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During the course of What in the World?^® the Museum received a steady stream of fanmail, which was answered personally by Froelich Rainey, Director, or by Alfred Kidder II, Associate Director. Today, it's astonishing to feel so much of the personal touch in these letters... and to realize that people from all over the country were making "contact" with the Museum, all because of a TV show...
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January 26, 1954

Mr. H. Paul Kelley
Somers Point, New Jersey

Dear Mr. Kelley: I want to thank you very much for your nice letter about "What In The World?" and to tell you how much we appreciated it. Such letters as yours make us all happy to be doing a show which appeals to people with a natural intellectual curiosity. We think people can take a lot more than burlesque on television. Sincerely, Froelich Rainey

February 1954

Miss Margaret Rose Froelich
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Dear Miss Froelich: I am so glad you are interested in WHAT IN THE WORLD. We all enjoy it ourselves and are happy to get letters of appreciation like yours. As for my first name I got that from my father who remembered a very cheerful little girl in his boarding house at college. While he was studying German they used to call this little girl Froelich and he remembered that when I came along. Best wishes, Froelich Rainey

February 10, 1954

Miss Louise Speakman
Philadelphia, PA

Dear Miss Speakman: I want to thank you for your nice comments on "WHAT IN THE WORLD", and to tell you how much we appreciated them. Such letters as yours make us all happy to be doing a show which appeals to people with a natural intellectual curiosity. The program is broadcasted from the WCAU studio on Monument Avenue in Cynwyd. Although, as a rule, we do not have any audience at the studio, arrangements can be made if you would like to attend one of the programs. Sincerely yours, Froelich Rainey

March 2, 1954

Mr. S. G. Sinclair
New York, NY

Dear Mr. Sinclair: I am happy to tell you that my finger was not actually broken, but even more humiliatingly, the tendon was snapped when I was pulling off my socks after skating some weeks ago. It would have been much more dignified if I had indeed caught it on an old Phoenician fish hook. Thank you very much for your note and your interest in "WHAT IN THE WORLD", which I hope you will continue to enjoy. Sincerely yours, Alfred Kidder II

March 19, 1954

Mrs. William Stern
Hiles, Wisconsin

Dear Mrs. Stern: In regard to your letter of March 8th in which you enclosed a photograph of your two statues, I am sorry that we can not be of help to you. It is not our policy to evaluate things here at the Museum, but possibly a dealer in antiquities would be able to give you the information you desire. I also wish to thank you for your comments on "WHAT IN THE WORLD" and to tell you how much we appreciated them. Sincrely, Froelich Rainey

March 24, 1954

Mrs. Jane May
South Norwalk, Connecticut

Dear Mrs. May: In reference to your card of March 15th, our studio expects, in the near future, to ask the public to send in pictures of objects they want identified for selection for one show and we suggest you send in your picture at that time. Thank you for your kind comments on our program. Sincerely yours, Froelich Rainey

April 2, 1954

Mr. Daniel J. Kelly, Jr.
South Bend, Indiana

Dear Mr. Kelly: In connection with your query about the source from which you might obtain a cup from the cargo of the old Greek ship wrecked off the coast of France, I have discovered that all of the finds belong to the French government and are kept in Marseilles in a Museum under the direction of Professor F. Benoit, Directeur des Monuments antiques de Presence. The chances of your being able to purchase an original, therefore, are pretty poor I should think, but you might be able to obtain a replica. My informant tells me that, if you write to Benoit, it is wise to use his full title as he is rather fussy about how he is addressed. If you use his name and title, Marseilles should be sufficient, since nobody seems to know the name of the Museum. I am very glad that you enjoy "WHAT IN THE WORLD" and hope that you may be able to get a cup. Sincerely yours, Alfred Kidder II

April 6, 1954

Mrs. Robert F. White
Ventura, California

Dear Mrs. White: Thank you very much for your nice letter. We are delighted that you like "WHAT IN THE WORLD" and hope that it will continue to reach you in California. In connection with your son's interest in archaeology, I am enclosing a statement that covers the subject more fully than one can do in a letter. As for colleges, both the University of California at Berkeley and U.C.L.A. have excellent Departments of Anthropology. Further East, the University of Arizona also has an excellent department and, of course, there are fine departments at this University, Harvard, Columbia, Michigan and Chicago. I wonder if you knew my sister in Guatemala, Mrs. Fernando Aldana? Sincerely, Alfred Kidder II

May 21, 1954

Mrs. Clifford E. W. Stevens
Los Angeles, California

Dear Mrs. Stevens: It certainly is very nice of you to write us about WHAT IN THE WORLD. This is the kind of letter which makes it seem very much worthwhile and I have a sneaking suspicion that we are really reaching out to an intelligent public in spite of the TV demands that everything should be directed to the thirteen year old. I particularly liked your comment on Kidder who is not only extremely intelligent, but a decent guy in every respect. Best wishes, Froelich Rainey

June 1, 1954

Miss Margeret Hammond
Louisville, Kentucky

Dear Miss Hammond: In Dr. Rainey's absence I am writing to thank you for your kind note. We are all delighted that you enjoy "WHAT IN THE WORLD" and we really do enjoy putting it on. My own performance is not always what it should be and I do try to keep from being talked out of things. However, I sometimes am so uncertain of my own opinion that I feel I can't possibly be right. There are only a few things that you can tell by smell, but when you can it is unmistakable. Thanks again for your letter. Sincerely, Alfred Kidder

June 2, 1954

Mrs. N. P. Sloan
La Jolla, California

Dear Mrs. Sloan: Thank you very much for your letters. It was nice of you to write me so soon after you had seen me in my unaccustomed seat as Moderator. We really do have fun putting on "WHAT IN THE WORLD" and so does Jacques, although he hates things that he doesn't consider artistic. He is not really a Frenchman but lived so long in Paris that he has practically become one. I must admit that I do not always understand the connection between some of the many symbols you write about, since I am afraid that those of us in the anthropological profession are somewhat lacking in the kind of imagination that one must have to indulge in such sweeping thoughts. We do appreciate your interest, however, and send you our kindest regards. Sincerely, Alfred Kidder II

June 23, 1954

Mr. Edward G. O'Neill
Newburgh, New York

Dear Mr. O'Neill: Many thanks for your very nice letter of last Friday. It is very nice to have this sort of direct personal contact with our audience. The work that goes into the preparation of the program is worth it when we find that people like you enjoy the program. Carl Coon will be back on the 4th of July for the first program on our new hour at 6:30 Sunday. The station is pretty excited about this new time which seems to mean we are doing all right. Best wishes, Froelich Rainey

August 11, 1954

Mrs. Edgar Kirkby Thompson
Chicago, Illinois

Dear Mr. Thompson: Thank you so much for your letter of August 1st and your nice comments on our television program. We often have the same kind of comments about the smoke interfering with a look at the object and I shall forward your letter to the producer of our show. Sincerely, Mrs. Richard G. Emerick, Secretary to the Director

September 8, 1954

Mrs. J. R. Greear
El Paso, Texas

Dear Mrs. Greear: Thank you very much for your knid note about "WHAT IN TYHE WORLD." I am really not surprised that your little daughter is interested, since many children appear to be. If you don't think it will shatter her illusions, you can tell here that the smoke is made by pouring hot water over dry ice in front of a mirror. Sincerely, Alfred Kidder II

November 2, 1954

Mr. Howard T. Schatzberg
New York City, New York

Dear Mr. Schatzberg: Thank you for your fine letter about "What in the World." As far as I know, the program is being seen in New York, but we are now broadcasting at two o'clock on Saturdays. Perhaps you were not aware of our change in time. I agree with you entirely in the matter of less smoke. It is something for which we have been fighting for a long time but our producer remains obdurate. I also agree with you about suggesting bibliographies and I am going to try to do exactly that in the near future. Your other suggestions are also excellent but, as you can imagine, in a completely unrehearsed program of this kind there are often slips between one's intentions and what actually takes place. The panel members try to reason aloud and I think they sometimes succeed. However, it is not easy to coach such a group and I can assure you that we are constantly making suggestions along the lines you indicate. I hope that you will continue to be able to view "What in the World" for a long time and that we can improve it in accordance with your ideas. Sincerely, Alfred Kidder II

December 15, 1954

Mrs. E. A. McManmon
Galveston, Texas

Dear Mrs. McManmon: Thank you for your very kind letter. We are always delighted to hear from people who like "What in the World" and we hope that CBS will continue to carry the program for a long time. It may interest you to know that Mr. Price has long been interested in primitive art, which is why he was invited to appear on the panel. We feel that occasionally an "amateur" adds life to the program and I assure you that many of them do just as well as the "professionals." Sincerely yours, Alfred Kidder II

December 21, 1954

Mr. John F. C. Elliott
Freehold, New Jersey

Dear Mr. Elliott: Many thanks for your little gadget for the dashboard of a car. I seems to me a very useful thing and one which might keep me out of the ditch while reaching for a cigarette in my pant's pocket. We are all delighted that you like our program and, after four years, we feel pretty sure that we can continue to deliver it but letters like yours certainly help. Sincerely, Froelich Rainey

photos + text: Museum Archives

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