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Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) records, 1911-1992

Overview of the Collection

Creator
YWCA (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Title
Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) records
Dates
1911-1992 (inclusive)
Quantity
61 linear feet, (122 boxes, 1 oversize box, and 1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
MS 0550
Summary
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) records (1911-1992) are comprised of records of the Salt Lake City chapter of the YWCA, including statistics, reports, policy statements, directors files, financial records, personnel files, activities records, publications, and national board and convention materials. The Salt Lake City Chapter was chartered in 1906. In 1909, the YWCA found its first home in the Keysor house, but moved in 1912 to its present location in the former Gordon Academy. Today the Y serves as a correctional half-way house, shelter for battered women, and home for independent women. The building was remodeled in 1956 to accommodate a wider range of activities.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

The Young Women's Christian Association was started in 1855 in London, England. Mrs. Arthur Kinnaird founded the North London Home, or General Females Training Institute, as a home for nurses returning from the Crimean War. The Industrial Revolution prompted Emma Robarts to open the Prayer Union for Women and Girls at the same time. By 1859 these two groups merged under the name of Young Women's Christian Association. The first United States group was formed in New York City in 1858, known as the Ladies' Christian Association. The full title, Young Women's Christian Association, was first used in the United States in Boston in 1866.

In 1906, the national board of the YWCA accepted the Salt Lake City YWCA as a charter member, and the first national convention was held in Salt Lake City. The first president of the local YWCA was Mary Willis Critchlow. By 1907 the Salt Lake City YWCA was providing educational classes, club rooms, an employment bureau, and a lunch room in the Brooks Arcade Building. In 1909 the womens' residence was established in the old Keyser Home. The YWCA moved in 1912 to its present location at 322 E. Third South. The building had been the Gordon Academy, organized in 1878, and housed the Salt Lake College at the time of its purchase by the YWCA. Today the Salt Lake City YWCA residence serves as a correctional half-way house, a shelter for battered women and their children, and a home for independent women.

The YWCA is the largest international membership organization for women and girls that provides services and programs. The YWCA. is open to all economic, occupational, racial, religious, cultural backgrounds, and all age groups. It is a volunteer agency with an elected board of directors representing its members. The Salt Lake City Chapter of the YWCA has been maintained throughout the years by contributions from businesses and individuals, and the United Fund (now United Way.)

The YWCA Statement of Purpose, adopted in 1973, states: We recognize that many women and girls in search of new skills and experiences turn to the YWCA. This may lead them to become involved in educational classes, HPER activities, residential services, clubs, special events and other program opportunities. These programs have within them the potential to foster new understandings, to help individuals acquire vocational and leisure time skills, to be fully themselves and to develop their full potentialities as persons, secure in themselves and capable of contributing in an association that is truly pluralistic. The building of deeper relationships and the appreciation of others is fostered in all that we do when participants are helped to join in the struggle for peace, freedom, justice and dignity for all people.

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Content Description

The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) records (1911-1992) are comprised mainly of this association's administrative history. The collection is divided into various sections. The first section contains administrative materials such as manuals, policies, correspondence, board of directors files, the YWCA constitution, reports, and the papers of Salt Lake City's west side branch, Y-West. The second section contains finance records such as budget, gift and campaign information, audit reports, and ledgers. Section three contains building and building fund materials, such as remodeling plans, maintenance guidelines, and fund-raising campaigns. Section four contains personnel files. Included in this section are employment applications, job descriptions, job policies, and salary records. Section five contains descriptions and records of classes, clubs, conferences, fashion shows, workshops, and seminars. Section six contains descriptions of programs, and information on program planning. Section seven contains meeting minutes and other records of committees. Section eight contains lists, statistics, and directories concerning membership and residence at the YWCA. Section nine contains publications and publicity materials such as magazines, brochures, bulletins, and pamphlets. Section ten contains national board and national convention materials. Included in this section are reports, correspondence, and convention proceedings. Section eleven contains subject files, which include printed materials such as brochures and articles concerning the subjects that are listed alphabetically.

Addenda to the collection include Women in Jeopardy and United Way materials, as well as YWCA magazines, financial information, scrapbooks, news clippings, posters, and correspondence.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized in eleven series: 1. Administration; 2. Finance; 3. Building; 4. Personnel; 5. Classes, Clubs, Conferences, etc.; 6. Programs and Program Planning; 7. Committees; 8. Membership and Residence; 9. Publications and Publicity; 10. National Board and National Conventions; 11. Subject Files.

Acquisition Information

Boxes 1-96 were donated in the 1980s (48 linear feet).

Boxes 97-121 were donated in 1994 (12.5 linear feet).

Box 122 was donated in 1997 (0.5 linear feet).

Oversize folder was donated in 2012 by Kathleen Kingsbury.

Processing Note

Processed by Jennifer Breaden, Mark Jensen, and Karen Carver in 1989-2001.

Addendum processed by Betsey Welland in 2014.

Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.

Separated Materials

See also the Young Women's Christian Assocation photograph collection (P0353) in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.

Related Materials

Forms part of the Aileen H. Clyde 20th Century Women's Legacy Archives.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Charities--Utah--Salt Lake City--Records and correspondence
  • Abused women--Services for--Utah--Salt Lake City
  • Children of abused wives--Services for--Utah--Salt Lake City
  • Community development--Utah--Salt Lake City
  • Community education--Utah--Salt Lake City
  • Halfway houses--Utah--Salt Lake City
  • Occupational training--Utah--Salt Lake City
  • Office buildings--Remodeling--Utah--Salt Lake City--Records and correspondence
  • Women in charitable work--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives
  • Women--Utah--Societies and clubs--Records and correspondence
  • Young women--Charities, protection, etc.--Archives

Corporate Names

  • YWCA (Salt Lake City, Utah)--Records and correspondence
  • YWCA of the U.S.A.--Archives

Form or Genre Terms

  • Annual reports
  • Brochures
  • Business correspondence
  • By-laws
  • Charters and articles of incorporation
  • Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
  • Conference papers and proceedings
  • Financial records
  • Handbooks and manuals
  • Instructional and educational works
  • Job descriptions
  • Membership lists
  • Minutes (Records)
  • Pamphlets
  • Posters
  • Property records
  • Records (Documents)
  • Scrapbooks

Finding aid written by Jennifer Breaden.
1989 (last modified: 2014 and 2019)

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