Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1946)
fhilip Ranney Brooks Memorial Room ribute to Portland Book Connoisseur By Geneat Cowan May 1941, the Philip Ranney Brooks Memorial library was do nated to the University of Oregon by the late Mrs. Lester Brooks of Portland in memory of her son, a “true booklover and reader.” The Philip Ranney Brooks Me morial library is located on the third floor of the library just off the Special Collections room. The hours are from 1 to 5 Monday through Friday; and 9-12; 1-5 on Saturday. All students are wel come to visit it at these hours. Study Lounge Construction of the room was financed by Mrs. Brooks and was planned as a study lounge for students. It houses approximately 2000 books which were taken from Mr. Brooks’ private library and are representative of French, Eng lish and American authors. Although not primarily collec tor’s items, the books are complete de*tuxe editions bought by Mr. Brooks to be read and enjoyed. Some Rare Editions Most of the books are of the nineteenth and twentieth century printings, although there are sev eral rare editions from the six teenth, seventeenth and eighteenth century publishings. Among them are Dryden’s “Fables from Boc caccio and Chaucer” published in 1822 in England. Two rather old books of Shakespeare’s plays print ed in 1805 are also among the col lection, as well as a small Latin textbook by Martial published in 1540. That Mr. Brooks derived much pleasure from his library is evi denced by his later life when he experienced total deafness and an infirmity which confined him to jirsT'ffome entirely. His library be came his “world” and the late Dr. Donald M. Erb, former University president, said at the dedication of the room to the library that “He (Philip Brooks) loved his books and through them he learn ed to live anew.” Art Collector Mr. Brooks was also a connois seur of art and five pictures were aken from his home in Portland, heights for the Memorial room. There are four portraits which lave been associated with the work lone in the early seventeenth and lighteenth centuries. They include i portrait of Lady Jane Douglas if English nobility; her brother, luke of Douglas; a picture of iudge Filkes of Wiltshire, Eng and, and another English court ustice. They were bought in Can ida. A landscape painting hangs YfiJT ijje western side of the room and is thought to be of Norwegian origin. Mr. Brooks’ portrait occupies the eastern wall. The picture was taken in his National Guard uni form in 1907. Doors from Home Wrought iron doors taken from the Portland Heighth’s home and designed by Mr. Brooks furnish a picturesque entrance. They are i! START THE SPRING TERM . RIGHT I — KAMPUS ’ Barber Shop Leo, Mac, Don and Bert 849 E. 13th Portrait of Philip Ranney Brooks, in whose memory the Philip Ranney Brooks Memorial Library was given to the University of Oregon. The portrait was painted in 1907 in his National Guard Uniform. Northwest corner or the Philip Ranney Brooks Memorial Room in the library which houses over 2000 copies of English, French and Ameri can literature. fashioned from iron woven against clear glass and mahogany. Philip Brooks was educated in the public schools in Minneapolis and graduated from the Lawrence ville academy in New Jersey, where he excelled as a classical orator. He studied at Yale university from 1894-96, but withdrew from school at his father’s insistence. He thought it was a waste of time for Philip to continue his education since he was to succeed his father in the lumber industry. His univer sity life had acquainted him with the scholastic, however, and it greatly influenced the rest of his life in his determination to build a substantial private library and acquaint himself with a knowledge of literature and the creative arts. Philip Brooks entered the lum ber business enthusiastically, and when his father died he transfered the active interests of the Brooks Scanlon company to Vancouver, B.CV., from the old headquarters at Minneapolis. Fifteen years later he retired from business and built his home in Portland Heights. A lover of nature and the out-doors, he created many beautiful gardens around his home in Portland. He had many interests among them music, drama and architec ture. A hobby of his was realized in the building of the Pilot Butte inn at Ben, Oregon, described by Dr. Erb as “an architectural gem set amid a lovely garden at the junction of the old Oregon Trail IBB EUGENE HARDWARE “EVERYTHING IN HARDWARE’’ 93 E. Broadway Ph. 670 and the turbulent Deschutes Riv er.” Philip Brooks died July 23, 1940, after a long illness at his home in Portland. He was survived by his mother, Mrs. Lester Brooks. "It was her (Mrs. Brooks’) prayer,” said Dr. Erb, “that the youth of Oregon may find in the use of her son’s library the broadening vision which points to larger and more fruitful living.” Drive Called Successful Despite Sign-up Shortage | The housing drive started last month by the Ten O'clock Club of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce j ended yesterday with results i which Art Priaulx, publicity man ager for the drive, summed up as "successful in a tangible way rath er than in actual rooms signed up.” The drive, however, fell far short of the 500 looms signed up during winter term. But it ac complished two concrete objec tives, Mr. Priaulx said. First, it impressed upon those who opened their houses last January the ne cessity of continuing to rent their rooms. Also, it appraised' many Eugene home-owners of the situa tion so that a good many single students were able to obtain rooms through their own efforts. There is still great difficulty in j getting accommodations for mar ried veterans, Mr. Priaulx stated. This situation will probably not ease until fall term -when more temporary housing may be opened on the campus. At present, how ever, the bottom of the Eugene ; barrel seems to be scraped in the j search for rooms for returning j veterans, married or single. Join the Throngs That are Making Their Headquarters at the DEL REY CAFE Open Sat. ’til 1 :30 a.m. 845 Willamette You can get all types of classic jewelry at President H. J. Cox of the cham ber of commerce issued a final appeal Saturday for rooms. "If Eugene can just see those boys through tlie spring term, the worst of the problem will be over,'’ he said. "By next fall the Univer sity expects to have much larger housing facilities." Although the housing drive is officially over Eugene household ers may still make their rooms available to the students by con tacting Mrs. Alice B. MacDuff, housing secretary at Johnson hall. The Meetin' and eatin' place on the Campus McDonald CHARLES LAUGHTON, AND RANDOLPH SCOTT j IN "CAPTAIN KIDD" CLAUDETTE COLBERT AND DON AMECHE jj IN "GUEST WIFE" ALSO "BEWITCHED" HEILIG "FRONTIER GIRL" YVONNE DeCARLO ROD CAMERON