Letters from Francoise May, Ambassade de Belgique to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, April 21, 1934 - May 9, 1934 Digital
Scope and Contents
Two handwritten letters from Francoise May, daughter to Paul May, Belgian ambassador to the United States, to Mildred Bliss. The letters request opening the Dumbarton Oaks garden to benefit the Girl Scout Troop 53 and then thanks Bliss for doing so. A letter dated April 21, 1934 tells Mildred May apologizes for bothering her because she knows how busy Mildred is. She asks if Mildred would open her beautiful garden for the benefit of the Girl Scouts Camp Fund. May explains the fund enables poor children who otherwise would have to stay in Washington all the summer can go to Girl Scout Camp for two weeks or more. The troop has tried to raise the necessary funds but without a good result. "If you could possibly see your way to helping us, I should be most grateful." She tells Mildred if this is impossible for any reason she quite understands as opening her garden to the public incurs a great deal of bother and annoyance to Mildred. She offers to come and see Mildred some time when Mildred could let May know of the decision.
A letter dated May 9, [1934] from May tells Mildred that words can never express her gratitude for all she has done for her troop of Girl Scouts. Thanks to Mildred's extreme goodness, the troop raised more than $250.00, a sum that she had never even dreamed of possessing. This will enable fifteen to twenty children who would otherwise have had to stay in the heat here all through the summer, to spend two weeks each at the Scout Camp in Virginia. May can not thank Mildred enough for all her kindness. "Everyone was in raptures over your gorgeous garden, and the children enjoyed themselves immensely. They have never seen anything so lovely before." May says she hopes nothing was injured or spoilt in any way. May says if Troop 53 can do anything for Mildred to let them know. This will give the troop a chance to show Mildred how very very grateful they are. May thanks Mildred again from the bottom of her heart and asks that she express her deepest appreciation to The Ambassador [Robert Woods Bliss] for all his generosity.
Dates
- Creation: April 21, 1934 - May 9, 1934
Creator
- May, Francoise Madeleine, approximately 1911- (Correspondent, Person)
Language of Materials
Materials chiefly in English with a few items in Greek, Latin, French, Italian, or Spanish.
Conditions Governing Access
An appointment is required for access to these papers. To request an appointment, fill out the online form: http://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/access-and-hours/schedule-an-appointment.
For research queries, contact the staff of Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives (library@doaks.org).
Extent
23 boxes (Approximately 2632 items including correspondence, expense reports, invoices, estimates, deposit records, book lists, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and plant lists.)Creator
- May, Francoise Madeleine, approximately 1911- (Correspondent, Person)
Subject
- Bliss, Mildred Barnes, 1879-1969 (Recipient, Person)
- Bliss, Robert Woods, 1875-1962 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Dumbarton Oaks Repository
Dumbarton Oaks holds archival collections in its Rare Book Collection, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks Archives. The collections include: the papers of noteworthy scholars in the three fields that Dumbarton Oaks supports (Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape); image collections depicting objects or sites of topical interest to scholars in the three fields; Beatrix Farrand’s personal archive of letters and original drawings that document the development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden; and institutional records and architectural plans and drawings documenting the history of Dumbarton Oaks. For more information about hours and to make an appointment to consult any of the collections listed here, please fill out the request form: https://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/schedule-an-appointment