Mary Elizabeth Hallock Greenewalt papers

Writings 1920-1950, undated   ; 3 boxes, 2 volumes

Scope and Contents

These materials contain Greenewalt’s unpublished autobiography in handwritten and typed format. Greenewalt’s autobiography encompasses memories of her early life in Beirut, relations between her parents, her mother’s mental illness, and the children’s departure for care in the United States. Also included are early family letters, such as those written by her mother from a sanitarium in England, and later, letters from her father when he worked supervising shipping for the DuPont Company. The autobiography also described Greenewalt’s life in the United States, and her career as an inventor and artist. Included are copies of letters by her son Crawford (age six) sent while Greenewalt toured. The autobiography also offers a detailed portrait of her father, his career as a consul, a printer, a member of the Masons, and his years as an employee of the DuPont organization. In addition, other writings in this series offer drafts and final copy of writings and press releases concerning Greenewalt’s color organ. Of particular interest in the Writing Series are Greenewalt’s addresses to the Illuminating Engineering Society of Philadelphia. The addresses, given over a span of several years, provide insight into the inspiration for the color organ as well as a time-line highlighting the organ’s developmental stages. In an address of April 19, 1918, titled “Light” Fine Art the Sixth,” Greenewalt cited innovations in painting by the artist Corot which encouraged her to investigate light and color as a means of enriching musical expression. Greenewalt also referenced reports of synaesthetes, people who experience cross-sensory perceptions such as those who see letters or numbers in different colors. Subsequent addresses by Greenewalt to the Illuminating Engineering Society include that of February 20, 1920 titled, “A Light Scale Keyboard and Rheostat,” which discussed the design underlying her timed, sequential process for controlling color and light intensities; a 1923 address titled “A Light Scoring for the Episcopal Service,” discussed the color-console’s design and the patents covering the instrument; and Greenewalt’s 1926 lecture, “The Light-Color Player,” discussing the console’s modifications which offered increased lighting capacity for large auditoriums.

Other writings in this series offer insights into Greenewalt’s personal views and her interest in psychic phenomena. This series also includes one folder each of family and general correspondence.

Musical Guide by Max Lawrence