Maybe this is MUCH more than you asked for.......

Susannah Winifred Armstrong,  Born March 11/1897 at Chicago.
Married as his 2nd wife, on Sept 2/1939, to ****Laurence Vail Coleman,****
born at New York City, Sept 19/1893, son of Thaddeus Vail Coleman, born May
1/1854, died Apr 27/1937: and Kate Bradley (Pratt) Coleman, born Feb
13/1862, still living in New York City, (in Nov 1939).  Laurence was
divorced from his first wife by whom he had three sons. Laurence and
Susannah had no children. Laurence Vail Coleman attended both Yale and
Harvard Universities, and in 1943 was Director of the American
Association of Museums, with headquarters at the Smithsonian Institute,
Washington D.C.  He is the author of many books on Museums, and is the
most noted authority on this subject in the United States.  They live
at 1530 Sixteenth St.  Washington, D.C.  Susannah was a fine pianist
and composer, many of her compositions, having been published.  Her
musical studies were started with Hilda Brown, in Chicago, then with
Victor Garwood, followed by a full course at the North-western
University Music School, where she obtained the bachelor degree.
Susannah then spent a year in Germany, and studied with Arthur Schnabel
and after she returned to Chicago with Levine.  Due to her sorority
connections she was given an opportunity to go to the MacDowell Colony
at Peterboro, N.H.  This proved to be most stimulating and helpful in
her musical composition.  So much so that she welcomed the
opportunities of attendance in following years.  For a number of years
she was connected with the music department of New Trier Township High
School.  In 1934, she decided to go to New York and was sufficiently
successful, through her musical ability, to make her way there.  She
had arranged to return and continue her work there, but marriage
changed her plans.  Latterly vacation times have been divided between
home and Peterboro.  It was there she met her husband, Laurence Vail
Coleman, in 1938.  The "Glencoe News" of May 31/1930, carried the
following article:-
Miss Susannah Armstrong, Glencoe pianist and composer, has recently
been presented with a fellowship for the MacDowell colony at Peterboro,
N.H. by the Evanston MacDowell Society of Allied Arts.  The fellowship
was formally announced by Parke E. Simmons, president of the Evanston
Society, at the annual meeting recently, at the residence of Mr. and
Mrs. Rufus G. Dawes in Evanston.  Madame Elsie Harthan Arendt, soprano,
who was the artist of the evening, included in her programme, one of
Miss Armstrong's songs, "Sea Shell", Stanley Seder was at the piano.
Miss Armstrong is a member of the music department of New Trier High
School, where she is in charge of the harmony and creative work in
music.  At Peterboro this summer, she will be able to have three months
of intensive work in composition.  The Macdowell colony was established
by Mrs. Edward MacDowell in memory of her husband, the eminent American
composer, and it provides quiet and inspiration for artists in the
different branches of creative art.  As only a limited number of
artists can be accommodated, the fellowships are bestowed with great
discrimination.  Miss. Armstrong has had her songs sung in recitals
along the north shore, and she has always received very favourable
comment on them.  They show imagination and a sense of tone colour, the
accompaniments often being quite independent of the melody and
furnishing a colorful background.  Her Mother Goose songs are
particularly charming.
When, as a girl, Susannah began to show great musical promise, her
admiring uncle, Otis A. Poole, gave her a Steinway Grand Piano to
encourage her aspirations, which has been a great joy to her through
the years, and which she still has.
    After their marriage, Susannah and Laurence lived for many years in
an apartment in Washington, DC. In 1951/2 they lived in
Charlottesville, Virginia, owning their own house in Wayside Place, but
returned to city life in Washington.
    Since the above was written, Laurence Coleman, after serving the
American Association of Museums as its Director for 35 years, retired
in 1958 and was elected Director Emeritus in appreciation of his
notable accomplishments during that period. Since his retirement,
Laurence and Susannah have travelled extensively abroad, in the
Caribbean and Europe, dwelling chiefly in Florence, Italy."

John Martinson SRA-6117
Museum Specialist
Bureau of Reclamation
Snake River Area Office
230 Collins Road
Boise, ID 83702-4520
Telephone: (208) 383-2287
Web: www.usbr.gov

RECLAMATION 
Managing Water in the West

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>>> [log in to unmask] 4/14/2005 4:49:25 AM >>>
All:

Laurence Vail Coleman was president of the AAM sometime in the late 1930s 
and/or 1940s. Does anyone know the precise years?
I would be grateful for this information.

Best regards,

Marta

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