Ellen Bowers, CGS research chair and past president, presented University Libraries Dean Robert Fox with a check for $120,992 to create an endowment to support the existing Thea Stein Lewinson collection and the development of the Klara G. Roman collection and to promote research in the field.
Both Stein Lewinson and Roman contributed to the scientific development of graphology – handwriting analysis – in the 20th century. Stein Lewinson’s work has been credited with developing graphology to where it could be used widely as a powerful tool for assessing personality and performance in business, the military and interpersonal relationships.
The importance of the Thea Stein Lewinson collection is indescribable, Bowers said before the check presentation.
Bowers had a career in higher education. While teaching business courses – including shorthand – at Monterey Peninsula College, she heard Charlie Cole, founder of the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation, on a radio program and developed her own interest in handwriting analysis. She learned graphology from Cole and purchased his graphology business, which included handwriting analysis book distribution.
Besides the monetary donation, Bowers also gave the foundation of the Klara G. Roman collection – three books, including a Book-of-the-Month Club edition of Roman’s “Handwriting: A Key to Personality,” and book of handwriting samples published in Germany.
“This is just exquisite,” Bowers said, showing some of the pages of that book.
Bowers noted that she was following Andrew Carnegie’s lead when he said, “I want to do real and permanent good.”
“I feel that’s going to happen with these funds in your hands,” she told the group that gathered for the presentation. “I’m honored to be here, to have been part of this transition and to be part of the growth that may take place because of it.”