FRIENDS OF Winter 2003

Board of Trustees Friends of Florham Shirley Carter Burden: An Appreciation Carol Bere Turn left after walking into Lenfell Hall from well-fed boys. These two sons of Florence Bur- Linda Carrington the Twombly Mansion’s Great Hall, then left den, daughter of Florence Vanderbilt Twombly, Phyllis Conway again to face a painting depicting two rather were probably 11 and 14 at the time of this Emma Joy Dana unsigned, undated painting. The older Thelma Dear Shannie Doremus son, George William (1906-1984) chose James H. Fraser a career in finance and spent much of Gary Jaworski his life as benefactor of public and pri- Barbara Keefauver vate institutions as well as serving as Linda Meister president of the Museum of Modern Audrey Parker Art. The younger, Shirley Carter (1909- Walter Savage 1989), “chose art.” In 1926, at the age Richard Simon of 17, Shirley was invited to come west to Los Angeles by his cousin, William Honorary Trustees Douglas Burden. The purpose behind Susan Adams the invitation: to join in the production Kim Dougherty of a documentary of Anishnabe life, Advisory Trustees “The Silent Enemy” (released in 1930), John H. Fritz starring Chauncey Yellow Robe (Lako- Frances Mantone The “Front Gate” with gatehouse to the right. continued on page 5 Stacy Rooke

University Liaisons Restoration of the Mansion J. Michael Adams Step by step the restoration of the Great Hall of Before the construction phase of this project, Ted Ambrosiano the Mansion at the College at Florham is near- color schemes and drapery material were select- Colleen Coppla ing completion. Phyllis Conway and Barbara ed that were consistent with the historical con- Kenneth Greene Keefauver, from the Friends of Florham text of the Mansion. Gretchen Johnson board, started the project in December 2000. Three of the paint col- Mary Beth Brown, New Jersey representative ors chosen for Lenfell of Scalamandré, N.Y.C., assisted in the deco- and Great Halls were rating and furniture selection process. This is from the British Na- same the team that orchestrated transforma- tional Trust selection, tion of Lenfell Hall in 1999. and the fourth color came from the Ham- Prior to the start of both projects, the commit- mond Harwood house tee visited former Vanderbilt homes in New- in Annapolis, Md. port, R.I.; Tarrytown, N.Y.; Ashville, N.C.; and New York City. Conway and Keefauver The prototype of the also studied the original records of the 1955 fabric for the Great auction of the contents of the Mansion. In Hall drapes comes addition, through Ms. Brown they accessed from a historic print the Scalamandré records and fabric archives. continued on page 2 President’s Letter Since our newsletter last spring, the Friends which is being built across the street. But, for- of Florham have not been idle. Although our tunately, thanks to the dedication of a couple of activities may not be immediately visible, we our members, the help from University Presi- finally finished our restoration projects in the dent J. Michael Adams and several members of Mansion, i.e., Lenfell Hall and the Great Hall, the University administration and the involve- and have put the finishing ment of the landscape planner of the new resi- touches on the latter. It all dence hall, the present parking lot that is near looks splendid! The Mansion’s the entrance will be expanded and beautifully attraction for special occasions landscaped and will basically adjoin the Cutleaf and everyday pleasure is tre- Maples. Unfortunately, the road to incoming mendously enhanced by the cars from Danforth Road is closed temporarily beauty of the restoration. for construction of the residence hall, but by next fall you should be able to come in and We are proceeding with the marvel at the beauty of these glorious trees. completion of our work in the Italian garden by replacing the We are presently discussing another lecture Clowney Gardens peripheral walk, which will match the walk and will invite you all as soon as one is decid- surrounding the central floral area; replacing ed. There are several campus improvements the missing balusters; and, hopefully, getting that we are considering and hope that with new heads for the statues! The donor plaque your support and contributions we can get to has been damaged, presumably by “mischie- work on them. Won’t you please join us in our vous students,” and we will be replacing it. So projects by sending in a year-end membership in the late spring all are invited to come and gift? There are membership forms at the end of see the completed Italian garden. this newsletter. Our big worry this past summer was that our I can’t begin to thank the members of my com- next project, the designation of the only remain- mittee for their help and dedication, and last, but ing untouched Frederick Law Olmsted area on not least, we are thrilled that the Florham-Madi- the campus — the magnificent Cutleaf Maple son Campus has now been renamed Fairleigh Area, inside Danforth Road entrance — would Dickinson University’s College at Florham. become a parking lot for the new residence hall Emma Joy Dana

Restoration of the Mansion, continued from page 1 Scalamandré, and Carmine Toto & Son, appropriate to the period. The drapery and Madison, N.J., the painting contractor, made upholstery fabrics were woven especially for it possible to complete the project on time the Great Hall by and on budget. Scalamandré. Prior to the work on the interior of the Man- The Friends of Flor- sion, the Friends were responsible for the re- ham raised the money storation of the Clowney Gardens behind the for the restoration of Mansion at a cost of more than $14,500 and the Great Hall. The the Italian Garden to the side of the Mansion cost, which includes at approximately $42,000 to date. Planning painting, draperies for the completion of this garden is presently and furniture cur- under way. Other projects undertaken by the rently amounts to Friends include the restoration of some of the $76,692. Funds pri- portraits of the Twombly family in Lenfell marily come from Hall; the planting of two large holly trees the five annual Gala Balls given since 1997, as in front of the Mansion; new chairs and a well as many individual community donations portable stage for Lenfell Hall; and, most and several in-kind donations. The Friends recently, the furniture for the Great Hall. greatly appreciated funding from several The Friends of Florham are grateful to all of foundations including Kirby, Hyde & Watson, the artisans who helped restore this beautiful Tomlinson, and Dreyfuss. The cooperation of building and to all who have contributed funds 2 people who worked on these projects, e.g., to support these projects. The Friends’ Man for All Seasons

Intelligence, wit, exceptionable teaching gifts with a student and hang by the lintel for a peri- and persuasive leadership capabilities are some od of time, without explanation. Then he would of the external praises that generally accompa- move on to the next office. Students were per- ny after-dinner tributes or the introduction of plexed, and if I felt in a mischievous mood, I the speaker himself. The words assume mean- didn’t explain why a senior professor was ing, however, when attributed to Walter Savage, hanging by his fingers in my office doorway.” distinguished professor of English emeritus, This was not an isolated incident. When Walter active trustee of the Friends of Florham and Cummins, professor of English and another perhaps one of the busiest volunteers in the long-time colleague, roasted Walter at his Morris County area. retirement dinner, he told the story of the time Walter’s story begins in Haddonfield, N.J., when a student came into an office where a where he spent his early years, and moves group of professors were talking at the end of a quickly to his service in World War II, where semester: “Walter was lingering in hat and he was wounded in action in Chiunzi Pass, coat. The student had a paper for another Italy, and awarded the Purple Heart. Cut to professor, Chris Hewitt, who was not in the Middlebury College where Walter graduated building at the time. Walter took it and Phi Beta Kappa, earned an MA in English at said, ‘I’ll put it under my hat, so I won’t the University of Pennsylvania, taught at Mid- forget to give it to Dr. Hewitt.’ He proceed- dlebury College and completed doctoral studies ed to semi-crumple the paper and literally at University of Pennsylvania. stick it under his hat. The next day the stu- dent’s mother called Dr. Hewitt to com- Hired initially to teach at FDU Teaneck, N.J., plain: ‘Who was that mad man who Walter made history of sorts when he taught destroyed my daughter’s paper?’ Hewitt, Great Books, the first course offered at the Mad- also chairman of the department, said, ‘I ison Campus in September l958. He remem- assure you that man won’t be back in the bers that “there were about 185 students in the department next fall.’ And he was right, class, one of two required of all entering stu- because Walter was going to England to dents. The class was the only one offered at the direct the Wroxton program.” assigned hour because there were not enough students left over to fill any of the half dozen The gymnastics may have subsided, but the or so other courses.” From then on, until he wit and good humor continue as we segue Walter Savage retired in l988, there were few areas of FDU to another chapter in the story — Walter’s sub- life that escaped the Walter Savage touch. He stantial service to the community. As a trustee was director of Wroxton College, FDU’s beau- of the Friends, he was co-editor of the newslet- tiful historic campus in Wroxton, England, dur- ter for four years. In fact, there’s very little ing the first full year of the program in l966-67, about the lives of the Twombly family or the and again in l985. history of the Mansion that he doesn’t know, and his tours at the Friends’ special events and He is quick to note that his “most important galas are generally oversubscribed. Walter has assistant and entire academic staff” was his also been a trustee of the N.J. Shakespeare Fes- wife, Patty. He’s also been chairman of the tival, trustee and vice president of Macculloch English department; twice elected faculty Hall Historical Museum, former president of speaker; faculty representative to the board of the Washington Association; and reportedly he trustees; president, Madison Chapter of Associ- is the most knowledgeable, articulate, volun- ation of University Professors (AAUP); and teer, historical walking tour guide at the Mid- was a highly effective acting president of FDU lantic Center for the Arts in Cape May, N.J., during his tenure (July 1983–September l984). his other area of residence. He exercised Lest this read like a straightforward list of statewide influence as a member and chairman impressive academic accomplishments, a quick of the New Jersey Council of the Humanities poll of some of his former colleagues suggests (NJHC), and is currently a member of the Ad that the journey was also characterized by Wal- hoc Book Awards Committee for the NJHC. ter’s irrepressible humor. Harry Keyishian, pro- That said, this mere listing gives little hint of fessor of English, recalls that “when Walter had Walter’s valuable contributions to these organi- a back problem, he was advised to stretch his zations or of his remarkable ability to effect back by hanging from a bar, and he would judicious compromise — or of the sheer plea- come to my office while I was in conference sure of his company. 3 3 ‘McKim, Mead, and White: The Reinvention of the Classical Ideal’ Presented at Lenfell Hall Friends of Florham and the general public changed the face of America. Paralleling the filled The Mansion’s Lenfell Hall on March 17, professionalization of America in science, med- for architect and author Samuel G. White’s icine, law, academia and engineering, Mead, illustrated talk, “McKim, Mead, and White: who lived on to 1928, changed the business of The Reinvention of the Classical Ideal.” architecture, creating a major firm to carry on their work. White, the great grandson of Stanford White, one of America’s most renowned and influen- McKim and White’s attention to detail, exterior tial architects and the most famous member of and interior, was extraordinary. Stanford White, the firm, returned to Florham to discuss discouraged from becoming a painter, trans- McKim, Mead, and White’s great commercial, ferred his painter’s eye to collaborative work governmental and institutional buildings. with leading artists of the day: John LaFarge, Louis Comfort Tiffany and Augustus Saint- As America became the leading industrial Gaudens. nation of the world and a major player on the world stage, Charles Follen McKim, Lecturer White also took the audience into Box William Rutherford Mead and Stanford Hall, the family home, and to less familiar White drew on classical, Italian renais- churches and banks on the East Coast. sance and Georgian revival models to The Friends of Florham and Samuel G. White create an architecture of wealth and have enjoyed a long relationship. In the mid- power. Important exponents of the City 1990s he delighted audiences here with a hypo- Beautiful Movement of the turn of the thetical exchange of letters between the last century, they transformed the look tight-fisted owner of Florham, Hamilton M. of America’s newly great cities, espe- Twombly, and Frederick Law Olmsted, whose cially New York City. McKim, Mead, firm planned much of the grounds. White’s and White found a city of brownstone; own architectural work was subsequently they helped leave one of “white marble exhibited in the Florham-Madison Campus and tawny brick.” Library. At the September 1998 opening recep- Sharing newly created illustrations from tion of that exhibition, White spoke to the his forthcoming book McKim, Mead, Friends on McKim, Mead, and White’s domes- and White Masterworks (Rizzoli, 2003), tic architecture based on his well received speaker White followed the evolution of book, The Houses of McKim, Mead, and White the firm’s style and strength. Beginning with an (Rizzoli: New York, 1998). important commission for The Great White Samuel G. White, a graduate of Harvard Col- City, Chicago’s 1893 Columbian Exposition, lege and the University of Pennsylvania, is a the firm went on to build the Boston Public fellow of the American Institute of Architects Library; Low Library at Columbia University; and a national academician. His firm Buttrick, the Pierpont Morgan Library; the Metropolitan, White & Burtis has merged with Platt, Byard, Century, University, Harmonie, and Harvard Dovell to form Platt, Byard, Dovell, White. Clubs; The Rhode Island State House; the White continues there with his work specializ- Brooklyn Museum; Madison Square Garden ing in new designs and preservation projects (demolished 1925) and many buildings for for institutions and owners of significant and Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus, as historic properties. He is also an adjunct pro- well as that of New York University’s Bronx fessor of fine arts at New York University and a Campus, now Bronx Community College. member of the advisory board of the New York Their Pennsylvania Station, modeled on the School of Interior Design. Baths of Caracalla (demolished 1963), was a monumental entrance to an imperial city. Emma Joy Dana, our indefatigable president, arranged and introduced the lecture. White died, notoriously, in 1906, and McKim, suffering a nervous breakdown, followed in Carol Selman, public member, New Jersey 1909. But between 1893 and their deaths, they Historical Commission, guest contributor 4 Shirley Carter Burden: An Appreciation continued from page 1 ta), Buffalo Child Long Lance (unknown ethnicity), and Molly Spotted Elk (Penobscot). While these boys may have retrospec- tively earned good marks for Native American casting, a life producing general-audience films did not seem to be compat- ible with Shirley’s sensibilities, and in the late l930s he used a portion of his inheritance to

establish Tradefilms, Inc., a com- View of the Italian pany mainly concerned with pro- Garden with the ducing training films for several southeast corner of branches of the U.S. military. the Mansion porch At war’s end, Burden decided in the foreground. to stay in California where he opened a photo studio and began a new career in architectural pho- tography, interior and exterior. From the mid-1950s and into the early l960s his work appeared regularly in House and Garden, Arts and Architecture and Mc- Calls, among other popular periodicals. During this period Burden also began producing thematic collections of art pho- tography for his own pleasure. But as early as l953 his work came to the attention of Edward Steichen, curator of photogra- phy at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) resulting in the inclusion in l955 of an example of Burden’s work in the museum’s turning-point photo exhibition, “The Family of Man.” Steichen also included a selection of Burden’s work in the l956 “Diogenes” group show of professional, but lesser known photographers. The mid-1950s was also a turning point not only for Burden but for U.S. art pho- tography in general. Aperture, a magazine featuring art photography, skillfully repro- duced, was founded in 1952, but its first two decades, despite The railroad overpass on the entrance road leading from Madison Avenue. continued on page 6 5 5 Continued from page 5 providing a new voice for art photo- graphy, were years noted for uncertain financial health. Aperture was to be- come a cause for Burden who, early on, saw its potential for continuing to foster contemporary art photography. For many years he served as chairman of the Aperture Foundation’s board of trustees. In l985 Aperture’s Burden Gallery (20 East 23rd Street, Manhat- tan) was formed and named in his honor as a testimony to his years of Interior of the Orangerie, possibly support for the journal and fine photog- taken in the late l940s raphy in this country. Still, Aperture or early l950s. was only a part of this mild-mannered man’s life. While serving for years as chairman of Aperture’s board of trust- ees, he also served as a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art (N.Y.C.) from 1974 to 1989 as well as chairman of its photography committee from l975 to l983. During this period Burden’s pho- tos continued to be widely published and acquired by major institutional photography collections throughout the country. Burden’s edited collections of pho- tographs are in content and presenta- tion a witness to the reflective nature of this gentle man whose reticence in the face of public acclaim was as well- known as his photography. He consis- tently advanced others rather than himself. In content, his works also reflect his deeply held Christian beliefs, a source of some embarrass- ment to the community of committed secular photographers and curators.

Entrance gate (now Among them was one notable excep- awaiting restoration) lead- tion, Edward Steichen, who, from his ing from the William position at MOMA, encouraged Burden, Clowney Gardens to the and it was Steichen who suggested that former Rhododendron- Azalea Garden. Burden undertake a photographic study of the Trappist community in Trappist, Kentucky. The result was a photo com- pendium, God Is My Life, with an intro- duction by Thomas Merton (New York: Reynal, 1960). In the early l970s Burden began to feel somewhat nostalgic about Florham, his grandmother Florence Vanderbilt Twombly’s country home and a place he often visited as a child and in his 6 teen years. In his autobiographical Front view of the Orangerie as seen from the Italian Gar- den. This photo was taken by Burden on a visit in the late l930s before the planting of the Atlas Cedars now at the far left and the Linden now to the right and currently obscuring a portion of the Orangerie.

photo album, The Vanderbilts in My Life (New 1989); and, with others, Ellis Island: Echoes Haven, Conn.: Ticknor and Fields, 1981), he From a Nation’s Past (N.Y.: Aperture, l989). admits to being awestruck by Florham as a In l973, Shirley Burden sent us a number of child. In the autumn of l971 or possibly l972 vintage prints taken here at Florham on his vis- (neither I nor James Griffo [then College at its in 1955. We have printed a selection of the Florham campus provost] can remember pre- outtakes from The Vanderbilts in My Life.* In cisely), Burden appeared on occasion, walked this only photo memoir, Burden wrote: around the campus, and responded in conversa- tion in one instance: “ … thought I’d just take “I’ll never forget my first visit to a few notes … refresh my impressions … Florham. I must have been seven or might be a book someday.” His courtliness eight. We drove through a wonderful tunnel with trains on top, and down a and disarming manner were in sharp contrast driveway to the biggest house I had to the ways of the mass of students then ever seen.” swirling through the grounds and buildings that had once echoed a quite different way of life. Bibliographic note: The sources consulted in The somewhat melancholy tone of The Vander- preparation of this appreciation have been bilts in My Life, with its photos taken shortly Shirley Burden’s books and are cited in the text. after the auction of the estate’s contents in l955 All photos are courtesy of the Library, College at combined with his reflections of the l970s, was Florham, where the campus archives are housed the result of Burden’s last visit to Florham. under the supervision of Eleanor Friedl, curator, special collections, who assisted in the prepara- Burden continued to write and compile. Pres- tion of this appreciation. ence (Millerton, N.Y.: Aperture, 1981) was fol- J.F. lowed by Chairs (N.Y.: Aperture, 1985); The *These images are published here for the first Many Faces of Mary (Millerton, N.Y.: Aperture, time. 7 7 FRIENDS OF FLORHAM The Library 285 Madison Avenue Madison, New Jersey 07940

Friends of Florham 2003 Spring Gala Become a Friend The fifth annual Friends’ Spring Gala is planned for Join the Friends of Florham. Participate directly in our May 10, 2003. The black-tie ball will begin with the efforts to preserve the architectural history of Florham, cocktail hour at 7 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing and support our informative program series. Your sup- at 8 p.m. Proceeds of the Spring Gala are used for port will make a difference. restoration projects at the Mansion. The Gala is co-chaired by Barbara Keefauver, Phyllis Name ______Conway and Dawn Dupak. Thelma Dear is the honorary Address______chairman of the Benefit Committee. The Benefit Committee includes: City______Susan Adams Barbara Keefauver State______Zip ______Kathy Atencio Mrs. Fred Kurtz Margaret Bartlett Mrs. Allan Kushen Telephone ______Linda Carrington Dottie Lockett Please check desired category: Mary Clowney Kay Lyall Your gift is tax-deductible Phyllis Conway Jeanne Manley Alice Darlington Cutler Linda Meister ❑ ❑ $25 — Friend $50 — Special Friend Emma Joy Dana Caron Menger ❑ $100 — Contributor ❑ $200 — Supporter Thelma Dear Barbara Moran ❑ $500 — Patron ❑ $1,000 — Sponsor Doris Dinsmore Suzy Moran Please mail your check to: Dawn Dupak Sigrid Mueller Friends of Florham, The Library Fairleigh Dickinson University Lynne Gorman Audrey Parker College at Florham Ruth Hennessy Nan Thomson 285 Madison Avenue Nancy Johnston Madison, N.J. 07940