Olive Cowell

Professor and art patron (b. 1887, d. 1984)

Olive Thompson Cowell (1887–1984) was a patron of the arts and music, and a professor of International Relations.[1]

## Career

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Cowell graduated from Barnard College in 1910.[2] She taught in high schools for several years before becoming professor at San Francisco State University.[2] She went on to found the International Relations department as part of the Government program at San Francisco State University in 1927, the first International Relations department in the USA.[3] She taught at the university until 1956.[1]

## Life

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Cowell is the step-mother of pianist and composer Henry Cowell.[2] Henry was born when the family lived in Menlo Park. Olive schooled Henry at home.[4] She was the third wife of Henry Clayton Blackwood Cowell,[2] known as Harry Cowell, and they were married from 1866 to 1954.[5]

Cowell was a member of the Temple of the People, an offshoot of the Theosophical Society.[6] Henry Cowell was also influenced by Theosophy. As a teen he met the Irish Theosophist poet John Varian, and set some of his poetry to music.[4]

## Involvement in New Music Society

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Cowell commissioned the Cowell House from architect Gertrude Comfort Morrow, a residence in San Francisco with a large living room to accommodate her son's recitals.[7] Irving Morrow, husband of Gertrude Comfort Morrow, was interested in music and played percussion with Lou Harrison and John Cage.[2] Olive and Henry Cowell moved into the house in 1933.[2] It is considered the first modern residential building in San Francisco, located at 171 San Marcos Avenue.[7]

The house became Henry Cowell's 'headquarters' in San Francisco, and a gathering place for composers including Lou Harrison, Edgar Varese, and Arnold Schonberg.[8] Cowell supported her son's projects including New Music Quarterly, a publication, and the New Music Society, which hosted concerts.[2] Archival materials suggest that she also knew architect Lillian Bridgman.[9]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Olive Thompson Cowell papers, [ca. 1950-1982]". www.aaa.si.edu.
2. ^ a b c d e f g Miller, Leta E. (2012). Music and Politics in San Francisco: From the 1906 Quake to the Second World War. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520268913.
3. ^ "About | Department of International Relations". internationalrelations.sfsu.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
4. ^ a b Hirsch, Peter, and Matthew Snyder (2006). "Guide to the Henry Cowell Papers, 1851-1994" (PDF).`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ^ "archives.nypl.org -- Letters from Olive Cowell to Mrs. Popper". archives.nypl.org.
6. ^ Rudhyar, Dane (1970). Interview with Vivian Perlis. New Haven: Yale Oral History of American Music.
7. ^ a b "Designated Landmarks | SF Planning". sfplanning.org. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
8. ^ Perlis, Vivian; Cleve, Libby Van (2005). Composers Voices from Ives to Ellington: An Oral History of American Music. Yale University Press. p. 178. ISBN 9780300138375. "new music society olive cowell."
9. ^ "Photograph album of Henry, Harry, and Olive Cowell, between 1890 and 1950?, from the Olive Thompson Cowell papers, [ca. 1950-1982]". www.aaa.si.edu. Retrieved 2019-06-24.

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

Other|

* SNAC