PROGRAM
ANNUAL MEETING April 24, 1941
MEXICAN DINNER MUSIC .............•.........
Quartet: Hellen Olofson
Lois Olofson
Marjori Olofson
Max Altekruse
Central Trio:
Arlene Schwartz, pianist
Martha Jean Exner, violin
Loe Lickert, flutist
ANNUAL MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY WAYNE L.
THIEME, President of the Art Association ...
PRESENTATION OF HONORED GUESTS ............ .
GREEl'INGS ....... WALTER H. McBRIDE, Director
INTRO DUCT ION OF FACULTY .....•.............. ••
TALK, "MEXICO" ............. MISS ELMA PRATT,
Director of the InternatJ.onal School of Art
ADJOURNMENT OF ANNUAL MEETING ............. .
************
ANNUAL MEETING PLANNING COMMITTEE:
Mrs. Charles M. Houser ..... General Chairman
Menu Chairman, Mrs. Arthue w. Parry
Invitations, Mrs. Eugene L. Bulson
Decorations: Mrs. Sam R. Mercer
Mrs. F. B. Mead, Jr.
Mrs. James E. Haney
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR
Through the inspirnt1on nnd guidRnce of
the Misses Agnes and Jessie Hamilton the
art education movement was started in Fort
Wayne in lSSO in their carriage house,
which was turned into R studio and exhibition
room.
To this splendid beginning wRs added in
1921 the very generous gift of Mr. Theodore
F. Thieme consisting of his former
home and his collection of pn1nt1ngs, the
nucleus of our present museum and school ..
Through tho foresight nnd generosity Of
this c~vic-mindcd person the orgnnization
has been n.olc to provide a very v10rthwhilc
culturRl center.
Our growth hns been slow but stendy, emerging
onch ycnr upon n little higher level.
Ettch yen.r more nnd more persons hn"'rc found
enjoyment rmd s;•.tisf1~ction in our exist once .•
During L;hc yonr 1940·-41 one hundred nnd
thirty-four meetings were held by civic or-·
ganiz.n~t1:c!1s who ·enjoyed n.nd profited by the•
facilities offered by the Fort WAyne Art
School nr:d. :.,Iuscv.n. A total of 9, 50~ people·
visited the museum during the current yearr
This year h~s been a most eventful one in
reg~rd to the exhibitions offered to the
Fort 'Nnync ptLbllc. Mot'e contemporary masterpieces
have baen oxhi-bited t:1is yeRr
thRn ever· before in the history of our orgnnization.
The total evaluation of these
pnintings was close to R million dollRrs.
As a gift to our permanent collection was
the important bequest of paintings left
to us by Mr. James M. Hamilton. This adds
materially to our importance as R museum
and therefore plRces before us a greater
responsibility in that phase of our future
work. We can now build A more constructive
and better community art center for Fort
Wayne, and in so doing reach in some measure
the ideals of our early founders nnd
benefactors ..
W~.lter H. McBride, director
FINANCIAL REPORT ..... Franklin B. Mead, Jr.
Treasurer
There is every reason to believe that the
school ts current fiscal year which closes
August 31 will continue to show a satisfactory
financial condition. Income from
tuitions is above that of last year and
compares very favorably with any year in
our history. Memberships have reached
the maximum permitted by the limited capacity
of the auditorium.
The Civil and School Cities are continuing
to contribute generously from the general
tax funds. While we need and appreciate
this aid we are endeavoring to become
more self ... supporting. A few years
ago we received over two-thirds of our income
fro~ public funds. Today we are happy
to say that over one-half of our annual
income is produced through oμr own efforts.
Being a non-profit organization we do not
expect to show a large excess of income
over expenditures. At the start of each
year a detailed budget is prepared and this
is rigidly followed throughout the ensuing
year. Tile school has many needs. Lt:t.st year,
for example, approximately )1200 wA.s spent
on repairs, improvement, and· new equipment.
Your BoRrd of Directors mnkcs n conscientious
effort to see thnt such monies are
spent wisely where they will~do the most
good.
ANNUAL REPORT .......... Margaret Ann Keegan
(with a thank you ·and ·an apology to Wolf &
Dessauer)
Apr. 26 We hold our annual meeting and elect
1940 ten new Board members.
May 7 Malvina Hoffman delights us at the
first lecture on our membership
series.
June 2 Baccalaureate services are held at
the First Methodist Church---beginning
a weeY- of good times for the
seniors, including an all-day trip
to lfr's. Bales' cottage, a sketch trip
tq Bradley's, a dinner at the Berghoff,
and a tea for the graduates
and their J)ltrents at Mnrgaret Ann
Keegan's house~--and fitlfllly
6 Graduation day for a class of thirteen
students.
g At the Annual Alumni Banquet, Franklin
Boggs, n winner for two years
of the PhiladelphiR Academy's Cresson
nward for foreign study P.nd a grad
of Fort WRyne Art School in 1936,
told of his trip to Europe when war
was just beginning.
11 The McBr1des lenve for study nt the
CnliforniR College of Arts & CrRfts
in OaklRnd, visiting outstanding nrt
museums Rlong the way.
22· The Art League "throws R June Bouquet"
for its windup dance of the seAson.
August Class rooms are redecorated---green,
yellow, and.blue---and the building
is ·painted y~ellow. We can't wait
for the fall season to start in our
clean, colorful bul°ldihg. Mr. Theodore
Thieme presents us with a beautiful
crystal chandelier for the
Board room as a pleasant surprise.
Sep~~ .9· Students pour into school and classes
begin.
The students' Annual Exhibition is
hung and displayed and attracts much
attention. Max Altekruse wins the
$25 Tri Kappa purchase prize for his
painting called "Still Life."
1$ Last year's graduates are hosts at a
Mixer Tea for the students.
October The afternoon Art League sponsors
the Disney rrp1nocchion exhibition
from the Courvoisier Galleries in
San Francisco. They also surprise
us with two lovely gifts---a lithograph
and two ceramic figurines by
Jean Manley,.
Limited Edition Sculptures from the
Albright Galleries in New York add
further beauty to the museum walls.
g Mr. McBride entertained the Board
and Art Association members with
museum slides from his California
trip. We compare ourselves with
others and are very much encouraged.
15 Admiral Yarnelle substitutes for Dr.
William Lyon Phelps, who is ill,
in the second membership lecture.
Oct. 16 Gladys Bone complains she can't find
enough room for her Matron's Class.
Each W8dnesday afte:L"'noon finds fifteen
women busily paint).ng flowers and other
attractive still li:fe under Mr. Davisson=
s supervision. Some of the matrons
even come in the morning to do bookbinding
and weaving with Mr. McBride.
31 Hallowe'en witches hold no terror for
forty .. two stud.en ts enrolling in the
Night School classes. They've come to
learn crafts, figure sketching, a.nd clay
modeling.
Mr. and l .. frs. Myron Bone add dignity and
charm to our museum by lending a roomful
of decorative Chinese teakwood furniture.
Nov. 1 The Fine Small Oils by Contemporary
American Artists comes to us from
the Ancrlcan Fee.oration of Arts. We
also have the Sigma Beta Phi Doll
Dioramas on view to enjoy.
19 Richard Lahey paints a portrait for
us at the third Membership lecture.
Later he sent us an etching entitled
"Toledon for our permanent collection.
30 The Artists and Models Dancing Club
begin their season with a gay winter
dance.
lcn, Mrs. Charles Miller, Dr. Carey,
Mrs. Metzger, and Mrs. Ladig supplements
our exhibition of Antique Wnll
Papers from Bassett and Yollum, Inc.
of Chicago.
Dec. 10 Just before the students• Christmas
vacation we held a party for the membership
with the North Side a CnpellR
Choir and Mrs. Archie Keene furnishing
the entertainment. W-o drank R
cup ot wassail and went home imbued
with the Christmas spirit.
31 The Art Lengue had R"Broadcast Ballw
at the Anthony with a wonderfully
lArgc crowd ushering 1n the New Year.
January The Wallace Mitchell Watercolor Show
arrives from the Cranbrook Academy of
Art for showing this month.
11 The Artists and Models enjoy themselves
with A "Farm Frolic.ff
21 We can hardly believe our eyes and
ca.rs when we learn thnt Mr. Jrunes M.
Hnmilton, a former Fort Wayne resident
and very prominent ClevelRnd ~rch1
tect, hEts remembered us so very
generously in his will. -----
22 The Yale Puppeteers gnve-ttnother delightful
perforIDA.nce for us.
Lois McBride's watercolor class exhibited
fifty pictures at the Civic
Theatre and at the Woman's Club.
MA.ny of the paintings were sold.
Jan. 30 We are more excited than ever, for it
appears likely that besides his paintings
we'll receive more than ~50,000
from Mr. Hamilton's estate.
31 The ·Lion's Club asked us to make a
plaque for the National Lion•s Museum
in St. Louis---something typical of
Fort Wayne. This problem was assigned
to Forrest Stark's class.
'Feb. 1 In our auditorium we have the Indiana
Society of Printmakers, the Twelve
French Painters, Rnd the Surendorf Engraving
exhibitions on view for the
members and the public.
g Sixty-two kida_ies pour in to reg1 st er
for the second semester of the Saturday
morning art classes. The youngsters
range in age from kindergarten
through high school, so the building
buzzes with varied activity.
~ ' 15 Practically all Board members are so-journing
west, south, and southwest;
committee cha1,rmen find it difficult
to obtain a quorum!
21 The Leaguart Frunily wRs presented in
R style show by FishmA.n's and Gene
Baade, sponsored by the Art Lengues.
22 The Artists And Models enjoy R pretty
supper dance nt the WomRn's Club.
2$ Mrs. Moring Rnd Helen Rump were cochnirmen
for two very lovely bridBe
parties Rt the Fleming nnd Thieme homos.
Karch
17
27
April
7 - 16
13
15
The impressive Argentine Show circulated
by the American Federation
of Arts and the American Index of
Design exhibition from the government
grace our walls for this month.
The McBrides, the Thiemes, Mrs. C. H.
Buesching, Mrs. Frederick Mendenhall,
and Mrs. Myron Bone attended the
opening of the National Gallery of
Art and the American Federation of
Arts Convention in Washington pursued
by falling rocks and wrecked
trains. We arc glad to report that
they are all now safely home again.
Dr. Dudley Crafts Watson gave the
last lecture of the membership series~
The Popular Art of Mexico from the
Museum of Modern Art A.nd the Contemporary
Mexicnn Crafts circulated by
the InternRtionRl Art Exhibits Rre
now on display.
Spring vncntion is enjoyed by all.
Some students decor~.ted R recreation
room in the YMCA during this time.
Prof. Emr.iy Zweybruck stops to spend
En.ster SundRy with the McBrides enrout
e ea st from CP.l if ornin . She sRid
she had met n tencher in southern
Arknnsas who was very entcusiRstic
about the Fort Wayne Art School textile
exhibit she hRd seen nt the
Western Arts Convention in Chicago.
We were invited to send 12 ·student
April
14-27
20
24
life drawings to the Grand Rapids
Art Gallery School. Mr. Davisson 's
day and night classes responded.
The evening Art League sponsors the
Mexican Exhibitions and has invited
many clubs to attend. The Opening
Tea given by the Leaguers attracts
great numbers.
President Wayne Thieme returns from
Florida to find a tuition bill for
his wife and children waiting for
him. He says his job is pretty costly!
Annual Meeting----and this is where we
came in; so, best of luck till this
time next year when we'll hope for an
even better report!
...
