Historic Preservation in Oberlin:
The Katharine Wright Haskell Fountain
It had been an eight-year journey that led to the living history portrayal of Katharine Wright at Oberlin March 22nd. Now, restoration of the Katharine Wright Haskell Fountain is set to begin this fall, thanks to several generous donors, including family members and friends like Katharine Wright Chaffee (OC '44), Marianne Hudec and The Wright Family Foundation in Dayton. Internationally-recognized Fairplay Stonecarvers of Oberlin will undertake the restoration work.
Over the past eight years Betty Darst and Pat Murphy with the Oberlin Heritage Center had remained in touch. Both shared an interest in the fountain honoring Katharine Wright that had fallen into disrepair. Betty Darst sought to bring a greater awareness of the Oberlin connections to the first family of flight and hoped to help be a facilitator towards the restoration of the once beautiful fountain.
The younger sister of the famous Wright Brothers was an Oberlin graduate who served as an Oberlin trustee and became quite a stateswoman in her own right. Thirty years following her graduation from Oberlin she married Harry Haskell who was her math tutor at Oberlin. Katharine noted in her letters that a wonderful friendship has turned into a beautiful romance. Harry Haskell was the editor and publisher of the Kansas City Star. Pneumonia shortened Katharine’s life.
In 1931 Henry received permission from the Oberlin Board of Trustees to erect a beautiful fountain in her memory in front of the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Orville Wright was present with Henry when the fountain of white Carrera marble and red porphyry was dedicated. It was an exact replica of the “Boy Holding a Dolphin” fountain in the Court of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. [You will notice that today, the sculpture of the boy with the dolphin atop the fountain is completely gone.]
“It would be almost impossible to imagine a memorial which could more closely resemble the spirit to which it was dedicated, and would be therefore, more appropriate. A fountain seems to be always happy. It sparkles and laughs, and seems continually filled with a joy that is irrepressible and an enthusiasm that is inexhaustible. Katharine Wright Haskell was like that. It is impossible to be near a fountain and not catch some of its spontaneous gaiety- not feel your spirits rise in spite of yourself. Katharine Wright Haskell was like that, too. You could not be near her and not feel happier for being there.
It is only her memory that has been ‘lodged in marble and in bronze.’ Her spirit, like the spirit of the fountain is untrammeled and lives forever in its sparkling waters.” (Oberlin Review, 1940)
Thanks to Betty Darst who provided the text for this feature. Darst is a Living Biography researcher and presenter who recently performed in Oberlin as Katharine Wright.