Guide to the Jeanne Victor Hugo Carruthers Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

Jeanne Victor Hugo Carruthers Papers

Inclusive Dates

circa 1930-1984

Call Number

RG 267

Creator(s)

Carruthers, Jeanne V. (Jeanne Victor Hugo), 1904-1996.

Quantity

1.00 cubic foot (4 boxes)

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Repository

Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

Jeanne Victor Hugo was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 21, 1904; she first joined the Presbyterian church in 1915. She received a BA in home economics from Macalester College in 1926 and attended Columbia during 1928-29; in 1954 she received her MA from Cornell University. She married Lyman Bruce Carruthers, a surgeon, in 1929, and in 1931 both applied to the Board of Foreign Missions requesting to be sent to India. In August of that year they arrived at Miraj Hospital Centre in western India; they would remain there until 1954. Dr. Carruthers worked as a surgeon, hospital administrator, and dean of the medical school. Jeanne Carruthers, who had no background in medicine and no formal training in education, spent her time at Miraj visiting patients, helping to organize social activities for students and hospital staff, and raising her three children. In 1953 she took charge of the school's audiovisual program. The Carruthers retired in 1954 due to Dr. Carruthers' failing health and returned to the United States. He died in 1957.

In the period 1958 to 1970 Jeanne Carruthers served as Secretary for the Fine Arts of the Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA) and also of the Division of Overseas Ministries of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. In 1961 she become the first secretary of the UPCUSA's newly created Office of Fine Arts whose focus was to make a breach in the wall of misunderstanding that exists today between the world of the church and the world of the arts. In the 1960s Carruthers produced a number of dramas at the Commission-owned Barn Playhouse at the Church Conference Center in Stony Point, New York, a site which hosted summer repertory theater and workshops in religious dramas. From 1971 to 1976, Mrs. Carruthers worked as a volunteer in Mexico where she co-founded, with Oscar Rodriquez, the International Christian Center for the Arts. She believed that any art form with integrity has relevance to the world.

In 1977, Carruthers returned to the United States, taking up residence in Westminster Gardens, a retirement community in Duarte, California. During this time she assisted with the establishment of the first International Christian Center for the Arts in the United States which was headquartered in the Pasadena Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, California. Serving southern California, this center provided materials for programs, exhibits, and references for groups and individuals.

Jeanne Carruthers died in 1996.

Collection Overview

Carruthers' early (1930s) outgoing correspondence to the United States records life around the Miraj Hospital Centre and School in western India, as do a number of photographs and slides.

Later correspondence (1976-1982) between Carruthers and the Reverend Alvin Schumaat regards the International Christian Center for the Arts in Mexico and reflects their thoughts on the role of native art in missionary work.

Jeanne Carruthers planned to write an autobiography based on her experiences in India, and kept notes with this project in view. The notes are mostly what would be considered background material for such a book: scenes of patients in the hospital, impressions of students and of staff members, records of the behavior of Indian servants.

In addition to documentation of her missionary experience in India (1931-1950), this collection also contains photographs, slides, lists of productions and cast members that document her activities with the Gilmor-Sloane Retreat House and the Barn Playhouse at the church-owned conference center in Stony Point, New York in the 1960s.

The remainder of the collection is comprised of correspondence, history and leaflets about the founding of the International Christian Center for the Arts in Pasadena, California.

Organization and Arrangement

SERIES I: CORRESPONDENCE, 1931-1982

SERIES II: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES, 1931-1949

SERIES III: BARN PLAYHOUSE, STONY POINT, NEW YORK, 1959-1972

SERIES IV: INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS, CIRCA 1950-1984

SERIES V : PHOTOGRAPHS AND SLIDES, CIRCA 1930-1968

Catalog Headings

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in the society’s electronic catalog.

Personal Name Subject

Carruthers, Jeanne V. (Jeanne Victor Hugo), 1904-1996.

Carruthers, L. Bruce (Lyman Bruce), 1903-1957.

Corporate Subject

Miraj Medical Centre.

Stony Point Center (Stony Point, N.Y.)

Barn Playhouse (Stony Point, N.Y.)

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West India Mission.

United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations. Office of Fine Arts.

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Division of Overseas Ministries.

International Christian Center for the Arts (Mexico)

International Christian Center for the Arts (Pasadena, Calif.)

Topical Subject

Missions--India.

Women missionaries--India.

Arts and religion.

Religious drama.

Geographic Subject

India--Missions.

Genre-form

Autobiographies (literary genre) aat

Correspondence. aat

Photographs. aat

Slides (photographs) aat

Personal Added Name

Schumaat, Alvin.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 267

		SERIES I: CORRESPONDENCE, 1931-1982

1	2	Correspondence, 1931-1939
1	3	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1976
1	4	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1977 January-September
1	5	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1977 October-December
1	6	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1978 January-June
1	7	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1978 July-November
1	8	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1979
1	9	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1980
1	10	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1981
1	11	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Alvin Schutmaat, 1982
1	12	Incoming to Jeanne Carruthers from Oscar Rodriquez, 1973, 1977
1	13	Incoming to Alvin Schutmaat from other writers, 1976-1980
1	14	Outgoing to Alvin Schutmaat from Jean Carruthers, 1980
1	15	Incoming miscellaneous, 1977-1978

		SERIES II: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES, 1931-1949

2	1	Diary, 1934-1943
2	2	Housekeeping, undated
2	3	Miraj Hospital Centre, 1942-1945
2	4	Miraj Medical School, students, 1931-1944
2	5	Visit of Governor of Bombay, 1949
2	6	World War II, 1939-1943
2	7	Miscellaneous, 1935-1942

		SERIES III: BARN PLAYHOUSE, STONY POINT, NEW YORK, 1959-1972

2	8	Programs, 1959-1968
2	9	Postcards of Gilmor-Sloane House, Stony Point, New York, circa 1960
2	10	Lecture notes of Barn Playhouse, circa 1960
2	11	Lecture notes for drama performances, circa 1960
2	12	Article “The Play’s the Thing,” Presbyterian Life, 1960 September 15
2	13	Religious Workshop, list of names and other related materials, 1962-1972
2	14	List of Players, 1959-1968; List of Residence Group, 1963
2	15	Brochures, 1964, 1967, 1968
2	16	Script, “The Thief and the Hangman,” Morton Wishengrad, 1967

		SERIES IV: INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS, CIRCA 1950-1984

2	17	First leaflet, circa 1970
2	18	Correspondence to members of the ICCA, 1977-1983
2	19	History of ICCA, 1978-1980
2	20	Leaflet “Global Images for Peace,” 1984
2	21	Correspondence incoming F. P.E. Premanwardhana, 1984
2	22	Resources, a listing of persons, activities in non-western Christian art, music, dance and drama, 1960-1970
2	23	Christian Art in India, Lucknow Publishing House, Lucknow U P, circa 1950

		SERIES V: PHOTOGRAPHS AND SLIDES, CIRCA 1930-1968

2	24	Miraj Hospital Center, circa 1930-1950
2	25	Portraits, circa 1930-1950

3	1	Barn before 1958
3	2	Barn Playhouse at Stony Point, New York, 1958
3	3	Gilmor-Sloane House, Stony Point, New York, 1958
3	4	“Eyes Upon The Cross,” 1961
3	5	“John,” 1961
3	6	“Sacrifice,” 1961
3	7	“Long Christmas Dinner,” 1962
3	8	“The Trail,” 1963
3	9	“The Bald Soprano,” 1964
3	10	“Circle Beyond Fear,” 1965
3	11	“Life is a Dream,” 1965
3	12	“Cocktail Party,” 1967
3	13	“The Thief and Hangman,” 1967
3	14	“Tobins and the Angel,” 1967
3	15	Discussion time with audience, 1967
3	16	Thomas Kusipuma, folk singer, Peru, 1967
3	17	Jeanne Carruthers, Gary Wheelar and Felix Premanward, Stony Point, New York, 1968
3	18	Negatives (3): “The Charred Cross,” two not identified, undated
3	19	Slides: “A Man Dies,” 1964

4		Slides, undated

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Guide to the Jeanne Victor Hugo Carruthers Papers

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