McFaddin-Ward House The Boy Zone:

The “Alleged” Third Floor on Display

For the first Stan Hywet SymposiumOctober 17,2008

Ware Petznick

Table of contents

1.Intro to the MWH museum2.Status in 20053.Board guidelines4.Developing the Furnishing Plan5.Preparing the space6.The “end” result

1906 McFaddin Ave in 1906

The McFaddin Women

McFaddin Ward

Pink Pink andand Pastels: For Mother Pastels: For Mother

“The Boys”

WPH McFaddin1856-1935

• Texas Military Institute• Jones Commercial College, St Louis• Muskrat farm -200K pelts/annum• Managing partner McFaddin, Kyle and Wiess, sole proprietor of the Rice Milling company in 1917. Now $500M industry.• Brahmin cattle to Texas• Built office building. Bought Crosby• Director & VP, First National Bank• Sons took over 1928

A place for WPH & sons

Check watchObserve appearanceDon a straw boaterDrop his Drucker & Co. bag from CincinnatiLeave skates, school books & riding crop

Status in 2005

East Bedroom

Architectural evidence informs furnishing

HURRICANE RITA largest recorded hurricane to enter the Gulf of Mexico, Sept 23-24, 2005.

Project Parameters Focus interpretation on boys coming of age in new century

Perry Jr. graduated high school 1913 Caldwell graduated high school 1917 Carroll Ward married Mamie McFaddin 1919 WPH still included – his desk is in the Billiard Room

Utilize artifacts in storage

Be unique Original collection Be accurate

They just had, they had a good time up there, they had a billiard table and two bedrooms and a bath, hall, trunk room and a living room, a huge living room clear across the front.

MMW Interview #1, p. 16

One Outlet – Many objects

Hubbell plug in storage inspired “plugging” fan into wall light

The Furnishing Plan

No period photographs of third floor

All primary evidence was consulted

Function of rooms

Do objects contribute to interpretation?

Condition/Conservation requirements

Will it fit?/ Tour route

The Furnishing Plan

LIGHTING not always popular to be accurate

If an object is in a room too dimly lit to see it, does it contribute to what is“ON DISPLAY”?

If an object is in a room too dimly lit to see it, does it contribute to what is“ON DISPLAY”?

Beaumont High School 1910

The valedictorian…

The studious one…

Harvard Law 1921-24

Beaumont High 1913Rice Institute 1917Navy in World War I 1918Operated the McFaddin ranches in Texas and ArkansasMarried Amizetta White of Huntington, WV 1926President Coastal Cattle Assoc. 1934-1949

William Perry Herring McFaddin, Jr“Perry or Peb” 1897-1973

As a Boy

Small boots

Perry the Rancher

As a Young Man

Boy scout in Beaumont’s

first troop

A Boy Scout

Creating props

The boys’ bathroom

Robert Mitchell Turkish Chair ca. 1895

[Mr. Averill] had that table brought up here. It was all set up before they covered this thing [the shaft]....Of course, I wasn’t here, but that’s what Miss Ida told me. - Cecelia Smith

CS #23, p. 7-8

Front Hall Dec 1983

And we thought we were done…

Research

Thank you to Stan Hywet, Kevin Kern & Mark Heppner especially for inviting me to present this program, which is also online at www.slideshare.net Questions? staforlife@yahoo.com or visit: www.mcfaddin-ward.org