Sid White Papers

Sid White (1924-2008)

Sid was born in Detroit, Michigan, 12 December 1924, to immigrant parents of Rumanian and Jewish descent. In his early life he lived in various places including Russia (1931-1936) and Brooklyn, NY. While in Brooklyn he went to Abraham Lincoln High School, which specialized in graphic design.

He voluntarily inducted into the Army after high school and was stationed many places in the United States and abroad in India (1944-1946). He was honorably discharged from the Army 12 January 1946. He attended Wellfleet (Mass) School of Art. He contracted tuberculosis in 1946 and spent the next year at a sanatorium run by Sisters of Mercy in Gabriels in upstate New York. From 1948-1951 he attended the University of New Mexico, receiving his bachelor of arts in art education with a minor in philosophy. He then attended the University of Wisconsin from 1951-1952, receiving a master of science in philosophy with an emphasis in aesthetics and social philosophy. From 1952-1953 he returned to the University of New Mexico as a doctoral candidate in American studies with an emphasis on art in American society.

Throughout the 1950's he taught at high schools in Raton, NM and Menlo Park, CA. Beginning in 1958 and for the next ten years, at Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis, OR. In 1950 he married Molly Finn White. They had three children: Steven, Sally and Lucy. While at OSU, he directed the Junior Year Abroad program for the Oregon System of Higher Education, during which time he and his family lived in Pavia, Italy (1964-1966).

In 1970, he was hired as planning faculty of The Evergreen State College(TESC). That same year Sid and Molly divorced. From 1971-1989 he was a faculty member of TESC. In 1972 he married Pat Matheny-White, with whom he collaborated professionally and personally until his death. In 1971 he helped plan and facilitate Evergreen Galleries and from 1978-1989 he was the Gallery Director. He assisted in the creation and became the Director/Curator of Exhibit Touring Services in 1981 and remained as head until 1990. In 1989 he received emeritus status from TESC. He assisted in the research and documentation to celebrate the 25th anniversary of TESC. During his years in retirement he wrote his memoir: Formative Years: Reflecting on Life-shaping Events and Episodes in My Life and Thinking: A Life Theme Volumes 1 & 2. Sid died 21 January 2008.

Patricia Matheny-White (1945-)

Pat was born Patricia Matheny 28 July 1945 in Bemidji, MN. She grew up in Blackduck, MN. In 1963 she went to Macalester College, in St. Paul, MN where she received her bachelor of arts in music history and performance. At this time she met Jim Holly, who would become the founding Dean of Library Services at The Evergreen State College (TESC). In 1967 she attended University of Denver (CO), Graduate School of Librarianship, where she received her master of arts in library science with an emphasis in academic librarianship.

She began her career at Southwest Minnesota State College. In 1970, she was recruited by Jim Holly to be part of the TESC library planning staff. She helped develop the non-print collection with Sid White. Sid and Pat married early in 1972. Pat continued working at TESC Library in many different capacities for 25 years. In the 1977 academic year she took professional leave to do academic research in late 19th and early 20th century art. After her studies she also became a member of TESC faculty.

Throughout her career she collaborated with Sid on many projects, including; Chicano Cultural Expression in the Pacific Northwest project and the Peoples of Washington project, in the roles of Resource Director and Research Coordinator. She retired from TESC in 1995 and became an emeritus faculty librarian. During her years in retirement she collaborated with Sid to organize his archives and write his memoir, and create the Chicano Archives at The Evergreen State College Archives. Currently, she is working on her own archive and memoir.