Correspondence Letters

During the years of 1938-1939, Grant Wood and Thomas Barrows (President of Lawrence University) kept in close contact regarding a few topics:

1. Wood was awarded an honorary degree by Barrows, and Wood was wanting to thank him for his kindess: "Thanking you again for your very courteous treatment of me and expressing to you my deep appreciation, has been one of the things which I did want to do immediately. I want to congratulate you on the simplicity with which you conferred the degrees, and on the other nice things you said and did, which will make this a decidedly memorable event in my life."

2. Wood delivering Barrows a collection of prints from the AAA (the same organization that distributed Wood's Sultry Night)

3. Wood creating an etching of the honorary degree he recieved, as to display it as art at the college

Overall, the letters document the delivery of the AAA prints Wood was to give to the college. There is documentation of Barrows receiving the prints: "I was delighted to recieve yesterday the group of lithographs which you so kindly sent. The fact that you have autographed them to Lawrence College is a particular joy and we shall treasure them the more because they are so personal. I think they are grand, even if a little rough on some people." This statement Barrows made to Wood may be in reference to the AAA uproar that occurred when the Postmaster General banned Sultry Night from sale and marketing distribution.

Sources:

Lawrence University Archives