Although the Irma Hochstein papers make up a small collection that reveals very little about her own interesting and varied career, researchers will find the collection to be of great interest. The reason for this apparent contradiction is that although Miss Hochstein failed to save copies of her own outgoing letters, her incoming correspondence constitutes a virtual Wisconsin who's who. In addition to the importance of the contacts, some of the correspondence is of even greater value, as it often contains personal comments and because many of the letters present are handwritten copies.
In addition to correspondence, the papers include some notes, draft writings, and clippings documenting various research projects. Unfortunately, these research files are rather incomplete. The Hochstein Papers are organized in three categories: biographical material, correspondence, and subject files.
The CORRESPONDENCE is further subdivided into two alphabetical files: a general category and a separate file for major correspondents for whom the volume of letters is extensive. Hochstein's circle of correspondents seems to have developed from acquaintances made while working at the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library and from various women's political activities during the 1920's. The source of her acquaintance with some correspondents is not documented in the papers. Similar relationships from her later career are largely unrepresented. It is likely that in sorting her papers for shipment to the Historical Society, Miss Hochstein may have consciously omitted any such letters which existed on the assumption that they would not be of interest to researchers in Wisconsin.
Within the major correspondents file, Hochstein's most prominent correspondents include Elizabeth Christman, Zona Gale, Ada James, Belle Case La Follette, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., Louis Lochner, Clifford Lord, Charles McCarthy, C. B. Whitnall, and E. E. Witte. Less well known figures in this file with whom she corresponded frequently include members of the McCarthy family and McCarthy's biographers, Elias Tobenkin, and Jennie M. Turner. The Turner correspondence, which primarily documents the period after she retired, is particularly extensive. Prominent in the general file are Sherwood Anderson, Meta Berger, Louis Brandeis, Marquis Childs, John R. Commons, Sir John Keane, H. L. Mencken, Olga Petrova, Sir Horace Plunkett, Jeannette Rankin, Mary Katherine Reely, Rose Schneiderman, Edward Steichen, and Irving Stone.
The SUBJECT FILES include notes, draft writings, clippings, and additional correspondence documenting Miss Hochstein's research interest in the equal rights amendment, workmen's compensation, the career of Charles McCarthy, and other topics, as well as her involvement during the 1920's in the women's program at the School for Workers at the University of Wisconsin.
