NASW Chicago Area Chapter

National Association of Social Workers, Chicago Area District records, 1921-1978.

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

By Carole L. Wrubel, 1966; rev. 2014

Please address questions to:

Chicago History Museum, Research Center

1601 North Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614-6038

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

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Title: National Association of Social Workers, Chicago Area District records, 1921-1978.

Main entry: National Association of Social Workers. Chicago Area District.

Inclusive dates: 1921-1978.

Size:

35 linear ft. (83 boxes)

Access: The collection is open for research use although not all of it has been processed thoroughly.

Provenance statement: Gift of the National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter and Chicago Area District (M1966.0558; M1970.0023; M1978.0027; M1984.0059; 1989.0478).

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: National Association of Social Workers, Chicago Area District 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 material related to the collection,

List of online catalog headings about the collection,

Arrangement of the collection,

Detailed description of portions of the collection,

List of contents of the collection,

List of headings about the collection in the old card catalog.

Biographical/historical note:

The history of the Chicago Area District (also known as the Chicago Chapter) of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) dates from 1924, when its predecessor, the Chicago Chapter of the American Association of Social Workers (AASW), was granted a charter after a two year campaign to establish a local branch of AASW. Through the following decades, the Chicago organization was a leader in the professionalization of social workers and in promoting their common interests, locally and nationally.

In 1955, the National Association of Social Workers was formed to combine the membership and goals of the following organizations then active in various aspects of social work:

American Association of Group Workers (AAGWW)

American Association of Medical Social Workers (AAMSW)

American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers (AAPSW)

American Association of Social Workers (AASW)

Association for the Study of Community Organization (ASCO)

National Association of School Social Workers (NASSW)

Social Work Research Group (SWRG)

The NASW was founded to strengthen and develop the social work profession by defining and establishing professional standards, recruiting able workers to the field, conducting continuous research on evolving social conditions, campaigning for improved welfare legislation, and informing the public of the social workers' role in the community.

The work of the national association has been carried out through the activities of the national office in New York and chapter organizations located throughout the country. NASW's general policies have been formulated by the Delegate Assembly, a representative body of all chapters which meets annually, and implemented by the national board of directors. The chapters are financed through dues paid by members to the national organization, plus any additional chapter assessments necessary to carry on local activities.

From its beginning in 1924, the Chicago Area District (also known as the Chicago Chapter) of AASW and later of NASW worked to develop a better understanding and definition of professional standards for social workers and to improve techniques and practices in the rapidly evolving field of social work. Early committees on ethics, supervision, and interviews were organized to study these topics and present their findings to the chapter members for approval. A Vocational Guidance Placement Bureau was also established in 1924 but was discontinued the next year due to financial difficulties. In 1925 the chapter committed itself to a policy of direct action in current welfare problems through its endorsement and promotion of the child labor law amendment.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s the Chicago organization accelerated its efforts to obtain more extensive welfare legislation and its involvement in other local and national welfare initiatives. It endorsed and sought public support for the Illinois Old Age bill, the La Follette-Costigan federal relief bill, and other public welfare programs; analyzed local relief and unemployment measures; and embarked upon a large scale campaign through public education and community organization to modify limitations on relief spending.

At this time the forerunner of the Personnel Practices Committee was established through the investigation of employment practices at Illinois Emergency Relief Commission to consider complaints about working conditions in welfare agencies affecting the standards of professional social work. This committee was one of the Chicago organization's most influential and active groups, and handled specific grievances as well as being instrumental in formulating and winning acceptance of a written code of employment and professional ethics, which was circulated throughout the country by the national office.

With the opening of a Chicago Chapter office in 1939, a more continuous program of social action was carried out through the Committee on Government and Social Work, which was concerned with legislation involving child welfare, mental hygiene, people with chronic illnesses, public assistance, unemployment compensation, and social insurance. The chapter also organized both The Wartime Committee on Personnel and The Planning of the Social Services during the War and Postwar Periods Committee (called the Public Social Policies Committee in postwar years) in response to the changing needs of the country during World War II. From 1945 to 1955 the chapter continued its activities in welfare legislation such as the promotion and support of the National Health Act, Aid to Dependent Children, adequate relief measures, changes in adoption laws, etc.

In 1949 a committee (later called the Temporary Inter-Association Council) was formed to study the problems of combining professional social work organizations representing the following areas of the field: group work, medical social work, psychiatric social work, school social work, and social work research. The Chicago chapters of the AAGW, AAMSW, and AASW also conducted combined studies and projects in conjunction with the work carried on by the Temporary Inter-Association Council. In October 1955 the bylaws for the proposed NASW were approved and ratified by the members of the participating social work organizations, and the merger became effective. The NASW has since carried on many of the programs and activities developed by its predecessors.

Summary description of the collection:

Correspondence, reports, minutes, and topical files from the offices of the Illinois Chapter and of the Chicago Area District (also known as the Chicago Area Chapter) of the National Association of Social Workers and its predecessor, the Chicago Chapter of the American Association of Social Workers. Topics include founding of the chapter in 1924, the professionalization of social work, standards and ethics of social workers, codes of conduct for charities and welfare agencies, employment practices and personnel regulations, welfare legislation, public aid matters, and changing conditions during the Great Depression and during and after World War II. Includes materials from the National Association of Social Workers, the American Association of Group Workers, American Association of Medical Social Workers, American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers, and the Chicago Round Table of Psychiatric Social Work.

Description of some material related to the collection:

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, includes the Lea Taylor papers and publications of the National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter, and its Chicago Area District, and related organizations, all cataloged separately.

List of online catalog headings about the collection:

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

National Association of Social Workers. Chicago Area District--Archives.

National Association of Social Workers. Illinois Chapter--Archives.

American Association of Social Workers. Chicago Chapter--Archives.

American Association of Group Workers.

American Association of Medical Social Workers.

American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers.

Chicago Round Table of Psychiatric Social Work.

National Association of Social Workers.

Charities--United States--20th century.

Depressions--1929--Illinois.

Professional associations--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Public welfare--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Social service--United States--20th century.

Social workers--Illinois--20th century.

Social workers--Illinois--Chicago--20th century--Societies, etc.

Social workers--Professional ethics--Illinois--20th century.

World War, 1939-1945--Illinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area.

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

Illinois--Social conditions--20th century.

Form/genre:

Correspondence.

Minutes.

Reports.

Added entries:

American Association of Group Workers.

American Association of Medical Social Workers.

American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers.

American Association of Social Workers. Chicago Chapter.

Chicago Round Table of Psychiatric Social Work.

National Association of Social Workers.

National Association of Social Workers. Illinois Chapter.

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

Arrangement of the collection:

The collection has not been thoroughly processed yet, and it arrangement is roughly in time periods.

Detailed description of portions of the collection:

First portion of the collection (accession# M1966.0558, box 1-19):

The collection includes material from the organizations preceding the NASW with only a few items representing t4he NASW after its founding in October 1955. The papers are chiefly comprised of minutes, reports, correspondence, bulletins, and newsclippings (approximately 8,800 items, 1921-1955). The main body of the collection is from the Chicago Chapter of the American Association of Social Workers, plus the related papers of the following organizations:

1. Illinois District of the American Association of Medical Social Workers, 1921-1955, approx. 200 items (originally formed in 1921 as the American Association of Hospital Social Workers).

2. The Chicago Round Table of Psychiatric Social Work, February 23, 1923-June4 1940, 75 items.

3. The American Association of Group Workers, September 4, 1948-1955, 180 items.

4. The American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers, 1921-1955, 190 items (originally a branch of the AAHSW until the psychiatric section formed an independent organization in 1926).

Papers from the Chicago Chapter of the AASW include minutes and reports of committees; annual reports and Delegate Conference Bulletins; correspondence on organizational matters, educational standards for Social Workers, employment practices and codes, welfare legislation and conditions.

The minutes and reports from the committees, which carried out the activities of the Chapter, are an index of the growth and interests of the Association. Papers from the Personnel Practices Committee (found throughout the collection from 1933 on) contain detailed studies of standards and ethics of social workers, employment practices such as pay, unionization, vacations, maternity leave. Codes of conduct for welfare agencies and social workers, plus grievance cases between agencies and employees that involve a violation of the employment practice code. The committee on Government and Social Work covers studies of contemporary welfare problems and legislation, plus letters to legislators and government officials encouraging support of various bills. Other committees, besides those dealing with organizational matters such as membership and budget, were formed according to the needs of the community and nation, e.g., the Juvenile Court Committee in 1938 and again in 1949, the Sub-committee on the Alien During the War, committee on Human Rights in the 1950s, and others on housing, mental health, and international social work.

The material from 1921-1929 is concerned with the formation of the Chapter and its relation to the National organization, membership requirements and professional standards, plus minutes from the Round Table and papers of the Illinois District, Psychiatric Section, American Association of Hospital Social Workers which discuss psychiatric technique in Social Work and standardization of terms and practices.

From 1930 to 1945 the collection contains reports, correspondence and minutes relative to the national and local relief situation (February 1932-May 1945, approx 418 items). Materials cover the Illinois Emergency Relief Commission (August 1932-1944, approx. 60 items), Aid to Dependent Children, Old Age Assistance, plus correspondence with Cook County Bureau of Public Welfare (August 3, 1932-January 6, 1954, 44 items) and other welfare agencies.

The growing concern of the Association for changing welfare made during the war brought about the formation of the Committee on Social Services During and After the War, with special studies of selective service, postwar employment and unemployment, and the alien. Other AASW activities during the 1940s include the advocacy of stricter legislation against the sale of firearms to juveniles (Sept. 25, 1941-Oct. 9, 1941, 16 items); the formation of the Committee to study recent Civil Service Examinations for Aid to Dependent Children and Old Age Assistance programs (January 7, 1942-April 29, 1942, 10 items); support of the National Health Act (August 31, 1944-1947, 62 items); increased interest in the problems of discrimination against minority groups (August 19, 1942-Jan 1, 1955, 40 items); and continuing work on Social Security, ADC and other child welfare measures; plus a grievance case between Judge Frank H. Bicek of Cook County Juvenile Court and a social worker which intensified the Association's prolonged fight to secure improved administration in Juvenile Court (January 26, 1946-April 9, 1948, 33 items. Earlier materials on Juvenile Court appear from May 1935 on, about 15 items).

The papers from 1950-1955 are largely concerned with routine organizational matters, e.g., formation of committees and study groups, membership, professional standards and recruitment, plus the work of the Temporary Inter-Association Council (October 24, 1949-October 1955,145 items) which carried out joint programs in the social work field as well as conducting studies of the proposed united professional organization. There are also papers from the American Association of Group Workers which worked closely with the American Association of Social Workers and the American Association of Medical Social Workers during this period of transition. They include routine correspondence, newsletters, announcements, and minutes of meetings (September 4, 1948-1955, 181 items).

Description of accession M1970.0023 (box 20-23):

1. NASW, Chicago Area District, executive committee minutes, 1924-1955. These materials, filed in box 20 of the collection, provide considerable information on standards and aims of the social work profession and on the profession's efforts to meet social needs. The minutes are particularly valuable for their data on living conditions and needs during the 1930s depression, and many references to housing and relief questions, welfare legislation, and other important matters of the day.

2. Minutes of meetings of the Membership of the Chicago Area Chapter of the NASW 1924-1951. These items, filed in box 21, are similar in nature to the Executive Committee minutes, although they become less substantive in the 1940s.

3. Handbook of the Chicago Chapter of the American Association of Social Workers, probably 1943. These materials are contained in a spring binder in box 21.

4. Copies of Personnel Information 1958-1962, published by the National Association of Social Workers. 1 folder of periodicals in box 21.

5. Copies of The Compass 1936-July 1955, published by the American Association of Social Workers. 10 folders of periodicals in boxes 22-23.

6. Copies of NASW News 1955-64, published by the National Association of Social Workers. 1 folder in box 23.

7. A small lot, perhaps 50 items, of sundry correspondence and other items. These were interfiled with materials in accession M1966.0558.

Description of accession # M1978.0027 (box 24-48):

Boxes 24 to 48, includes subjects: board minutes, committees & councils, general correspondence, offices' correspondence

List of contents of the collection:

Series 1. Records, 1921-1955, primarily American Association of Social Workers, Chicago Chapter (M1966.0558; box 1-19):

box 1 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 2 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 3 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 4 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 5 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 6 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 7 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 8 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 9 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 10 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 11 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 12 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 13 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 14 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 15 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 16 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 17 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 18 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 19 (accession# M1966.0558)

box 20 (accession# M1970.0023), including:

NASW, Chicago Area District, executive committee meeting minutes, 1924-1955

box 21 (accession# M1970.0023), including:

NASW, Chicago Area District membership meeting minutes, 1924-1951

American Association of Social Workers, Chicago Chapter handbook, circa 1943 (in binder)

Personnel Information, published by NASW, 1958-1962

box 22-23 (accession# M1970.0023), including:

folders:

1-10 The Compass, 1936-July 1955, published by AASW

11 NASW News, 1955-64, published by NASW

box 24 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 25 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 26 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 27 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 28 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 29 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 30 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 31 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 32 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 33 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 34 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 35 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 36 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 37 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 38 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 39 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 40 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 41 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 42 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 43 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 44 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 45 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 46 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 47 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 48 (accession # M1978.0027)

box 49

box 50

box 51

box 52

box 53

box 54

box 55

box 56

box 57

box 58

box 59

box 60

box 61

box 62

box 63

box 64

box 65

box 66

box 67

box 68

box 69

box 70

box 71

box 72

box 73

box 74

box 75

box 76

box 77

box 78

box 79

box 80

box 81

box 82

box 83

List of headings for this collection in the old card catalog:

The following subject and added entries were placed in the Manuscripts Card Catalog:

Subjects:

National Association of Social Workers. Chicago Area Chapter--Archives.

Chicago Urban League.

Children. Charities, Protection, Etc.

Civil Service. Chicago.

Cook County (Ill.). Department of Public Aid. (Welfare)

Cook Co. (Ill.) Juvenile Court.

Firearms. Laws and Regulations.

Illinois Emergency Relief Commission.

Insurance, Social.

Medical Social Work.

Public Welfare.

Public Welfare. Chicago.

Psychiatric Social Work.

Race Discrimination.

Social Group Work.

Social Problems.

Social Service. Chicago.

Social Settlements. Chicago.

Social Workers.

Work Relief.

World War, 1939-1945. Civilian Relief.

Added entries:

Adamowski, Benjamin S., 1906-

Addams, Jane, 1860-1935.

Alinsky, Saul David, 1909-

American Association of Group Workers.

American Association of Medical Social Workers.

American Association of Social Workers.

American Association of Social Workers. Chicago Chapter.

American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers.

Bankhead, William Brockman, 1874-1940.

Bicek, Frank Henry, 1886-

Brooks, Charles Wayland, 1897-1957.

Carey, Archibald J. 1908-

Chicago Round Table of Psychiatric Social Work.

De Priest, Oscar, 1871-1951.

Douglas, Emily Taft

Douglas, Paul Howard, 1892-

Emmerson, Louis Lincoln, 1863-1941.

Green, Dwight Herbert, 1897-1958.

Hilliard, Raymond Marcellus, 1912-1988.

Horner, Henry, 1878-1940.

Humphrey, Hubert Horatio, 1911-

Kelly, Edward Joseph, 1876-1950.

Kennelly, Martin H. 1887-1961.

Knowland, William Fife, 1908-

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1902-

Lucas, Scott Wike, 1892-

Merriam, Robert Edward, 1918-

Moss, Joseph Lincoln, 1894-1955.

Rainey, Henry Thomas, 1860-1934.

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945.

Sabath, Adolph Joachim, 1866-1952

Sheil, Bernard James, Bp. 1888-

Stelle, John, 1891-

Stevenson, Adlai Ewing, 1900-1965.

Stratton, William Grant, 1914-

Taylor, Graham, 1851-1938.

Taylor, Lea Demarest, 1883-

Tayler, Robert Robinson, 1900-1957.

Wagner, Robert Ferdinand, 1877-1953.

Weaver, Robert Clifton, 1907-