Gloria Forsyth Papers

Collection — Box: SB-01, Folder: 1

Identifier: MS-19

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of one folder of correspondence, notes, minutes and other miscellaneous publications related to Pearl Chase, several activities of the Plans and Planting Committee of the Community Arts Association of Santa Barbara, and Mrs. Forsyth's role as a member of the committee. Topics covered in these papers include: an article about Santa Barbara's civic pride and historic preservation, reprinted from Reader's Digest (1940); Santa Barbara Mission Historical park plantings and Mission Cemetery Garden tree work and replanting (1972); local garden tours in 1963; minutes of board meetings of the Plans and Planting Committee (1972-1973); planting around El Cuartel and rebuilding the Presidio (1973); and a press release and program from the Pearl Chase Luncheon (1988). The papers are in chronological order.

Dates

1940 - 1988
Majority of material found within 1963 - 1972

Creator

Forsyth, Gloria Brooks (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Director for Historical Resources. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Biographical / Historical

Gloria Brooks Forsyth was born December 23, 1923. Her father, Ralph Brooks, founded the Valley Club of Montecito. A Santa Barbara native, Mrs. Forsyth attended Stanford University during World War II, where she received a bachelor's degree in journalism and was the first female editor of Stanford's student newspaper, the Stanford Daily. Upon her return, Mrs. Forsyth worked at the Santa Barbara News-Press for several years as a society writer before publishing the children's novel Pelican Prill in 1956. She and her husband published the weekly magazine, This Week in Santa Barbara, into the early 1970s.

Mrs. Forsyth held numerous leadership positions in the Junior League, served on the boards of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and the Lobero Theatre, was president of the Garden Club of Santa Barbara and vice-president of the Montecito Trails Foundation. She also was involved with the Santa Barbara United Way, Crane Country Day School, El Presidio Gift Shop, Santa Barbara YMCA, Family Service Agency, Music Academy of the West, Visiting Nurses Association, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, All Saints Church, the Little Town Club, and Old Spanish Days.

Forsyth was active on the board of the Plans and Planting Committee of the Community Arts Association of Santa Barbara. Her home, Villa Allegra, in Montecito, was on the committee's garden tours for many years, and she worked closely with Pearl Chase on many projects. Forsyth was one of Pearl's Girls, who organized the yearly Pearl Chase luncheons to honor individuals involved in historic preservation, after Chase's death. She was a contributor to the video production My Friends Call Me Miss Chase, produced in 2008.

Mrs. Forsyth moved to Oceanside in the 1990s to be closer to family. She passed away at age 89 on January 10, 2013.

Extent

1 Folder (34 items)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Related Materials

This collection complements the Pearl Chase Papers (MS-01) and the unprocessed Sue Higman Papers at the Presidio Research Center, both of which document the Plans and Planting Committee of the Community Arts Assn. of Santa Barbara.