August 13 1938
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, Saturday, August 13, 1938
Chinese Tot Adopted By Professor's Son
Adoption of Rowena Chan, three-year-old Chinese, by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Buttenweiser, formerly of Cincinnati and now of Menlo Park, Calif., was approved there yesterday by Superior Judge Maxwell McNutt despite the protest of the State Department of Social Welfare, according to an Associated Press dispatch.
Buttenweiser is a son of Dr. Moses Buttenweiser, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Exegesis at Hebrew Union College.
The child's parents consented to the adoption, the dispatch said. They were quoted as telling the court they had arranged to go to China to join in the war against Japan, Mrs. Chan as a nurse and Chan as a soldier.
Buttenweiser, formerly a psychology research assistant at Stanford University, told the court “we love the child.” He said he expected racial differences and personality problems would arise, but that he hoped to minimize them through his training in psychology.
August 15 1938
Des Moines Tribune, Des Moines, Iowa, Monday, August 15, 1938
Adopted
International News Photo.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Buttenweiser, Menlo Park, Cal., have adopted Rowena Chan (above), 3-year-old Chinese girl. The couple became foster parents of the girl because the child's parents will return to China where, because of war, children are not safe.
The Buffalo News, Buffalo, New York, Monday, August 15, 1938
Chinese Girl Adopted
Adoption of Rowena Chan, above, a 3-year-old Chinese girl, by an American couple, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Buttenweiser of Menlo Park, Cal., has been authorized by a San Francisco court. The little girl has lived with the Buttenweisers for eight months. The adoption was decided upon when Harold and Mary Chan, the baby's parents, determined to go back to aid the Chinese resistance to Japan.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, Indiana, Wednesday, August 17, 1938
Strange Adoption—An American couple, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Buttenweiser of San Francisco, have adopted this Chinese girl, Rowena Chan, who has made her home with the Buttenweisers for eight months. The Buttenweisers adopted the child because the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Chan of San Francisco, must return to China where children are no longer safe because of the war.
August 21 1938
Springfield News-Sun, Springfield, Ohio, Sunday, August 21, 1938
Not Going To Chinatown
AP Wirephoto. Palo Alto, California—Rowena Buttenweiser (she was Rowena Chan) packed her playthings here to go to San Francisco; but she'll not live in Chinatown. She was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Buttenweiser when her parents Mr. and Mrs. Harold Chan gave her up to return to fight for China. She is shown with Mrs. Buttenweiser.