BOSTON ATHENAEUM - SPECIAL COLLECTIONS GUIDE TO THEODORE SIZER'S WALPOLE SOCIETY PAPERS Sizer, Theodore, 1892-1967 Walpole Society papers, 1934-1967 1 box (21 folders) Contact information: Reference Department Boston Athenaeum 10 V% Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108 617 227-0270 Finding aid: Melanie Leung, project intern. Finding aid completed October 2009. Stephen Nonack, supervising archivist. Call number: Mss. .L717 Access: Appointment required. Open for use by Athenaeum members and quahfied researchers according to guidelines for the use of the special collections pages 1-13 follow Theodore Sizer's Walpole Society Papers 1934-1967 Manuscript collection: Volume: 5 inches — 21 folders Arrangement: chronological Processing Processed: October 2009 Processor: Melanie Leung, Simmons College Supervising archivist: Stephen Nonack Biographical Note Theodore Sizer (1892-1967) was an Art History professor at Yale University from 1927- 1957. He joined the Walpole Society ca. 1935, officially elected a member 1939, and had an especial interest in the artist John Trumbull, about whom he wrote several books. Sizer also designed and created hooked rugs as a hobby. His son, also named Theodore, became a faculty member at Yale as well. The Walpole Society, named after Horace Walpole (1717-1797), was founded in 1911 to promote the study of British Art. Walpole was supposedly the first British Art Historian. The Society is still in existence and every year publishes a book of writings authored by members and scholars from all over the world. Scope and Content The collection documents of announcements of Society meetings, nominations of new members, memoriam cards, pamphlets for Society trips, pictures of the trips, correspondence and other Society miscellany. The announcements and nominations make up the bulk of the collection. The correspondence deals mostly with Walpole Society issues. Item List I. Folder 1: 1934 June 4-1941 July 3 1. 1934 June 4; Rearrangement of an Old English Song and other lyrics from George Dudley Seymour. Lyrics of a song, "Drink, Fellow, Drink"; includes a handwritten note in pencil and Seymour's stamp along with lyrics from two other songs. 2. 1935 October 6; Copy of a newspaper article from the New Haven Sunday Register Sizer dedicates a monument to a Revolutionary artist, Ralph Earl in the Bolton Cemetery. 3. 1935 ca.; Photograph of a parlor room from George Dudley Seymour 4. 1936 May 29-31; Program for the Spring meeting in New Haven, Connecticut Secretary P. L. Spaulding. Highlights: Yale, New Haven Historical Society and the grave of Nathan Hale. 5. 1940 ca.; Christmas card from Chauncey C. Nash Wishing Sizer a merry Christmas and happy New Year 6. 1940 ca.; Image of a Man Sketching from G.D. Seymour 7. 1940 May 17-19; Program for the 30th Annual meeting in Hartford, Connecticut Secretary Chauncey C. Nash. Highlights: Yale Art Gallery, historic houses, Wads worth Athenaeum and the Morgan Memorial. 1 8. 1941 May 23-25; Program for the 31st Annual meeting in Boston Highlights: Gore Place and the Fogg Museum at Harvard in Cambridge. 9. 1941 May 24; Card and envelop to Dwight Blaney 10. 1941 July 3; Society announcements Preliminary notice for the Fall meeting, visiting Southbridge and Sturbridge, MA II. Folder 2: 1941 September 25 - 1945 July 26 1. 1941 September 25; Pamphlet Synopsis of visit to the Old Quinabaug Village in Sturbridge Village, MA & includes a name card clipped to the pamphlet 2. 1942 February 9; Copy of a newspaper article from the New York Herald Tribune Obituary of Richard Halsey, an expert on American craftsmanship & art 3. 1942 May 1-3; Program for the 32nd Annual meeting in New York City Highlights: the Brooklyn Museum & Rye, New York 4. 1942 June 5; Membership nomination William Sumner Appleton nominated by George Dudley Seymour & 2nd by J. Frederick Kelly 5. 1942 June 16; Membership nomination Endorsement letter from George Dudley Seymour 6. 1943 May 28; Society announcement Announcement for the 33rd Annual meeting 7. 1943 June 9; Society announcements William Sumner Appleton newest elected member & includes a list of publications 8. 1944 May 26-28; Program for the 34th Annual meeting in Boston Highlights: Fogg Museum at Harvard, Paul Revere House & Otis House 9. 1945 May 22; Society announcements Postponement of annual meeting, 4 vacancies for membership 10. 1945; July 26; Membership nomination J. Gilman D'Arcy Paul nominated by J. Hall Pleasants, 2nd Macgill James III. Folder 3: 1946 January 16-1948 May 22 1. 1946 January 16; Membership nomination Newton Case Brainard nominated by William A. Putnam, 2nd William B. Goodwin 2. 1946 January 9; Membership nomination Augustus Peabody Loring Jr. nominated by William A. Jackson, 2nd Carleton R. Richmond 3. 1946 August 12; Notice for Fall meeting Meeting to be held in Worcester, MA, September 27-29 1946, will visit the Antiquarian Society, Worcester Art Museum, Higgins Armory & the Time Stone Farm in Marlborough 4. 1947 September 1; Memoriam card Handwritten by C.C. Nash for J. Frederick Kelly 5. 1947 October 17; Society announcements Thomas T. Waterman & Herbert A. Claibourne elected as members, will have Midwinter meeting in New York sometime in February 1948, have annual Spring meeting in New Haven in May 1948 6. 1947 November 24; Memoriam card Handwritten by C.C. Nash for William Sumner Appleton 7. 1947 ca.; Photographs 14 black & white photographs about 5x5", pictures of a trip to Richmond, Virginia, 6 identified with subject as John Phillips 8. 1947 December 3; Membership nomination Walter M. Jeffords nominated by Henry Francis DuPont, 2nd John Marshall Phillips, includes announcement of Midwinter meeting in New York City February 7, will visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art 9. 1948 January 1; Memoriam card Handwritten by C.C. Nash for Alexander Willboume Weddell 10. 1948 February 21; Society announcements Walter M. Jeffords elected as member, annual meeting in New Haven will be May 21-22 1948, Edward Pierce Hamilton nominated by Carleton R. Richmond 2nd Stephen H. P. Pell 11.1948 April 19; Preliminary notice Tentative itinerary for 38* Annual meeting 12. 1948 May 21 - 22; Program for 38th Annual meeting in New Haven Highlights: Yale art gallery & library, Wesleyan University IV. Folder 4: 1948 August 25 - 1949 May 22 1. 1948 August 25; Card to Sizer from C.C. Nash Discusses a book and the spelling of a word 2. 1948 August 28; Memoriam card Henry Watson Kent — a Society founder 3. 1948 October 8-10; Program for the Fall meeting in Winterthur, DE Highlights: Swedes Church, New Castle & Read House 4. 1948 October 16; Membership nomination Bertram K. Little nominated by Russell H. Kettell, 2nd Chauncey C. Nash 5. 1948 October 16; Membership nomination Dr. C. Ray Franklin nominated by Henry duPont, 2nd Thomas T. Waterman 6. 1948 November 27; Society announcements Midwinter meeting February 5, 1949 in New York City, voting on amendments to Society constitution in regards to membership qualifications & executive committee 7. 1949 February 5; Program for the Midwinter meeting in New York City Highlights: City Hall, St. Paul's Chapel, Trinity Church 8. 1949 February 17; Society announcements Bertram K. Little elected as member, plans for next annual meeting in Maryland 9. 1949 May 3; Letter to Sizer from J. Gilman D'Arcy Paul Thanks Sizer for the use of his station wagon for the Society meeting, informs about the potential heat & complains about the Pennsylvania railroad & the time change due to daylight savings 10. 1949 May 20 - 22; Program for the 39th Annual meeting on the eastern shore of Maryland Highlights: Georgetown, Kitty Knight House, Wye Plantation 11. 1949 May 20 - 22; Advance notice for the annual meeting Further details concerning the trip to Maryland V. Folder 5: 1949 November 4 - 1950 September 26 1. 1949 November 4; Letter to Sizer from C.C. Nash Discusses some problems with the first listing of Society members past and present 2. 1949 November 9; Letter to Sizer from C.C. Nash Discusses the existence of a book that will be useful to Sizer containing a list of Society members, both past and present 3. 1949 December 7; Membership nomination John Howard Benson nominated by William H. Putnam, 2nd Lawrence C. Wroth 4. 1950 February 3; Society notices & announcements Preliminary notice for the 40th Annual meeting in Washington DC on May 5-6 1950, nomination for Arthur Amory Houghton Jr. by William A. Jackson, 2nd J. Gilman D'Arcy Paul 5. 1950 January 10; Letter to Sizer from Henry Schraub Kelly Thanks Sizer for reviewing, publishing & distributing brother Fred's book — Kelly was an architect in New Haven. 6. 1950 May 5-7; Program for the 40th Annual meeting in Washington DC Highlights: Alexandria, Mount Vernon, Folger Shakespeare Library, Dumbarton Oaks 7. 1950 May 17; Memoriam card Handwritten by C.C. Nash for William Brounell Goodwin 8. 1950 May 21; Letter to Sizer from C.C. Nash Remembers Goodwin who was "master of ceremonies" and mentions Bill Putnam's withdrawal of John Benson as a potential member for election 9. 1950 June 22; Memoriam card Handwritten by C.C. Nash for Stephen Hyatt Pelham Pell 10. 1950 September 26; Membership nomination Irving S. Olds nominated by Thomas W. Streeter, 2nd John Marshall Phillips VI. Folder 6: 1950 October 12 - 1951 May 28 1. 1950 October 12; Membership notice Typed card, Ralph E. Carpenter elected as a member 2. 1950 October 13-15; Program for the Fall meeting in Philadelphia (2 copies) Highlights: Fairmount Park 3. 1950 October 19; Membership nomination Henry Needham Flynt nominated by John Marshall Phillips, 2nd Joseph Downs 4. 1950 October 19; Membership nomination Charles Franklin Montgomery nominated by Henry duPont, 2nd John Marshall Phillips 5. 1950 November 8; Society announcements Preliminary notices for Midwinter meeting January 12-13 1951 in Boston, 41st Annual meeting May 18-19 in Deerfield, MA 6.