Edward W. Clark was a professor of Latin and Roman archaeology and the Dean of Men, working at the college for 14 years and retiring in 1909 while still in his 40s. On sabbatical in Italy from 1904-1905, Clark assembled an impressive collection of ancient artifacts for Ripon College. The May 1905 edition of College Days happily reported "he has purchased 60 Roman lamps, and 20 Roman, Etruscan, and Greek vases, also a number of smaller articles, such as ancient writing utensils and keys," all of which were "pronounced genuine by the men who know" (111). Clark claimed that "One hundred dollars more would complete a splendid collection of antiquities" (112). During his tenure at Ripon College, Clark became well known throughout the midwest for his lantern slide lectures, often sponsored by the Chicago Daily News, and nationally for the summer European tours he conducted through the Bureau of University Travel, Boston. He resigned his post at Ripon to become the head of the Bureau's Rome office. After at least a 5-year stay in Italy, he led the first world tour sponsored by American Express. Between 1917 and 1936 he was a high school principal in Venice, California. In 1922, he and his son organized Clark-Son Tours which ran summer excursion trips to Europe.

Edward W. Clark, 1910 Crimson

This is a photograph of the Classics classroom in West Hall (formerly West College) with Clark seated at his desk, c. 1905. It contained the latest modern conveniences, such as steam heat, a typewriter, and electric lighting. Pictures of ancient ruins--such as that of the Roman Forum above him--attest to Clark's passion for antiquity, credited with transforming the room from its former "Spartan simplicity." They also attest to the fact that Clark was an avid photographer, shooting at least 360 photographs while on his European sabbatical. His archaeological records of Sicily were published in the national scientific journal Records of the Past in 1907. Click on the photograph to read an article from 1909 on Clark and his collection.

Conservator Tamsen Fuller examined the entire Clark Collection in November 1998, and gave a public lecture at Ripon College on the "Ram Caught in a Thicket," an artifact from the Royal Cemetery at Ur in Mesopotamia. Fuller restored this 4500-year old object in 1997-98.

Tamsen Fuller examining bronze objects in the Clark Collection.

The Clark Collection of Ancient Art Web Catalog crew:

	Dr. Lisa Nicoletti, Adjunct Scholar of Art		Joel Steinpreis, Research Assistant, Class of 1999
	Dr. David Caccioli, Consultant		Colleen Ayers, Website Editor, Class of 2003

� 2001

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