Jane Addams to Frederic J. V. Skiff, January 26, 1902

My dear Mr Skiff:

Mr Dorsey who visited our little museum last week said that The Field Columbian Museum had a collection of textiles, representing the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries if I remember rightly, and that it was the intention of the museum to dispose of the collection in the [page 2] near future.

May I ask, if there would be any possibility of securing this valuable collection for the Hull-House Labor Museum. We have developed our textile department further than any other, it is comfortably housed in a room of its own and we have some very good cases provided through the generosity of your museum. [page 3]

Miss Hanner, who has charge of the textile department, has seen the exhibit and thinks that we could use it most advantageously to illustrate our lectures and classes. We have many visitors who are teachers in the public schools and students in various pedagogical Institutes, who in addition to the popular audiences would find the study of textiles much illuminated by such a valuable collection. [page 4]

We have a few specimens of modern manufacture but of course scarcely hope for another such opportunity to obtain a fine medieval collection.

Hoping that you may be able to consider our application and expressing our sincerest gratitude for your many kindnesses to us I am faithfully yours

Jane Addams

Jan'y 26" 1902