Series I. HELEN JONES RICH, 1915-2000 (#1.1-5.11, F+D.1)

Series I, HELEN JONES RICH, 1915-2000 (#1.1-5.11, F+D.1), consists of correspondence, account books, notebooks, genealogical material, travel documents, recipes, etc. The bulk of this series consists of letters received from Arnold Rice Rich, who began courting Helen Jones in 1915 after meeting her at a dance at the University of Virginia. Although Jones spurned his advances several times, Rich continued to profess his love for her in dramatic fashion. His letters are filled with poetry, vivid imagery, and discussions of philosophy, and often discuss Jones' music practice and performances and Rich's medical schooling and early career, as well as his activities with family and friends, travel plans, relationship difficulties, and plans to have a family. Given that Rich was attending medical school at Johns Hopkins University and then completed several residencies elsewhere, while Jones was living in Atlanta, later studying music at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, they were seldom together. Their courting correspondence continued into 1925 when they were finally married. Later correspondence between the two includes commentary on their daughters Adrienne and Cynthia. Other material in this series includes correspondence with daughters Adrienne and Cynthia (mainly as children); doctors and their wives met through her husband; and her sister-in-law and mother-in-law. Much of this has to do with family news and includes letters of condolence on the death of Arnold Rice Rich. Notebooks includes notes from classes on botany as well as on the subjects of music, history, geology, science, education, philosophy, and medicine. Also included in several of these notebooks are comments about her husband and other doctors with whom he was acquainted, lists of food to be purchased, and instructions to house servants. Travel documents consist of a passport (including Adrienne Rich as a child) and travel journals and account books for trips to France and other European countries, North Africa, and Murray Bay, Quebec. These journals and account books contain entries describing their daily activities, recipes, comments regarding Adrienne as a child (including rules for her discipline), and lists of food and gifts purchased. Also included in the series are several talks that Rich gave at the Roland Park Country School which Adrienne attended. Subjects include the Arabic people, folk music, and prehistoric art. Other materials included are inventories of household objects and silver and a recipe book. The series is arranged alphabetically. Folder titles were created by the processor. See Series II for letters sent to Arnold Rice Rich during their courtship.