Fatherless Children of France Collection

The Fatherless Children of France was established by American women in October 1915 to provide relief for French children orphaned during the First World War. The organization operated through thirty-six chapters or committees across the United States, including in New York City and Boston. It supported the work of the Orphelinat des Armées, a French society founded in Paris at the outset of the war, by promoting annual subscriptions of $36.50. Funds raised through these subscriptions were sent directly to French orphans to supplement stipends provided by the French government.

In addition to the subscription campaign, the organization planned an auction to raise further funds. Anna O’Neill Johnson of the Boston Committee conceived and directed a project that invited prominent individuals of the period to contribute to a “book.” Contributors were asked to submit a manuscript, autograph, artwork, photograph, or similar item on a uniform sheet of paper provided for the purpose. These submissions were assembled into a collection known as Their Book.

The original intention was to bind the contributions into a single volume. Because of the size and format of some items, however, this proved impractical. Instead, Mary Crease Sears designed a morocco case to house the collection, and a separate portfolio was created for oversized artwork. The contributions were then slated to be sold individually, and the American Art Association prepared an auction catalog for the sale. This revised plan prompted strong objections from many contributors, as well as from Johnson herself. In response, Johnson arranged to purchase the entire collection before the auction took place. She retained the collection until donating it to the College of the Holy Cross in 1953.