An Inventory of the Friends Neighborhood Guild Records, 1880-1962
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 Apex Data Services, December 2000.
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Records, 1880-1962
Friends Neighborhood Guild
Biographical History for: Records, 1880-1962
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTE Friends Neighborhood Guild was organized in 1879 as Friends Mission #1 under the supervision of Philadelphia First Day School Union, an organization of Hicksite Friends. Its first mission building opened in 1880 at the corner of Beach Street and Fairmount Avenues in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. Its initial aims were to provide religious and moral uplift, “a refining influence” for poor European immigrants living along the North Philadelphia waterfront. Early activities included worship services, youth meetings, a sewing school, and temperance meetings. In 1898 it came under the care of the Philanthropic Committee of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (Hicksite). The following year, it moved to a new location at 151 Fairmont Avenue and was renamed Friends Neighborhood Guild. Its programs were aimed at families, especially children, and were expanded to include recreation, woodworking, a savings fund, a flower and fruit mission, assistance in obtaining fuel, and a probation officer. The work was carried out by volunteers until 1903, when Emily Wilbur, the first full-time staff member, was hired as General Superintendent. In 1913 Friends Neighborhood Guild expanded with the purchase of Green Street Meeting House at Fourth and Green Streets. This important Hicksite meeting house was built in 1814, but by 1913 attendance had declined so dramatically that the Meeting decided to sell the building. Early in the twentieth century, under the influence of the social work philosophy, Friends Neighborhood Guild gradually changed from a mission to a settlement house. The ethnic mix of community residents gradually changed in the 1920s from mostly Central and Eastern Europeans (Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic) to largely black. In 1921 Friends Neighborhood Guild was one of the founders of the Welfare Federation of Philadelphia, and it is currently a United Way agency. Since 1950, with the formation of Friends' Self Help Cooperative, the Guild has been involved in efforts to improve housing in the East Poplar section of Philadelphia. In 1954 Friends Neighborhood Guild became incorporated, managed by a Board of Directors. In 1956 the Guild moved to its present location at 703 North Eighth Street. While having no official connection to Friends Neighborhood Guild, Spring Street Settlement, located at 1223-1225 Spring Street, was established in 1906 to help improve economic and social conditions in a black neighborhood east of Broad Street in Philadelphia, close to the area served by Friends Neighborhood Guild. Its programs included recreation, instruction in shoemaking and sewing and other “useful arts,” material assistance, a probation officer, and a visiting nurse. It was particularly concerned with the housing conditions in the area and became inactive after 1925. The collection also contains a small amount of material (1905) relating to the Friendly Settlement Association, another Quaker society involved in settlement work in Philadelphia.
SCOPE AND CONTENT OF THE RECORDS Correspondence, minutes, annual reports, financial papers, scrapbooks, historical, publicity, and membership materials, newsletters, pictures, and other records, relating to the organization's early activities as a mission and settlement house providing assistance to the poor, particularly immigrants and blacks, and its subsequent change of focus to community center. Includes minutes and reports (1905) of Friendly Settlement Association, another Quaker society involved in settlement work, and records (1907-1925) relating to Spring Street Settlement (founded 1906 as Spring Street Mission), including correspondence, minutes, scrapbook, and pictures.
Afro-Americans -- Pennsylvania
Afro-Americans -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
Social work with Afro-Americans
Charities -- Pennsylvania
Church work
Church work with immigrants -- Pennsylvania
Church work with the poor -- Pennsylvania
Church work with the poor -- Society of Friends
Community centers -- Pennsylvania
Immigrants -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
Home missions -- Pennsylvania
Poor -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
Nonprofit corporations--Quaker
Quakers -- Pennsylvania
Quakers -- Societies, etc.
Quakers--Charities--Records
Social settlements -- Pennsylvania
Urban poor -- Pennsylvania
Youth--Social services
Friends Mission No.1 (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Friendly Settlement Association (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Spring Street Mission (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Spring Street Settlement (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Philadelphia First Day School Union
Pennsylvania -- Charitable and social work
Pennsylvania -- Churches and religious affairs -- Quaker
Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Charitable and social work
Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Churches and religious affairs -- Quaker
Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Social problems -- Poor
series
Ser. 1. Historical material
Historical articles and letters about early history.
Creation of Historical articles and letters about early history.
Time of Creation of Historical articles and letters about early history.
Excerpts from minutes, and excerpts from other sources such as annual reports.
Other historical information about Friends Neighborhood Guild and the Quaker committees which directed its work.
Friends Neighborhood Guild: 70th Anniversary [booklet]
Creation of Friends Neighborhood Guild: 70th Anniversary [booklet]
Time of Creation of Friends Neighborhood Guild: 70th Anniversary [booklet]
Also includes historical information collected about Friends Neighborhood Guild for booklet listed above; letters asking for historical information for the booklet; letters providing historical information for the booklet; records pertaining to the 70th anniversary dinner (3/11/1950); news releases and clippings about the dinner; communications with speakers (Eleanor Roosevelt presented the main address); Invitations and guest list; other papers concerning dinner arrangements.
Inventory of the records of the Guild at Temple University Urban Archives
Ser. 2. Minutes
[Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting. Friends First Day School] Union Executive Committee Minutes ()
Creation of [Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting. Friends First Day School] Union Executive Committee Minutes ()
Time of Creation of [Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting. Friends First Day School] Union Executive Committee Minutes ()
House Committee of Friends Neighborhood Guild Minutes
Creation of House Committee of Friends Neighborhood Guild Minutes
Time of Creation of House Committee of Friends Neighborhood Guild Minutes
Became Guild Committee in 1916
Friends Neighborhood Guild Committee Minutes
Creation of Friends Neighborhood Guild Committee Minutes
Time of Creation of Friends Neighborhood Guild Committee Minutes
1935-1937 minutes incomplete
Friends Neighborhood Guild, Board of Directors Minutes
Creation of Friends Neighborhood Guild, Board of Directors Minutes
Time of Creation of Friends Neighborhood Guild, Board of Directors Minutes
Ser. 3. Membership
Membership applications
Creation of Membership applications
Time of Creation of Membership applications
List of Guild Committee members and chairmen
Card file, listing Board members with dates of service
Guild members pledge
Creation of Guild members pledge
Time of Creation of Guild members pledge
Membership participation and staff statistics
Creation of Membership participation and staff statistics
Time of Creation of Membership participation and staff statistics
Ser. 4. Financial Records
Account book
Creation of Account book
Time of Creation of Account book
Cash book
Creation of Cash book
Time of Creation of Cash book
Receipts for purchase of coal
Contract with Alice Mary Doane Leach, Headworker
Creation of Contract with Alice Mary Doane Leach, Headworker
Time of Creation of Contract with Alice Mary Doane Leach, Headworker
Financial report
Creation of Financial report
Time of Creation of Financial report
Ser. 5. Correspondence
Letters about purchase of Green St. building
Creation of Letters about purchase of Green St. building
Time of Creation of Letters about purchase of Green St. building
Contributions to Building Fund from meetings and related organizations
Creation of Contributions to Building Fund from meetings and related organizations
Time of Creation of Contributions to Building Fund from meetings and related organizations
Arranged alphabetically by meeting
Contributions to Building Fund from individuals
Creation of Contributions to Building Fund from individuals
Time of Creation of Contributions to Building Fund from individuals
Arranged alphabetically by donor
Contributions to Repair Fund for Green St. building
Creation of Contributions to Repair Fund for Green St. building
Time of Creation of Contributions to Repair Fund for Green St. building
Contributions to Friends Neighborhood Guild
Creation of Contributions to Friends Neighborhood Guild
Time of Creation of Contributions to Friends Neighborhood Guild
Financial correspondence
Creation of Financial correspondence
Time of Creation of Financial correspondence
Appeals for contributions
Miscellaneous correspondence
Ser. 6. Annual Reports
Annual reports
The following annual reports were placed in SG 3: 1880-1883, 1901, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1914-1919 and 1932
Excerpts from annual reports
Creation of Excerpts from annual reports
Time of Creation of Excerpts from annual reports
Including excerpts from newspaper articles about Guild activities
Ser. 7. Newsletters and other printed material
The Guild News
Creation of The Guild News
Time of Creation of The Guild News
The Guild Men
Creation of The Guild Men
Time of Creation of The Guild Men
The Guild Gazette
Creation of The Guild Gazette
Time of Creation of The Guild Gazette
Leaflets describing Friends Neighborhood Guild
Articles about Friends Neighborhood Guild
Creation of Articles about Friends Neighborhood Guild
Time of Creation of Articles about Friends Neighborhood Guild
Announcements of events
Creation of Announcements of events
Time of Creation of Announcements of events
Radio programs re: Friends Neighborhood Guild
Creation of Radio programs re: Friends Neighborhood Guild
Time of Creation of Radio programs re: Friends Neighborhood Guild
Reports
Listings from other Philadelphia social agencies mentioning Friends Neighborhood Guild
Guild Calendar
Creation of Guild Calendar
Time of Creation of Guild Calendar
Ser. 8. Miscellaneous
Scrapbook #1
Creation of Scrapbook #1
Time of Creation of Scrapbook #1
Contains newspaper clippings, annual reports, correspondence, newsletters, programs of events, and pictures
Scrapbook #2
Creation of Scrapbook #2
Time of Creation of Scrapbook #2
Scrapbook #3
Creation of Scrapbook #3
Time of Creation of Scrapbook #3
Scrapbook #4
Creation of Scrapbook #4
Time of Creation of Scrapbook #4
Pictures of buildings
Pictures of groups of children
First Day School Teacher's Class Book
Creation of First Day School Teacher's Class Book
Time of Creation of First Day School Teacher's Class Book
Ser. 9. Friendly Settlement Association
Minutes and reports
Creation of Minutes and reports
Time of Creation of Minutes and reports
Ser. 10. Spring Street Settlement
Board of Directors and Annual Mtg. minutes
Creation of Board of Directors and Annual Mtg. minutes
Time of Creation of Board of Directors and Annual Mtg. minutes
Printed histories and descriptions of activities
Creation of Printed histories and descriptions of activities
Time of Creation of Printed histories and descriptions of activities
Correspondence
Creation of Correspondence
Time of Creation of Correspondence
Journal
Creation of Journal
Time of Creation of Journal
Includes minutes of Advisory Board and of some committees, newspaper clippings, reports and pictures
Scrapbook
Creation of Scrapbook
Time of Creation of Scrapbook
Mostly newspaper clippings describing accomplishments of blacks in Philadelphia
Articles on Spring St. Settlement and Ellwood Heacock
Creation of Articles on Spring St. Settlement and Ellwood Heacock
Time of Creation of Articles on Spring St. Settlement and Ellwood Heacock
Pictures