Friends of DEDICATIONF lorham OF J. MICHAEL ADAMS fall 2013 PRESIDENTIAL SUITE AT WROXTON Board of TrusTees friends of florham The dedication of Room #2 is the room Valerie Adams the J. Michael Adams where President Ad- Kathleen Atencio Presidential Suite was ams stayed during Carol Bere held on Sunday, April his annual visits to Linda Carrington Denise Bridgens Collins 21, 2013, at Wroxton the Abbey, and since Samuel M. Convissor Abbey, the Fairleigh Wroxton was one of Phyllis Conway Dickinson University his favorite places, Emma Joy Dana campus near Banbury, this was a beautiful Dawn Dupak England. This tribute tribute. Elaine Earlywine was initiated in May The former abbey Beth Hennessy of 2012 by Friends of Carol C. Knauff is listed on the Eng- Florham board mem- Linda Meister ber Carol Knauff and lish Historic Regis- Suzy Moran her husband, Jeff, ter, and, as such, Kathryn Greer Murphy when President Ad- décor must be rep- Antoinette C. Petrocelli ams announced his resentative of the Ann Wellbrock retirement from the period, or from the University. Friends years 1668 to 1746. honorary TrusTees President Linda Meis- Suzy Moran, inte- Susan Adams ter endorsed the proj- rior designer and Kim Dougherty ect, and an immediate Friends board mem- Ruth Hennessy fundraising campaign ber, with substantial Audrey Parker ensued. knowledge of the Arthur T. Vanderbilt, II Wroxton was first re- FROM LEFT: DEAN OF WROXTON COLLEGE NICHOLAS historic houses of corded in 1089; Wrox- BALDWIN, LATE PRESIDENT ADAMS’ SON BEN, FDU PRESIDENT England, agreed to universiTy liaisons SHELDON DRUCKER AND SUSAN ADAMS, FOLLOWING THE Carol Black ton manor became a oversee this im- UNVEILING OF THE PORTRAIT OF MICHAEL ADAMS. Gary Darden priory dedicated to St. portant project and Sheldon Drucker leigh Dickinson acquired the enlisted the help of her friend Mary around 1216. In 1536, when Eleanor Friedl Henry VIII dissolved the mon- property from Trinity College and fellow designer, Lady Hen- Brian Mauro asteries, one of the people to in 1965. rietta Spencer-Churchill. It was Susan McConville profit from his action was Thom- The master bedroom at Wrox- especially interesting that Lady Peter Woolley as Pope, treasurer of the Court of ton, or Room #2, has housed Henrietta Spencer-Churchill is Augmentation, who purchased many dignitaries through the the great-granddaughter of the lease to what remained of years, including Winston Church- Consuelo Vanderbilt, who was this property. Founder of Trinity ill. It is where Walter Savage and the niece of Florence Vanderbilt College, Oxford, Pope estab- his wife, Patty, stayed in their first Twombly of Florham. lished an endowment, which year at Wroxton in l966. Although The presidential suite was included the lands of Wroxton, the furnishings had been refurbished in keeping with the and ensured the right of lease “freshened” through the years, Regency Period, in which forms renewal for his male heirs. Fair- it was time for a total makeover. (continued on page 3) President’S Letter Dear Friends, of these photographs, Friends of and Mead, was largely respon- The Friends of Florham is for- Florham had Shirley Burden’s pho- sible for the interior decoration tunate to have a hard-working tos digitally archived and available of Florham. The lecture will take committed board, whose mem- online. Several of the images hang place on Sunday, November 10. bers are willing to put in the time in the Great Hall. Interior designer Our annual gala is on Sat- and resources needed to com- Suzy Moran suggested hanging urday, September 28, and we plete so many of the projects more in the Provost’s Office, mak- are honoring Fairleigh Dickinson’s detailed in this letter. This year, ing these historic images immedi- new president, Sheldon Drucker. we were pleased to add Valerie ately accessible to the visitor. When we initiated the tribute to Adams and Ann Petrocelli to our In addition, carpeting and chairs Michael Adams at the campus board. Please join me in welcom- were replaced and new lamps in England, President Drucker’s ing Valerie and Ann, who are added. Window treatments are support enabled us to do far more formally introduced to you in this being fabricated. All these chang- than we originally planned to do. issue of the newsletter, es will emphasize the rich detail of His assistance made the renova- The renovation of the Provost’s this beautiful space and provide tion a total transformation, and Office on the first floor of Hen- an enhanced suite of offices. we appreciate that commitment nessy Hall was the primary focus Campus Provost Peter Woolley and his cooperation. Please join of the Friends of Florham during shared his delight with the trans- us in honoring President Drucker the first months of 2013. Formerly formation and reports that cam- and his wife, Sandi, who will join Mr. Twombly’s library, this space, pus visitors are also impressed. our board this year. with its magnificent marble fire- And there are many more visi- At the turn of the 20th cen- place, is thought to be the most tors. An audience of almost 100 tury, Morristown was home to impressive in the mansion. It was attended our last lecture, Ulysses many gilded-age mansions, all the last large room on the man- Grant Dietz’s “Money, Beauty, designed by America’s best ar- sion’s first floor still in need of a Power: The Transformation of chitects. Florham is one of the renovation that would make it more Taste in the Gilded Age.” We are few remaining. We are lucky to representative of the gilded age. delighted to have such an inter- be able to utilize and preserve In 1954, prior to its sale to FDU, ested membership. a building that demonstrates the Mrs. Twombly’s grandson, Shirley We look forward to hearing Sam richness of this era of American Burden, photographed the man- White speak on his recent book, history and architecture. Your generosity has made it all pos- sion and its grounds. Recognizing Stanford White, Architect. Stan- both the artistic and historic value ford White, a partner with McKim sible. — Linda Meister Farewell and Thank You This year, Audrey Parker re- us the singing group “The Ten,” is not far away, and we hope to tired from active service on the who enhanced our experiences. see her and her delightful hus- Friends of Florham board and A Madison, N.J., resident, Audrey band, Henry, on the dance floor is now an honorary board at the September Gala. member. Audrey served Alan Kushen, a Friends of on the board since its Florham board member for formation in 1990. Chic many years, now resides in and charming, her good Florida with his lovely wife, taste and excellent advice Natalie Best. An attorney, were always invaluable to who in retirement served in Friends of Florham during many voluntary capacities, these years. Audrey sup- Alan was most helpful to ported our gala with her our board with legal advice assistance with the band and solid reasoning. We will expenses and by bringing Audrey Parker Alan Kushen miss him very much. 2 | Friends of Florham Presidential Suite (continued from page 1) and motifs from ancient Greece The desk is situated beneath and Rome were the basis of the the windows that now feature style. A classical frieze borders the dramatic striped dra peries from room, bringing the coving, mold- floor to ceiling over light-and-airy ing and the ornate plasterwork sheers. The elegantly fringed on the ceiling together. During pelmet completes the window this renovation, the walls were ensemble and adds emphasis to completely restored and repaint- the height of the room. ed with period-appropriate colors. The biggest transformation Gilding was added to the fire- is the bathroom; this renovation place surround to enhance the makes the suite truly a five-star original carvings and gilt work. FOUR-POSTER, CARVED MAHOGANY environment, yet in keeping with BED WITH BEDSIDE CHEST The furniture focal point of the overall theme. As the pictures the room is a grand, historically show, there is now a genuine appropriate, four-poster, carved- shower, beautifully tiled and ap- mahogany bed. The antique bed pointed. The carved walls were frame was resized and enlarged cleaned and restored and create to king size, and a padded head- a wonderful juxtaposition to the board was added. The bed hang- new white tiles. There is a small ings match the window pelmets vanity with a lighted mirror and and Regency-striped panels. a hair dryer. As anyone who has visited the Abbey knows, access The bed grouping is completed to a hairdryer in the bathroom is with two chests of drawers in ma- luxury indeed. hogany, circa 1810, that serve NEW SHOWER as bedside tables and provide The Friends were able to ex- a surface for lamps and clothing pand the project to include the storage. Their authenticity comple- bathroom renovation with the ments the room. support of FDU President Shelley Drucker. His opinion was that the The 23 framed images on the bathroom needed to be updated, walls are illustrations from a book and it made sense to deal with all on literature that was in Michael the construction issues simulta- Adams’ personal collection. Ad- neously. Redoing any bathroom is ditionally, there is a plaque thank- a huge project, and a renovation ing the individual donors for their VANITY WITH LIGHTED like this in a 13th-century struc- MIRROR AND HAIRDRYER contributions and commemorat- ture had special challenges, but Bathroom Before ing the dedication of the room. the outcome is spectacular. The Seating in the room is provided bathroom is now truly beautiful, by a wing chair with typical ball- gracefully luxurious and wonder- and-claw feet of the time and a fully functional.