Agnes DeLano correspondence
Collection Scope and Content
This collection contains correspondence written by Agnes DeLano to her relatives during her Western European travels between 1925-1935. Included are handwritten letters as well as photograph postcards, telegrams, menus and other miscellaneous ephemra.
Far from your typical tourist, Agnes DeLano's almost daily letters offer a truly unique perspective. As an educated American female traveling through historically rich Western Europe with a trained eye, DeLano fills each letter with rich details covering impressions of cathedrals and museums visited, locals encountered, recounting of social customs and folklore and observations of contemporary dress. Juxtaposing both her traditional social obligations with her forward and unconventional view of how a visiting American should behave, DeLano's travels are lined with visits to theatres and opera houses, encounters with old acquaintances and journeys to remote monuments and locations off the typical beaten bath.
The order of countires visited per trip is as follows:
1925 - England, France, Italy and returning to France
1926 - France, Italy, France, Italy, France
1928 - France, Italy, France
1932 - France, Italy, Germany, France, England
1933 - Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, France, England
1935 - Italy, France, England
The correspondence follows DeLano and her traveling companions over the course of six separate trips: 1925, 1926, 1928, 1932, 1933 and 1935. It is worth noting that DeLano's companions are always female.
Please note that there are other Agnes DeLano files located within the Mount Vernon collection. Please see staff for details.
Dates
- 1925 - 1935
Restrictions on Access
Some records may be restricted.
Restrictions on Use
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Biographical Note
Agnes Delano(1889-1963) was a faculty member of the Mount Vernon Seminary and College. She taught English and Art History at Mt. Vernon from 1929-1954 and Art History and Christian Art at Howard University from 1955-1963.
Delano earned her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Michigan in 1912 and 1913. She taught English in Michigan high schools, Paris, and Boston's Cambridge Haskell School for Girls. It was in Boston that she began her tradition of taking students on summer European tours of art galleries.
For the 20th anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, Delano appeared on coast-to-coast television on the Dave Garroway Today show, conducting a television tour of the gallery.
Agenes Delano wrote "Reflective Writing," a textbook on creative writing, that was published in 1937.
Extent
1.5 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains correspondence written by Agnes DeLano to her relatives during her Western European travels between 1925-1935.
Other Finding Aids
Also see Finding Aid for MVC0020.MS Mount Vernon Seminary and College Agnes DeLano and Special Collections Room papers. http://library.gwu.edu/ead/mvc0020.xml
Acquisition Information
Donated in 2007
- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- DeLano, Agnes
- Europe Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Vernon College
- Mount Vernon Seminary
- Travel Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Washington (D.C.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Source
- Cooper, Susan (Donor, Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Agnes DeLano Correspondence, 1925 - 1935
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
- Date
- 2007
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository
