Roderick Seidenberg/ Mabel Dwight Collection ( RS)
Nature & Type of Records: Correspondence, personal files, news clippings, publictions, short stories and manuscripts.
Volume: 4 cubic feet.
Condition: Some of the materials have suffered smoke and water damage.
Inclusive Dates: 1917-1974 Bulk Dates: 1937-1974.
Adminstrative History: Roderick Seidenberg was born on October 20, 1889 in Heidelberg, Germany. He studied architecture for four years between 1906 and 1910. During World War I he was a conscientious objector and swas sent to the disciplinary barrarcks for 1 1/2 years - the initial sentence full reflects his beliefs in man's role in the universe. He was a firm believer that democracy could not be one by war.
On being released he worked in a number of New York offices as an architect. He even spent some time in Moscow, Russia with an American construction company. On returning to New York he worked his way into becoming chief designer of Sugarman and Berger. Among some of the buildings he worked on during his career he was responsible for the exterior of the Hotel New Yorker and the Garment Center Tower in New York.
Roderick Seidenberg moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania around 1939, and began practice there. In addition to local work he undertook occassional commissions in New York City and Philadelphia.
His contribution to the literary world began with articles to various magazines including the orginal Freeman and the New Freeman that followed it. He also contributed to the Mercury under H.L. Mencken, the Nation and New Republic and some professional magazines. The collection does contain a number of short stories he wrote.
The publications Post-Historic Man and Anatomy of the Future developed out of an interest in the growing phenomenon of "organization." Both books were highly acclaimed by the literary world and Seidenberg gained a lot of respect for his ability to understand the environment and man's destiny in it.
The collection also contains correspondence and articles belonging to Mrs. Mabel Dwight, a very close friend of Roderick Seidenberg. Mrs. Dwight was an artist who worked with paints and lithograhs. She traveled regularly to Europe where she found scenery much more conducive to her talents. Besides painting and lithography she also indulged in writing short stories and poems. A large portion of the collection consists of correspondence between Roderick Seidenberg and Mabel Dwight. The correspondence reveals the close ties between them over a forty year period.
This collection was purchased from the widow of Roderick Seidenberg in 1974 by then Library Director, John Nicholson.