Recently Edward Summers ’59, the great nephew of Miss Alice Dean, Rice’s first librarian, generously presented the Woodson with her portrait. It was done by John Clark Tidden, an early member of the Rice art and architecture faculty, probably around 1920 and I think it captures something quite lovely about her. It will hang, I believe, on the third floor of Fondren:
Hired by William Ward Watkin in 1914, John Clark Tidden taught architectural drawing, freehand drawing, and painting at the Institute until 1925. Here he is in an undated but early photograph:
Young and energetic, he was a great favorite of the students, particularly for his dedication to the Dramatics Club, which he shepherded through its early years as sponsor and frequent director. The 1925 Campanile is dedicated to him:
During his time in Houston Tidden was also a productive artist. This photo turned up in Julian Huxley’s papers–here are Tidden (left) and Huxley (right) sketching a scene near San Antonio in 1914:
And this clipping from the end of this tenure at the Institute gives some sense of the scope of his work, mostly portraits and landscapes, and the popularity of this work in Houston:
Bonus: Miss Dean’s great nephew was last seen in these pages as the University of Texas delegate to the Rice Centennial celebration. Love the big grin!
