Brief biography on May Theilgaard Watts (1.4232)

Type: Document
Description:Brief biography on May Theilgaard Watts (Mrs. Raymond Watts)
Naturalist, Teacher, Author, Artist, Poet

Includes personal background, educational background, professional roles and accomplishments, honors received, a bibliography of published work by May Watts and articles about May Watts.
Extent: 4 sheets

Letter from May Theilgaard Watts to Jens Jensen (3.2602)

Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Document
Description:Letter from May Theilgaard Watts to Jens Jensen

May T. Watts Reading Garden, ground shot looking up at engraved slate and plantings (3.3306)

Date: 1960s
Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden, ground shot looking up at engraved slate and plantings
Planter box on left, white pine in the background
Slate artist: Fr. Catich at St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa
Extent: 1 photograph

May T. Watts Reading Garden slate, engraved by Fr. Catich (3.3315)

Date: 1960s
Type: Photographic image
Description:May T. Watts Reading Garden slate, engraved by Fr. Catich from St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa 
Fountain plume calligraphy also done by Fr. Catich
Extent: 1 photograph

Arboretum Christmas party, group eating at table (3.4033)

Date: 1950s
Type: Photographic image
Description:Arboretum Christmas party, group eating at table
May Watts (seated at head of table) with four unidentified people
Extent: 1 photograph

May Watts leading group of children wearing feather headbands in musical performance on steps outside of Thornhill (3.4077)

Date: 1950s
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts leading group of children wearing feather headbands in musical performance on steps outside of Thornhill
Extent: 1 photograph

May Watts instructing class in Thornhill classroom (3.4078)

Date: 1950s
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts instructing class in Thornhill classroom
Extent: 1 photograph

May Watts with Junior Forestry class outdoors (3.4079)

Date: 1952
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts with Junior Forestry class outdoors
Extent: 1 photograph

May Watts instructing class in Thornhill classroom (3.4080)

Date: 1950s
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts instructing class in Thornhill classroom
Extent: 1 photograph

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4324)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4325)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4326)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4327)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4328)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4329)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4330)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4331)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4332)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4333)

Creator: Stickney, William S.
Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4385)

Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4386)

Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class (3.4387)

Type: Photographic image
Description:May Watts lecturing for a Lunching and Learning class

[East Woods?] (3.6285)

Date: March 21 – June 20 1953
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Plan
Description:Possibly created by May Watts

Note on back: "Entire Map of Plot in Maintained Forest Area, original count, 1953 spring". Includes note that red pencil circles indicate trees "cut out winter 1954"

Identifies trees in plot, including sugar maple, ironwood, ash, linden, red oak, white oak, bitternut hickory, cherry, slippery elm
Extent: 1 sheet

I Visit Dead Plants (3.10501)

Date: March 21 – June 20 1967
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Article

The Secret World of May Watts (3.10613)

Date: December 21 1971 – March 20 1972
Creator: Etter, Alfred G.
Type: Article

Reading May Watts (3.10723)

Date: September 21 – December 20 1975
Creator: Etter, Alfred G.
Type: Article

Evergreen Nature Trail Guide, cover art (3.19462)

Date: 1940s
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Proof for cover/page 1 including more detailed illustrations and layout with title for the The Morton Arboretum Evergreen Nature Trail Guide booklet. Key lines included.

Depicts illustrated map of trail through Spruces and Firs, Arbor Vitae, Larch, Pines, Junipers, Yew, and Hemlock Collections. Below map, stylized trees and two figures illustrated, standing next to sign "Evergreen Nature Trail".

Text at bottom of illustration:  "Trail Begins Here - Parking Number Two - Trail Ends Here"
Extent: 1 sheet

Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves, page 1 (3.19463)

Date: July 1944
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Sheet 1 of 4. Glossary of botanical terms and illustrations depicting labeled leaf silhouettes used for describing leaves, created to accompany "Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves" article featured in Morton Arboretum Bulletin of Popular Information. Descriptive text includes an introductory paragraph and details of leaf shapes. The remaining identifying text originally adhered to the board has detached and is no longer present.

Header: LEAVES ARE CALLED

Leaf terms depicted from top to bottom, left to right

• SIMPLE
• COMPOUND
  • pinnately-compound
  • palmately-compound, (or digitate)
  • ternately-compound, (or trifoliate)
  • doubly-compound (or bi-pinnate)

Leaf terms across bottom of page from left to right

• PERFOLIATE
• RADICAL
• SESSILE
• ALTERNATE
• OPPOSITE
• WHORLED

Extent: 1 sheet

Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves, page 2 (3.19464)

Date: July 1944
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Sheet 2 of 4. Glossary of botanical terms and illustrations used for describing leaves, created to accompany "Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves" article featured in Morton Arboretum Bulletin of Popular Information. Illustrations depict various over-lapping leaf silhouettes with additional small sketches of objects to explain each shape in a column on the left, and a glossary of terms describing the leaves in a column on the right. Descriptive text adhered to the board includes details of leaf shapes.

Header: A LEAF SHAPE IS CALLED:

Leaf shapes depicted from top to bottom, left to right:

• OBLONG
  • Silhouette of oblong shaped leaf with sketch of radio tube under stem
• OVAL
  • Silhouette of oval shaped leaf with sketch of tennis racket under stem
• OVATE
  • Silhouette of ovate shaped leaf with sketch of lit candle under stem
• OBOVATE
  • Silhouette of obovate shaped leaf with sketch of light bulb under stem
• ELLIPTIC
  • Silhouette of elliptic shaped leaf with sketch of an eye at stem
• CORDATE
  • Silhouette of cordate shaped leaf with sketch of a playing card at stem
• PELTATE
  • Silhouette of peltate shaped leaf with sketch of an umbrella under stem
• RENIFORM
  • Silhouette of reniform shaped leaf with sketch of a jelly bean under stem
• DELTOID
  • Silhouette of deltoid shaped leaf with sketch of a garden trowel under stem
• HALBERD-SHAPED
  • Silhouette of halberd-shaped leaf with sketch of a fish hook under stem
• LANCEOLATE
  • Silhouette of lanceolate shaped leaf with sketch of a carrot under stem
• OBLANCEOLATE
  • Silhouette of oblanceolate shaped leaf with sketch of a dart at stem
• SPATULATE
  • Silhouette of spatulate shaped leaf with sketch a canoe at stem
• LINEAR
  • Silhouette of linear shaped leaf with sketch a butter knife at stem

Extent: 1 sheet

Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves, page 3 (3.19465)

Date: July 1944
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Sheet 3 of 4. Glossary of botanical terms and illustrations used for describing leaves, created to accompany "Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves" article featured in Morton Arboretum Bulletin of Popular Information. Glossary of terms in 2 sections describe leaf tips and leaf bases in a column on the left. Illustrations depict various over-lapping leaf silhouettes with additional small sketches of objects to explain each shape in a column on the right. Descriptive text adhered to the board includes details of leaf tips and bases.

Section 1: A LEAF TIP IS CALLED:

Leaf tips depicted from top to bottom, left to right:

• ACUMINATE
  • Silhouette of acuminate shaped leaf tip with sketch of long pointed witches hat
• ACUTE
  • Silhouette of acute shaped leaf tip with sketch of clown hat angled less than 90 degrees
• MUCRONATE
  • Silhouette of mucronate shaped leaf tip with sketch of beret with small tip at the center
• CUSPIDATE
  • Silhouette of cuspidate shaped leaf tip with sketch of a hat with a sharply pointed tip
• OBTUSE
  • Silhouette of obtuse shaped leaf tip with sketch of a pope's hat
• ROUNDED
  • Silhouette of rounded shaped leaf tip with sketch of a baseball cap
• TRUNCATE
  • Silhouette of truncate shaped leaf tip with sketch of a top hat
• EMARGINATE
  • Silhouette of rounded shaped leaf tip with sketch of a queen's crown

Section 2: A LEAF BASE IS CALLED:

Leaf bases depicted from top to bottom, left to right:

• TRUNCATE
  • Silhouette of truncate shaped leaf base with sketch of a skirt cut straight across
• CORDATE
  • Silhouette of cordate shaped leaf base with sketch of a men's Elizabethan breeches
• OBLIQUE
  • Silhouette of oblique shaped leaf base with sketch of a golf pants of unequal length
• AURICULATE
  • Silhouette of auriculate shaped leaf base with sketch of a pants gathered at ankles with droopy ear lobe-like shape
• ROUNDED
  • Silhouette of rounded shaped leaf base with sketch of an apron over a skirt
• ACUTE
  • Silhouette of acute shaped leaf base with sketch of tapered riding pants
• ACUMINATE
  • Silhouette of acuminate shaped leaf base with sketch of a pirate with a peg leg

Extent: 1 sheet

Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves, page 4 (3.19466)

Date: July 1944
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Sheet 4 of 4. Glossary of botanical terms and illustrations used for describing leaves, created to accompany "Botanical Terms Used in Describing Leaves" article featured in Morton Arboretum Bulletin of Popular Information.  Illustrations depict various over-lapping leaf silhouettes in a column on the left. Glossary of terms in 2 sections describe the leaves in a column on the right. Descriptive text adhered to the board includes details of leaf margins and veins, and an unillustrated section about leaf surface types and characteristics.

Section 1: A LEAF MARGIN IS CALLED:

Leaf margins depicted from top to bottom, left to right:

• LOBED
• UNDULATE (repand)
• SINUATE
• CRENATE
• CRENULATE
• DENTATE
• DENTICULATE
• SERRATE
• SERRULATE
• DOUBLY-SERRATE
• ENTIRE
• REVOLUTE

Section 2: THE VEINING OF A LEAF IS CALLED:

Leaf veins depicted from top to bottom, left to right:

• PARALLEL
• PINNATE
• PALMATE
• DICHOTOMOUS

Extent: 1 sheet

January Calendar (3.19467)

Date: 1940s
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Calendar for the month of January consisting of five rows and seven columns depicting days and dates from Sunday through Saturday, the 1st through the 31st. Each square has a date plus illustration and text, some of which anticipates the coming Spring and some which show reminders of the past year.

Header: January

Text and illustrations, from top to bottom, left to right:

• (Friday, 1) [image of dogwood stems and buds] flowering dogwood is ready for Spring
• (Saturday, 2) [image of hemlock needles and cones] small cones drip from the hemlock tips - 
• (Sunday, 3) [image of unidentified stems and fruit]
• (Monday, 4) [image of one chickadee and a birdhouse]
• (Tuesday, 5) [image of two chickadees and a birdhouse] chikca-dees stay to crack their seeds
• (Wednesday, 6) [image of evergreen needles and star magnolia stems and buds] star mag-nolia buds are pale against evergreens
• (Thursday, 7) [image of long-eared owl on branch of Norway spruce] long-eared owls look down from Norway spruce trees
• (Friday, 8) [image of 2 pellets on ground beneath evergreen branch] 2 pellets under an owl roost contain skeletons of 2 deer mice
• (Saturday, 9) [image of small animal bones on ground] when an owl pellet is pulled apart, evidence of sudden death is re-vealed
• (Sunday, 10) [image of euonymus stems and fruit] Euonymus still holds some of the "little hearts bursting with love"
• (Monday, 11) [image of birch stems, cones, and catkins] wind and birds have shattered birch cones but catkins are ready for Spring
• (Tuesday, 12) [image of zumi crabapple stems and fruit] Zumi crabs still hold their fruit
• (Wednesday, 13) [image of one cardinal and a birdhouse] the cardinal is back now that we have sunflower seeds again
• (Thursday, 14) [images of canker-worms on a dogwood twig] on a dogwood twig, canker worms are ready for Spring
• (Friday, 15) [images of evergreens and a hawthorn] hoar frost is on the hawthorns ---
• (Saturday, 16) [image of redbud stems, buds, and fruit] on red-bud, flower buds are ready for next Spring, and pods recall last Spring's flowers
• (Sunday, 17) [image of a bird on a tree branch]
• (Monday, 18) [image of sycamore trunks and branches] sycamore bark
• (Tuesday, 19) [image of trees and a trail] evergreen trail
• (Wednesday, 20) [image of rhododendron stems and leaves] Rhododendron leaves pointing down say it's COLD!
• (Thursday, 21) [image of a white Oak] white oaks hold last summer's leaves on lower branches
• (Friday, 22) [image of a Norway spruce] Norway spruce holds long cones
• (Saturday, 23) [image of pixie-cup lichens through a magnifying glass] there are Pixie-cup lichens in the spruce plot
• (Sunday, 24) [image of two ostrich ferns] the fertile fronds of ostrich fern stand stiff and dark
• (Monday, 25) [image of American cranberry-bush stems and fruit] high-bush cranberry wears puffs of snow
• (Tuesday, 26) [image of winter wren in brush] the winter wren weaves through low brush
• (Wednesday, 27) [image of hazel stems and catkins] hazel catkins feel softer
• (Thursday, 28) [image of vernal witch-hazel and close-up of flower] vernal witch hazel is in bloom
• (Friday, 29) [image of one set of raccoon tracks] raccoon tracks are plentiful after a mild night
• (Saturday, 30) [image of two sets of deer mouse tracks with trail mark between] white-footed deer mouse hops past
• (Sunday, 31) [image of three sets of Junco bird tracks] juncoes hop too

Extent: 1 sheet

Yellow Pond Lily (3.19469)

Date: 1940s
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Two illustrations of a yellow pond lily, depicting leaves and flowers with identifying text below each image. Image "A" shows the flower about to open on the first day, and image "B" shows the second day with flower fully open.

Header: yellow pond lily

Plants and text as depicted from left to right:

• A - For one day the opening flower offers insects a small entrance, filled with the stigma reader for pollen from a flower like B [arrow pointing right to next column of text]
• B - On the second day the flower opens wide, and its stamens burst with pollen, ready to be carried by insects to a flower like A [arrow pointing left back to text in the first column]

Extent: 1 sheet

Some New England Trees (3.19470)

Date: 1940s
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Illustrations of needles and cones for two types of trees found in New England.

Header: Some New England trees inhabit the mountain tops in the Smokies

Illustrations, top to bottom:

• red spruce
• hemlock

Extent: 1 sheet

An Example of Parallel Species (3.19471)

Date: 1940s
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Illustrations comparing two parallel species of trees, one in America and one in Europe. Illustrations depict a branch with leaves and fruit.

Header: An example of parallel species

Illustrations from left to right:

• one in southeastern America
  • ironwood -- Ostrya virginiana
• one in Europe
  • European hornbeam -- Ostrya carpinifolia

Extent: 1 sheet

Three Trees Whose Relatives Are Largely In the Tropics (3.19472)

Date: 1940s
Creator: Watts, May Theilgaard
Type: Drawing
Description:Illustrations of three types of leaves layered one on top of the other.

Text at center left: Three trees whose relatives are largely in the tropics

Illustrations from center outward:

• Silver Bell
• Fringe Tree
• Paw-paw

Extent: 1 sheet