Flora T. Little film
Scope and Contents
This collection contains 53 reels collected and likely filmed in part by Flora T. Little. Of the 53 reels, approximately 43 are footage from Flora’s travels and approximately ten are local footage depicting Flora T. Little and Walter S. Little’s home, their friends, their cats, their garden, their neighborhood, and their lake trips. The local film includes footage of Bridgewater from the late 1920s onward, including the 1930 Bridgewater 4th of July parade and 1948 Bridgewater “Armistice Day” parade. Some items in this collection may contain outdated, biased, or offensive language or imagery.
Dates
- Creation: 1926-1956
- Creation: Undated
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with Archives and Special Collections staff.
Biographical / Historical
Flora Townsend Little (1875-1967) was educated in the Bridgewater school system. She graduated from the Normal School (now known as Bridgewater State University) in 1895, and the Massachusetts Normal School of Art in 1899. She was art teacher and supervisor in several schools, and from 1902 to 1910 she was Art Assistant at the Normal School. She also participated in the Ousamequin Club and the Massachusetts Federation of Women’s Clubs. She served on the Bridgewater Public Library Board of Trustees as Secretary. She married Walter S. Little in 1902.
Walter Sweet Little (1873-1962) was born in Bridgewater, but graduated from Comer’s Commercial School in Boston in 1896. Walter worked as a bookkeeper for the Bridgewater Box Co. from 1891 to 1896. In 1897, he founded the Eastern Grain Co. and served as its President until 1941.
The Littles’ home was at 15 Plymouth Street in Bridgewater, but they also traveled regularly throughout their marriage. Following the death of Walther in 1962, Flora wrote a series of unpublished manuscripts titled A Wreath of Memories, which primarily include stories from their travels.
When Flora died in 1967, she bequeathed half a million dollars to the Town of Bridgewater specifically for library purposes. The Board of Library Trustees used these funds to erect a new building at 15 South Street, just north of the original library (the Memorial Building at 25 South Street).
Extent
3 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains 53 reels of travel and Bridgewater footage collected and likely filmed in part by Flora T. Little.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in approximate chronological order. Undated film (filmed before 1967) is arranged after the dated film. When a single reel spans multiple years, we have referred to the first recorded date to place it in chronological order.
Physical Access
Delicate materials may be restricted due to their condition.
Technical Access
The BWPL does not have the capability to play film in its original format, but patrons may view digitized files on the SAILS Digital History Collection website.
Physical Location
Bridgewater Public Library Historical Room
Custodial History
Film is believed to have been collected and likely filmed in part by Flora T. Little.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition is unknown.
Appraisal, Destruction, and Scheduling
Due to advanced decay caused by vinegar syndrome and the preservation risk it posed to other items in the collection, ten reels of film have been removed from the collection and deaccessioned. Severely damaged segments have been removed from three reels during digitization and have also been deaccessioned.
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
The following reproductions are available to researchers:
Digital reproductions of all film in this collection are available electronically on the SAILS Digital History Collection: https://sailsinc.omeka.net/collections/show/45
Digital reproductions of reels 11, 12, 32, 33, 35, 38, 40, 41 and 42 are available at alternate frame rates upon request.
Higher resolution reproductions are available upon request.
Bibliography
- Flora T. Little. Bridgewater Public Library. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.bridgewaterpubliclibrary.org/flora-t-little
- Pictorial History: Bridgewater, Massachusetts. (n.d.). Bridgewater Historical Collectors.
Conservation Note
The following conservation and preservation activities have been completed on this collection:
Film leaders (both head leaders and foot/tail leaders) attached to all reels during digitization
Two splices and edge damage repaired on item MS001.01 during digitization
Three splices repaired on item MS001.08 during digitization
Six splices repaired on item MS001.10 during digitization
Damage near the head of the film repaired on item MS001.11 during digitization
One splice repaired on item MS001.17 during digitization
One splice repaired on item MS001.39 during digitization
One tear repaired on item MS001.41 during digitization
Subject
- Title
- Flora T. Little film
- Author
- Allyson Sekerke
- Date
- 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Bridgewater Public Library Archives and Special Collections Repository
