Ben Rogers on the state of Mae Brussells archive: Please read

[Kara Dellacioppa]

I just received the following message from Ben. Please let him know that even without Mae's personal correspondence, The archive needs to be accessible to the public. Thanks, Kara

"Friends of John Judge,



Marilyn has encouraged me to keep moving forward on this project because it meant so much to John. This is an update on the latest developments toward moving the Mae Brussell papers from California to Waco.


Since my visit to Fremont CA in June to inspect the Mae Brussell papers at the home of Bob and Virginia McCullough, I have been working with Mae's daughter to secure a signed Gift Receipt to transfer the papers to Baylor. We cannot move them without a signed document.

Unfortunately, in my last exchange, the family requested that after we move the papers, our staff would remove all correspondence from/to Mae Brussell, all handwritten and typed analysis notes, , book drafts and outlines of Mae Brussell, photographs and documents pertaining to the family. In earlier conversations, we had talked about returning any personal family materials. Now with the addition of correspondence, analysis notes, book drafts and photographs, what would this leave of research value?

Having seen the materials, what would be left would be mostly photocopies of magazine articles and newspaper clippings. So I'm conflicted about the value of the large cost of moving the papers and then going through them looking for materials we need to return to the family. Would what is left be of interest to researchers if it is mostly magazine articles and news clippings? Isn't what researchers hoped for were her analysis notes and correspondence?

Nevertheless, I am still in touch with Mae's family and hope they see the value of leaving the materials together. Our library cannot devote one to two years processing materials that we are going to return to the donor. Neither would it be a good use of the resources which you have donated to move papers with decreased research value. So stay tuned. When there is a working agreement with the family, I'll let you know. I haven't given up yet.

If you know other researchers interested in this project, please forward this update to them.
Ben

[Magda Hassan]

Oh, my...I do hope that Mae's family comes around to realising the value and importance of allowing the hand written correspondence, analysis notes, photos and such. It would make a huge hole in the archive if this is not included. Though I would urge Ben to continue regardless his conflicting thoughts are understandable. There is still time for the family to change their minds. The main thing is to get it established. I'm sure some one like Mae would want this to be public. Secrecy went against all she strived to do. Obviously any correspondence of a personal and private nature needs to be removed but any research materials all need to be included. Look at the existing archives that politicians, historians, biographers, statesmen have left in their papers and archives. There are hand written notes, wild speculation, scribbles, doodles and marginalia galore and we are all the richer for it. She never adapted to computers so I can only imagine there is a huge amount of hand written material that will be excluded. This would be tragic. And I dare say against what she would want and what Mae stood for. She wanted us all to know what was really going on.

[Kara Dellacioppa]

I agree Magda, I think people need to contact Ben Rogers at Baylor and let him know what they think... kara

Oh, my...I do hope that Mae's family comes around to realising the value and importance of allowing the hand written correspondence, analysis notes, photos and such. It would make a huge hole in the archive if this is not included. Though I would urge Ben to continue regardless his conflicting thoughts are understandable. There is still time for the family to change their minds. The main thing is to get it established. I'm sure some one like Mae would want this to be public. Secrecy went against all she strived to do. Obviously any correspondence of a personal and private nature needs to be removed but any research materials all need to be included. Look at the existing archives that politicians, historians, biographers, statesmen have left in their papers and archives. There are hand written notes, wild speculation, scribbles, doodles and marginalia galore and we are all the richer for it. She never adapted to computers so I can only imagine there is a huge amount of hand written material that will be excluded. This would be tragic. And I dare say against what she would want and what Mae stood for. She wanted us all to know what was really going on.

[Peter Lemkin]

Ugh! From what I've seen in photos and heard about....this would leave only already available newspaper/magazine clippings and books. What is needed is Mae's work - and this is what the family is, at this point, asking to be removed! They are either blind to the importance of her work or afraid - either way, if they can't be brought around, it is a loose-loose situation and the collection would have lost 99% of its value!

[Dawn Meredith]

I agree Magda, I think people need to contact Ben Rogers at Baylor and let him know what they think... kara

Oh, my...I do hope that Mae's family comes around to realising the value and importance of allowing the hand written correspondence, analysis notes, photos and such. It would make a huge hole in the archive if this is not included. Though I would urge Ben to continue regardless his conflicting thoughts are understandable. There is still time for the family to change their minds. The main thing is to get it established. I'm sure some one like Mae would want this to be public. Secrecy went against all she strived to do. Obviously any correspondence of a personal and private nature needs to be removed but any research materials all need to be included. Look at the existing archives that politicians, historians, biographers, statesmen have left in their papers and archives. There are hand written notes, wild speculation, scribbles, doodles and marginalia galore and we are all the richer for it. She never adapted to computers so I can only imagine there is a huge amount of hand written material that will be excluded. This would be tragic. And I dare say against what she would want and what Mae stood for. She wanted us all to know what was really going on.

I totally agree. I wonder why the daughter is withholding this valuable information.