Guide to the Therese Whitcomb papers

Finding aid prepared by Ashley Toutain
University of San Diego, Archives and Special Collections
Copley Library
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Telephone: 619-260-2730
Email: spcoll@sandiego.edu
© 2016


Overview of the Collection

Title: Therese Whitcomb papers
Date (inclusive): 1971-1995
Collection number: USDA_2009_023
Creator: Whitcomb, Therese Truitt
Extent: 2 boxes, (1.5 linear feet)
Repository: University of San Diego, Archives and Special Collections
Copley Library
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
spcoll@sandiego.edu
Abstract: Therese Truitt Whitcomb was the first graduate of the University of San Diego College for Women and taught at the University of San Diego for 35 years. These papers document her work at the University and in the San Diego community between 1971 and 1995.
Languages: English

Biographical Note

Therese Whitcomb was the first and only graduate of the San Diego College for Women in 1953 when she received her Bachelor of Arts. She then attended the Art Students League in New York City, and received a Master of Arts from San Diego State University. Upon completion of her MA, Whitcomb became a full-time faculty member at the University of San Diego in 1969 where she taught for 35 years. Whitcomb chaired the Department of Art, established the Founders Gallery, and was the first Director of Institutional Design. In that role, Whitcomb was tasked with preserving the consistency of Spanish Renaissance architecture on campus and ensuring the beautification of building interiors. Whitcomb received the Davies Award for Faculty Achievement in 1985, and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters in 2015. As of 2017, she was a Professor Emerita of Art.
In addition to her involvement at the University of San Diego, Whitcomb served on the board of many art history and community organizations. She guided the restoration of the San Luis Rey Mission, Irving Gill's Sacred Heart Church in Coronado, the San Diego Mission Basilica, and other historic buildings. She served as a trustee of the San Diego Museum of Art and the Timken Museum, and as a chair for the San Diego County Committee of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in California.

Scope and Content Note

The Therese Whitcomb papers document Therese Whitcomb's involvement as an instructor and administrator at the University of San Diego as well as her involvement in the San Diego community. University and community related correspondence make up the majority of these records. University correspondence documents the variety of roles Whitcomb held at USD including as the founder and curator of the Founders Gallery, the Chair of the Department of Art, an art professor, and the Director of Institutional Design. Whitcomb's correspondence in each of these roles reveals University processes in the 1970s through the 1990s.
Records documenting her community involvement include correspondence, research notes, brochures, plans, and proposals that Whitcomb put together to advance art education and community beautification. Also reflected in these materials are Whitcomb's close relationships with University staff and faculty, community members, and her students.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into four series:
Each series is organized in chronological order.

Access Information

The majority of this collection is open for research. Some materials in the Faculty Correspondence series have been restricted for 50 years from creation date.

Preferred citation

[Folder Title], Box # Folder #, Therese Whitcomb papers, Copley Library, University of San Diego, Archives and Special Collections.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Therese Whitcomb.

Processing Information

This collection was initially processed by Tessie Camina in 2009. Further processing was conducted by Ashley Toutain in 2017.

Related Material

More information on Whitcomb's involvement with the Founders Gallery can be found in The Founders Gallery records.

Index Terms

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Whitcomb, Therese Truitt
Hughes, Author E.
Cosgrove, Thomas

Subjects and Indexing Terms

University of San Diego

Subjects and Indexing Terms

San Diego (Calif.)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

fine arts
galleries (display spaces)
art collections
art exhibitions

Subjects and Indexing Terms

curators
professors


 

Series I:  General Correspondence, 1970-1995

Scope and Content Note

This series includes correspondence between Whitcomb and those she worked with at USD and in the community. Topics largely center around her role as art professor and Director of Institutional Design.
Box/Folder: 1 / 1

[Henry Gardiner Correspondence], 1970-1981

Box/Folder: 1 / 2

[Correspondence with Sally Furay], 1971-1992

Box/Folder: 1 / 3

[Correspondence with Author Hughes], 1971-1993

Box/Folder: 1 / 4

[Correspondence - San Diego Historical Society], 1972

Box/Folder: 1 / 5

[Correspondence with Ernest Morin], 1972-1973

Box/Folder: 1 / 6

[General Correspondence], 1972, 1975, 1980, 1992

Box/Folder: 1 / 7

[Lilly Rosa Materials], 1973-1987

Box/Folder: 1 / 8

[Correspondence regarding Faculty Lounge], 1974, 1977

Box/Folder: 1 / 9

[Correspondence with Richard Reilly], 1974-1981

Box/Folder: 1 / 10

[Correspondence with Brent Eagan], 1975, 1994, 1995

Box/Folder: 1 / 11

[John Portman Correspondence], 1976

Box/Folder: 1 / 12

[Correspondence - San Gabriel Mission], 1977

Box/Folder: 1 / 13

[Brezzo Correspondence], 1979-1981, 1988

Box/Folder: 1 / 14

[Correspondence with Thomas Burke], 1980-1989

Box/Folder: 1 / 15

[Correspondence regarding Mission San Fernando], 1981 April

Box/Folder: 1 / 16

[Correspondence regarding Vista newspaper], 1981 May

Box/Folder: 1 / 17

[Correspondence regarding artist Yoshi Nagara], 1984

Box/Folder: 1 / 18

[Cara Kennedy Correspondence], 1985

Box/Folder: 1 / 19-20

[Correspondence with G. R. Durenberger], 1985-1993

Box/Folder: 1 / 21

[Anne Moran Correspondence], circa 1988

Box/Folder: 1 / 22

[Joel Sweimler Correspondence], 1988, undated

Box/Folder: 1 / 23

[Correspondence regarding Carlota Duarte], 1988-1990

Box/Folder: 1 / 24

[Notes of Appreciation], 1989-1993, undated

Box/Folder: 1 / 25

[Correspondence - Sacred Heart Cabinet], 1990

Box/Folder: 1 / 26

[Director of Institutional Design Correspondence], 1990-1995

Box/Folder: 1 / 27

[Correspondence regarding Jenny Craig], 1991 January

Box/Folder: 1 / 28

[General University related Correspondence], 1991, 1992

Box/Folder: 1 / 29

[Derrick Cartwright Articles and Correspondence], 1991-1995

Box/Folder: 1 / 30

[Director of Institutional Design Correspondence with Adrianne Smith], 1992

Box/Folder: 1 / 31

[Founders Gallery Correspondence], 1993-1994

Box/Folder: 1 / 32

[Correspondence and Photographs from Lendy Duda], 1994

Box/Folder: 1 / 33

[Correspondence with Marilyn Bennett], 1994 March

Box/Folder: 1 / 34

[Rainforth Donation Correspondence], 1995

 

Series II:  Faculty Correspondence, 1970-1994

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of correspondence with and about University of San Diego faculty members.

Access Information

A good portion of this series is restricted for 50 years from creation date. Correspondence available for research includes that with James Rocha, Duncan McCosker, and Marianne Pfau.
Box/Folder: 1 / 35-48

[Correspondence regarding faculty members], 1970-1994

 

Series III:  University Records, 1978-1984

Scope and Content Note

Records in this series include memoranda, correspondence, meeting minutes, and planning materials for university related activities. These records document Whitcomb's work at the University of San Diego serving on various committees, curating exhibitions for the Founders Gallery, and supporting area cultural institutions. Also included are course materials and records pertaining to Whitcomb's sabbaticals.
Box/Folder: 1 / 49

[Ana Elizabeth Montforte materials], 1970, 1971, 1992

Box/Folder: 1 / 50

[Knights of Columbus Library exhibit], 1971

Box/Folder: 1 / 51

[Founders Gallery Exhibit list], 1971

Box/Folder: 1 / 52

[Founders Gallery materials], 1971, undated

Box/Folder: 1 / 53

[Founders Gallery], 1972-1995

Box/Folder: 1 / 54

[Docent Training], 1973-1975

Box/Folder: 1 / 55

[Sabbatical 1], 1974

Box/Folder: 1 / 56

[Art Fund - Records], 1974-1992

Box/Folder: 1 / 57

[Liturgical Art], 1977-1988

Box/Folder: 1 / 58

[Honors Convocation], 1977-1990

Box/Folder: 1 / 59

[Mission San Diego Exhibition Design course], 1979

Box/Folder: 1 / 60

[Art Management Certification], 1979-1981

Box/Folder: 1 / 61

[Curatorial Work], 1983, 1986

Box/Folder: 2 / 1

[Sabbatical Report], 1983-1988

Box/Folder: 2 / 2

[Student-Faculty Ratio Trends], 1985

Box/Folder: 2 / 3

[Standing Crosses], 1986

Box/Folder: 2 / 4

[Sabbatical 2], 1986, 1988

Box/Folder: 2 / 5

[Copley Library Exhibit - "Ireland and the Hellenic Tradition], 1988

Box/Folder: 2 / 6

[Program in Art in Public Service proposal], 1989, 1991

Box/Folder: 2 / 7

[Correspondence regarding Art 44 course], 1990

Box/Folder: 2 / 8

[Master of Fine Arts - Cultural Context Course], 1990

Box/Folder: 2 / 9

[Ann McFarland Scholarship for the Study of Decorative Arts], 1990-1991

Box/Folder: 2 / 10

[Course Materials - Catholicism and Western Culture - Pachence], 1992 Fall

Box/Folder: 2 / 11

[Museum Studies Alumni], 1994

Box/Folder: 2 / 12

[Director of Institutional Design - Sharon Siegan Memorial Lecture], 1994

Box/Folder: 2 / 13

[Director of Institutional Design - Torero Manual], 1994

Box/Folder: 2 / 14

[Director of Institutional Design - Vista Article], 1994

Box/Folder: 2 / 15

[Thomas Cosgrove], 1994, 1995

Box/Folder: 2 / 16

[Mission San Diego Loans], 1994

Box/Folder: 2 / 17

[Alumni Admissions Advisory Committee], 1994-1995

Box/Folder: 2 / 18

[Ex Corde Ecclesiae Committee Materials], 1995

 

Series IV:  Community Involvement, 1978-1984

Scope and Content Note

In addition to the 35 years spent in the Department of Art at the University of San Diego, Whitcomb assisted the surrounding San Diego community in the areas of art and culture. Materials in this series include brochures, design plans, notes, and correspondence related to some of Whitcomb's community activities.
Box/Folder: 2 / 19

[Sonora Notes], undated

Box/Folder: 2 / 20

[Mission San Antonio de Pala], 1976

Box/Folder: 2 / 21

[Assorted Material], circa 1980

Box/Folder: 2 / 22

[Silver Seal Analysis], 1980

Box/Folder: 2 / 23

[Frank Harmon Myers biography], 1981

Box/Folder: 2 / 24

[Ray Brandes], 1983-1985

Box/Folder: 2 / 25

[College Art Association Conference], 1986

Box/Folder: 2 / 26

[Minge International Museum], 1986

Box/Folder: 2 / 27

[Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art, and Architecture], 1988

Box/Folder: 2 / 28

[Alvarado Water Filtration Plant Design], 1992-1993

Box/Folder: 2 / 29

[College Art Association Conference], 1993