Dorothy Hoffman Papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSS 1985-025

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Dorothy L. Hoffman Papers consists of personal and professional correspondence, papers pertaining to her employment at Florida State University (FSU) and committees on which she served, Department of Modern Languages records, course materials, materials documenting her work with professional organizations and honor societies, some publications, memorabilia, and scrapbooks

Topics include the Christian Training Institute, the FSU College of Arts and Sciences, counseling, homecoming, Interamerican Studies Program at FSU, foreign study, humanities, departmental book orders, translation work, and Phi Beta Kappa. It has significant historical value not only in documenting the professional career of an eminent foreign language instructor, but it also traces the development of the Department of Modern Languages at Florida State University and the history of modern language instruction in higher education during the 20th Century.

Dates

Created: 1930, 1942-1974

Creator

Hoffman, Dorothy Lois, 1903-1985 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

To request permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from the archives, please contact Heritage & University Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. Researchers must obtain separate permission from the copyright holders of material held within University Archives collections for which the institution does not hold copyright.

Biographical or Historical Information

Born in Liston, Indiana, on November 18, 1903, Dorothy Lois Reeves Breen Britsch (Hoffman) earned her A.B., M.A., and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1926, 1927, and 1936, respectively.

In 1927, she joined the faculty of Florida State College for Women (FSCW) as an Instructor. In 1934, she was promoted to Assistant Professor of Spanish and French; in 1936 she was promoted to Associate Professor, and in 1946 to Professor. From 1952-1953, she served as acting head of the Florida State University (FSU) Modern Languages Department, and was named Distinguished Professor for 1963-1964.

When she retired in 1974, her teaching career had been the longest in the university's history. She held numerous departmental and university positions, such as chair of the Faculty Professional Relations Committee, departmental representative to the Faculty Senate and Graduate Council, and President of the FSU Religious Council. She played a major role in such activities as organizing the University Credit Union and the University Christian Fellowship, and served on nearly all of the university standing committees. She held regional and national offices in a wide range of professional and honorary organizations, such as the Phi Beta Kappa National Council, and directed the Interchurch Training Institute to prepare officers and teachers for church schools. She died in 1985.

Note written by

Extent

5.70 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Source of Acquisition

Estate of Dorothy Hoffman

Method of Acquisition

Gift.

Processing Information

The collection was originally processed in December 1985, and was updated by Deborah Rouse in 2000 and Burt Altman in 2006.

Subjects

Alpha Lambda Delta
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Education Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Florida State College for Women
Florida State University Libraries. Heritage & University Archives Subject Source: Lctgm
Florida State University. Department of Modern Languages Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Foreign study. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Hoffman, Dorothy Lois, 1903-1985
Humanities. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Lecture notes Subject Source: Local sources
Manuscripts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Kappa Phi
Scrapbooks Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Study and teaching Subject Source: Local sources
Syllabus Subject Source: Local sources