Memories in the Making

When Donald Winslow (A34, MA35), contacted the Digital Collections and Archives (now Tufts Archival Research Center) in 2007, we decided to create an autobiographical online exhibit containing his memories of Tufts. I had just completed an exhibit about Muriel Simonson (A'29). A few years younger than Muriel, Donald Winslow and John Holmes (A'29), Muriel's fiancee, were contemporaries at Tufts, with John Holmes first working as assistant in English at Tufts and then returning as instructor of English in 1934 when Donald began his MA in English.

When Donald Winslow born in 1911 began telling me about his years at Tufts, it quickly became clear that he is one of the rare historical witnesses who, at age 97, eloquently and clearly remembers the early decades of the 20th century and who comes from a family with close ties to Tufts reaching back into the 19th century. When I encouraged him to write down his Tufts related memories, he kindly agreed. Our collaboration resulted in 'Memories in the Making' which includes four of his short sketches called "Memories" as well as a brief biography about Donald Winslow. Interesting on its own terms, this autobiographical exhibit offers additional insights into gender history and the writing of history when juxtaposed with the biographical exhibit on Muriel Simonson.