Correspondence and receipts for purchases made on Gertrude Bass Warner's behalf [f2] [001]

Item

Title

Correspondence and receipts for purchases made on Gertrude Bass Warner's behalf [f2] [001]

Author

Ferguson, John C. (John Calvin), 1866-1945

Recipient

Warner, Gertrude Bass, 1863-1951

Date

1932-07-21

Identifier

UA022_b005_f003_001_004

Description

Correspondence between Gertrude Bass Warner and John Calvin Ferguson

Transcript:
History, Museum).
(To J.C. Ferguson
July 21,1932.

My dear John,

When your good letter reached me in Tucson,I sat down and wrote to Mary thinking that you would both see the letter and that I would write you later when plans for my mother were settled. The question was [whether] to take her to the Pacific coast or back to Peterboro for the summer.

Mother wanted to go back to her old home and Robert and his children also wanted to spend the summer in Peterboro. I told Robert that if he decided to take the family to the Pacific coast that I would go along and do what I could but if they went to Peterboro I could not run the risk of another setback for my knee. They decided on Peterboro and went on with out me. I stayed on in Tucson fr six weeks in the great heat and then came on here. There were no bad effects from the journey. I am enjoying the cooler temperature, the bracing air, the change of scencery [sic] and not being alone, as Miss Klockars from our museum joined me in Tucson.

Of course I do not like to be curtailed in my activities but Iam [sic] glad not be at Eugene at this time. The University and the State College have had a big row for sometime because both institutions want to teach some of the same subjects which is a duplication of effort and expense. The State Board of Higher Education was established when these things became too unpleasant. Some of the members are siding with the University and some with the College. It looks as tho [sic] they will let both presidents go and get a man from the East who will superintend both institutions.

As for the Museum: the Dean of the school of architecture, Dean Lawrence, planned the building and he did not have the collection in as much as his architectural plan. The president Arnold Bennet Hall has seemed to be under his thumb. I think it is possible that the president agree to let the Dean have his own way, so that the Dean would stay on when he was offered a position elsewhere. The Dean did not make a change and the difference of opinion is over the fron [sic] entrance which is a double door thirteen feet high which has no portico outside the door and no entry inside and faces west. The door is of glass with a fretwork of steel. The sun pours in in summer and when the doors are open the rain comes in the lobby. Our rainy season lasts about eight months. I am waiting to see if we get another president who will be more grateful for the gift, more appreciative of Oriental art and who will let me do what I think is necessary to preserve the paintings.

When Fall comes there will be the problem of what to do with my mother that is if she is not able to go to Tucson. It would be very undesirable for her to spend the winter either in Peterboro, Boston, or Chicago. Edith, Robert’s wife, who has tuberculosis, is spending the second summer in Tucson and of course before long Robert will have to go back there to look after her. Then it looks to me as tho [sic] it was going to be up to me to take charge of Mother, if she is unable to return to Tucson. Anyway I am most thankful that my knee is so much better and that I do not feel so helpless anymore.

Thank you so very much for the book describing the bronzes. The package arrived about a month ago and was placed in the Museum. Now that I am located, I have sent for it.

Clinton Jansen and his family are living here in Denver. I had a short visit with Clinton the other day when he was down from the mountains. He and his sister May look very much alike. I was struck with it when I saw him after a lapse of so many years.

Dr [sic] Harold J. Noble and Schuyler Southwell are starting for the Orient the first of the month. Dr Noble was born and raised in Korea and he teaches the History of China and Japan at the University of Oregon. Mr [sic] Southwell is a student of Architecture at the University, He is much interested in Chinese architecture and has won the Museum essay prize and this prize money is providing this trip under the supervision of Dr. Noble. I am sending them a letter of introduction to you and Mary. He is a very pleasant man and I feel sure that you will both like him but please do not let them be of any trouble.

When are you and Mary coming home?

With Love to you all,
From you old friend,

End of transcript.
Transcribed by Tom Fischer.

Source

Gertrude Bass Warner Papers, 1879-1954

Repository

University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives

Institution

University of Oregon

Type

Text

Format

application/pdf

Rights

Rights Reserved - Free Access

Rights Holder

University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives

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