The Papers of Lauretta Bender
are comprised primarily of materials covering the years 1926-1968
during the time she was affiliated with Bellevue and Creedmoor Hospitals.
There are records here that also document a large number of important
and continuously innovative activities in child psychiatry that she
was involved with outside of these institutions. All the materials
demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm which Bender seems never to
have lost for her work. She went to great lengths to document both
her and her late husband Paul Schilder’s activities, whose papers
are included as a sub-group in this collection as well. And, by virtue
of the involvement of both Dr. Bender and Dr. Schilder, these records
are a testament to the dramatic changes in the field of psychiatry
during the mid- to latter half of the twentieth century.
This collection consists mainly of typescripts of professional correspondence
and manuscripts, with a smaller quantity of personal papers, photographs,
and other memorabilia. There are five major record groups: Professional
Correspondence, 1936-1969, Professional Activities, 1936-1968, Personal
Materials, 1926-1967, Dr. Schilder’s Papers, 1886-1940, and
John O. Bender Papers.
Dr. Bender pioneered the use of art therapy for children, notably
the use of puppet shows at Bellevue and music therapy and graphic
arts work as well. She championed the use of drugs and shock treatment
to treat mental illnesses that were not amenable to less drastic forms
of treatment. She interacted effectively with a large number of people,
and both her professional and personal correspondence highlights the
many fruitful, pleasant relationships with colleagues of varying stature.
The records also document her assistance in building organizations
and schools dedicated to helping mentally disturbed children, and
her tireless participation in event after event designed to forward
the study of psychiatry or to benefit mentally ill persons. She wrote
prolifically and also offers researchers an abundance of materials
left behind by Paul Schilder after his untimely death in 1940. Bibliographies
of Schilder's and Bender's writings can be found among their personal
papers.
Biographical Note
| Scope and Content Note | Series Descriptions
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