Erskine, John

Papers created and collected by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse (1869 – 1948), a poetry anthologist and Poetry Consultant at Rollins College.  The papers document Rittenhouse’s great contribution to the American and British poetic movement, ranging from her own personal contributions to poetry and her skill for finding and fostering the talent of others.  Very well documented is the relationship between Rittenhouse and her mother, whose letters constitute a significant portion of the collection; conversely, the relationship between Rittenhouse and her husband, the American poet Clinton Scollard, is documented to a lesser extent, as their remaining correspondence is scarce.  The papers consist of her personal correspondence with some of the most prominent poets of her time; her private correspondence with her family; her contributions to the Poetry Society of America, of which she was secretary for ten years; her correspondence regarding her anthologies and published material; collected manuscript poems; publications, press releases, and correspondence regarding her professorship at Rollins College; and clippings from periodicals which highlight her career.