The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
Tuesday July .19, 1955 .Internal Memorandum • v Luncheon Conversation with Mr* Donald Woodward and Dr* Richard Logsdon, Director of Libraries at Columbia University This conversation was held at the University Club in response to a request made as a result of the dinner meeting at Columbia University on June 29th, 1954* (See Mr. Sproul's report to the rest of the Committee on this meeting Jr The purpose of the meeting was to discuss in more detail the various collections of papers which might be made available for Columbia if they chose to set up a special group of bankers1 papers in their Special Collections Division, In preparation for this luncheon meeting, we had gathered together from office files the career cards of 25 important names in the Ne^ York banking world together with whatever indication existed concerning papers they might have left or perhaps would leave* The men named included Arthur Baliantine, Randolph Burgess, J* Herbert Case, S. Sloan Colt, J. Everett Crane, William Wilson Cumberland, Janes Freeman Curtis, George Davison, Leon Fre^ser, S. Parker Gilbert, George Harrison, Thomas Lamont, Russell Leffingvell, Gates McGarrah, Charles Mitchell, J. P, Morgan, George F. Peabody, James H. Perkins, Beardsley Ruml, Seinuel Untemeyer, Frank Vanderlip, James Warburg, Paul Warburg, Albert Wiggin, Parker Willis, and Owen D. Young* On some of these we had specific information about papers, as for instance, Frank Vanderlip and George Harrison. On others, such as Mr. Owen D. Young, we knew only that papers existed and that they Tould be valuable. On a third group, we were merely hopeful, but not well informed* Apparently, the reading of this specific data proved sufficiently convincing to Dr. Logsdon so that he showed far more interest than has been evidenced by any member of the Columbia group with whom any of us have talked previously. Dr. Logsdon said with real conviction that we must have the collections* He also said that there was some difference of opinion among the group of Columbia men who had met with us on June 29th. Dr. Beckhart, for instance, had said that if the Committee -2- produced $35,000, Columbia should take on the task of acting as depository for these papersj if not, they should refuse. Dr. Logsdon did not feel that the matter was thus black and white. He made it apparent not only that he was interested but that his degree of interest was such that he vould make further suggestions for lessening the financial barrier which seemed to stand between the Committee and the library• He said that the proposition as they saw it vould take 3 years of work, and that if they could have $15,000 for the first year and $10,000 a year for each of the other two, they could do nicely with it. Mr, Woodward accepted the plea that Columbia needed money in order to perform this work and said that he would first talk to Dr. Woman Buchanan of the Rockefeller Foundation about this specific need for funds for handling specific papers, and that if Dr. Buchanan showed no interest, then there were other foundations which would also be approached. He also ssid that if the need was thus broken down into a group of three grants to last over a period of three years, the Rockefeller Foundation might be willing to have the Committee spend $15,000 of its money on this project with the understanding that it and whatever else was spent would be replaced in the main fund. It was agreed that the executive director of the Committee would frame a statement of the project to be comprised in two or three pages, this to act as back" ground for Mr. Woodward's talk with Mr. Buchanan. In addition to the over-all project, a good deal of time was spent in discussing the papers of Mr. Frank Vanderlip. Miss Adams described the collection in detail, and Dr, Logsdon showed great interest in acquiring it for Columbia. He is going on vacation shortly, but when he returns, he vill take the matter up and try to put it through. It was suggested that a letter to Mrs.- Vanderlip might usefully be sent now so as to indicate that interest is fctill alive. Miss Adams agreed to draft a letter and send it to Dr. Logsdon for his revision or replacement. At the end of the nee ting Dr. Lo^sdon said that it would not be necessary to wait until the money vss secured, but that if there V G S anything special the Committee was epger to have made available, such as the V&nderlip collection, Columbia would be willing to start its acquiring immediately without waiting for the matter of funds to be settled. This was the most constructive piece of enthusiasm yet hesrd from Columbia and seems definitely to mark their acceptance of this project es something on which they want to proceed. It probably would be veil to follow up the 25 people named to Mr* Logsdon and find out whether or not there are papers, and secondly, whether they might be made available to Columbia* A letter disclosing the outcome of this luncheon meeting was sent to Mr» Sproul. MA: IB
@FedFRASER