Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-11-07
Favorably Consid.
cred for Archaeo.
logical Museum.
SCIENTISTS VISIT CITY
Miss Alice c. Fletcher and
Prof. Hewett Investigate
Local Advantages.

A trail of beautiful memories was
left by the visit to Santa Fe this week,
of Miss Alice c. Fletcher, of Washing
ton, D. c., author and scientist, the
chairman of the managing committee
of the School of American Archaeolo.
gy. woman who has won for herself
place of eminence in more than one
field of endeavor, but especially in
ethnology, the study of the aboriginal
races of America, their languages and
their folk lore a woman of marked
and recognized executive ability, and
withal woman gentle and unaffected.
Miss Fletcher came the long distance
from the national capital, to meet
here Professor Edgar l.. Hewett, who
is the director of American work OF
the American Institute of Archaeolo-
gy, and with him examine on
the ground, the advantages OF
Santa Fe as a site for the
proposed School Of American
Archaeology, an institution Of world
wide scope and the Only one of its
kind on the Western continent, but
similar to the schools of Archaeology
established and maintained at Athens,
Rome and Jerusalem by the Institute.
From the school would be directed in
large part the work OF archaeological
research not only in the Southwest,
but from Alaska to Central America
and even to Peru: here would be es-
tab,ished museum of American and
comparative Archaeology that would
vie with the greatest museums OF the
world for interest; and here would be
trained the archaeologists OF the fu-
ture. and published the result of their
researches. The territory through its
legislative assembly Of two years ago
offered the Old Palace and a grant
of $1,000 year to secure the location
of fhe school, and it is this proposition
that is now being considered by the
Institute, with many chances in favor
Of Santa Fe on account OF it's advant-
ageous location SO near to important
archaeological feds and its own his
t>ric associations. However, there are
powerful and wealthy rivals for the
honor, including Los Angeles, Denver,
Colorado Springs, the City Of Mexico.
and Washington, D. c. The prelimin-
ary decision will probably be made
early this month at a meeting of the
Institute to be held at Boston and to-
which Miss Fletcher and Professor
Hewett will hurry from Colorado
Springs. for which point they left Fri
day afternoon. Both were favorably
impressed with Santa Fe's attractive
ness as site for just such an insti-
tuition as is proposed, as we'll as the
liberality and interest manifested by
the legislature, with the possibility
of more generous financial aid by it
and grant of lands in the statehood
bill that would be equivalent to an
endowment such as is offered by other
cities which desire the school.
Social Events in Honor Of Visitors.
Naturally, Santa Fe was eager to
show so distinguished guests every So
cial attention. but the time limit to
their stay and the purpose of their Wis
it occupying most of the hours at their
disposal, gave only few the privil-
ege of entertaining in their honor.
Among these social affairs was a din
ner Wednesday evening by Judge and
Mrs. John R. McFie, at their beautiful
home at the corner of Manhattan ave-
nue. and Cerrillos street. Covers were
laid for eleven. The guests of honor
were Miss Fletcher and Professor
HeWett, while the other guests were
Judge and Mrs. A. J. Abbott, Judge
and Mrs. N. B. Laughlin and Mr.. and
Mrs. Paul A. F. Walter. 1t was an
evening long to be remembered, both
for it's gastronomic delights and its
intellectual treat, for Miss Fletcher in
a reminiscent mood, told graphically
of the early struggles of American
Archaeology for recognition, of the
days when the leaders of classic cul-
ture in this country insisted that there
was no archaeology outside of the
classic realms of the Old World.
Something like thirty years ago, in
the first meetings of the American
Institute Of Archaeology, this fray of
great minds waged furiously, Miss
Fletcher being one of those who bat
tied for the recognition of American
Archaeology, one Of the results being
the sending of Professor Bandelier to
Santa Fe to delve in the old archives
and to explore the archaeological
ruins of this vicinity, with what splen-
did reward and gain to literature and
Y NJ 1. # !.