"My Twentieth Century" by Josephine Rathbone (1988)

Item Information

Title:
"My Twentieth Century" by Josephine Rathbone (1988)
Description:
Dr. Josephine L. Rathbone’s memoir, titled “My Twentieth Century." Rathbone explicitly states that she does not consider this text to be an autobiography, but rather, “a collection of anecdotes which reminisce about things which I have experienced in this century.” Her goal, she explains, was to demonstrate the many social changes she lived through while growing up in the twentieth century. Rathbone began writing her memoirs in Montclair, New Jersey, while recovering from a cracked pelvis. She divided the book into seventeen chapters that chronologically trace her life, beginning with her earliest memories as a child. The chapters cover high school, college, and professional work, as well as more personal subjects, such as her husband Peter Karpovich and the years she spent traveling the world. The fifteenth chapter, which she originally did not plan to write, discusses the boys and men in her life. In her penultimate chapter, she lists even more differences between the early and late 20th century that were not evident in her earlier text. Rathbone’s final chapter, titled “Follow-Up,” has no chronological order and, she writes, is “[not] very logically developed.” The final page lists minor corrections. Dr. Josephine Langworthy Rathbone (June 25, 1899—1989) was an acclaimed scholar of physical education and relaxation. She earned three degrees in physiology and was a founding member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). She taught health and physical education at Columbia University’s Teachers College from 1930 to 1958, and is considered among the pioneering American scholars in the field of adaptive physical education. After retiring from Columbia University, Rathbone began teaching at Springfield College. Her book, “Corrective Physical Education,” published in 1934, became a classic text and went through seven editions over some thirty years. In addition, Rathbone wrote extensively about the medical applications of exercise for rehabilitation and the role of relaxation as part of overall health. At Columbia University, she established a relaxation clinic, which treated patients for stress and other ailments. In 1954, Rathbone and her husband, the eminent Springfield College physiologist Peter Karpovich, helped found the Federation of Sports Medicine, which the following year changed its name to the American College of Sports Medicine, now a flagship organization for the field with some twenty thousand members around the world. In 1974, the organization awarded Rathbone its highest honor. An undigitized duplicate exists in Weckworth's Collection.
Creator:
Rathbone, Josephine Langworthy, 1899-1989
Date:
1988
Format:
Documents
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
College Archives Digital Collections
Series:
Josephine Rathbone Papers
Subjects:
Springfield College
Springfield College--Faculty
Rathbone, Josephine Langworthy, 1899-1989
Karpovich, Peter V.
Books
Places:
Massachusetts > Hampden (county) > Springfield
Extent:
320 pages
Link to Item:
http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/5261
Terms of Use:
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
Contact host institution for more information.
Publisher:
Springfield College
Language:
English
Identifier:
ms529-01-07-001
MyTwentiethCentury