Finding aid for the Ruskin Art Club records 6083
Sue Luftschein
USC Libraries Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
213-740-5900
specol@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Ruskin Art Club records
creator:
Ruskin Art Club
creator:
Witmer, Helen
Identifier/Call Number: 6083
Physical Description:
29.26 Linear Feet
34 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1879-2003
Abstract: The Ruskin Art Club was founded October 12, 1888, and is the oldest women's club in Los Angeles. Its original purpose was
to study the technique and history of engraving and etching, inspired by founding member Mary E. Boyce's own collection of
prints and extensive library of books on art. The Club's main activity were the annual courses of study in the history of
art, architecture, or archaeology. These consisted of lectures delivered by the members to the membership at the monthly
Wednesday morning meetings. Programs were printed and distributed amongst the membership and were, in effect, syllabi, including
a weekly schedule of specialized topics, the names of the members who would research and present on these topics, and the
schedule of the presentations. The records document the Club's activities, with especial emphasis on the annual courses of
study as preserved in the minutes and programs.
Container: 1-4, 8, 10-13
Container: 5-7, 9, 14, 20, 21
Container: 15-17, 27, 29-33
Container: 18, 19, 22, 28
Container: 23-25
Container: 26, 34
Historical note
The Ruskin Art Club was founded October 12, 1888, and is the oldest women's club in Los Angeles. The founding members of
the Club were Mary E. Boyce, Fanny Brainerd, Dora Haynes, Lora Hubbel, and Mary Widney. Its original purpose was to study
the technique and history of engraving and etching, inspired by founding member Mary E. Boyce's own collection of prints and
extensive library of books on art. The name "Ruskin Art Club" was chosen by the original members at its first meeting, and
is significant, as it signaled both an embrace of English art critic John Ruskin's philosophies about the Arts and Crafts
movement, and the rights of women. The Club’s activities were designed by its members to give more meaning to their lives
than Victorian society ascribed to them. Through "the earnest study of masterful works of art,” the club’s members would become
sensitized to beauty in an increasingly mechanized society, and the club would make art available to a wider audience and
thus elevate society's values as a whole. In addition, the appellation "Club" had great significance in 1880s Los Angeles,
in which clubs were exclusively the domain of men.
The Club’s main activity was the annual course of study in the history of art, architecture, or archaeology. These courses
of study, selected by the president, ran for 8 months every year. They consisted of lectures delivered by the members to
the membership at the monthly Wednesday morning meetings. Programs were printed and distributed amongst the membership and
were, in effect, syllabi, including a weekly schedule of specialized topics, the names of the members who would research and
present on these topics, and the schedule of the presentations.
In April 1890, the Club sponsored the first public art exhibition in Los Angeles when it had the entire engraving exhibit
from the 1889 Paris Universal Exposition sent to them on loan. The success of this exhibit resulted in a rapid growth in membership
to the point where the members imposed a maximum membership of 100 women. The membership also soon outgrew its original meeting
location, Mary Boyce’s drawing room, and began meeting in various locations around the city, including the Hamburger Department
Store, and the Bella Union, Nadau, and Hollenbeck hotels. In the 1920s, the Club moved into its permanent home at 8th and
Plymouth. Originally built by the Congregational Church Extension Society as a Sunday School Room and Parish House, the club
occupied the building as its club house and headquarters until 2014, when it was sold.
The Club was an influential presence in Los Angeles and across the nation. Many of Los Angeles’s influential clubs were founded
with Ruskin members in attendance, including the Friday Morning Club and the Ebell Club. The Ruskin also developed a longstanding
relationship with another of Los Angeles’s important institutions, the Southwest Museum, and in particular with its curator,
Hector Alliot. Alliot made his first address to the Club in 1905, and continued to work with them until his death in 1919,
particularly in the design of the annual courses of study. In 1889, Mary Boyce attended a meeting of women’s clubs in the
United States that resulted in the formation of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, with the Ruskin as one of the original
60 founding members.
Membership began to wane during the Depression, and in the 1960s, the Board of Directors amended the by-laws to permit men
to join.
In 1988, the Ruskin Art Club celebrated its centennial, an event recognized in a number of official city commendations. In
the aftermath of that celebration, however, a period of crisis ensued: many members, mindful of the organization’s dwindling
numbers and a societal climate in which club membership was in general decline, proposed to sell the clubhouse and regroup
as a more informal, home-based association. The move was defeated by a single vote – Margaret Clausen’s, who, then, found
herself faced with resuscitating the Ruskin Art Club without many of the older members.
In the 1990s, a new generation emerged: Jim Burns helped to develop a “Music in Mansions” concert series; composer Alfred
Carlson, a student of Arnold Schoenberg, became Ruskin Art Club composer-in-residence; weaver Estelle Carlson launched a popular
series of textile exhibitions; choral conductor and silent-movie musician Robert Mitchell performed regularly and the club
sponsored a series of weekly luncheon programs. The club also organized summer concerts at the historic Southwest Museum in
the Arroyo Seco. In 1997, local historian Joseph Ryan delivered the first “Ruskin” lecture on the history of the club, later
published as a monograph, and led the ultimately successful campaign to designate the Ruskin Art Club headquarters as an official
Los Angeles historical monument.
As the new century dawned, Gabriel Meyer, the Ruskin Art Club’s first male president, steered the club back to its earliest
roots in the ideals of John Ruskin and in association with other historic California arts and crafts-oriented institutions:
the Judson Studios in Highland Park, the Gamble House in Pasadena, the California Art Club, the Huntington Library and the
Southwest Museum. In addition, the club sought to organize itself more effectively for the future by shifting its legal status
from a members-only organization to a non-profit public arts corporation. New younger members also spearheaded a host of new
programs at the clubhouse in the first decade of the new century: chamber concerts, the “Jazz at the Ruskin” series, annual
“Ruskin” Lectures, a symposium honoring the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Arnold Schoenberg, readers’ theater presentations,
“Ruskin” study groups, a monthly poetry series in collaboration with Pasadena-based Red Hen Press, a “Modern Masters” literary
series designed by the club’s literary programs director, Elena Karina Byrne, and a series of Saturday literary workshops
led by local and nationally recognized writers.
However, by 2008, and the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Ruskin Art Club, the physical condition
of the nearly 90-year-old clubhouse was increasingly inhibiting the club’s mission and its ability to mount programs. In late
2013, the board of directors made the painful and difficult decision to sell the organization’s historic mid-Wilshire property,
entrusting its fate to a talented restoration architect and to a new future as a private residence – albeit one that remains
a Los Angeles cultural and historic monument. This move allowed the Ruskin Art Club, in its 125th year, to return to its
original mission – not to manage property, however historic – but to advance the cause of Ruskin’s thought in the 21st century
and to develop ways to support writers, artists, musicians, architects, and thinkers who espouse Ruskin’s values in Southern
California.
[Sources: Joseph Ryan, “The Ruskin Art Club: A History” (Los Angeles: Ruskin Art Club), c. 1997); Gabriel Meyer, President
of the Ruskin Art Club, October 2014]
Scope and Contents
The Ruskin Art Club records consist of meeting minutes, programs, adminstrative and financial records, clippings, some correspondence,
photographs, and ephemera, created and collected by the members of the Club, 1891-2003. The records describe in detail the
activities of the Club, which were in the area of art education for its membership. Of particular importance are the minutes
and programs, which describe in detail the lectures delivered to the membership by the membership, and formed the core activity
of the Club. Also included are some papers created and collected by Helen Witmer, president of the Club during the 1950s
and 60s.
Acquisition
Gift of Ruskin Art Club, April 3, 2014.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Ruskin Art Club records, Collection no. 6083, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California
Separated Materials
The donation included some books from the Club's library. These have been cataloged separately.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Art -- Study and teaching -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Women -- California -- Los Angeles -- Societies and clubs -- History -- Archival resources
Women -- California -- Los Angeles -- History -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- Archival resources
Correspondence
Clippings
Ledgers (account books)
Minutes
Programs (documents)
Periodicals
Ruskin Art Club
Witmer, Helen
Ruskin Art Club -- Archives
Dearden, James A. -- Correspondence
Gnosspelius, Barbara C. -- Correspondence
Witmer, Helen -- Archives
Ruskin, John -- Archives
Minutes
1893-1944
Scope and Contents
The Minutes of the Ruskin Art Club consist of ledgers, typescripts, and manuscripts of minutes for the club meetings, from
1893 through 1944. The minutes are generally written in narrative style and after detailing the business of the meetings
(such as the reading of the previous meeting's minutes and transcribing any announcements), the bulk of the individual minutes
consist of transcriptions of the meetings' presentations. Some of the annual minutes, especially in the 1930s, also include
committee reports and minutes of business meetings.
Box 1, folder 1
Supplementary minutes
1893-1894
Scope and Contents
Also includes a small pamphlet published as the introduction to "California History Cards: Mission Series".
Papers and Programs
1893-2003
bulk 1893-1987
Scope and Contents
The series consists of the Ruskin Art Club's annual courses of study programs and guestbooks.
Box 9, folder 1
[Lecture outlines]
1889, 1890
Box 3, folder 5
"Book for Preserving Valuable Papers Written on the Subjects Studied by the Ruskin Art Club"
1893
Scope and Contents
Hard bound notebook with handwritten copies of papers presented to the Ruskin Art Club. The flyleaf of the notebook is inscribed
with the title and date, and "Room/Baker Block".
Box 7, folder 4
"The Ruskin Art Club"
1893, 1924
Scope and Contents
Published (1893) volume of the courses of study from 1888-1893. Signed by Mary E. Boyce, and given to the Ruskin Art Club
by Mrs. J.B. Owens. The introduction to this volume states the reason for its publication: "The programs are in demand for
the use of other clubs, and this is primarily the reason of combining them into one series and producting this publication,
which will also constitute the club's contribution to the exhibit made by the General Federation of Women's Clubs at the Columbian
Exposition in Chicago." Accompanied by a certificate from the Mission Play Foundation commemorating the purchase of 10 memberships;
dated May 21, 1924.
Box 9, Folder 2
Fourth Annual Exhibition catalog
1905
Box 9
Ruskin Art Club Year Books [programs]
1897-1910
Box 9
Ruskin Art Club Year Books [programs]
1910-1924
Box 10
[Programs]
1914-1916
Scope and Contents
This volume of programs was created scrapbook style.
Box 11
Ruskin Art Club Year Books [programs], vol. 1
1924-1936
Box 12
Ruskin Art Club Year Books [programs], vol. 2
1936-1949
Box 13
Ruskin Art Club Year Books [programs], vol. 3
1949-1960
Box 6, folder 12
Programs
1964-1974
Scope and Contents
Unbound programs for 1964-1965; October 9, 1968; 1969-1970; 1970-1971; 1972-1973; and 1973-1974.
Box 6, folder 10
[Huntington Library event]
1969
Box 4, Folder 8
[Presentations and events]
1991, 2003, undated
Scope and Contents
Audiotapes, videotape, CD-ROMs, and notes of and about presentations to the Ruskin Art Club.
Administrative records
1891-1991
Box 3, folder 6
[Administrative notebook]
1925-1935
Scope and Contents
Memorandums, financial records, correspondence regarding club status and finances, clippings, receipts, and copies of minutes
from 1935 (incomplete).
Box 7, folder 1
Constitution and amendments
1926-1969
Box 3, folder 7
Treasurer's reports
1955-1964
Box 4, folder 2
Treasurer's reports
1980-1981
Box 4, folder 1
[Financial records]
1927, 1959, 1964-1968
Box 4, folder 4
Treasurer's reports
1986-1989
Box 4, Folder 5
[Insurance policy letters]
1964-1965
Box 14
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1891-1896
Box 14
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1928-1930
Box 6, folder 11
[Sample membership certificate]
undated
Box 14
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1929-1930
Box 16
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1930
Box 15
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1939-1950
Box 15
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1950-1959
Box 16
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1959-1963
Box 16
[Financial and membership ledgers]
1963-1968
Box 6, folder 13
[Miscellaneous notes]
undated
box 7, folder 5
Curator's Lists
1926, 1927, undated
Box 7, folder 6
[Clubhouse property deed and mortgage document]
1926
Box 7, folder 7
[Clubhouse historic-cultural monument application]
1996
Photographs
circa 1903-1990s
Box 4, folder 6
[Photographs of John Ruskin and Ruskiniana]
undated
Box 33
[Picture postcards of Coniston sent to Letha (Storrow) Lewis]
circa 1903
Box 33
[Photographs and slides]
circa 1960s-1990s
Scope and Contents
Snapshots of the Ruskin Clubhouse (exteriors and interiors), members, and a 1998 (?) visit to the Southwest Museum to view
the Ruskin Art Club collection; commercial slides of Ruskin's estate.
box 34
[Photographs of Club presidents]
circa 1910s-1960s
box 34
[Photograph of Ruskin Art Club clubhouse]
1926
box 34
[Mounted photographs of Yosemite and sculpture]
undated
History and Publicity
1896-1990
Box 6, folder 8
[Newspaper clippings about John Ruskin and copy of "Dame Wiggins of Lee"
1896-1990
Box 9, folder 3
Hollywood USO citation
circa 1944
Box 6, folder 9
For RAC Scrapbook
1958-1959
Publications, Bibliographies, and Journals
1879-1965
Scope and Contents
This series consists primarily of journals from the Club's library. The books that were originally part of the records have
been cataloged separately.
Box 25-26
The American Magazine of Art
1923 January-1928 November
Scope and Contents
Incomplete run: missing vol. 14 no. 2; vol. 15 no. 9; vol. 16 nos. 2, 6, 11-12; vol. 17 no. 8; vol. 18 nos. 5-7, 10-12; vol.
19 nos. 11-12.
Box 30-31
The Architectural Record
1901 February, April; 1902 January, April, August
Box 20-22
[Articles on topics of interest to the Club]
circa 1905-1910
Scope and Contents
Articles from magazines, including The American Magazine, National Geographic, Harper's Monthly, the Era Magazne, Munsey's
Magazine, the Book Buyer, the Atlantic Monthly Advertiser, and the Booklovers Magazine, on topics including Mexico, Mexican
and American deserts, and artists. The articles are handbound in paper covers.
Box 27-28
Brush and Pencil
1902-1907
Scope and Contents
December 1902-April 1907. Not a complete run.
Box 32
Hollywood Bowl magazine
1941-1942, 1965
Box 20
"Little Journeys" by Elbert Hubbard (New York: The Roycrofters)
1918-1919
Scope and Contents
Includes Business Men A.T. Stewart, Philip Armour, Andrew Carnegie; Great Reformers Oliver Cromwell, Anne Hutchinson; Great
Teachers Booker T. Washington.
Box 20
"Los Angeles County Culture and the Community", published by the Civic Bureau of Music and Art of Los Angeles County
circa 1931
Scope and Contents
Accompanied by a letter from Leila E. Smith, Civic Bureau of Music and Art, to Mrs. Thomas A. Berkebile, President of the
Ruskin Art Club, requesting photographs for a new edition. Reverse of the letter has handwritten notes about possible pictures.
Box 31
The Masterkey
1980 July-September; 1981 October-December
Related Materials
Published by the Southwest Museum
Box 22
[Miscellaneous journals]
1883, 1900, 1905, 1908, 1940-1941, undated
Scope and Contents
Clipping from Century Magazine (February 1883); Overland Monthly reprint (1898); The Literary Digest (January 27, 1900); The
International Studio (April 1905); American Photography (1908); Contributions to the Intellectual Life of the Western Hemisphere
1890-1940 (Fiftieth Anniversary of the Pan American Union, 1940); Yehudi Menuhin program (1941); Magazine of Celebrities (1941);
unidentified magazine fragment.
Box 22
Museum of Fine Arts Boston Gallery Books
circa 1890
box 34
[Prints of artwork]
circa 1900
Box 29
[Programs for musical performances]
1939-1942
Scope and Contents
Programs for the Philharmonic Orchestra of Los Angeles (1941-1942); the Coleman Chamber Concerts at Pasadena Community Playhouse
(October 19, 1941 and February 8, 1942). Also includes a program for the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood for August
9, 1942.
Box 23-24
The Salon; a collection of the choicest paintings recently executed by distinguished European artists, by Prof. Charles Carrol
1881
Physical Description: Nos. 1-20; no. 9 is a fragment. In fragile condition.
Box 7, folder 3
Spanish Arts and Architecture
circa 1930
Scope and Contents
Typed list of books on the subject held in the Art Department of the Los Angeles Public Library.
Box 30
Scribner's Monthly
1879 August
Helen Witmer
1956-1969
Scope and Contents
The Helen Witmer papers consist almost exclusively of material (notes, typescripts, letters) regarding Witmer's presentations
to the Club on John Ruskin.
Box 6, Folder 1
James Dearden-Helen Witmer correspondence
1965-1966
Scope and Contents
Letters between Helen Witmer and James Dearden, Curator of the Ruskin Galleries. The letters discuss various matters pertaining
to materials about John Ruskin, some of which Mrs. Witmer requested for presentations to the Club.
Box 6, folder 2
Barbara C. Gnosspelius letters to Helen Witmer
1958-1959
Scope and Contents
Letters from Mrs. Gnosspelius, Curator of the Ruskin Museum, to Helen Witmer. Many are in response to requests for photographs
of Ruskin.
Box 6, folder 3
[Helen Witmer notes and script for presentation "Ruskin as Art Critic", November 12, 1969]
1969
Box 6, folder 4
[Helen Witmer notes for Ruskin presentations]
circa 1958-1964
Box 6, folder 5
[Helen Witmer notes for Ruskin presentations]
1962
Box 6, folder 6
[Helen Witmer Ruskin birthday paper]
1956 February 8
Box 6, folder 7
[Ruskin programs]
1956-1964
Scope and Contents
Original folder entitled "All here relating to Ruskin programs, book reviews-panel discussion/April 15, 1964".
Box 7, folder 2
"Effie in Venice", "Millais and the Ruskins"
Scope and Contents
Copies of radio program scripts from the BBC, sent to Helen Witmer.
