Mary Casal, pseudonym: 1864 - Unknown

Darling, Sherry A. "A Critical Introduction to The Stone Wall." Tufts University, Dept. of Drama, 2003. Author's Summary:

In 1930 Eyncourt Press published The Stone Wall: An Autobiography by the pseudonymous Mary Casal, which offers a glimpse into the life of a turn-of-the-century lesbian. In her narrative, Casal details her experiences as a woman-loving woman, artist, inventor, and teacher, beginning with the year she was born, 1864, and continuing until she was asked to write her story by Eyncourt Press. She also introduces the reader to her extended lesbian community, which included a painter, a theosophist, and a famous male impersonator of the vaudeville stage.

At the core of Mary Casal's autobiography are her beliefs about the rights of women in general and women-loving women in particular, and she argues in direct response to the contemporary medical literature that treated lesbianism as a form of insanity or moral depravity. Identity for Casal is a matter of choice, and gender roles and the rules for sexuality are open to the same kind of interpretation as an actor would use in approaching a part in a play.

Drawing from the few concrete details Mary Casal offers in her autobiography, I discovered that the author's true identity is Ruth Fuller Field, a native of Deerfield, Massachusetts. I also uncovered the identities and confirmed events surrounding many of the people she includes in her narrative. In tracing the provenance of the text itself, I deduced that its editor, Douglas C. McMurtrie, also wrote about sexual inversion as a lay sexologist for a number of medical periodicals of the time.

[Second description of thesis]

In this critical introduction to The Stone Wall: An Autobiography , I provide additional documentation about Ruth Fuller Field and her extraordinary life and place her narrative within the larger context of the writing and publishing on same-sex desire that took place at the turn of the century. The revelation of these findings increases our understanding not only of this particular woman and her life narrative but also that of lesbian relationships between the 1860s and the 1930s and the construction of identity as a performative process.

[Third description of thesis]

Authorized facsimile, made from the microfilm master copy of the original dissertation published by UMI. Thesis (Ph. D.)--Tufts University, 2003. Author's abstract: "In this critical introduction to The stone wall: an autobiography, I provide additional documentation about Ruth Fuller Field [whose pen name was "Mary Casal"] and her extraordinary life, and place her narrative within the larger context of the writing and publishing on same-sex desire that took place at the turn of the century. The revelation of these findings increases our understanding not only of this particular woman and her life narrative, but also that of lesbian relationships between the 1860s and the 1930s and the construction of identify as a performative process." Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-134). Newberry Library copy lacks t.p. Finding and telling -- Play [a] part: individual transgressive acts -- From solo to scene partner -- The ensemble as transgressive community -- The writer and the critic: lesbian and gay autobiography as a genre -- Epilogue -- Appendix: "Ruth Fuller Field--Knitting poem." Xerographic copy.

[Fourth description of thesis]

Dissertation abstracts international: The humanities and social ... University Microfilms, University Microfilms International - 2003 - Snippet view. Drawing from the few concrete details Mary Casal offers in her autobiography, 1 discovered that the author's true identity is Ruth Fuller Field, a native of Deerfield, Massachusetts. I also uncovered the identities and confirmed events . . . .

Bibliography

Blow, Ben. CALIFORNIA HIGHWAYS. A DESCRIPTIVE RECORD OF ROAD DEVELOPMENT BY THE STATE AND BY SUCH COUNTIES AS HAVE PAVED HIGHWAYS. San Francisco, 1920

Mentions "Mrs. Ruth Fuller Field" as the secretary of The Calistoga [California] Chamber of Commerce on May 28, 1919.

Berkeley Daily Gazette. March 7, 1916, page 6. Headline: "Lectures Of Week At Paul Elder Gallery".

Berkeley Daily Gazette. March 29, 1916, page 8. Headline: "Coming Lectures At Paul Elder Gallery".

April Fools' day will be notable for the Children's Amusement and club in the entertainment to be provided by Mrs. Ruth Fuller Field, Saturday, April 1st at oclock.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. Field, Ruth Fuller. Secretary to Helen Miller Gould. Brooklyn daily eagle almanac: Volume 18 - Page 322. American Almanac Collection (Library of Congress) - 1903 -

"Woody Crest -- Tarrytown, NY. Org. 1893. Fresh air home for children. . . . Miss Helen M. Gould, Pres., Tarrytown; Ruth Fuller Field, Sec, 579 5th av.; Miss Miriam Jagger, Matron."

Field, Ruth Fuller. "Helen Miller Gould: Recollections of a Former Private Secretary. The Cosmopolitan, 1907, : Volume 43, Issues 1-6, page 616-627.

Fuller, William Hyslop. Genealogy of Some Descendants of Thomas Fuller of Woburn. Printed for the compiler, 1919.

Lists Mary White Fuller as born on June 17, 1864, in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Married October 12, 1887 to Frank A. Field.

Library of Congress. Copyright Office. Catalogue of copyright entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, contributions .... Volume 18, Issue 1, 1921, page 210. American literature.

Calistoga district Calif Chamber of commerce. Invitation day, come to California. Feb 14 1921 Post card [5175] [Copyright symbol] Jan 31 1921 2 c and aff Feb 21 1921 A 610574 Ruth Fuller Field Calistoga Cal

New York Times. "HELEN GOULD TO WED A RAILROAD OFFICIAL; Engagement to Finley J. Shepard of St. Louis Announced By G..." Abstract: "The engagement of Miss Helen Miller Gould, known to the Nation as Helen Gould, and as one of the foremost of women philanthropists, to Finley J. Shepard, a railroad man of St. Louis, was announced yesterday afternoon at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Georg... NY Times, December 16, 1912 - Front Page. Quotes from "Miss Field's" article about Helen Gould.

New York Times. "TEA PARTIES SPLIT Y.W.C.A. OF PARIS; Mrs. Ruth Field, Once Associated with Helen Gould, Forced to Give Up Secretaryship. RELIGION SUBORDINATED Devoted Her Energies to Social Side of the Organization -- Many Members, Sympathizing with Her, Resign." Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York Times, May 26, 1908, Page 4. ABSTRACT: "PARIS, May 25. -- The Anglo-American branch of the Young Women's Christian Association is now in the throes of a factional fight which may result in a dissolution of the old organization and the formation of an independent society".

Oakland [Californiaa] Tribune, February 18, 1923, page 48. http://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune/1923-02-18/page-48. Mentions Ruth Fuller Field as secretary of the Calistoga District Chamber of Commerce.

Sheldon, George. A History of Deerfield, Massachusetts: The Times When the People by Whom it was Settled, Unsettled and Resettled (Press of E.A. Hall & Co., 1896), page 171.

Lists birthdate of Ruth W. Fuller as June 17, 1864. "Casal" gives her birth year as 1864. Sheldon says she married Frank A. Field of "Mont." on February 12, 1887.

Survey, The. Survey Associates, Charity Organization Society of the City of New York, June 13, 1914, volume 32, page 315. "Help Wanted" advertisement: "Would some young woman like entertaining work with boys and girls in a Fresh Air Home this summer? She must love children, be a good disciplinarian, able to play for dancing and singing, take long walks. State salary required. Address Mrs. Ruth Fuller Field, Mohegan Lake, NY"

Survey, The. Survey Associates, Charity Organization Society of the City of New York, August 15, 1914, volume 32, page 513. "Communications" [letters]: Headline: FRESH AIR HOMES. Text:

To the Editor. In answer to my advertisement in the columns of The Survey on June 13 [see above] for an assistant in a fresh air home for children it has been of great interest to read the earnest and enthusiastic letters from over twenty five young women from the North South East and West. Grasping the feeling of the day that in the children lies the hope of the good results of the purity movement so vital in the progressive mind these young women are alive to the fact that there is work to do and for one position to be filled there are a score and more young women who have to await further opportunity.

Social workers are anxious to get the children out of the congested city. It has been found a hard proposition to move families. They would rather huddle together six or seven in a room than to miss the clatter and lights and excitement of the pavements.

It seems one way to move parts of these families at least is to make it possible for every child to spend a few weeks in the country every summer and little by little fill that child with the joy of country life so that by degrees he will influence his family or part of it to share the life permanently.

The great trouble with the fresh air homes today is they are not large or numerous enough to give extended visits to the children. One or two weeks is about the limit to a limited number.

A whole summer with a child in a garden would nine times out of ten create in that child a love for the beautiful in nature a love for his own body and soul created in the image of God and a desire to keep them clean and pure for the glory of God and for the generations to follow.

Ruth Fuller Field / The Incarnation Fresh Air and Convalescent Home / Lake Mohcgan NY"