Page 3 - Books & People, Fall 2017

Greetings from He opens the book, Great War Sketches from the Stacks: continued from Algeria, Senegal, and Morocco (all colonies under French control at Securing the
the time), as well as American (both black and white), and French faces are
the Head Librarian “ It has been a keen regret to me that my artistic skill has been so unequal illustrated side-by-side in this book. No man who served is allowed to be Library’s Future
to these opportunities. The sketches do not sufficiently show war for the undocumented or forgotten.
stupid horror I know it to be. I hope, however, they may serve as a record
of [American Soldier] types, of the people he lived with in France, with A traveler by nature, Baldridge would continue his traveling and sketching
In a world grown increasingly whom he suffered and by whose side he fought. ” for years after the war with his wife, Caroline Singer. His illustrated travelogues We are extraordinarily grateful to
divisive and uncivil, every day that I everyone who has provided for the
walk through the Library’s doors, I’m New York Society Library in their
reminded that there are still places estate plan through a bequest,
where respect reigns, and small charitable trust, or other planned gift.
courtesies and considerations matter. By doing so, they will be helping to
To write that the Library is a haven sustain and strengthen the Library for
from the nastiness that seems to be years to come.
swirling about us is too simple. As a
community, our Library society is so A bequest is a gift from your estate—
much more than that. Over the past a transfer of cash, securities, or other
year, I’ve had some of the most property made through your estate
interesting, insightful, and tolerant plan. You can make a bequest by
conversations about the world around including language in your will or
us right here in this building—through living trust leaving a portion of your
our discussions about the books and estate to the Library, or by designating
articles we’ve read, the people we’ve it as a beneficiary of your retirement
talked to, the places we’ve been. account or life insurance policy.

On a member’s recommendation, The Goodhue Society recognizes and
I’ve been reading Arlie Russell honors those individuals who provide
Hochschild’s Strangers in Their future support for the Library. It is
Own Land. Hochschild explores the named for Sarah Parker Goodhue,
deepening divisions in the country Illustrations by soldiers and artists in the trenches have a long history. Soldiers of Asia and Africa are also available in the Library’s collection. Ms. Singer would who in 1917 bequeathed the funds
by listening, by employing empathy. try to fill the endless stretches of boredom between intermittent lapses of endless write the books completed by her husband’s numerous artistic renderings of the that made possible the purchase of
After the success of last June’s horror. Intrepid reporters tirelessly work to use the art of sketching to bring to people and scenery around them. They carried few to none of the usual precon- the Rogers House on 79th Street as
conversation around asylum seekers, life the personal stories of those involved with a conflict. C.L. Baldridge’s color ceptions Westerners had when traveling to such vastly different cultures. What our fifth home. Each year, we host a
refugees, and immigrants, we want to and black-and-white sketches give us a glimpse of the day-to-day life of the both Mr. Baldridge and Ms. Singer left us is a legacy of multiculturalism not special evening to celebrate the
expand our programming to include soldiers. His work elicits the feeling of reality and empathy in the face of extreme typical of the generation shaped by the world conflict of their youth. Through- Goodhue Society; currently there are
more conversations around current trauma and brings color and humanity to the faces of the everyday men, women, out their lives they remained committed to progress and peace throughout the 77 members.
events, and we need your help. What and children caught in the crossfire in France. Where he truly excels is in the world, and to bringing to others authentic visions from its different corners.
topics would you like to explore? details of the faces, all different, and all alight with emotion and realism that If you have already included the
Who would you like to hear from? brings the entire war close to us even today. The entire sketch collection is punctuated with the poetic verses of A.E.F. Private Library in your estate plan or would
Would you be interested in leading Hilmar R. Baukhage, a compatriot of Baldridge’s at Stars and Stripes as well as like more information, please contact
the discussion? I’d love to hear from Cyrus Leroy Baldridge was born in 1889 and lived a vagabond life, with a a fellow classman at the University of Chicago. Baukhage himself would later Joan Zimmett
you. Stop by to see me, email me traveling-saleswoman mother who left his father and took him at a young age. become a prominent voice and face of broadcast news, holding the distinction of Director of Development
at cwaters@nysoclib.org, or call me at He was educated in illustration at the University of Chicago and graduated being the newsman to break the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The following at 212.288.6900 x207 or
212-288-6900. in 1911. He went to the French front lines in 1914, first as a correspondent year, he became the first anchor on network television, for ABC. jzimmett@nysoclib.org.
and reporter, later as a volunteer stretcher bearer to the French army. After
In the meantime, meet me, your the United States’ official entry into the war, he transferred to the American His most stirring poem from this collection is “That Quiet Sector,” which high-
fellow members, and our Library Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) as an infantry private on special duty with lights the peculiar nature of boredom and horror that punctuated trench warfare.
guests around the tea cart every week- Stars and Stripes, the A.E.F.’s official newspaper. It was to Stars and Stripes
day at 3 PM in the Reference Room. that he contributed most of his artwork during the war. “ Four hours off—two hours on—
Let’s talk! And not a thing to do but think…
This sketch collection, bound right after the end of the war in 1919, collects ...Two hours on—four hours off—
many of the illustrations Mr. Baldridge made over the years for Stars and Stripes. I s’pose our job is not so hard,—
What really comes to life in them is the faces of soldiers of different nations I s’pose sometime we’re going to quit.
”
and ethnicities from all over the world. This is an often-ignored aspect of the The ghosts we leave—do they stand guard?
narrative of the war. What made the First World War a truly world war was not
that there were fronts all over the world, but that soldiers were called to arms “I Was There” is just one of the many fascinating gems found throughout the
from all parts of the globe to fight, and often die, on the fields of France. Men Library’s stacks.

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