Box E

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Handwritten letter from Helen P. Thorue to Mildred Bliss tells her she is sorry to hear that she was ill and that she missed her while at Dumbarton Oaks. She hopes she is feeling better. She enjoyed seeing Robert Woods Bliss. She says, "Your garden is a treasure garden - it is filled with exquisite beauties of all kind, garden design, horticultural treasures, garden ornament and above all imagination and enchanting variety."

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Exchange of handwritten and typescript letters between Helen Richardson and Mrs. Henry Howard and Mildred Bliss and her secretary about opening up the Dumbarton Oaks garden to the Girls Scouts, Camp Council, May Flather to raise funds for the camp. After an exchange of letters, the Girls Scouts responded that they must forgo the pleasure of Dumbarton Oaks gardens.

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Exchange of typescript letters between Robert F. Rich, Representative of the Congress of the United States and Robert Woods Bliss about Rich's request to walk through the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks. Bliss responds to his request with the hours the garden is open to the public for the benefit the Girl Scouts.

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Handwritten letter from Ruth Havey to Mildred Bliss reports on North Vista projects ready for construction contracts and final criticism: North Bay steps, consoles and North Court wall at house, gate finials, and consoles at North and South end of Cedar Terrace. After a meeting with Mr. Finelli, changes to the R Street gates are being made. She is sharing the Folio Room with Professor Albert M. Friend and Mr. Luciani is working in Matthew Kearney's office.

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Handwritten letter from Ruth Havey to Mildred Bliss tells her she took a break to be with a dying friend. She will be back in the office soon and offers her contact information if Mildred Bliss needs it. She expects to send the console drawings next week.

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Handwritten letter from Leigh Ashton to Mildred Bliss shares his ideas of trying to get the lovely music of Bizet and of buying panels with tulips from a pavilion in the Bosphorus used by Suleiman the Magnificient. He thinks she could go through the American Ambassador in Ankara, Turkey to get them. The panels of one room are decorated with beautiful doubled handed vases with a full bouquet of flowers, such as lilies or narcissi. He has discussed this idea with John Thacher.

Scope and Contents: Exchange of typescript letters between William H. Bond and Mildred Bliss suggests she contact Katherine McNamara, librarian of the Harvard Landscape Architecture Library as she is the best authority in the field. She published "Landscape Architecture : a classified bibliography" Cambridge, in 1934. He also recommends other publications, "Some references in the International Style of Landscape Design" 1938; "The Codman collection of books in landscape gardening" Boston Public Library, 1899;...

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Advertisement from Harvard University Press on the sale of "Icon and Idea : the function of art in the development of human consciousness" by Sir Herbert Read for $7.50. The book has 88 pages of illustrations.

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Estimate from R.B. Phelps Stone Co. to Ruth Havey for new steps, platform and cheeks, North elevation, Dumbarton Oaks in accordance with the plans. The cost is supplied in estimate.

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Requests sent to Dumbarton Oaks or Mildred or Robert Woods Bliss.

Scope and Contents: Typescript letter with handwritten signature from Florence N. Oleson (Mrs. Robert Oleson) and Mildred Bliss asks if the Dumbarton Oaks Garden could be available for a garden tour for the American Association of University Women to raise funds to support a Latin American Fellowship. A booklet of the work of the American Association of University Women was included with letter. A note for Mildred Bliss from a secretary tells her Robert Woods Bliss telephoned Oleson to explain it would not be...

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Telephone message from Mrs. Wallace to Mildred Bliss asks if the English-Speaking Union could be entertained in the Dumbarton Oaks Gardens. The secretary told her is was not possible. Later in the day a representative called from the Women's Society of the All Souls Church with a similar request and was told of the first open day of the gardens to the public.

Scope and Contents: Exchange of letters regarding the provenance of the Gainsborough portrait by Mrs. Jordan owned by Robert and Mildred Bliss. The inquiry from Frances S. Fink resulted in a memorandum from John Thacher to Robert and Mildred Bliss. Mildred writes Miss Sally Fairchild, whose mother sold the sketch to Mildred Bliss's father, Demas Barnes if she remembered any provenance information. Mildred Bliss asks Sally Fairchild to respond to Frances S. Fink as the women both live in Boston. Copy...

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Copy of typescript letter from C. Isabel Denison to Arthur Harmount Graves asks that a duplicate check sent to him be returned.

Scope and Contents: Typescript letter with handwritten signature from Reginald R. Isaacs, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University to Mildred Bliss tells her it was one of the most pleasant days being able to talk with her and John Thacher about a subject of real and mutual concern and enjoy her wonderful gardesn. He is optimistic about the garden fellowships that will serve what she has in mind and the academic desires of the faculty. "Dumbarton Oaks can serve both as a means of developing and...

Scope and Contents: Copy of typescript letter from Mildred Bliss to Father Francis Dvornik tells him it was nice to receive his letter which followed her and Robert Woods Bliss about Europe for a few weeks. They had hoped to find Dvornik in London, but were told he would not be returning until the day they leave for France. She thinks Dvornik will reach Dumbarton Oaks before they do because they sail home on October 21st. They note what Dvornik wrote with great interest and look forward to a thorough talk with...

Scope and Contents: Handwritten letter from Glanville Downey to Mildred Bliss enclosing a copy of the paper which he read at the Symposium that Mildred asked to see. He apologizes for having been so slow in providing it, but it has taken him longer to copy it than he supposed it would. He asks that it be returned to him eventually as he has to publish it. Also enclosed is an offprint which is badly printed as the Syrians are newcovers n such things. He reports that they deserve to be encouraged. Paper and...

Scope and Contents: Typescript letter with handwritten signature from Glanville Downey to Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss informing them that he and his family are very comfortably settled in Princeton, and they look forward to a pleasant year. They will miss Washington [D.C.] and Dumbarton Oaks. They are living in a furnished apartment provided by the Institute which is quite adequate and with a few minutes walk of the Institute buildings where Glanville has been given an excellent study. He reports there...

Scope and Contents: Handwritten letter from Father Francis Dvornik to Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss telling them he takes great pleasure in presenting a copy of his book, "The Making of Central and Eastern Europe" published recently in London. In the introduction and the final chapters, they will find are other proof of the importance of Byzantine history for a proper understanding of the twelfth centuries, so vital for the development of Germany, of Central Europe, and of Russia, has been misrepresented...

Scope and Contents: Handwritten letter from Father Francis Dvornik to Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss thanking them for the support they gave during the Symposium and the party at their house at the end of the Symposium. He thanks The Lord for a successful Symposium in spite of the weather. Without them there would not have been a Dumbarton Oaks Research Trust or Symposium. He says the Blisses saw what was needed in this country and The Lord is rewarding them. Their great sacrifice was not in vain. They...

Scope and Contents: Handwritten letter from Father Francis Dvornik to Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss reports that the lectures he gave at the University of London and the University of Paris were a "great success". He is pleased to tell that he was able to hold the flag of true scholarship and of Dumbarton Oaks, in particular, very high. He was surprised to find so many people interested in his research. He will return to the U.S. as a convinced and fervent American patriot. He is defending the U.S. where...

Scope and Contents: Handwritten letter from Father Francis Dvornik to Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss tells them he is overwhelmed by their kindness and generosity and offers his thanks for their beautiful Christmas present. He will use it for the first time at his Christmas day Mass, and will say the Mass for both of them and also remember all their dearly departed. He hoped to be able to give them a copy of his new book, "The Slavs, their Early History and Civilization", but printing has been delayed...

Scope and Contents: Handwritten letter from Father Francis Dvornik to Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss thanks them for their generous gift. He says, "Mr. Bliss knows the "good years!" He will enjoy the wine and Christmas cake. His gift for them is unfortunately on its way to be printed. He did all he could to have his new book printed before Christmas, but he has not succeeded. He has only finished the correction of the gallery proofs. He only has a small offprint in French to offer them. It is a short...

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Handwritten letter from Father Francis Dvornik to Robert and Mildred Bliss send his latest publication, "Slavs,Their Early History and Civilization" published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts as an early Christmas present. He is in Cambridge teaching a course based on the publication. He looks forward to seeing them again at Dumbarton Oaks.