Valuable World War I Exhibit Features Contributions from Famous Names in Art, Politics and the Military

Holy Cross Collection Includes Autographed Items From Woodrow Wilson, Rudyard Kipling, George Bernard Shaw, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Victor Hugo and Others

WORCESTER, Mass. – The College of the Holy Cross Archives department presents The Fatherless Children of France: "Their Book," a collection of autographs, manuscripts, photographs, and artwork from some of the greatest names in literature, art, the military and politics during the World War I era. On display in the second floor of the Dinand Library through June 2005, the exhibit is free and open to the public during normal Library hours: Sunday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Friday – Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Among the hundreds of one-of-a-kind items included in the exhibit:

* autographed manuscript poems from Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Edith Wharton and William Butler Yeats * autographed sentiments from George Bernard Shaw and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle * an original, signed crayon and wash drawing by French artist Victor Hugo * signed manuscripts and photographs from world leaders, including United States President Woodrow Wilson, King Albert of Belgium, and Queen Marie of Roumania

History of the collection:

In 1917, Mrs. David Johnson, speaker for the Boston Committee of The Fatherless Children of France, a society created to help French children orphaned after World War I, began collecting signed drawings, etchings, manuscripts and photographs from some of the most famous World War I figures. She intended to sell the items in one volume at auction to raise money for the orphans of France. However, due to the size and nature of some contributions, this was not possible.

The items were then slated to be sold individually, which provoked dissent from many contributors, and from Mrs. Johnson herself. In the interest of not splitting up the book, Mrs. Johnson arranged to buy the entire collection. (With the $10 million sale, aid was provided to 300,000 French children orphaned by the war.)

In 1953, she donated the contents of the book to the Holy Cross Dinand Library, in memory of her husband, who had attended the Holy Cross Prepatory School (which was affiliated with the College until around 1909) from 1891 – 1893.

The collection has been on display just a handful of times since it was assembled. In 1921, it was displayed at the Library of Congress, the American Art Gallery in New York, the Boston Public Library and the Widener Library at Harvard University. It wasn't displayed again until February 1955 when the College loaned it to the Worcester Art Museum.