Katharine Burr Blodgett’s story is one of resilience, ambition, and inner struggle. Recently, her relatives uncovered a treasure trove of papers and artifacts tucked away in a storage unit in New England. These documents shed light on a side of Katharine that few knew about – a side marked by battles with her own mind, even as she made groundbreaking discoveries in the lab.
As we delve into Katharine’s hidden struggles, it’s essential to consider the context in which she lived and worked. In 1929, at the age of 31, Katharine ventured into amateur acting with the Schenectady Civic Players. Her role in the play “Overtones” by Alice Gerstenberg, where she portrayed the inner voice of a character named Margaret, foreshadowed the complexities of her own inner dialogue.
The discovery of Katharine’s lab notebook from 1918, the only one found in the storage unit, opens a window into her early scientific endeavors. It becomes evident that all lab notebooks at GE, where Katharine worked, were company property and primarily used for legal purposes rather than personal documentation.
Further exploration of the storage unit reveals a mix of personal and professional artifacts – from meticulous garden records to newspaper clippings about her father’s unsolved murder. Intriguingly, letters exchanged between Katharine and her psychiatrist, John Whitehorn, offer insights into her mental health struggles during her time at McLean Hospital in 1931.
The production team, led by Katie Hafner, uncovers a diary-like notebook where Katharine addresses her deceased acquaintance, Alice Penrose, as “Granny.” Through these entries, Katharine grapples with what she refers to as a “split personality” and seeks solace in seeking approval from Granny rather than finding pride within herself.
Consulting with historians and psychiatrists like Elizabeth Lunbeck and Nicholas Rosenlicht sheds light on Katharine’s self-improvement efforts and her scientific approach to understanding her inner turmoil. Despite her struggles with ambition and self-perception, Katharine’s dedication to her work and her unwavering pursuit of scientific excellence remain undeniable.
In revisiting Katharine’s story, we are reminded of the complexities that lie beneath the surface of extraordinary accomplishments. Her journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, even in the face of internal battles that often go unseen.
