About this Item
13" x 11". Commercial photo album, decorated cloth over boards, post-bound with tassels. 38 stiff card pages with 130 B&W photographs adhered and the last 10 pages are blank. Photos range from 2" x 3" to 5 " x 7¾" and nearly all are captioned. Near fine: album corners bumped; dedication page lightly toned; the rare faint spot, typically avoiding images. This is a lovingly crafted album of photographic memories gifted by Japanese students to Richard (R.G.) Heggie, an international relations professional and much-admired leader of Asian associations in California. Richard Gordon Heggie was born in Oakland in 1923 and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. After serving as an officer in the Navy, he returned to UCB, earning a Master's in International Relations. During his 19-year career with the Asia Foundation Heggie was posted to Japan, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India, and was then Executive Director of the World Affairs Council of Northern California for over 12 years, retiring in 1983. At Cal he served as Regent and Trustee, President of the Alumni Association and on the Board of the International House. His contributions to international affairs are countless; he was President of the Japan Society of Northern California and the Society for Asian Art; Chair of the San Francisco Committee on Foreign Relations; Vice Chair of the Chinese Culture Foundation; on the Board of the American Red Cross Bay Area and the West Coast Chapter of the Institute of International Education. He was also the first mayor of the City of Orinda. Heggie was awarded the Japan Society Lifetime Achievement Award and a California Alumni Citation. He died in 2012. We're not sure who compiled this album, but it was dedicated "To our Mr. R.G. Heggie / With our compliments / October 21st, 1955." It began with three pages of inscriptions in both English and Japanese calligraphy such as "I promise you to try to do my best / Takashi Hirosawa" and "May your love and kindness be given for all as ever!" Nearly all of the photos have detailed captions (and we've kept spelling and grammar as is), revealing conferences and meetings of Asian student groups, as well as social events. Our compiler identified attendees of the "Farewell party in honour of Mr. R.G. Heggie at Josui Kaikan" in 1955 and the "I.S.A. Conference of 1953," along with several lecturers and students on the street, "On way to committee meeting of every Saturday." One shot reveals a just-established chapter of the Kansai "Gakusei" (student) group, noting "It's fortune of the chapter to be able to have girl staff member, even if the number was one" and one shows the "General Assembly at National YMCA . . . Broadcasting Section's recording, with Minami Announcer's excellent narration. 'What is the role of Japanese students?'" Other images display a "Press club meeting," "Drama seminar in Sendai," students in front of the "Green Hotel, Karuizawa," being seen off at Haneda airport or interviewed by the media: "'What is your ambition?'" A few show "Konishi family members and UNESCO people," "secretariat office members," the "I.S.A. Band" and members of an "I.S.A. Handsome trio." We see a "foreign students discussion meeting" with "Indonesian, Indian and Thai students" in 1954, a "Picnic to Hayama," students broadcasting "Today's wheather … No! Just telling the student affairs on the air," and the inspection and "celebration of the completion of Student Sanatorium." One lovely shot reveals "Matsui-San's smile of million yen Happy boy surround by Japanese and Philippino students" and another a conference's "International Night" "What a nice dancing for any people, young or old." A charming album showing international student associations and the efforts of their California leader.
Seller Inventory # 9141
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