Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum. Chapin Hall for Children records, 1867-1984

 

Descriptive Inventory for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center

By Jack Whalen, 2013

 

 

Please address questions to:

Chicago History Museum, Research Center

1601 North Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614-6038

Web-site: http://www.chicagohistory.org/Research

 

© Copyright 2013, Chicago Historical Society, Clark St. at North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614

 

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Title: Chapin Hall for Children (Chicago, Ill.) records,1867-1984.

Creator: Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum.

Size:

46 linear ft. (68 boxes and 1 pkg.)

1 oversized folder.

1 sound tape.

 

Restriction: Unprocessed materials and case files (1977-1984) are closed to researchers.

Restrictions: For listening purposes, it is necessary to use a copy, not the original (and to have a listening copy made if one is not available).

Provenance: Gift of the Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum (M1967.0662; M1968.0711).

Terms governing use: Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Please cite this collection as: Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum, Chapin Hall for Children (Chicago, Ill.) records (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

 

This descriptive inventory contains the following sections:

Biographical/historical note,

Summary description of the collection,

Description of some materials related to this collection,

List of online catalog headings about the collection,

Arrangement of the collection,

List of contents of the collection.

 

Biographical/historical note:

Founded in 1860, the Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum provided day-care services for working mothers and served as a home for orphans and other dependent children for over one hundred years. Its early constitution stated the objectives as the "care and maintenance of poor women's children, enabling the women to find employment; also the care and maintenance of such children as are deprived, by death or other cause, of either parent."

 

The organization was incorporated in 1865, and in 1869 used a bequest of $17,000 from Jonathan Burr to secure a more permanent home than the property it was renting. The new building was incomplete at the time of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but began to house some children on a long-term basis plus temporarily care for more than fifty children who had become lost in the confusion of the fire.

 

Since the 1930s, the organization was known as Chapin Hall for Children, the name of its new building (built in 1931) at 2800 West Foster. Over the years, some children who resided there were adopted and left the orphanage to join new families.

 

In 1984 a successor organization became part of the University of Chicago as a research and service center officially named the Chapin Hall Center for Children. The old Chapin Hall building at 2800 West Foster was torn down in 1985.

 

Summary description of the collection:

Correspondence, minutes of meetings, 1867-1958, admission and dismissal ledgers, financial records, case files, and other records of the organization, which provided day-care services for working mothers and served as a temporary shelter for dependent children and as an orphanage. The Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum was known since the 1930s as Chapin Hall for Children (the name of its building at 2800 West Foster Avenue). The archives include materials on its 100th anniversary celebration in 1960. Also an oversize folder in the collection contains rules and regulations and a list of donors (ca. 1950).

 

A record book of meetings of the early Lady Managers of the Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum, 1868-1871, lists officers elected; number of children accepted, admitted, and left; reports of sick children, hospital cases, deaths; physicians reports; donations and plans for new building; changes in by-laws; and names of children in the asylum.

 

Some later correspondence, 1946-1954, relates to the Chapin Hall Ridge Farm Preventorium in Lake Forest (Ill.), an organization seeking to assist dependent children and neglected children with behavioral problems.

 

Description of some material related to the collection:

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include the Chapin Hall for Children photograph collection (1986.0277).

 

List of online catalog headings about the collection:

The following headings for this collection were placed in the online catalog:

Subjects:

Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum--Archives.

Chapin Hall for Children (Chicago, Ill.)

Chapin Hall Ridge Farm Preventorium (Lake Forest, Ill.)

Day care centers--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Charities--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Charities--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Child care services--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Child care services--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Child care services--Illinois--Lake Forest--20th century.

Day care centers--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Day care centers--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Orphanages--Illinois--Chicago--19th century.

Orphanages--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--19th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century.

Lake Forest (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century.

 

Form/genre:

Case files.

Correspondence.

Financial records.

Minutes.

Ledgers.

Lists.

Reports.

 

Added entries:

Chapin Hall Ridge Farm Preventorium (Lake Forest, Ill.)

United States--Illinois--Cook County--Chicago.

 

Arrangement of the collection:

The collection is arranged in 5 series:

Series 1. History and minutes (box 1-10)

Series 2. Admission and dismissal, etc. records (box 11-15)

Series 3. Reports (box 15-18)

Series 4. General operating records (box 19-25 )

Series 5. Financial records (box 26-44)

Unprocessed and restricted files.

 

List of contents of the collection:

Series 1. History and minutes (box 1-10)

1 oversize folder: Rules and regulations and a list of donors (ca. 1950)

 

box 1

folders

1          Blumberg history of Chapin Hall & Ridge Farm, 1865-1911

2          Blumberg history of Chapin Hall & Ridge Farm, 1916-1965

3          Research materials, 1900-1978

4          Blumberg historical notes

5          Blumberg historical notes, 1980

 

box 2

folders

1          History, 1860-1977

2          History, 1860-1977

3          Centennial history 1860-1960

4          Centennial, 1960

5          Centennial, 1960

6          Centennial audio tape

 

box 3

folders

1          Minutes, 1867-1868

2          Minutes, 1868-1871, Lady Managers volume

3          Minutes, 1871-1874

4          Minutes, 1873-1906

5          Minutes, 1875-1878

6          Minutes, 1880-1883

 

box 4

folders

1          Minutes, 1878-1880

2          Minutes, 1884-1886

3          Minutes, 1887-1889

4          Minutes, 1890

5          Minutes, 1891-1894

6          Minutes, 1894-1895

7          Minutes, 1896-1897

 

box 5

folders

1          Minutes, 1898-1899

2          Minutes, 1899-1900

3          Minutes, 1901

4          Minutes, 1902

5          Minutes, 1903

6          Minutes, 1904

7          Minutes, 1905

8          Minutes, 1906

 

box 6

folders

1          Minutes, 1907

2          Minutes, 1908

3          Minutes, 1909

4          Minutes, 1910

5          Minutes, 1907-1917

 

box 7

folders

1          Minutes, 1911

2          Minutes, 1911-1915

3          Minutes, 1912

4          Minutes, 1913

5          Minutes, 1914

6          Minutes, 1915

7          Minutes, 1916

 

box 8

folders

1          Minutes, 1917

2          Minutes, 1918

3          Minutes, 1919

4          Minutes, 1920

5          Minutes, 1921

6          Minutes, 1922

7          Minutes, 1923

 

box 9

folders

1          Minutes, 1924-1926

2          Minutes, 1927-1929

3          Minutes, 1930-1932

4          Minutes, 1933-1935

5          Minutes, 1936-1938

6          Minutes, 1939-1941

7          Minutes, 1942

8          Minutes, 1943

 

box 10

folders

1          Minutes, 1944-1945

2          Minutes, 1946-1948

3          Minutes, 1949-1950

4          Minutes, 1951

5          Minutes, 1952

6          Minutes, 1953-1954

7          Minutes, 1955-1956

8          Minutes, 1957-1958

 

Series 2. Admission and dismissal, etc. records (box 11-15)

box 11

folders

1          Admissions, 1865-1891

2          Admissions, 1875-1887

3          Admissions, 1888-1889

 

11-Oversize (?):  Relations, 1897-1898

 

box 12

folders

1          Admissions & dismissals, 1893-1904

2          Admissions & dismissals, 1894-1905

3          Admissions, 1901-1903

4          Admissions, 1903

5          Admissions, 1904-1908

 

box 13

folders

1          Admissions, 1904-1909

2          Admissions, 1905

3          Admissions, 1909-1916

 

box 14

folders

1          Matron's diary, 1917

2          Matron's diary, 1918

3          Matron's diary, 1919

4          Matron's diary, 1920

5          Matron's diary, 1923

6          Matron's diary, 1924

7          Matron's diary, 1925

 

box 15

folders

1          Admitting cards A-L, 1939-1949

2          Admitting cards M-Z, 1939-1949

 

Series 3. reports (box 15-18)

box 15 - continued

folders:

3          Children, 1941-1982

4          Public welfare, 1946-1950

5          Public welfare, 1951-1953

6          Public welfare, 1954-1955

7          Public welfare, 1956-1958

 

box 16

folders

1          Annual reports, 1931, 1949-1951, 1980-1981

2          Medical reports, 1930-1944

3          Casework reports, 1934-1938

4          Casework reports, 1939-1941

5          Casework reports, 1942-1943

6          Case committee, 1945-1949

7          Infant Dept., 1933-1936

8          Infirmary, 1935-1942

9          Infirmary, 1943-1949

 

box 17

folders

1          Secretary's reports, 1934-1949

2          Social service, 1930-1931

3          Social service, 1932-1936

4          Social service, 1937-1944

5          Social service, 1945-1946

6          Social service, 1947

7          Social service, 1948-1949

 

box 18

folders

1          Statistical reports, 1931-1942; omits 1943

2          Statistical reports, 1944-1950; omits 1947-1948

3          Superintendent's reports, 1937-1939

4          Superintendent's reports, 1940-1941, 1948-1949

 

Series 4. General operating records (box 19- )

box 19

folders

1          General papers, 1857-1879

2          General papers, 1880-1889

3          General papers, 1890-1899

4          Correspondence, 1900-1908

5          General papers, 1900-1903

6          General papers, 1904-1905

7          General papers, 1906-1914

8          General papers, 1911-1917

 

box 20

folders

1          General papers, 1918-19

2          General papers, 1920-29

3          Abstract of title, Oct. 18, 1927

4          General papers, 1930-35

5          Study of Chapin Hall, 1935; covering letter, Aug. 2, 1937

6          General papers, 1936-1947

7          General papers, 1950

 

box 21

folders

1          General papers, 1951

2          General papers, Jan.-June 1952

3          General papers, July-Dec. 1952

4          General papers, Jan.-May 1953

5          General papers, June-Dec. 1953

6          General papers, 1954-1974

7          General papers, 1980-1984

8          General papers, Undated

 

box 22

folders

1          Building addition contracts

2          Foster Avenue building fund, 1911-1915

3          Foster Avenue building fund: contributions, 1914-1916?

4          Foster Avenue building fund, Jan.-June 1916

5          Foster Avenue building fund, July Dec. 1916

6          Foster Avenue building fund, 1917

7          Foster Avenue building fund, 1920-1929

8          Contingent bequests, 1924-1928

 

box 23

folders

1          Boys Cottage building fund, 1929

2          Specifications, 1929

3          Boys Cottage building fund, 1930-1931

4          Blueprints, 1929, 1949

5          Building fund disbursements, 1964-1965

6          Building fund disbursements, 1965, Jan.-Sept. 1966

7          Building fund disbursements, Oct.-Dec. 1966

8          Building fund disbursements, 1967-1972

 

box 24

folders

1          By-laws, 1952-1982, undated

2          Chicago Association of Commerce, 1933-1939

3          Chicago Association of Commerce, 1940-1949

4          Grove School, 1965-1973

5          Memoranda, 1965-1971

6          Public relations, 1941-1942

7          Public relations, 1964-1984

 

box 25

folders

1          Visitor register, 1871-1916

2          Visitor register, 1940

3          Winona Avenue, 1965-1976

 

box 25A (cu. ft. box)

Newsclippings scrapbook, 1952-1959

Newsclippings scrapbook, 1960-1964

Newsclippings scrapbook, 1965

 

Series 5. Financial records (box 26-44)

box 26

folders

1          Treasurer's reports, 1873-1892

2          Treasurer's reports, 1893-1899

3          Treasurer's reports, 1901-1902

4          Treasurer's reports, 1903-1904

5          Treasurer's reports, 1905-1909

 

box 27

folders

1          Treasurer's reports, 1910-1919

2          Treasurer's reports, 1920-1925

3          Treasurer's reports, 1926-1929

4          Treasurer's reports, 1930-1932

5          Auditor's reports, 1925-1931

 

box 28

folders

1          Treasurer's reports, 1941-1951

2          Treasurer's receipt books, 1948-Mar. 1950

3          Treasurer's receipt books, Mar.-Apr. 1950

4          Treasurer's receipt books, July-Dec. 1950

5          Treasurer's receipt books, Dec. 1950-May 1951

6          Treasurer's receipt books, Apr.-Dec. 1951

7          Treasurer's receipt books, July 1952-Apr. 1953

 

box 29

1          Auditors reports, 1927; 1930-1934

2          Auditors reports, 1935-1939

3          Budget, 1978-1981

4          Budget work sheets, 1978-1980

5          Treasurer's receipt books, Sept. 1953-July 1955

6          Treasurer's receipt books, April 1953

7          Treasurer's receipt books, May-June 1953

 

box 30

folders

1          Arthur Young correspondence, 1963-1975

2          Arthur Andersen audit reports, 1932-1936

3          Arthur Andersen audit reports, 1937-1939

4          Arthur Young audit reports, 1941-1943

5          Arthur Young audit reports, 1944-1947

6          Arthur Young audit reports, 1948-1953

7          Arthur Young audit reports, 1954-1957

8          Arthur Young audit reports, 1972, 1973,1977

 

box 31

folders

1          Endowment fund, 1881-1915

2          Endowment fund, 1917-1920

3          Endowment fund, 1921-1926

4          Endowment fund, 1927-1929

5          Endowment fund, 1930-1932

6          Endowment fund, 1933-1938

7          Endowment fund, 1939

8          Endowment fund, 1940-1954

 

box 32

folders

1          Permanent fund, 1881-1885

2          Permanent fund, 1890-1899

3          Permanent fund, 1900-1901

4          Permanent fund, 1902-1903

5          Permanent fund, 1904-1908

6          Permanent fund, 1923-1930

7          Permanent fund, 1931

8          Permanent fund, Feb.-June 1933

9          Permanent fund, Aug. 1933-1935

 

box 33

folders

1          Subscription records, 1868-1875

2          Family expenses, 1875-1881

3          Hospital reforms contributions for beds, 1887-1901

4          Hospital records, 1904-1908

5          Cash received for board, 1895-1900

 

box 34

folders

1          Cash received for board, 1901-1909

2          Cash received for board, 1916-1922

 

box 35

folders

1          General ledger, 1889-1891

2          General ledger, 1891-1893

3          General ledger, 1891-1907

4          General ledger, 1894-1898

 

box 36

folders

1          General ledger, 1908-1911

2          General ledger, 1917-1935

3          General ledger: part 1, 1936-1960

4          General ledger: part 2, 1963-1966

 

box 37

folders

1          General ledger, 1925-1926

2          General ledger: part 1, 1932-1949

3          General ledger: part 2, 1932-1949

4          General ledger: part 1, 1950-1953

5          General ledger: part 2, 1950-1953

6          General ledger, 1954

7          General ledger, 1956-1958

8          General ledger, 1959-1960

 

box 38

folders

1          General ledger, 1941-1947

2          General ledger, 1953-1962

3          Bond endowment, 1935-1947

4          Bond endowment, 1950-1960

 

box 39

folders

1          Cash book, 1899-1904

2          Cash book, 1904-1908

3          Cash book, 1907-1916

4          Cash book, 1908-1911

 

box 40

folders

1          Cash book, 1907-1925

2          Cash book, 1912-1916

3          Cash book, 1914-1916

4          Cash receipts, 1960-1963

 

box 41

folders

1          Petty cash, 1950

2          Petty cash, 1950-1951

3          Petty cash, 1951-1952

4          Petty cash, 1952

5          Petty cash, 1955

 

box 42

folders

1          Cash statements, 1961-1962

2          Contribution acknowledgments, 1964-1966

3          Contribution acknowledgments, 1967-1976

4          Donations, 1957-1964

5          Finance committee, 1960-1962

6          Finance committee, 1962-1973

7          Financial condition report, 1934-1944

 

box 43

folders

1          Bequests: A-E, 1905-1953

2          Bequests: H-M, 1942-1952

3          Bequests: S-Z, 1940-1952

4          Insurance policies, 1933, 1950, Jan.-June 1961

5          Insurance policies, July-Dec. 1961-1962

6          Insurance policies, 1963-1973

7          Investments: Part 1, 1935

8          Investments: Part 2, 1935-1936

9          Investments: Part 3, 1937-1939

 

box 44

folders

1          Investments, 1933, 1940-1953

2          Investments, 1962- Jan.-June 1963

3          Investments, Sent Oct. 63, 1964

4          Investments, 1965-1967

5          Monthly financial report, 1966-1969

6          Subscription & donations, 1913-1915

7          Securities, 1891-1906

 

CLOSED:

11 boxes of case files, 1977-1984 (stored off-site)

Unprocessed files in boxes 45-51.