October 4, 1927.
Dear Miss Addams:
Only yesterday I had a call from Col. and Mrs. [Luxmoore], who have been in the country for some weeks past, and are old friends of the Coopers, Kingsley House, Pittsburgh.
It happened that Mr. Cooper himself was here a fortnight ago, and I was much disturbed by the fact that here he was getting under the load of a new year without really being thoroughly braced up. Then Helen Harris, his assistant head worker, was in New York, and I found her concern as real as mine; and in complete confidence, I have written Mr. Stuart as enclosed. He is a member of the Kingsley House board.
There are immensely wealthy men on that board, and within reach of them, and it seems to me there is no reason why they should not give Charles Cooper a very adequate breathing spell. More than a breathing spell, a chance to get fit for ten years to come.
I think they have wanted to do it but one part of the difficulty has been to pry him loose. He told me that there were so many creative and interesting things hanging fire which he wanted to see through to a good stage. At the same time I gather that he might be willing to get off around New Year's for a six months stretch -- once he had the year's work in motion as result of his efforts this fall.
Col. A Mrs. [Luxmoore] felt that the ideal place for him would be six months in England, but despaired of getting him there, or of holding him there, unless there were some commission that he was executing which would not be enormous, but which would still give him an excuse for loafing.
How about the [Barnett] fellowship. Has that appointment been made for this year; or if so, is it open for 1928? Would there be any possibility of designating Cooper? [page 2]
Or if that is out of the question, isn't there [some] commission which the settlements could ask him to [execute] in England and on the Continent which would not be a make-believe, and which, on motion from the national board, I fancy there is a chance that Cooper's trustees would arrange for?
At least I am venturing to write you in the matter.
Sincerely,
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