past Was My Prologue: Life & Times of Margaret Pollitzer Hoben,” a historical biography of her mother’s work on early childhood development, child psychology, and experimental and progressive schools. A small, but significant, portion of the writings include Margaret Pollitzer Hoben’s journals that contain notes from lectures delivered by Carl Gustav Jung from 1921 to 1930 during her studies in Europe. This portion of the collection is comprised of typescripts, facsimiles of photographs, digital files for the text and images that are held on CDs, floppy disks, and a flash drive, and supporting documentation including invoices and image requests.

Correspondence consist of letters in manuscript and typescript format, telegrams and postcards arranged chronologically. Correspondence includes letters between Margaret Pollitzer Hoben and Lindsay Hoben while the former was attending lectures by Carl G. Jung in Europe, and from Allan Hoben during his travels throughout Africa. Other communications between family members and with others outside the family include professional correspondence between Lindsay Hoben and the Milwaukee Journal and a letter from Carl G. Jung to Margaret Pollitzer Hoben (1937).

Photographs include black and white and color prints, in addition to some photographic negatives. Photographs provide an insight into family life, both at home and on vacation and are arranged by family, including the Pollitzers, the Hobens, and the nuclear family of Margaret Pollitzer Hoben and Lindsay Hoben, including their children, Polly Hoben Greenberg and Allan Hoben.