Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Metropolitan Business College Records, 1910-1981
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Metropolitan Business College (Seattle, Wash.)
- Title
- Metropolitan Business College Records
- Dates
- 1910-1981 (inclusive)19101981
- Quantity
-
8 boxes , (5 linear feet)
2 oversize scrapbooks - Collection Number
- 1991.25
- Summary
- Photographs, papers and scrapbooks related to the Metropolitan Business College in Seattle and the College's Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority for businesswomen.
- Repository
-
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
- Languages
- English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Metropolitan Business College began in 1889 as a small private business school called the Seattle Business College. The school was started by Josephine Hall and her husband in Seattle's Boston building, where it remained until 1891. Initially, the Seattle Business College taught only shorthand and typing, expanding its curriculum to include Bookkeeping, Accounting, Business Law, English and Mathematics after it was bought out by Acme Business College in 1894. Mrs. Hall sold her shares in the college to W.W. DeLong, who became the college president. The newly combined school was known as Seattle and Puget Sound College.
In 1915, the College became the property of the Metropolitan Building Company, moved into the White-Henry-Stuart building, and changed its name to the Metropolitan Business College. Florence G. Douglas, a sister of one of the company owners, served as president of the College until 1942. The College expanded under her tenure, adding fraternities and sororities, dormitories and a basketball team.
In 1941, the Metropolitan Building Company divested itself of the business college, which was then purchased by Herbert Phillips, who became president of the school. At that time, the school moved into the second floor of a new building at 414 Union Street at the corner of Fifth Avenue. During Phillips' tenure, the school expanded its curriculum to ten regular diploma courses. Phillips was President of the school for 34 years, till 1976 when the school was turned over to his stepson.
In late 1978, the Metropolitan Business College acquired the facilities of Auerswald Business University and moved all its classes to Auerswald's 1524 Fifth Ave. location. In 1986, Jana L. Cloward purchased the College and set out to modernize its equipment, curriculum and staff. The program expanded to comprise five diploma programs, in Accounting, Computer Application, Data Entry, Secretarial and Word Processing. The school's curriculum was designed to accommodate and provide training for its "Ability to Benefit" students--the approximately 80% of its student body who did not have a high school diploma. After operating for over a century at nine different locations under eight owners, the College closed in about 1990.
The Alpha Iota Sorority is an international honorary businesswomen's society. The Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority was installed at Metropolitan Business College on July 26, 1930.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection includes Metropolitan Business College catalogs, brochures and newsletters; administrative, legal and financial papers; and advertisements and other promotional materials such as albums. A few narratives provide a historical background of the College.
The photographs, dated circa 1910-1980, include images of students, faculty and staff at the School, usually in offices or classroom. Students are depicted in classes such as typing, stenotype and business machine class. Members of the Phi Theta Pi Fraternity and Alpha Iota Sorority are depicted at installations, banquets and conclaves.
The Alpha Iota Sorority Historian's Books and Scrapbooks document the activities of the club and its members over an academic year and include photographs, meeting minutes, announcements, clippings and ephemera.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Metropolitan Business College Records, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection has been arranged into four series: photographs, subdivided by photographer; textual materials; albums and other materials; and the records of the Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Photographs , circa 1910-1980Return to Top
All photographs dated circa 1910-1980 unless a more specific date is given
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Photographs
Roger Dudley
, Seattle
(photographer)
|
||
| Box | ||
| 1 | 1-3: Students in typing class
|
|
| 1 | 4: College President Herbert
Phillips talking to student |
|
| 1 | 5: Three students talking in
hallway |
|
| 1 | 6-7: Man and woman seated at office
desk |
|
| 1 | 8: Students typing with two women
seated in private office |
|
| 1 | 9: Students and teacher seated in
classroom |
|
| 1 | 10-11: Students in typing class
|
|
| 1 | circa 1935 | |
| 1 | 13: Students in Accounting
Department classroom |
|
| 1 | 14: Students in typing class
|
|
| 1 | 15: Three women working behind
Information desk in General Business Office |
|
| 1 | 1930s | |
| 1 | 17: Three women in school office
|
|
| 1 | 18: Herbert Phillips, President MBC
|
circa 1948 |
| 1 | 19: Man seated at desk |
|
| 1 | 20: Students and teacher in
stenotype class |
|
| 1 | 22: Students seated at tables
writing, classroom in background |
|
| 1 | 24: Five people in "Principal and
Registrar" office |
|
| 1 | 25-26: Students writing in classroom,
instructor in front |
|
| 1 | 27: College President Herbert
Phillips talking to student |
|
Photographs
Walter P. Miller,
Seattle
|
||
| Box | ||
| 1 | 28: Students typing near two
private offices |
|
| 1 | 29: Students working in room near
private offices |
|
| 1 | 30: Students and teacher in
stenotype class |
|
| 1 | 31: Students typing near two
private offices |
|
| 1 | 32: Private office |
|
| 1 | 33: Typing classroom |
|
| 1 | 34: Classroom |
|
| 1 | 35: Private office |
|
| 1 | circa 1930 | |
| 1 | 37: Students reading in class
|
|
| 1 | 38: Four women behind Information
desk in General Business Office |
|
| 1 | 39: Students taking dictation from
Mrs. Snyder |
1927 |
| 1 | 40: Students in Accounting
Department classroom |
|
| 1 | 41: Students in typing class
|
|
| 1 | 42: Fourth Avenue between Union and
University, showing White Building, 1338 Fourth Avenue |
1920s |
| 1 | 43: Banquet for Alpha Iota Sorority
initiation of pledges and Phi Theta Pi Fraternity installation. |
|
| 1 | 44: Women at banquet |
|
| folder:oversize | ||
| Map drawer | 45: Large group outdoors
(panorama) |
|
Photographs
Roy M. Peak,
Seattle
(photographer)
|
||
| Box | ||
| 1 | circa 1935 | |
| 1 | 47: Men at banquet |
|
| 1 | 48: Phi Theta Pi fraternity
|
|
| box:oversize | ||
| 4 | 49: Banquet at 8th annual
convention of Alpha Iota Sorority |
1938 July |
| Box | ||
| 1 | 50: Mother-daughter banquet of
Upsilon Chapter Alpha Iota Sorority |
|
Other photographers |
||
| Box | ||
| 1 | 51: Four portraits of instructors
Edwin Hages, Ida Ann Rees and Frances J. Hastings |
|
| 1 | 53a, 53b: Four women using "Metromatic"
machine |
|
| 1 | 54: Jeanne Hanover, winner of essay
contest, includes clipping |
|
| 1 | 56: Louis Beck, Bookkeeping and
Accounting instructor |
|
| 1 | 1910 | |
| 1 | 58: Business machine class
|
|
| 1 | 59a-d: Individual studio portraits of
four instructors |
|
| box:oversize | ||
| 4 | 60: 8th annual convention, Alpha
Iota Sorority in front of Seattle Art Museum |
1938 July |
| Box | ||
| 1 | 61: Casual group seated outdoors
|
|
| 1 | 62: Clarence Stone, C.P.A.,
instructor |
|
| 1 | 63: Eighteen studio portraits,
probably instructors |
|
| 1 | 64: Snapshots, probably students
and their families |
circa 1970s |
| 1 | 65: Two women and calculator
|
|
| 1 | 66: Three students at College
entrance |
|
| 1 | 67: Students working at business
machines |
|
| 1 | 68: Instructor and students in
classroom |
|
| 1 | 70: Instructor and three students
with globe |
|
| 1 | 71: Letterhead (film) |
|
| 1 | 72: Miscellaneous films for
printing (Letterheads, captions, images) |
|
| 1 | 73: Eight instructors and student
around table with Knapp College brochure.
Associated Photographic Service,
Tacoma, WA
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 74: Heman Hunt (?), Arden Farms
Company
Bruno
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 75: Four people at luncheon or
dinner
George J.
Carkonen
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 76: Edith L Gaspard
Leonid
Fink
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 77: Mrs. Edna P. Kent, National
Vice President, Alpha Iota Sorority
Leonid
Fink
(photographer)
|
1938 |
| 1 | 79: Students in typing
clas
Forde
Photographers
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 80: Group of men (possibly students
and faculty).
Grady
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 81: Two men and women with
typewriter in front of Christmas tree
Frank
Jacobs
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 82: Aerial view of Seattle business
district with White-Henry Stuart building circled
Chas.
Laidlaw
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 83: Group of women, First Northwest
Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
Linkletter
Studio
(photographer)
see Scrapbook 1932-36 for identifications
|
1933 July |
| box:oversize | ||
| 4 | 84: Group of women, Second
Northwest Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
Linkletter
Studio
(photographer)
see also Scrapbook 1932-36
|
1934 May |
| Box | ||
| 1 | 85: Group of women, Third Northwest
Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
Linkletter
Studio
(photographer)
|
1935 |
| 1 | 86: Horrace Parrish
Nordlunds (?) Foto.
Co.
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 87: Doris Doolittle, of Ryan,
Askren and Ryan
Ralston
Studio
(photographer)
|
|
| 1 | 129: Woman and student at office
desk |
|
| 1 | 130: Two women holding stuffed
animals |
|
| 1 | 131, 136: Four women using "Metromatic"
(see also #53) |
|
| 1 | 132: Students in typing class
|
|
| 1 | 133, 134, 138: Man seated at desk |
|
| 1 | 135: Three people in hallway
|
|
| 1 | 137: Two students with typewriter
|
Textual Materials Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | 88: Catalogs and brochures
|
1927-1987; undated |
| 1 | 89: Metropolitan Business College
newsletters |
1927-1938; 1983-1986 |
| 1 | 89b: Metropolitan-Auerswald Business
University newsletters |
1979-1980 |
| 1 | 89c: Metropolitan Bulletin, bulletin
of the Metropolitan Building Company |
1927-1929 |
| 1 | 90: Registration agreements
|
|
| 1 | 91: Class schedule |
1985 |
| 1 | 92: Certificates, mostly professional
association memberships |
1942-1981 |
| 1 | 93: Form letters |
1942-1979 |
| 1 | 94: Letterheads, envelopes and
typefaces |
undated |
| 1 | 95: Newspaper advertisements for
Metropolitan Business College and other business colleges |
1918-1982 |
| 1 | 96: Telephone directory ads for
Metropolitan Business College |
1979-1981 |
| 1 | 97: Financial information
|
1926-1978 |
| 1 | 98: Historical information, including
historical narratives about the College, Boards of Directors listings, and
clippings about President Herbert Phillips and his wife, Alma. |
1942-1988 |
| 1 | 99: Leases and related correspondence
|
1952-1977 |
| 1 | 100: Equipment-bills and
correspondence |
1942-1979 |
| 1 | 101: Loans |
1976-1981 |
| 1 | 102: Agreements on use of college
premises for non-college courses |
1975; 1979 |
| 1 | 104: Miscellaneous faculty related
papers, including letter of resignation, contracts, and staff list |
1963-1980 |
| 1 | 105: Stockholders [stock
subscriptions, sales, meeting records] |
1975 |
| 1 | 106: Permits |
1972-1978 |
| 1 | 107: Floor plans |
undated |
| 1 | 108: Correspondence with and
evaluations of other business schools |
1939-1968 |
| 1 | 109: Manuals on practical skills
|
1932; 1947 |
| 1 | 110: Booklets on running a private
commercial school |
1935 December; 1948 |
Albums and Other Materials Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 2 | 115: Box of driving training course
materials (includes filmstrips, slides and cassette tapes) |
undated |
| 2 | 115b: Pocket dictionary with embossed
MBC cover |
circa 1926 |
| 5 | 119: Album of clippings, brochures,
promotional material, photographs |
circa 1930 |
| box:oversize | ||
| 4 | 124: Poster for Metropolitan Business
College |
circa 1930 |
| Box | ||
| 5 | 125: Album of color photographs of
people, possibly students and staff |
|
| 2 | 139: Miscellaneous papers including
attendance records and an exam |
1932-1986 |
| 2 | 140: Scrapbook
Largely advertisement clippings, brochures and form letters
|
circa 1925 |
| 2 | 141: Promotional album
Brochures, clippings and photographs
|
circa 1930 |
Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority Return to Top
The Upsilon Chapter's Historian's Books are yearbooks documenting the activities of the club and its members over an academic year. They include formal and informal photographs of sorority members, meeting minutes, engagement and wedding announcements, and photographs, clippings and ephemera from regional and national trips and events.
Sorority scrapbooks tend to be more informal, including member's lists, newsletters, cards, clippings, snapshots and ephemera from various sorority events.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 7 | 1991.25.142: Historian's Book |
1947-1948 |
| 8 | 1991.25.143: Historian's Book |
1948-1949 |
| 3 | 1991.25.118: Historian's Book |
1949-1950 |
| 6 | 1991.25.145: Historian's Book |
1950-1951 |
1991.25.144a: Historian's Book
oversize
|
1951-1952 | |
1991.25.144b: Historian's Book
oversize
|
1954-1955 | |
| Box | ||
| 2 | 1991.25.111: History of Alpha Iota Sorority,
Supplement II |
1942 July -1946 May |
| 2 | 1991.25.112: Receipt books |
1947-1954 |
| 2 | 1991.25.113: Rosters and yearbooks
|
1947-1964 |
| 5 | 1991.25.120: Scrapbook |
1930-1933 |
| 6 | 1991.25.127: Scrapbook |
1932-1936 |
| 6 | Loose photographs removed from
1932-1936 Scrapbook |
1932-1936 |
| 6 | 1991.25.126: Scrapbook |
1936-1938 |
| 5 | 1991.25.121: Scrapbook |
1947 |
| 2 | 1991.25.114: Secretary's file, including
membership records, financial statements and IRS tax returns |
1947-1954 |
| 3 | 1991.25.117: Plaque of past presidents, Sigma
Xi Chapter of Chi Rho International |
undated |
| 3 | 1991.25.116: Wood-bound volume of The Upsilon
Echo, monthly newsletter of Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Iota, Volume 1, Nos. 1-10.
|
1947 May-1948 March |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Business schools--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Fraternities & sororities--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Universities & colleges--Washington (State)--Seattle
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographic prints
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Dudley, Roger (photographer)
- Miller, Walter P. (photographer)
- Peak, Roy M. (photographer)
Corporate Names
- Alpha Iota (Sorority). Upsilon Chapter (Metropolitan Business College) (creator)
- Auerswald Business University (creator)
Finding aid prepared by Jody
Hendrickson
2006
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
