This first doodle by Woodward is a sample of what his bookplate might look like. He tells Helen, "The blossoming fruit branch has always been of great attraction to me." (Note the word "Snail!" in parentheses to the left of the branch.) He also says, "...with possibly snail upon it, with the Latin of "slow but sure," and my name in fine lettering."

It is important to note the 5 triangles in a trapezoidal form in the dooble. We have seen this symbol in the Love Leaf, also sent to Helen 8 months after his accident. We do not know its importance. We can say its symbolism is a powerful statement.

RSW's letters to Helen are informal and holds the vernacular only found between two people who know each other well. Meaning, it is conversational and not particularly correct in terms of grammar, especially punctuation. He goes on to suggest a number of ideas and starts with this, "What I want to get at is would you care for anything so simple as a mere flower? How about a Rose? And say do you like darning needles?" It is obvious RSW is referring to dragon flies but we had to look this up. It took several searches but we have confirmed dragon flies can also be referred to as darning needles. RSW contunues, "They are terribly decorative little creatures, almost any way you can put them with their gauzy wings, there huge eyes and their segmented bodies... A rose and a darning needle. I'm sure the idea would not be likely to imitated in another book plate any way."

Woodward follows that up with something more personal. How he sees her, "Then how do you like, perchance a windblown tree, with the huge cloud back of it - Helen, who lives the wind and clouds and the outdoor fields? And a girl with the wind blown skirt, holding a book and standing under the tree with her hand up to her hat? 'Wind blown' skirts are attractive in their lives."

This is really sweet. It is obvious he admires her. Wind holds an important symbolism in RSW's catalogue of work. Think, the solitary, wind blown Beech Tree in Heath. There are also a number of paintings featuring wind - From Wind'll Blow Hill, Wind on the Hill (oil), and Aeolus: Home of the Winds (1929). Standing steadfast in the face of the blowing winds of change is a clear sign of strength to him but having the wind at her back suggest that change is her ally.

Woodward started his proposal of book plate ideas to Helen, first by asking her what her the preferred use of her name. He then mentions, "Now for subject matter - me in my mind a number of ideas but would you tell me what to make. I spoke of a group of little old-fashioned children, reading a book together..." The last doodle he makes for Helen, he decribes it now as, "The group of youngsters I had in mind are grouped like this. One boy with a hoop, one reading, one listening only, and a little fashion girl with the baby on her arm and a bird in a rust cage over head."

Helen is teaching at this time, thus the kids theme. What is odd, is the girl holding the baby. It would probably be seen as inappropriate today but at that time not so much. What is interesting is that Helen chose a career over marriage and children. She was, however, a key figure in the start the night school system serving those who for whatever reason could not finish their schooling during normal day hours. It is possible that the girl holding the baby could represent this segment of the night school system.

ADDENDUM TO THIS PAGE:

October 20, 2020: We have recently learned Woodward did indeed design a bookplate for Helen. We were contacted by a collector who happened upon the bookplate from an art dealer in Europe. The collector, searching for information on Helen, found us and reached out including an image of the bookplate.

What stuck us almost immediately is how much the bookplate design resembles and contains many of the features that would become synonymous with his popular window paintings after 1936 when he moved to Southwick. Especially the "little East Window" he so frequently painted. The only thing to survive his original suggestions to her was the girl with the wind blowing her hair. Also, instead of "Ex Libris" (meaning, "from the library of...") Helen went with her family crest and motto, "Industria Semper Creseam." oyed. For more see...