Dr. Edna McGlynn World War II Letters Collection

Dr. Edna McGlynn was born in Beverly, MA. SHe earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Boston University. She went on to earn two doctorates, one from Boston College in medieval history and the other from Georgetown University in American diplomatic history.She taught at Keene State College from 1928 to 1936. She joined the Salem Teachers College faculty in 1936 as a professor of history and government.

At the outset of World War II, Dr. McGlynn began corresponding with the students and alumni who left home to serve in the military. The Collegiate Defense Committee (CDC), with McGlynn as faculty advisor, was formed to write letters and send care packages to Salemites serving at home and abroad. McGlynn and the CDC corresponded with over one hundred students and alumni; they also maintained current mailing lists of those in the service and prepared and distributed “The Salem Newsletter” in which Dr. McGlynn edited summaries of news from the letters she received. McGlynn served the college until her retirement in 1976. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1982 in recognition of her many contributions to the students and the institution that had become Salem State College. Dr. McGlynn died on March 27, 2005 at the age of 97.