Betty Beale (1912-2006) was a society writer for four decades, whose syndicated column gave readers a close-up, largely sympathetic nibble of Washington's upper crust. She wrote for the Washington Start for many years. From Truman to the Reagan administrations, she attended an estimated 15,000 parties, choronicling what she called "the manners, customs and personalities of our times." At its peak of popularity in the mid-1960s, her column ran in about 90 newspapers, including The Times.
This set of letters and memos is a great collection detailing the entire process - from beginning to end - as she completes the assignment to find "The ten most important women in the most important city in the free world have been selected by a jury of women who should know". All of the letters a contained in plastic sleeves, except the typed article (paper #1 below).
The 1st paper is a typed Memorandum (green paper) from M.K. Wisehart of the Town Journal/Washington Office, dated December 13, 1955, explaining the task for which she is being hired. There is also a typed front page letter on the "Pathfinder ... the Town Journal" letterhead from Mr. M.K. Wisehart - Associate Editor.
The 2nd paper is the actual typed article by Betty Beale, which talks about the selection process and necessary qualifications and lists the women who received the most votes. The 10 women selected were: United States Senator Margaret Chase Smith, only woman member of the Senate, Miss Bertha S. Adkins, director of Women's Division of the Republican National Committee, United States Representative Frances p. Bolton, Republican of Ohio, Mrs. Doris Fleeson, syndicated political columnist, Mrs. Katie Louchheim, director of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee, Mrs. Pauline Gore, wife of United States Senator Albert Gore of Tennessee, Mrs. Agnes Meyer, champion of better education, Mrs. Catherine marshall, author and contributor to national religious revival, Miss Rachel C. Arson, scientist and author and Dr. Martha Eliot, chief of the Federal Children's Bureau. It includes a hand-written "tally-sheet" of those who were selected, as the last page.
The 3rd plastic sleeve contains typed carbon copies of 11 of the original letters sent out by Mrs. Beale.
Here are the original returned letters (each is in its own plastic sleeve).
#1 - From Esther Van Wagoner Tufty (NBC Television), selecting - Senator Margaret Chase Smith, Mrs. J. Boreden Harriman, Dr. Alice K. Leopold, Mrs. John G. Lee, Mrs. Albert Gore, Congressman Frances Bolton, Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, Mrs. Frances Perkins and Mrs. John Pope. The letter is typed, but not signed.
#2 - From Bess Furman, selecting Malvina Lindsay, Doris Fleeson, Bertha Adkins, Margaret Chase Smith, Elizabeth Shirley Enochs, Frances P. Bolton, Mrs. Eugene Meyer and Ada Barnett Stough. The note is typed, but not signed.
#3 - From Malvina Lindsay of the Washington Post - typed and signed. Her selections were, Agnes E. Meyer, Catherine Marshall, Rachel Carson, Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, Mrs. Perle Mesta, Katie Loucheim, Bertha Adkins, and Mary Haworth.
#4 - From Marie Sauer - typed and signed. Her slections were, Frances Bolton, Agnes Meyer, Bertha Adkins, Katie Loucheim, Catherine Marshall, Doris Fleeson, and Malvina Lindsay. She also suggests that Mamie Eisenhower is also "quite influential" as she shares in the decision of whether Dwight Eisenhower does or does not run for a 2nd term.
#5 - From , dated January 24, 1956, selecting - Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, Doris Fleeson, Clare Boothe Luce, and Katie Loucheim. It is typed on The Evening Star-The Sunday Star letterhead and signed "Love, M".
#6 - From Rose Mckee (yellow paper), selecting - Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, Frances Bolton, Clare Boothe Luce, and Agnes Meyer. It is typed and signed in pencil "McKee".
#7 - From Lee Walsh - typed on The Evening Star/The Sunday Star letterhead and selecting - Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, Frances Bolton, Clare Luce, Bertha Adkins, Katie Louchheim, Mrs. Theodore S. Chapman, Mrs. Agnes Meyer, Doris Fleeson, Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, Mrs. Gertrude Carraway, Alice Roosevelt Longworth and Mrs. J. Borden Harriman.
#8 - Typed 3 page letter from Liz Carpenter, selecting - Doris Fleeson, Agnes Meyer, Delores Bridges, Frances Bolton, Anna Rosenberg and Clare Booth Luce.
#9 - From Joe Ripley - Typed and dated January 16. His picks were - Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, Frances Bolton, Doris Fleeson, Perle Mesta, Agnes Meyer and Clare Booth Luce.
#10 - Typed letter from Doris Fleeson - selecting, Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, Mrs. John M. Gross, Agnes Meyer, Clare Boothe Luce, Rachel Carson, Alice Roosevelt Longworth and Frances Bolton.
#11 - Hand-written notes on yellow legal paper by Betty Beale - includes, notes, scratches, some shorthand, names, numbers and tally marks. All written in pencil.
#12 - Typed letter from May Craig, dated January 16, 1956, selecting - Sen. Margaret Smith, Frances Bolton, Doris Fleeson, Mrs. Richard Nixon, Mrs. Paul Douglas, and Bertha Adkins.
#13 - A typed Memoradum on green Town-Journal/Philadelphia Office to "Don Mc N" from "CPS", dated 2/15. In the memo, he makes recommendations on how the top 10 women should be picked.
#14 - A typed note from May Craig, dated Feb. 25, 1956 - In Full "Dear Betty: I do not wish to add to or take a way from the list of influential women I sent you. Love, (handsigned) - May".
Lastly, there are a group of typed pages titled "Most Important Women in Order of Their Selection. They are in a seal plastic sleeve, so it is hard to see who they are from, but it consists of probably 5 to 7 pages.
The letters are in Very Good Condition and would be a great addition to any collection. Other dings here and there on each of the letters.
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