Finding aid for Benezet House Association Records, 1846-1945
General International Standard for Archival Description
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081-1399 U.S.A.
Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by FHL Staff, 2007
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Benezet House Association Records 1846-1945
Benezet House Association
Biographical History for: Benezet House Association Records 1846-1945
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTE The Benezet House Association, Philadelphia, Pa., was formed in 1917 to assist and educate the City's poor blacks and immigrants. It was created by the merger of: Joseph Sturge Mission School, a First Day school for Black people, founded in 1865.Anthony Benezet School, founded in 1795 as the School for Black People and their Descendants (also known as the Raspberry Street School). Records still under the care of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Arch Street) as of 1980. For microfilm of some of these records, See: Microfilm Org S/ School for Black People.Western District Colored School, founded 1848 under the care of Twelfth Street Meeting (Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the Western District) as a graded primary school. Because of the interrelatedness of the various separate organizations and because of the limited amount of materials for each, one Record Group, Benezet House Association, was created. It includes not only the Benezet House records, but also those of the Locust Street Mission Association, the Joseph Sturge Mission School, and the Beehive School for Colored Children. The executive committee of Benezet House Association consisted of not fewer than 15 members: Five from Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Orthodox), five from Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the Western District (Orthodox), and five from the Joseph Sturge Mission School. In 1919 the Benezet House Association made alterations which combined the Benezet School building at Latimer and Hutchinson Streets, Philadelphia, with the Locust Street Mission Association building at 918-920 Locust Street. This building had previously housed the Joseph Sturge Mission School and, until l888, the Beehive School for Colored Children. Facilities for day-nursery, cooking classes, kindergarten and domestic science classes were provided, and First Day classes continued. However, the academic classes previously provided by the Benezet School and the Western District Colored School were discontinued since the public schools of Philadelphia had assumed responsibility. By the early 1930's, the area around the Benezet House had changed. The black population had decreased, the facilities were not being utilized to capacity and in need of repairs, and income from investments had declined. In 1934 when the Welfare Federation withdrew its financial support, the Executive Board decided it could no longer run a successful settlement house program at that location. The building was demolished, and in 1945 the lot was sold. Locust Street Mission Association was established "to erect and maintain a building for the accommodation of the Swarthmore Mission and other First-day and weekday schools, for the instruction of poor children and for teaching sewing and domestic economy to the poorer classes; and as a central depot for distributing work and assistance to the poor; and for other objects of a like benevolent character; all of which shall be conducted in a manner not inconsistent with the views and practices of the Religious Society of Friends."(1864) Swarthmore Mission First-day School was established in 1859 by Catharine M. Shipley at Quince and Locust Streets, Philadelphia, to aid the large number of illiterate Italians living in that area. It was a First Day School for both adults and children. When the basement and first floor of the Locust Street Mission Building were completed in 1864, the Swarthmore Mission First Day School moved to larger quarters in that location. It was later known as the John S. Hilles Memorial School. Bee-Hive School for Colored Children was established in 1865 as a school for boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12 years to teach sewing and knitting, as well as reading, spelling and writing, and arithmetic. Classes met in the Locust Street Mission building. The school was discontinued in 11mo 1888. Western District Colored School was established in 1884 by members of the 12th Street Meeting House as an elementary school for blacks in the Southwark section of Philadelphia. Classes were held in the rear of the House of Industry on Catharine Street. By the early 1900's, the Philadelphia Public Schools had taken over much of the work previously done for black children by Friends' schools, the black population had moved away from this area, and school enrollment had declined. In 1917 the Western District Colored School joined with the Joseph Sturge Mission School and the Anthony Benezet School to form the Benezet House Association. Joseph Sturge Mission School was established as a First Day School for Colored People on New Year's Day, 1865. The classes for men, women, and children were held in the Locust Street Mission Association building. Anthony M. Kimber was the first superintendent, and Catharine M. Shipley in charge of the Primary Department.
SCOPE AND CONTENT OF THE RECORDS The collection contains the records of the Benezet House Association, including correspondence, minutes, reports and surveys, membership lists, historical accounts, legal accounts, and other records. It also includes the records of other Quaker organizations with similar missions, including the Locust Street Mission Association, Joseph Sturge Mission School, and the Beehive School for Colored Children. Organized in four series: Benezet House AssociationLocust Street Mission AssociationJoseph Sturge Mission School Beehive School for Children
Afro-Americans -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
Afro-Americans -- Pennsylvania
Afro-American youth -- Education -- Pennsylvania
Charities -- Pennsylvania
Church work with immigrants -- Pennsylvania
Quakers -- Charities
Education -- Pennsylvania
Immigrants -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
Poor -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
Quakers -- Pennsylvania
Quakers -- Societies, etc.
Schools -- Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania -- Charitable and social work
Pennsylvania -- Education -- Schools
Pennsylvania -- Education -- Afro-Americans
Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Charitable and social work
Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Education -- Schools
Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Education -- Afro-Americans
Joseph Sturge Mission School (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Locust Street Mission Association (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Beehive School for Colored Children (Philadelphia, Pa.)
series
Ser. 1 Benezet House Association
History of the Association (includes printed brochures)
Creation of History of the Association (includes printed brochures)
Time of Creation of History of the Association (includes printed brochures)
Minutes of the Executive Committee
Creation of Minutes of the Executive Committee
Time of Creation of Minutes of the Executive Committee
Minutes of the Executive Committee (There are a few carbon copies filed here, but the original minutes have been missing since before 1934).
Creation of Minutes of the Executive Committee (There are a few carbon copies filed here, but the original minutes have been missing since before 1934).
Time of Creation of Minutes of the Executive Committee (There are a few carbon copies filed here, but the original minutes have been missing since before 1934).
Annual Reports
Financial Records:
Treasurer's reports
Creation of Treasurer's reports
Time of Creation of Treasurer's reports
Treasurer's account book
Creation of Treasurer's account book
Time of Creation of Treasurer's account book
Treasurer's check stubs
Creation of Treasurer's check stubs
Time of Creation of Treasurer's check stubs
Rental property statements
Creation of Rental property statements
Time of Creation of Rental property statements
Studies and Reports:
Report of Mary J. Moon
Creation of Report of Mary J. Moon
Time of Creation of Report of Mary J. Moon
Survey of Negro population in North and South Philadelphia
Creation of Survey of Negro population in North and South Philadelphia
Time of Creation of Survey of Negro population in North and South Philadelphia
Report of examination of building at 918 Locust Street, Philadelphia
Creation of Report of examination of building at 918 Locust Street, Philadelphia
Time of Creation of Report of examination of building at 918 Locust Street, Philadelphia
Study of Benezet House Association. Includes: report to Council of Social Agencies; extracts from annual reports; map showing residences of those in settlement & day nursery.
Creation of Study of Benezet House Association. Includes: report to Council of Social Agencies; extracts from annual reports; map showing residences of those in settlement & day nursery.
Time of Creation of Study of Benezet House Association. Includes: report to Council of Social Agencies; extracts from annual reports; map showing residences of those in settlement & day nursery.
Elsa Lotz's reports (Executive Secretary Committee on Religious Education, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Creation of Elsa Lotz's reports (Executive Secretary Committee on Religious Education, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Time of Creation of Elsa Lotz's reports (Executive Secretary Committee on Religious Education, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Gaines-Arrington survey and map of the Benezet House neighborhood.
Creation of Gaines-Arrington survey and map of the Benezet House neighborhood.
Time of Creation of Gaines-Arrington survey and map of the Benezet House neighborhood.
Activities book
Creation of Activities book
Time of Creation of Activities book
Monthly attendance summaries
Creation of Monthly attendance summaries
Time of Creation of Monthly attendance summaries
Visitor's book. Includes at front: Births of children (1926-1931), donations, page 75-79
Creation of Visitor's book. Includes at front: Births of children (1926-1931), donations, page 75-79
Time of Creation of Visitor's book. Includes at front: Births of children (1926-1931), donations, page 75-79
Reference materials:
Newspaper articles
Creation of Newspaper articles
Time of Creation of Newspaper articles
Jr. League of Harrisburg, Pa., Inc.: 5th annual report
Creation of Jr. League of Harrisburg, Pa., Inc.: 5th annual report
Time of Creation of Jr. League of Harrisburg, Pa., Inc.: 5th annual report
A New Neighbor 1st annual report of Whittier Centre, operating Susan Parrish Wharton Settlement
Creation of A New Neighbor 1st annual report of Whittier Centre, operating Susan Parrish Wharton Settlement
Time of Creation of A New Neighbor 1st annual report of Whittier Centre, operating Susan Parrish Wharton Settlement
Negro Housing in Philadelphia, T.J. Woofter, Jr. and Madge Headley Priest
Children's Progress, Ruth Ferguson Weaver
Creation of Children's Progress, Ruth Ferguson Weaver
Time of Creation of Children's Progress, Ruth Ferguson Weaver
A Brief Sketch of the Schools for Black People and their Descendants, Philadelphia. Friends Book Store
Creation of A Brief Sketch of the Schools for Black People and their Descendants, Philadelphia. Friends Book Store
Time of Creation of A Brief Sketch of the Schools for Black People and their Descendants, Philadelphia. Friends Book Store
Organization and Administration of the Benezet House, Kethryn R. Young
Creation of Organization and Administration of the Benezet House, Kethryn R. Young
Time of Creation of Organization and Administration of the Benezet House, Kethryn R. Young
Bibliography, Arthur E. Fink, of recreational facilities and neighborhood areas in Phila.
Creation of Bibliography, Arthur E. Fink, of recreational facilities and neighborhood areas in Phila.
Time of Creation of Bibliography, Arthur E. Fink, of recreational facilities and neighborhood areas in Phila.
Ser. 2 Locust Street Mission Association
Constitution and By-Laws of the Swarthmore Association (printed)
Creation of Constitution and By-Laws of the Swarthmore Association (printed)
Time of Creation of Constitution and By-Laws of the Swarthmore Association (printed)
Constitution (copy, original Constitution filed in Chart Case, RG 4 OVERSIZE Benezet House Association.
Creation of Constitution (copy, original Constitution filed in Chart Case, RG 4 OVERSIZE Benezet House Association.
Time of Creation of Constitution (copy, original Constitution filed in Chart Case, RG 4 OVERSIZE Benezet House Association.
Annual Meeting Minutes (includes miscellaneous papers filed in a different folder)
Creation of Annual Meeting Minutes (includes miscellaneous papers filed in a different folder)
Time of Creation of Annual Meeting Minutes (includes miscellaneous papers filed in a different folder)
Board of Managers Minutes (2 volumes)
Creation of Board of Managers Minutes (2 volumes)
Time of Creation of Board of Managers Minutes (2 volumes)
Legal Records
Deeds to Locust Street property. Sale to G. Twitchel, on back: Deed poll (5/27/1857)
Deeds to Locust Street property. Sheriff Sale to John Hough
Deeds to Locust Street property. Rental of lot.
Deeds to Locust Street property. Rental if lot, on back: Sale to William Trotter (4/28/1868)
Deeds to Locust Street property. Sale to Locust Street MissionAssociation.
Miscellaneous legal papers
Creation of Miscellaneous legal papers
Time of Creation of Miscellaneous legal papers
Ser. 3 Joseph Sturge Mission School
History, includes:
Picture of building at 918 Locust Street Philadelphia
Creation of Picture of building at 918 Locust Street Philadelphia
Time of Creation of Picture of building at 918 Locust Street Philadelphia
Article from Friends Review
Extracts from minutes of Executive committee of Friends First Day School Assoc. of Philadelphia
Article from The Westonian
A Historical sketch of the Joseph Sturge Mission School (3 copies)
An account of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Joseph Sturge Mission School
Creation of An account of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Joseph Sturge Mission School
Time of Creation of An account of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Joseph Sturge Mission School
Reminiscences of Paul D.I. Maier
Creation of Reminiscences of Paul D.I. Maier
Time of Creation of Reminiscences of Paul D.I. Maier
Officers and Teachers Meetings minutes
Creation of Officers and Teachers Meetings minutes
Time of Creation of Officers and Teachers Meetings minutes
Account books
School records, primary class:
General order book
Roll books
Visitation reports
Creation of Visitation reports
Time of Creation of Visitation reports
Scrapbook: Account of First Day School established by Catherine M. Shipley, Philadelphia (unbound)
Creation of Scrapbook: Account of First Day School established by Catherine M. Shipley, Philadelphia (unbound)
Time of Creation of Scrapbook: Account of First Day School established by Catherine M. Shipley, Philadelphia (unbound)
Ser. 4 Beehive School for Colored Children
Board of Managers:
Minutes (includes manuscript annual reports, 1866-1867)
Creation of Minutes (includes manuscript annual reports, 1866-1867)
Time of Creation of Minutes (includes manuscript annual reports, 1866-1867)
Minutes
Creation of Minutes
Time of Creation of Minutes
Annual reports (printed)
Membership book
Creation of Membership book
Time of Creation of Membership book
Financial records:
Check stubs
Creation of Check stubs
Time of Creation of Check stubs
Savings account book
Creation of Savings account book
Time of Creation of Savings account book
Subscription book
Creation of Subscription book
Time of Creation of Subscription book
Subscription and accounts book
Creation of Subscription and accounts book
Time of Creation of Subscription and accounts book
Receipted bills
Creation of Receipted bills
Time of Creation of Receipted bills