Mildred H. Lavin papers

Collection — Folder: 1

Identifier: IWA0158

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Mildred H. Lavin papers date from 1942 to 2015 with some undated articles, essays, and photographs. They measure 5 linear inches and are organized in three series: Biographical, Professional, and Audiovisual. In addition to the papers, four books are shelved in the printed works collection of the Iowa Women’s Archives. Their titles are: Tom Tov, Good Taste, Agudas Achim Sisterhood, Francine Prince's New Jewish Cuisine, The Jewish Holiday Kitchen by Joan Nathan, and America and I: Short Stories by American Jewish women writers, edited and with an introduction by Joyce Antler.

The Biographical (1942 – 2015) series contains autobiographical essays by Mildred Lavin. These essays largely relate to Lavin’s childhood as a German immigrant in the United States. This series also includes articles about Lavin and one book about her daughter-in-law’s artwork, Opener: The Paintings of Amelia Alcock-White.

The Professional (1964 – 2006) series contains materials related to Lavin’s work at the University of Iowa and on behalf of women’s rights. The series includes awards and certificates that Lavin received, correspondence with University of Iowa employees, conference brochures and planning documents, a set of brochures for the Saturday and evening classes program, and photographs of Lavin at work.

The Professional series also includes materials about Lavin’s work on behalf of women’s rights. This includes the text of speeches, “Promoting Human Rights – By Promoting Women’s Rights in Schools,” “The American Woman, Higher Education and a Social Revolution,” and an untitled speech delivered to alumni program administrators of Big Ten universities. This series also contains three publications including “Women and Public Policy: A Humanistic Perspective, which Lavin edited along with Clara Oleson and several newspaper articles about women’s issues on campus.

The Audiovisual series consists of 9 audiocassettes including interviews with James Van Allen, Fiona Chisholm and George Forell. This series also contains the 1983 program, “The American Dream in the Heartland,” with a listener’s guide.

Dates

Creation: 1942 - 2015

Creator

Lavin, Mildred H. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The papers are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge the Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, as the source of the material. For further information, visit https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/services/rights/

Biographical / Historical

Mildred Hanzel was born in 1924 in Dover, New Jersey to Marcus and Rose Seifert Hanzel. Hanzel spent her childhood years in a Jewish community in Chicago where her father owned a grocery store. After completing high school in 1942 she married Marvin Lavin and over the next twenty-two years raised her family and regularly attended night school at Chicago Teachers College North.

Lavin received a Bachelor of Education in 1964 and then taught general science Chute Jr. High School in Evanston, Illinois for four years. Lavin received her MS in Teaching at Northeastern Illinois State College in 1969 and moved with her husband to Iowa City to finish her doctorate. She was an assistant professor in instructional design and outreach education in the University of Iowa’s College of Education from 1972 to 1987 and head of the Outreach Education program at the University of Iowa from 1978–1987.

Based on Lavin’s commitment to alternative education for nontraditional students, especially women, she developed and directed the Saturday and Evening Class Program from 1971 to 1978. She was active in the Iowa City Business and Professional Women organization and chaired the "Women in Higher Education Administration" conference in 1975 and the "Women in Research" conference from 1985-1987 at the University of Iowa. Lavin was a long term member of the Gray Hawks Writing group in Iowa City and wrote memoirs and poetry that explores her Austrian roots and belief in humanistic Judaism.