In a message dated 8/1/04 9:06:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Mr and Mrs Hoover (before he became President), managed to persuade the > US government to send help to Belgium, and managed to persuade the > Germans to let it through. So, flour went in, and empty bags came back. > Empty, but most beautifully embroidered, by the grateful recipients; > Mrs Hoover made sure that more than just flour was sent: thread (also > thread for lacemaking) was included in the shipments... Note from Jeri: The story is quite interesting. I refer any interested scholars to the web site (Google to find it) of the Herbert C. Hoover Presidential Library, which has long descriptions of exhibits there. Girl Scout leaders would also be interested, as Mrs. Hoover was very involved in the scouting movement. > > The embroidered bags are well worth arranging a visit (they're not on > permanent display) to see, if you're going to be in that area; they're > beautiful. The story of the lacemaking threads which had also been sent > at the same, time is reported in Charlotte Kellog's (?) book, of which > fragments Jeri Ames had, kindly, re-typed for us some while ago. The > book itself is out of print but may, I think, be available on CD, due > to Tess Parrish's efforts... > Note from Jeri: This is one of the books I lent to Tess for her CD project. If I remember correctly, it is probably on CD 2, as well as the Professor's site. Details: "Bobbins of Belgium" by Charlotte Kellogg, pub. by Funk & Wagnalls in 1920. Anyone interested in lacemakers during World War I would find this first-hand account by a woman working for the relief project very interesting and inspiring. It is like a diary account, and transports you right into the homes and schools of the Belgian lacemakers during the closing days of the war. There are photographs. Kellogg's first book is "Women of Belgium - Turning Tragedy to Triumph", pub. by Funk & Wagnalls in 1917. Herbert Hoover wrote the introduction. At the time, he was Chairman of The Commission for Relief in Belgium. Charlotte's first words in this first book: "The story of Belgium will never be told. That is the word that passes oftenest between us. No one will ever by word of mouth or in writing give it to others in its entirety, or even tell what he himself has seen and felt. The longer he stays the more he realizes the futility of any such attempt, the more he becomes dumb. It requires a brush and color beyond our grasp; it must be the picture of the soul of a nation in travail, of the lifting of the strong to save the weak." >From Belgium, at that time of misery and dispair, flowed beautiful laces and embroideries - across the seas into personal and public collections. Something to ponder...so inspiring. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
