Evening star., 1943-11-21
District Woman Invents Process
OF Preserving Historic FIoqs
Mrs. T. B. Richey
Has Soved 5000
7ottered EmbIems
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

A titian-haired Navy wife has
found time to fit into busy life the
only business enterprise Of its kind
In the world.
Mrs. Katherine Richey, whose hus-
band, Rear Admiral Thomas Beall
Richey, was assigned recently to
staff duty here, is, in effect, physi-
clan to our Nations ailing historic
flags. She has the distinction of
having preserved more than 5000
historic flags, so that they may live
to inspire future generations.
As Katherine Fowler, an 18-year-
old schoolgirl, spending her vaca-
tions from her studies in Boston in
Washington with her mother, Mrs.
Amelia Fowler, she helps her with
the preservation of the original Star
Spangled Banner in the Smithson-
ian Institution.
Mrs. Fowler, a cultured and widely
travelled New England woman, tre-
mendously interested in Old World
tapestry collections, noted while on
a trip to France that the famed
Bayeux tapestry, made in 1906, was
in a perfect state of preservation
She conceived the idea that a spe-
cial net stitch on a linen background
might be employed in the preserva-
ton of various historic flags in q
state Of deterioration in her owr
country.
Subsequently she undertook and
successfully carried through to COM
pletion her ingenious plan for pre-
serving the original American flag
Because Of her patriotic zeal and un-
tiring efforts in behalf Of its preser-
vation, this world-famous banner
which inspired Francis Scott Key.
immortal words concerning it, will
last as long as any material thing
can last.
Mrs. Richey didn't realize wher
she was helping her mother that sht
would one day make similar historic
preservations profession and part.
time occupation.
Preserved Navy Flag.
Mrs. Richey is proud of the fact
that it was her privilege to preserve
the Nays most famous flag, tht
one with the words Don't Give Ul
the Ship" fashioned in white let
ters on field of navy blue.
Another historical achievement Of
hers is the preservation of the fae
sent by France as a gift to Gen
Washington when our country be-
came republic. At first the task
seemed almost impossible because
no record Of the design was avail
able. Mrs. Richey sent out more
than 100 letters to historic mu-
seums and libraries in an effort to
find information on the subject
The answer was found in Washing
ton. A curator in the Smithsonian
ran down the necessary description
concerning it in the files of an Alex
andria newspaper Of the year 1896.
The preservation of the San
Jacinto flag was another achieve
ment. 1t came to her from the
historical museum in Austin, Tex.
apparently a mass Of disintegrated
bits. E.1e task took year of part
time work The result was the
original and inspiring figure of Lib
erty emerging from the background
Of the flag with the insignia of
Liberty or Death" streaming from
her avenging sword as she swept
her forces on to victory.
Many Collections Preserved.
Mrs. Richey has preserved many
famous historic collections of flags.
Among these are the 370 early New
England flags which are on dis
play in the State Capitol at Boston,
the collection of historic Army flags
at West Point and the ITS Navy
flags at the Naval Academy. She
has also preserved many flags for