Camille B. Power Papers, 1863-1985

This series contains documents of Power's family and her personal life. Included in the collection are letters written by Camille Power's grandfather, Charles Victory Rockwell (1833-1888), to his wife, a childhood journal of Power's mother, Estella (Rockwell) Barrett (b.1872), and other miscellaneous papers. All items are photocopies.

Power's applications for teaching positions and contracts are in Folder 4-6. Of special interest is her original 1922 contract with St. Margaret's School in Boise. Folder 7 contains financial records including a rental agreement for an apartment on Cambridge Square in London.

Power kept memorabilia from events she attended prior to World War I. Included in the folder is a program from the George M. Cohan Grand Opera House in Chicago, a flier from a wild west show, a program of a chautauqua of Taylorsville, and a handbill from a side show at a fair.

This series includes reminiscences of Power's early days at Boise Junior College. These reminiscences were collected for Maude L. Cosho for inclusion in her book, An Idaho Hodgepodge. Power also participated in the BSU Oral History project (see OH 17 and 30) and contributed the written memoirs of BJC during World War II. These are found in Folder 11 along with supplemental clippings. "Letters Home" is a biography of Camille Power written by Neva Tanner as part of the requirements for an Archives class at Boise State University in 1985.

Power's diaries (in photocopy form) depict her life before her move to Boise in 1922. Camille began the diaries at ten years of age. They describe a life of school work, childhood activities, and her love of books. The later entries are of her college experience at James Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Camille participated in many student activities and played on the women's basketball team.

The first file contains a letter describing Power's work as the personal secretary to businessman and collector, Albert M. Todd, in 1924. The next several folders contain photocopies of letters Power wrote in 1930-1931 to her family as she traveled to and studied at the French Institute in Tours. Each letter details her life for the year, the schooling, the food, and new friendships. Camille writes of the adjustments necessary to sharing a home with a French family. Much of the text within letters pertains to her four-year-old son, Kent, who accompanied her to France.

While traveling in Mexico and Guatemala in 1947, Power wrote letters home describing her stay in the Guatemalan ambassador's home in Mexico City and the dinners and parties she attended in Guatemala City with the country's President.

Several of Power's students and colleagues wrote to her with thanks and praise for her excellent instruction. Her knowledge of the Spanish language initiated her interest in the Basque Country. Her interest coincided with her growing friendship with Jon (Juan) Bilbao, whom she met while helping with BJC registration in 1939. A refugee of the Spanish Civil War, Bilbao eventually became professor of Basque studies at the University of Nevada. His correspondence with Power (Folder 8 and 9) is primarily in Spanish. Power also corresponded with Martin Delegalde concerning the possibility of translating his history of Basques from Spanish into English (Folder 16). This file is also in Spanish.

Camille Power was the first instructor of foreign languages at Boise Junior College. As part of her Spanish and French curriculum she produced the first theatrical plays on campus. The one act plays soon turned into a tradition, "Romance Language Night." Power served as the first Dean of Women at Boise Junior College. In this capacity, she planned and attended various social functions as publicized in the clippings found in Folder 13.

Preferring the teaching of foreign languages to the duties of Dean, and after a leave of absence, Power returned solely to the classroom in 1954 until her retirement in 1967. In 1982, during a budget crisis, Boise State University eliminated the foreign language program as a separate department at the school. Folder 14 contains comments from Mrs. Power and others concerning the action. Power was active in many community activities. Her academic and civic endeavors meshed in her participation in The Boise Valley Foreign Affairs. Her knowledge of foreign languages frequently established Power in the position of hosting foreign dignitaries visiting the area.

The last two folders of this Series contain articles of interest to Power. A unique publication, Enduring Value in the Study of French, is most interesting. Written in 1940 after Dunkirk, it advocates the merit of learning a language of an occupied people.

During her life, Power traveled extensively in Europe and Central America. This series contains her journal of a trip to Mexico in 1938, and news articles of her trips to Mexico in 1939 and 1947. Included, also, are narratives of her trips to Europe in 1958 and again in 1968.

Power delivered the salutatory oration at her high school commencement in 1918. Her topic was "America's New Womanhood." In the address, she explained how the war gave women increased opportunities and a greater "feeling of democracy" in America. Power stated it was time for equal suffrage for "the new robust class working and thinking women."

Following her year of study in Tours, Power returned home to obtain a master's degree at the University of Illinois. As part of the requirements, she wrote French Opinion of America in the Correspondent. She completed much of her research during her studies in France. A copy of the thesis can be found in the Albertsons Library's Archives. Other than the thesis written in 1933, Power's writings are arranged alphabetically in this series because several are undated. The subject matter may enable the reader to estimate the period.

Power taught foreign languages for the military and incorporated many methods into her techniques for teaching college students and elementary ones as well. The Marriage of Condé illustrates Power's ability to translate French, for both the original and the translation are in Folder 6. She translated an article written by President of Guatemala to English, with hopes that his views would be published in the United States (Box 3, Folder 9). Her interest in the Basque people is evident in her articles, "Basque Culture" and "Toward a Cultural Revival with the American Basque."

Power's interest in Basque people and culture is found in the collected materials in this series. Of primary interest to her was the relationship of the United States government to the Basque citizenry as they attempted to gain autonomy. Her interest in the preservation of Basque culture is at the forefront of the series. See also Power's Correspondence files in Box 2 for more correspondence with Jon Bilbao, and the Basque Studies Program at the University of Nevada.

In 1982 Boise State University celebrated its Fiftieth Anniversary. Power served of the program committee. She corresponded with several alumni and faculty members whose letters can be found in Folder 23. Folder 24 contains the master list for participants in the anniversary celebration.

Related materials can be found in Manuscript collection 50 (MSS 50): 50th Anniversary Slide Presentation, and in the University Archives, RG 135.2.

Both posed and formal photographs of Camille as a child and as an adult are found in Box 4. Photos of her childhood include pictures with her brother, a tea party, with other children, and pictures posed with her many china dolls. In the collection are negatives of her son, Kent Power, taken in the 1930s.

The photos in this collection document Power's academic career. The collection contains a negative of her office at BJC, a publicity photo for the Idaho Statesman, a photo of the women faculty of St. Margaret's Hall in 1932 and one of a BJC Women's Association Tea in 1937. Photos of the Language Department's one act plays are evidence of the melodrama used to convey the action since many audience members were unable to understand the dialog. A photo of the Spanish Club's float for Homecoming (1950s?) is also in Box 4. Two photos of the Basques are indicative of her interest in the culture. Photos of a visiting Venezuelan delegation are also part of the collection.