Infant Welfare Society of Chicago collection of visual materials, 1908-1970

 

Finding Aid for the Collection at the Chicago History Museum, Research Center

By S. Tamulonis; rev. by D. Ryan, 1989 and by D. Rinder, 2008

 

© Copyright 2014, Chicago Historical Society, 1601 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614-6038

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Title: Infant Welfare Society of Chicago collection of visual materials [graphic]

Main entry: Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, Woman’s Auxiliary

Inclusive dates: 1908-1970, bulk 1910-1949

Size:

Call #: 1980.0170 PPL:

1018 photographic prints : b&w ; 37 x 61 cm. (14 1/2 x 24 in.) or smaller.

Call #: 1980.0170 PFL:

11 broadsides ; 56 x 72 cm. (22 x 28 in.) or smaller.

24 photomechanical prints : b&w ; 46 x 36 cm. (18 x 14 in.) or smaller.

12 pictures : design drawing ; 44 x 77 cm. (17 x 30 1/4 in.) or smaller.

Call #: 1980.0170 PLS0052-0068:

190 transparencies : lantern slide ; 9 x 11 cm. (3 1/2 x 4 in.)

Call #: 1980.0170 PPN0016:

12 negatives : b&w ; 8 x 10 in. or smaller.

8 transparencies : b&w ; 5 x 7 in.

Call #: 1980.0170 PNN:

58 negatives : cellulose nitrate ; 8 x 10 in.

Call #: 1980.0170 PGN0003:

1 negative : glass ; 9 x 11 cm. (3 1/2 x 4 in.)

Call #: 1980.0170 PCT0012-0013:

87 transparencies : col. ; 35 mm.

Call #: 1980.0170 PNG:

1 folder of non-graphic material

Accession #: 1980.0170

 

Restriction: To consult lantern slides, glass, or color items in the Research Center it is necessary to make an advance appointment (email: Research@chicagohistory.org ).

Restriction: Nitrate negatives restricted from access, see reference copies instead.

Terms of use: Credit photographers.

Alternative format available: Nitrate reference copies available online http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/ref/collection/chm_pp/id/76

 

Description of the collection:

This collection represents approximately 1500 images of the activities of the IWS including many photographic formats, from 1908 to the early 1970s. Over 1,000 photographs, both individual prints and in albums, 190 lantern slides, and 50-odd nitrate negatives with some matching prints, constitute the bulk of images made during the 1910s through the early 1930s and the bulk of the collection.

 

The IWS recognized that the wave of Eastern European, German, and Italian immigrants and poor African American women and their families required access to prenatal and postnatal instruction, physical and mental hygiene practices, nutritional programs, and day-care services if their newborns and children were to enjoy a healthy first six years. The photoprints and lantern slides particularly show interiors of these families' homes during IWS nursing instruction and care and of the interiors of various IWS stations throughout the city.

 

During these early decades IWS employed, among others, the studio of Burke and Atwell, Chicago photographers. Although most images show elements of a life now gone and which we find historically interesting, the photographers attempted to evoke pity for the family's desperate economic situation or even encourage condemnation in the family's seemingly naïve acceptance of a wretched fate. Many photographs have a staged, wooden feeling to them; indeed most were posed. Fewer prints, however, catch the spontaneity of the moment, contrast sharply against the posed shots, and bring a sense of humanity to the scene.

 

From the 1930s through the early 1970s, the ethnic population moving to Chicago changed to Hispanic; second-generation African American Chicagoans increased as well as populations from elsewhere within the United States. Photoprints, 35mm and larger transparencies document these groups. Scenes of activities concerning physical and mental hygiene practices increase in numbers during the post World War II years.

 

In the 1950s IWS acquired the building at 1931 N. Halsted which is now the IWS Family Development Center. The building, constructed in 1870, was the site of the Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum at the time of the 1871 Chicago fire (the Asylum's name was later changed to Chapin Hall for Children, Chicago). The building's original entrance and address was 175 Burling St. (now number 1932), east of Halsted. Architects' models, floor plans, and before and after shots of the building's exterior are included in the collection. The firm of John H. Alschuler, Inc. was chosen for renovation. IWS occupied the building in September 1969.

 

Some publicity scenes from the 1910s, more so from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, nurses' portraits, Mayor Richard J. Daley at a reception at the Art Institute of Chicago for the donation of IWS's statue of Lorado Taft's Mother and Child, and various photographic formats of the statue itself constitute a small part of the collection.

 

This collection was given to the Chicago Historical Society in 1974. The Library, Archives and Manuscripts Department, and Prints and Photographs Department each has holdings from IWS. Archives and Manuscripts transferred the visual materials to this Department in 1978. The collection was partially processed in 1980. During 1985-87 the Department received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant which enabled to staff to reprocess the collection in its entirety.

 

The collection is initially arranged by photographic format for conservation requirements. Within each format a topical arrangement, begun in 1980, had been retained during reprocessing and expanded when necessary. In February 1961, the Chicago Historical Society exhibited some of the early photoprints in its "Feature of the Month" for IWS's fiftieth anniversary.

 

The Prints and Photographs Department also has the Visiting Nurse Association of Chicago Collection (1980.089). Their goals and activities are closely related to those of IWS and similar images can be seen from the early parts of the 20th century.

 

Negative numbers assigned at office of origin do not always match photoprints with the same numbers.

 

Some photoprints (boxes 7-11) also available as copy negatives ICHi # 03840, 03843, 03844, 03852, 03854, 15007, 17664, 19589-19598.

 

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include IWS photographs in the Image file (Master Vertical File) and the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago records.

 

Transferred to the Photographic Ephemera collection: 1 nitrate negative lid, 8x10 in.

 

Gift of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, Women's Auxiliary, 1974 (1980.0170).

 

Storage: Box Lot (2 boxes, 8 x 10 in.; 4 boxes, 11 x 14 in.; 6 boxes, 16 x 20 in.), Lantern Slides (17 boxes, 4x5 in., Unit # 5-68), Nitrate Negatives (1 box, 9x12 in., Unit # 6), Negatives (1 folder, Unit #16), Glass negatives (1 folder, Unit #3), Transparencies (2 folders, Unit #12, 13), Photographic ephemera (nitrate negative lid), Non-graphic material (1 folder)

 

List of online catalog headings:

Daley, Richard J., 1902-1976

Infant Welfare Society of Chicago

Art Institute of Chicago

John H. Alschuler, Inc. (Chicago, Ill.)

Infant Welfare Society of Chicago. Child and Family Development Center.

Lake Forest Dairy (Ill.) -- 1910-1919.

Physicians -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Polish Americans -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Streets -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Women -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Women -- Health & welfare -- Illinois -- Chicago.

African Americans -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Charitable organizations -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Children -- Clothing & dress -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Children -- Health & welfare.

Children with disabilities -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Dairying -- Illinois.

Domestic life -- Illinois -- Chicago.

German Americans -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Health care -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Infants -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Interiors -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Italian Americans -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Mothers & children -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Nursing -- Illinois -- Chicago.

Chicago (Ill.)

Ephemera.

Group portraits.

Letterheads.

Photograph albums.

Cellulose nitrate negatives.

Dry plate negatives.

Dye coupler transparencies.

Film negatives.

Film transparencies.

Halftone photomechanical prints.

Lantern slides.

Silver gelatin prints.

Slides.

 

Added entry:

Infant Welfare Society of Chicago

 

Container list of box and folder numbers and titles:

Call #: 1980.0170 PPL: 1018 photographic prints : b&w ; 14 1/2 x 24 in. or smaller.

Box 1 Photoprints ca. 5x7 in. or smaller

1 Mother and child alone

2 Babies or children alone, single child, 1 folder of 2

3 Babies or children alone, single child, 2 folders of 2

4 Babies or children alone, two children

5 Babies or children alone, three or more children

6 Clients' homes, interior

7 Clients' homes, exterior

 

Box 2

1 IWS stations, interiors, daycare

2 IWS stations, interiors, with doctors

3 IWS stations, interiors, other various activities

4 IWS stations, exteriors

 

Box 3 Photoprints ca. 8x10 in. or smaller

1 Babies or children alone, single child

2 Babies or children alone, two children

3 Babies or children alone, three or more children

4 Mother and child alone

5 Clients' homes, interior

 

Box 4

1 IWS stations, interiors, measuring and weighing

2 IWS stations, interiors, daycare, 1 folder of 2

3 IWS stations, interiors, daycare, 2 folders of 2

4 IWS stations, interiors, other activities

 

Box 5

1 IWS stations, interiors, with doctors

2 IWS stations, exteriors

3 Album: "Notes on IWS Lecture, Dept. of Health, Chicago, 1908"

4 Album: [1955 Shots at IWS Stations and in Clients' Homes]

 

Box 6

1 Publicity activities, miscellaneous

2 Annual Report, 1969, layout

3 Capital Fund

4 Publicity Lunch, 1965

5 [Reception?] at Art Institute of Chicago marking the donation of Lorado Taft's sculpture, Mother and Child

6 Mother and Child sculpture by Lorado Taft

 

Box 7 Photoprints ca. 15x19 in. or smaller

1 Babies or children alone, single child

2 Babies or children alone, two children

3 Babies or children alone, three or more children

 

Box 8

1 Clients' homes, interiors

2 Clients' homes, interiors

3 Clients' homes, interiors

 

Box 9

1 Clients' homes, exterior

2 IWS stations, interiors, with doctors, 1 folder of 2

3 IWS stations, interiors, with doctors, 2 folders of 2

 

Box 10

1 IWS stations, interiors, various activities

2 IWS stations, interiors, various activities

3 IWS stations, exteriors, publicity displays

 

Box 11

1 Mother and child alone

2 Dairy operations

3 IWS nurses, group portraits

 

Box 12

1 Halftones

2 Contact sheets

"Baby Week" photoprint, matted

Annual Report, 1968, layout (incomplete)

Duplicates

 

Call #: 1980.0170 PFL:

Box 13 (16 x 20 in. box)

1 Broadsides for National Baby Week

2 Broadsides with photographs for National Baby Week

3 Photographs (1 baby; 1 IWS building--1931 N. Halsted)

4 Posters for Infant Welfare Society

 

Box 14 (20 x 24 in. box)

1 Annual Report, 1971--Artwork

2 Photograph of building at 1931 N. Halsted

 

Horizontal items

Annual report, 1969--Artwork

4 exhibition boards with photographs

 

Duplicates of photoprints : 1 box 16x20 in.

 

Call #: 1980.0170 PLS0052-0068: 190 transparencies : lantern slide ; 3 1/2 x 4 in.

Box 1-3 [Lecture] "Abilities of a Child from 1-4 Years"

Box 4-6 Clients' homes, interiors

Box 7 Clients' homes, exteriors; Mother and Child sculpture by Lorado Taft; Maps

of Chicago; Mother and child alone

Box 8 Babies or children alone

Box 9 Miscellaneous; nurses alone

Box 10 IWS stations, exteriors

Box 11-12 IWS stations, interiors, with doctors

Box 13 IWS stations, interiors, includes measuring and weighing

Box 14 IWS stations, interiors, general activities

Box 15 Slides with Text: charts

Box 16 Slides with Text: images, text alone

Box 17 Slides with Text: text alone

 

Call #: 1980.0170 PPN0016:

Unit 13 Includes 5x7 in. b & w transparencies from the 1960s and 1970s, and Translites from the 1960s

Unit 16 1 folder of 8x10 in. negatives or smaller (all printed but one), 1930s-1940s

 

Call #: 1980.0170 PNN: 58 negatives : cellulose nitrate ; 8 x 10 in. or smaller.

Box 1 58 negatives IWS stations, babies and children alone, a few clients' homes' interiors taken in the 1910s through the 1920s by H. F. Holbrook (ca. 1932)

 

Call #: 1980.0170 PGN0003:1 negative : glass ; 3 1/2 x 4 in.

Unit 3 1 negative 3-1/2x4 in. from the 1910s

 

Call #: 1980.0170 PCT0012-0013: 87 transparencies : col. ; 35 mm.

Unit 12 Includes 35mm color transparencies from the 1960s and 1970s

 

Description by: S. Tamulonis, May 17, 1986

dmr, July 5, 1989