Scope and Content Note

The papers of Mabel Newton Betticher consist of three sets of diaries: a diary of daily activities, a diary of poems, and a diary of spiritual meditations. None of the diaries contain much personal information, focusing instead on largely spiritual and religious matters. They are extremely well-organized. Most volumes are numbered (although there are gaps in the sequence), and all entries are dated. The three diaries were kept contemporaneously, and entries are frequently cross-referenced. Mabel kept track of the flowers and birds she saw, often recording this information in more than one diary. All of the diaries are illustrated with a number of different types of materials, including photographs, newspaper clippings, holiday cards, postage stamps, stickers, pictures of flowers and birds, pamphlets, brochures, and church programs.