An Inventory of the Elizabeth A.W. Furnas Papers
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, 2012
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Elizabeth A.W. Furnas Papers1928-1967
Furnas, Elizabeth A. W. (Elizabeth Ann Walter), 1900-1972
Biographical History for: Elizabeth A.W. Furnas Papers1928-1967
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL Betty Furnas was the daughter of William Emley and Caroline Sargeant Walter. She graduated from Vassar College and married Paul J. Furnas, son of William and Deborah Moore Furnas, in 1923. From 1917 to 1920 Paul was the Field Secretary for the American Friends Service Committee and Associate Director of the ACLU. The couple moved to New Jersey and he worked for the Paulsboro Manufacturing Co. They participated in a number of work camps affiliated with the AFSC. Both Elizabeth and Paul also served as Board members at Pendle Hill during this period. Elizabeth also was involved with the Women's Problems Group, a fellowship of women of the two Philadelphia Yearly Meetings and later of the joint body; she became its Chairman in the early 1960s when it was renamed Philadelphia Quaker Women and continued in that role until 1966. After 1940 Paul returned to AFSC and was appointed the Executive Secretary of Civilian Public Service In 1946, he was named Vice-President/Comptroller at Earlham; retired from Earlham in 1958 and died two years later. Betty married Thomas E. Jones, President Emeritus of Earlham, in 1968, and died four years later in 1972.
SCOPE AND CONTENT This collection includes the papers of Elizabeth A.W. Furnas who was active in a number of Quaker concerns in the mid 20th century. Of particular interest are minutes and correspondence of the Women’s Problems Group and its successor, Philadelphia Quaker Women. There are also her manuscript writings, some notes on lectures at Pendle Hill, as well as information on some of the work camps in which she was involved.
Quakers - Pennsylvania.
Quakers - New Jersey.
Quakers - Indiana.
Quaker women
Furnas, Paul J., 1889-1960
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
American Friends Service Committee
Philadelphia Quaker Women (Organization)
Women's Problems Group (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Pendle Hill (School : Wallingford, Pa.)
series
Ser.1 Correspondence and Activities
Letter file
Letter file: AFSC/Pendle Hill/Religious Education
Creation of Letter file: AFSC/Pendle Hill/Religious Education
Time of Creation of Letter file: AFSC/Pendle Hill/Religious Education
As compiled, Furnas’ description from cover; contents removed from letter file. Includes many articles/publications, especially the American Friend and Friends Intelligencer, notes and materials for religious educational work, AFSC letters/work camp documents, and Pendle Hill documents. Of note is Henry Cadbury’s response to the requirement of a Teacher’s Oath.
Letter File: Women’s Problems Group/PQW [Philadelphia Quaker Women]/UCW [United Church Women]
Creation of Letter File: Women’s Problems Group/PQW [Philadelphia Quaker Women]/UCW [United Church Women]
Time of Creation of Letter File: Women’s Problems Group/PQW [Philadelphia Quaker Women]/UCW [United Church Women]
As compiled, Furnas’ description from cover; contents removed from letter file. Primarily correspondence relevant to these groups, budgets and membership rolls, and articles and publications. Of note is the discussion over regarding support for Planned Parenthood.
Philadelphia Quaker Women [binder]
Philadelphia Quaker Women
Creation of Philadelphia Quaker Women
Time of Creation of Philadelphia Quaker Women
Pages removed from a small binder of minutes 1960-65 (rough with gaps) and membership lists, notes, schedules and plans for lectures, a small amount of correspondence, and flyers.
Loose papers enclosed in the binder above. minutes, reports, and correspondence of the Board of Philadelphia Quaker Women, 1964-66 (gaps). Also includes a carbon copy of a letter describing a visit to the White House and meeting with J.F. Kennedy (1963).
Phila.[Philadelphia] Quaker Women
Creation of Phila.[Philadelphia] Quaker Women
Time of Creation of Phila.[Philadelphia] Quaker Women
As compiled, loose documents. Small collection of correspondence and reports.
Ser.2 Writings
Notebook/Journal
Notebook with notes, meditations, and plans for educational work.
Creation of Notebook/Journal
Time of Creation of Notebook/Journal
Primarily philosophical and religious musings as well as notes for her lecture on First Day Schools.
Miscellaneous published and unpublished writings
Creation of Miscellaneous published and unpublished writings
Time of Creation of Miscellaneous published and unpublished writings
Published articles, notes on workshops/lectures, and drafts. Of particular interest is a summary of a Sea Girt Seminar led by both Paul and Betty in the summer of 1934.
Published material
Creation of Published material
Time of Creation of Published material
Primarily Wayfarer, Pendle Hill, and Religious Education Bulletin. It is not clear whether some of the material was written by Furnas or was just collected by her.
Ser.3 Miscellaneous
Cutler-Sargent Family History
Creation of Cutler-Sargent Family History
Time of Creation of Cutler-Sargent Family History
Manuscript (typescript carbon copy), probably assembled by Howard Harrop Sargent (hhs) whose son married a Watson, relationship to Elizabeth Furnas undetermined. Of interest is a section on Uncle Len" who graduated from the Naval Acedemy in 1898 and guarded the Panama Canal in World War I.
Photographs
Undated photograph, probably of Women's Problems Group.