Catherine Galbraith
Encyclopedia
Catherine "Kitty" Galbraith (January 19, 1913 – October 1, 2008), née Catherine Merriam Atwater, was an American
author who was the wife of economist and author John Kenneth Galbraith
, and the mother of four sons: diplomat and political analyst, Peter W. Galbraith
, economist James K. Galbraith
, attorney J. Alan Galbraith, and Douglas Galbraith who died in childhood of leukemia.
She was born in New York City, New York, the daughter of Charles W. Atwater,a lawyer who later served as the Consul General for Siam and the granddaughter of Wilbur Olin Atwater
, the inventor of the calorimeter
and chemist known for his studies of human metabolism and nutrition.
Galbraith attended Smith College
, spending her junior year at the Sorbonne
, and obtaining her bachelor's degree in Romance languages
from Smith in 1934. She then took graduate courses in German language
at the University of Munich, where she lived in the same rooming house-dormitory as Unity Mitford
, a girlfriend of Adolf Hitler
. She was awarded a Master of Arts
degree from Radcliffe College
in 1936. Galbraith was fluent in Hindi
and several other languages.
She was introduced to her future husband at a café while she was a graduate student at Radcliffe. The couple married on September 17, 1937, at the Reformed Church of North Hempstead, New York. The newlyweds were to sail on the Britannic
to London, where J.K. Galbraith had plans to spend the year as a research fellow at the University of Cambridge
studying under economist John Maynard Keynes
, but Keynes was struck with a heart attack. Instead, Kitty introduced John to Europe, driving through the countryside and visiting towns and cathedrals.
Before World War II, she worked as a researcher at both the Library of Congress
and the United States Department of Justice
.
Her son James wrote an essay while in fourth grade about the work his parents did, which included a detailed description of his father's job and concluded that "Mother doesn't do much". In response, Galbraith wrote an article in the May 1963 issue of The Atlantic Monthly
, titled "'Mother Doesn't Do Much':The Ambassador's Wife in India", describing her role in running the household and entertaining distinguished guests.
She co-authored a book India; Now and Through Time with Rama Mehta, the wife of an Indian diplomat in 1972, which was intended to introduce children ages 10–14 to the culture and life of India. The book includes personal anecdotes as well as photographs, and was described by Joseph Lelyveld
of The New York Times
as a "graceful and accurate book" that makes the reader wish for more stories.
For more than two decades, the Galbraiths held an annual party after the Harvard University
commencement that often included Nobel prize laureates and heads of state. Benazir Bhutto
visited the Galbraiths during her freshman year at Harvard in 1969 and was a guest when she gave the commencement address in 1989.
Galbraith died at age 95 on October 1, 2008, of a heart attack
at Mount Auburn Hospital. Her husband died in 2006 at age 97, the two having been married 68 years.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author who was the wife of economist and author John Kenneth Galbraith
John Kenneth Galbraith
John Kenneth "Ken" Galbraith , OC was a Canadian-American economist. He was a Keynesian and an institutionalist, a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism...
, and the mother of four sons: diplomat and political analyst, Peter W. Galbraith
Peter W. Galbraith
Peter Woodard Galbraith is an author, academic, commentator, policy advisor, and former United States diplomat. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he helped uncover Saddam Hussein's gassing of the Kurds. From 1993 to 1998, he served as the first U.S...
, economist James K. Galbraith
James K. Galbraith
James Kenneth Galbraith is an American economist who writes frequently for mainstream and liberal publications on economic topics. He is currently a professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and at the Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin. He is also a Senior...
, attorney J. Alan Galbraith, and Douglas Galbraith who died in childhood of leukemia.
She was born in New York City, New York, the daughter of Charles W. Atwater,a lawyer who later served as the Consul General for Siam and the granddaughter of Wilbur Olin Atwater
Wilbur Olin Atwater
Wilbur Olin Atwater was an American chemist known for his studies of human nutrition and metabolism....
, the inventor of the calorimeter
Calorimeter
A calorimeter is a device used for calorimetry, the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity. Differential scanning calorimeters, isothermal microcalorimeters, titration calorimeters and accelerated rate calorimeters are among the most common...
and chemist known for his studies of human metabolism and nutrition.
Galbraith attended Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
, spending her junior year at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, and obtaining her bachelor's degree in Romance languages
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
from Smith in 1934. She then took graduate courses in German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
at the University of Munich, where she lived in the same rooming house-dormitory as Unity Mitford
Unity Mitford
Unity Valkyrie Mitford was a member of the aristocratic Mitford family, tracing its origins in Northumberland back to the 11th century Norman settlement of England. Unity Mitford's sister Diana was married to Oswald Mosley, leader of British Union of Fascists...
, a girlfriend of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. She was awarded a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
in 1936. Galbraith was fluent in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and several other languages.
She was introduced to her future husband at a café while she was a graduate student at Radcliffe. The couple married on September 17, 1937, at the Reformed Church of North Hempstead, New York. The newlyweds were to sail on the Britannic
HMHS Britannic
HMHS Britannic was the third and largest of the White Star Line. She was the sister ship of and , and was intended to enter service as a transatlantic passenger liner. She was launched just before the start of the First World War and was laid up at her builders in Belfast for many months before...
to London, where J.K. Galbraith had plans to spend the year as a research fellow at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
studying under economist John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes, Baron Keynes of Tilton, CB FBA , was a British economist whose ideas have profoundly affected the theory and practice of modern macroeconomics, as well as the economic policies of governments...
, but Keynes was struck with a heart attack. Instead, Kitty introduced John to Europe, driving through the countryside and visiting towns and cathedrals.
Before World War II, she worked as a researcher at both the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
and the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
.
Her son James wrote an essay while in fourth grade about the work his parents did, which included a detailed description of his father's job and concluded that "Mother doesn't do much". In response, Galbraith wrote an article in the May 1963 issue of The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. It quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and publishing new writers and poets,...
, titled "'Mother Doesn't Do Much':The Ambassador's Wife in India", describing her role in running the household and entertaining distinguished guests.
She co-authored a book India; Now and Through Time with Rama Mehta, the wife of an Indian diplomat in 1972, which was intended to introduce children ages 10–14 to the culture and life of India. The book includes personal anecdotes as well as photographs, and was described by Joseph Lelyveld
Joseph Lelyveld
Joseph Lelyveld was executive editor of the New York Times from 1994 to 2001, and interim executive editor in 2003 after the resignation of Howell Raines. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author, and a frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books.In all, Lelyveld worked at...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as a "graceful and accurate book" that makes the reader wish for more stories.
For more than two decades, the Galbraiths held an annual party after the Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
commencement that often included Nobel prize laureates and heads of state. Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
visited the Galbraiths during her freshman year at Harvard in 1969 and was a guest when she gave the commencement address in 1989.
Galbraith died at age 95 on October 1, 2008, of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at Mount Auburn Hospital. Her husband died in 2006 at age 97, the two having been married 68 years.