Benson, Emanuel Mervin. Correspondence w/ Kimball and other staff, 1939-1950

This sub-subseries consists of correspondence with the various Chiefs of the Division of Education. Unlike the administrative and curatorial staff files, these contain correspondence with entities outside the museum. A limited amount of items with Paul Rea begin the sub-subseries and highlight his duties as Acting Chief of Education, rather than his additional responsibility as Executive Officer. Rossiter Howard's files are the most extensive. Although the Depression curtailed his tenure at the museum, Howard's work with professional affiliations, such as American Association of Museums and American Federation of the Arts, is well documented. Additional Howard correspondence on behalf of the Museum and the development of its lectures programs is in the "Lectures" sub-subseries, "General correspondence" files. The "Administrative issues" series, "Personnel" subseries contains directives Kimball sent to multiple staff or all, including education personnel.

Although E.M. Benson did not receive his appointment as educational supervisor until 1937, he began his association with the museum at least two years prior. For that reason, his 1935-1936 correspondence with Kimball has been included here, as well as an undated project proposal written by Benson and his wife Gertrude that recommends compiling the writings of artists as a chronicle of modern art. The correspondence for John Canaday is with museum personnel only, and mostly with Kimball.