Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-01
WARD COLLECTION
PRESENTED TODAY
chronological Objects and
Sculpture Work Given
Smithsonian Institution.

Presentation Of the Herbert Ward
African collection was made to the
Smithsonian Institution this after
noon by Mrs. Sarita Sanford Ward,
widow of the English explorer. who
collected many of the chronological
objects in the collection and was the
sculptor of others during his years
Of adventure.
Vice President Coolidge accepted
the collection on behalf Of the Insti-
tuition and. he said. for the future
generations of America, who. in years
pressed with the beauty Of this
unique assemblage of objects sym
bolizing the ethnoloGy Of Africa"
Sketches Life of Husband.
Mrs. Ward sketched the early life Of
her late husband in her address of
presentation. She said he was a men,
Der of the Stanley relief expedition.
During the five years he was with that
expedition. Mrs. Ward said. my hus-
band learned to know and love the
African savage. and they in turn loved
him, as every one did who knew him.
lie lived among them. shared their
food, became blood-brothers with the
African chiefs, and many a knife and
spear were given to him.
lie collected these things from
time to time" she continued. ''pur
chasing them with coiored handker-
chiefs, handful of blue glass beads
or cowr.e shells. giving his frugal
cial knife OF bit of ivory. and grad
ually these things found their way
down to the coast and SO on to Eng
land. During all this time in any
spare moments he made drawings
and sketches Of the African native
and his surroundings"
Decides ON Presentation.
Mrs. Ward said that many of the
statues were developed in later years
in France. Then Mrs. Ward told how
and when he decided to deposit the
collection in the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition.
We came to Washington for the
first time as guests of Mr.. and Mrs
Thomas Nelson Page" she said. 1t
was then that We visited the Smith
sonian Institution. and my husband
was deeply impressed with the Won
derful organization of this museum
and the fact that it had been found
ed by an Englishman. Soon after this.
the idea occurred to him to present
this collection to the Smithsonian In
stitution. where he felt il would be
understood and appreciated and OF
value from an enthnographical point
Der of Africans who are here IN this
country"
Mrs. Ward said that her husband
would have presented and arranged
the collection himself. but the war
came, and he died soon after. She
thanked DR.. Walcott. DR.. Hough and
others for aid in arranging the col
lection.
ut is not just a collection of
African relics and sculpture. she
NH, al Mt
life of one of natures great men.
and / am proud to feel that 1t IS
an Englishman's gift to my own
country"
Varied Achievements.
THE varied achievements Of Her
bert Ward as explorer. soldier. writer
and artist are an inspiration to ALL"
said Vice president Coolidge. in ac-
ceptine il. From what Mrs. Ward
has told us. we may see that his
was not only an artistic but an ad-
venturous spirit. His explorations
in the heart of Africa. his whole
souled efforts in the great war. are
on a par with his achievements IN
the field of art as exemplified- IN
these living sculptures of African
subjects. ,,.
feeling towards America are shown
in his O1ten eHpTeSScu " .has t''S
collection should eventually come
here. He felt that the Smithsonian
Institution was 4 logical repos1tor Tor
this most valuable material. for IN
view of the purposes of the institution
as stimulated in the will of the
founder. James Smithson, another
Englishman, the increase and diffu-
sion of knowledge among men. what
is more fitting than that this coilec-
ton. SO instructive in the little
known phases of primitive African
art and culture should be shown here.
where men of all times may see and
learn from it?
Gratitude Expressed.
"It is with a deep sense of graft
tude to you. Mrs. Ward. and to Mr..
Ward that we accept this splendid
gift, one of the most interesting and
most valuable that has ever come to
the Smithsonian Institution or to the
National Museum"
The collection will be put on public
exhibition beginning tomorrow. The
chronological material consists of
$500 objects of native African art
and manufacture. including works of
ivory, wood, horn, iron. copper and
brass: and the sculptures portray
wildly the primitive life of the ma
tive in the interior of the continent.
Mr., Ward was an Englishman; he
was a sculptor, an explorer, artist,
soldier and writer.