Performing Arts Site : Wolf Trap Donor Still Active in Park at Age 92

Catherine Filene Shouse, 92, says she didn’t even think about growing old until she reached age 84. Then she realized she might not have many more years left to “accomplish all I have to accomplish.”

Shouse, who donated 100 acres of her Vienna farm to the National Park Service in 1966 for the first national park for the performing arts, doesn’t dwell on her past. Since 1971, Wolf Trap Farm Park has entertained thousands with everything from classical to country and Western music, but there’s always something more Shouse would like to do for Wolf Trap.

“My interests provide my energy,” says Shouse, an elegant, strong-willed woman who grew up in Boston.

Shouse and her late husband Jouett--who served as a congressman, chairman of the Democratic Party and assistant undersecretary of the treasury--purchased the first 53 acres of the farm in 1930 for $5,300. They were looking for a place where they could escape the bustle of their Georgetown home.

They named the farm Wolf Trap to commemorate its history as a wilderness. In the 17th Century, the land was overrun with menacing wolves for which colonists and Indians were paid a bounty.

Oversaw Design

For the Shouse family and their friends, the farm provided food, a place to hunt and raise champion dogs and a location for charity carnivals. When the construction of the Dulles Airport Access Road divided their property, Shouse decided to preserve a part of the Virginia countryside and donated the farm to the nation.

After gathering ideas from visits to theaters and auditoriums around the world, she personally oversaw and financed the design and construction of Filene Center, the main amphitheater. It is named for her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Filene.

In March, 1971, when the modern wooden structure was nearly finished, it was severely damaged by fire. Determined to open on schedule, Shouse arranged for workers to labor overtime, trudging through the debris to bring them turkey sandwiches.

When fire again burned the amphitheater to the ground in 1982, Shouse’s determination prevailed once more. Wolf Trap reopened for a triumphant season in the summer of 1984.

From Wolf Trap’s inception, Shouse has worked tirelessly to develop its potential. To expand the park’s programs during autumn and winter, she bought two early 18th-Century Maine barns and had them moved to Vienna to house performances. Even after Wolf Trap Foundation was established to plan programming and raise money for internships and workshops, Shouse continued to attend every performance at the outdoor theater.

“I wanted to see the audience, to see if they left as” happy as they arrived, she says.

Involved in Programming

Shouse is still involved in most of the programming--a mix of one-third classical, one-third non-classical and one-third crossover programs like circuses and ice shows.

She’s also involved in the expensive business of attracting quality performances. To keep its prices within reach, Wolf Trap must raise $2 million a year. The park has a $10-million budget.

Such friends as actress Elizabeth Taylor, who serves on the board and has organized three galas for the performing arts park, have helped out.

“I enjoy meeting people who do things, who accomplish something, no matter what it is,” Shouse says.

Shouse has loved the performing arts all her life--and has believed strongly that women should prepare for careers.

While a student at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., she organized conferences to promote jobs for women. In 1920, long before working women were an accepted notion, Houghton Mifflin published her book “Careers for Women.” It has been revised and reprinted twice.

Focused on Service

Shouse was also the first woman to receive a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. She believes everyone should have a basic education, “in case it was necessary for a living,” but she never taught.

Despite a privileged background, Shouse has focused more on service than on wealth.

“My family was involved in all kinds of community activities, and it was a great influence on my life,” she says.

Shouse has served on countless boards, including the board of the National Symphony Orchestra Association and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

In 1977, President Ford presented her with the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. The previous year, she was made a dame commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.

“Everything I’ve done has been satisfying all the way through,” Shouse says. “My intense interest in the things I’ve done seemed necessary.”