Smithsonian Events in Houston, 1978

Contains clippings from local Houston newspapers: the Houston Post and the Houston Chronicle. Also clippings from papers around the state and nation: the Baytown Sun; Dallas News; Dallas Times Herald; Christian Science Monitor; New York Times; and the Wall Street Journal. Magazine clippings are also included: Art Forum; Art News; Art Space; House and Garden; Houston City Magazine; Houston Home and Garden; Newsweek; River Oaks Times; Smithsonian; Texas Homes; Texas Monthly; and Ultra.

The clippings cover a wide variety of museum activities as well as general art and architecture news, Topics include: the Art After School Program; dance and musical performances; exhibitions; film series; fund raising events such as the 1963 and 1968 Benefit Auctions, musical balls, the 1967-1968 Building Fund Drive, the 1976-1977 Emergency Fund Drive to deal with flood damage, and the annual garage sales; lecture series; and weekly and monthly program schedules.

The clippings trace the development of CAM from its inception in 1948 as the Contemporary Arts Association, under the leadership of a Board of Directors, through the most recent professional director Linda L. Cathcart (1979-1988). Those mentioned frequently include Board members Nina Cullinan, John & Dominique de Menil, Robert Preusser, Frank Dolejska, Pierre Schlumberger, Alvin Romansky, F. Corrington Weems, and museum directors Jermayne MacAgy (1955-1959), Wilson Burdett (1965-1966), Sebastian J. Adler (1966-1972), James Harithas (1974-1978), and Linda Cathcart (1979-1988).

Prominent subjects include: the opening of the museum's first building in 1949 at 302 Dallas, its relocation to 7117 Old Main Street Road (now 6945 Fannin) in 1954, and the opening of the CAM's present building at 5216 Montrose in 1972; Cullinan Hall; the flood ( June 15, 1976) ; and the Modern House Tour (1952-1960s). The clippings also include a great deal of information on the Houston Symphony, the Houston Ballet, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.