WAUWorkmensCircleArbeterRingBranchNo304SeattleWash1859.xml Guide to the Workmen's Circle/Der Arbeter Ring Branch 304 Records 1909-1971 Workmen's Circle/Der Arbeter Ring. Branch 304 (Seattle, Wash.) Records Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries ©2008 (Last modified: 4/27/2018)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections 1859 (Accession No. 1859-001) Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring. Branch No. 304 (Seattle, Wash.) Workmen's Circle/Der Arbeter Ring Branch 304 records 1909-1971 10 cubic feet (15 boxes, plus one oversize folder) Collection materials are in English and Yiddish. Records of a mutual benefit society and cultural-social organization for members of the Jewish working class

In April of 1892, a group of Jewish garment workers from New York City's Lower East Side formed a mutual aid society called the Workingmen’s Circle. This small collective soon grew to a membership of 300, and it officially became known as the Workmen’s Circle (Der Arbeter Ring in Yiddish) in 1900. The Workmen’s Circle provided benefits that poor immigrants were otherwise denied: life insurance, health benefits, unemployment relief, homes for the aged, and funeral assistance. By 1920 there were over 80,000 members, and The Workmen’s Circle had become one of the largest Jewish organizations in America.

The programs initiated by the Workmen's Circle encompassed a host of social, cultural, and political issues deemed important to the Jewish community. In addition to promoting labor rights and the strengthening of trade unions, the organization provided educational and cultural programs that emphasized Jewish heritage through theater, music, literature, summer camps, and Yiddish instruction. The Workmen's Circle also sold war bonds to provide support during both World Wars, and partnered with other Jewish organizations to actively promote and fund the settlement and expansion of Israel during the early years of its existence. After World War II, the organization de-emphasized their socialist leanings in an effort to distance themselves from communist affiliation.

The Seattle, Washington branch of the Workmen's Circle -- Branch 304 -- was organized in 1909, and their first location was a rented store on 14th Avenue and Main Street. In 1920, the members bought a building at 120 21st Avenue that had previously been a blacksmith shop. Property was then purchased for the organization at 1614 East Union Street in 1937, with the grand opening of this location taking place in December 1942. Activities in Seattle included summer picnics, festive observances of Jewish holidays, New Years Eve celebrations, banquets, and lectures. Though Branch 304 eventually closed its doors in 1973, the Workmen's Circle organization continues to operate in several cities across the country.

The Workmen's Circle Records collection consists of papers gathered by the Seattle branches of the organization during their sixty-year lifespan. Materials include: biographical and historical data and correspondence (1925-1971), financial records (1909-1969), tax records (1943-1961), minutes (1941-1968), membership lists (1909-1960), and handbills (1932), among other items.

Donated by Ben Stein, 1972-1973. One folder containing five handbills advertising the 23rd annual Picnic and Dance donated by Bill Clifford on July 27, 2007.

This collection forms part of Washington State Jewish Archives.

Open to all users.

Material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

Use restrictions vary by accession. See each accession below for more details.

 Material Described Separately:

Workmen's Circle/Der Arbeter Ring Branch 304 photograph collection (PH0769)

Ben Stein papers (1916)

Stein, Ben, approximately 1890- Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring. Branch No. 304 (Seattle, Wash.)--Archives Jewish Labor Committee (U.S.) Federated Jewish Fund & Council of Greater Seattle Washington State Jewish Archives (University of Washington) Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Jewish Americans Labor History Labor Unions Diaries

 

Series 1 Seattle Branches

Materials related to branches 304 (men) and 304B (women) of the Workmen's Circle organization in Seattle, Washington.

 Charters of Workmen's Circle Branches 304 and 304B 1909, 1929 1/1-3 Biographical and Historical Data undated 1/4 Biographical and Historical Data of Workmen's Circle Branch 304B (Women's Club) undated 1/5 By Laws undated Incoming Letters 1/6 American Financial and Development Corporation for Israel 1953 American Red Magen David for Israel 1961 American Organization for Rehabilitation Through Training Federation 1954 Amon, Sol (Mrs.) 1954 Anderson Water Tours 1934-1937 Aronson, H. 1956 Aschert Bros. 1951 Benezia, Jack L. 1953 Bergman, Fred H. undated Bernstein, Martin 1953 Blatt, J. 1953 Bronx I. L. Peretz School undated Bronx Workmen's Circle School No. 15 undated B'nai B'rith Lodge 503 1948-1953 Caplin, Louis 1953 Caroline Kline Galland Home 1964 Caroline Kline Galland Home Building Fund 1963-1971 China, Republic of - Consulate 1937 Citizens Federal Savings 1963 City of Hope 1955-1957 Cleveland Workmen's Circle Chorus and Mandolin Ensemble 1954 Cohan, A. and Co. 1936 Cohan, Helen K. 1956 Cohan's Camera Center 1971 Cohn, Merle D. 1948 Credit Union National Association 1933 Credit Union National Extension Bureau 1925 Development Corporation for Israel 1964 Diamond, Izze 1952 Diamond. Josef 1965 Dimarco Reception Committee 1954 Docter, Harry undated Docter, Raymond H. 1956 Dore, John F. 1933 Durabuilt Luggage Mfg. Co., Inc. 1935 Eisenhower, Dwight D. 1954

Form letter

 Federated Jewish Fund and Council 1953-1959 Franco and Bensussen 1957 Fraternal Center of Brooklyn undated Free Voice of Labor undated Friends of Israel Histadrut, Seattle Chapter 1957-1960 Gediman, Arthur M. 1953 Gierowitz, Nathan 1957 Glazer, Mary 1963 Goldfarb, Samuel E. 1953-1956 Goldstein, Stanley undated Gordan, S. A. 1954-1957 Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound 1953 Gulbranson, J. R. 1953 Gustanoff, Abe L. 1953 1/7 Habunim 1957 Hall, Hazel C. 1951 Hanehin, Harry 1962 Health Insurance Institution - Kupet - Holim 1965 Hosiery Workers, American Federation of 1954 Israel, Consulate of 1952 Israel Histadrut Campaign 1963-1964 Israelite Press L. T. D. 1956 Jacobs, Jerome B. 1952 Jacqueline F. Rubenstein Memorial Committee 1968 Jewish Club of Washington 1957 Jewish Community Center, Seattle 1965 Jewish Community Centers Building Fund Campaign 1965 Jewish Consumptive Relief Society, Seattle Ladies Auxiliary 1956 Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital 1956 Jewish Institute for the Blind 1962 Jewish Labor Committee 1943-1958 Jewish National Home for Asthmatic Children 1954-1956 Jewish Welfare Board, National 1952, 1957 Jewish Yearbook of the Northwest undated Jews. Congregation Temple de Hirsch 1955-1960 Jews. Herzal Jewish Culture Foundation 1956 1/8 Kaminoff, Ida 1956 Kelly, Marguerite 1957 Kennedy, John F. 1961-1963

Form letters

 Klein, Isadore 1956 Klein, Sarah 1956 Kossen, Carl K. 1960-1961 Kossen, Jack 1954-1955 Kraft, Rose 1961 Kraus and Sons 1938 Lane, W. D. 1925 Leather Workers International Union of America, AFL-CIO 1924 Leavitt, Ida undated Leavitt, Sydney 1963 Lemchen, Phillip (Mrs.) undated Levison, Bernard 1956 Lindsay, Margaret 1954 Lycette, Diamond and Sylvester 1952-1964 Malatoff, M. J. 1951 Martin 1953 Maslan and Maslan 1947-1950 Maslan, Maslan and Hanan 1954-1963 Mezistrano, Joe 1953 Miller, H. 1958 Miller, Sam 1957 Mosler, George R. 1960 National Committee for Labor Israel 1957 National Committee for Labor Israel Histadrut 1963 National Council of Jewish Women 1957 National Jewish Hospital of Denver 1954, 1959 Newell, A. B. and Son 1927-1931 Northern Pacific Railway Co. 1964 Pacific First Federal Savings 1963 Peoples National Bank of Washington 1952 Premier Artists Representatives 1951 Press, Lou 1959 Prottas and Levitt 1954 Puget Sound Mutual Savings Bank 1963 Raine, Jacob 1952-1957 Radinsky, Jack 1962 Ross, Morris 1962 Rubin, Sam and Clara undated Russell Sage Foundation, Division of Remedial Loans 1925 1/9 Saltman, Leah undated Semon, Stuart 1956 Seattle Fire Department 1946 Seattle Lighting Department 1939 Seattle Public Schools 1959-1961 Seattle Hebrew School 1953, 1965 Seattle - King County Department of Public Health 1951 Seattle Labor College 1927 Seattle Zionist Council 1952-1956 Sherr, Harry 1929 Shulman, Abe 1945 Shulman, L. Michael 1944-1945 Silverman, Libby 1968 Stern, Will 1957-1959 Stutzker, A. 1943 Sterling, Bernard 1951 Sunnyshore Acres 1951 Trade Union Institute 1941 Turner, Ida 1964 Tussman, Louis 1957 Twersky, Meyer (Mrs.) 1953 United EIAS Service 1955 United Jewish Appeal 1953-1957 United States - Information Agency 1962 United States - Labor Department 1961 United States - State Department 1935 United States - Treasury Department 1932-1944 Vziel, Leon E. 1961-1963 Victor 1953-1957 Volstein, L. 1939 Wagner, Joseph H. 1955 Washington - Licenses Department 1960 Washington - Liquor Control Board 1934 Washington Division of Savings and Loan Associations 1954-1958 Washington Mutual Savings Bank 1963 Weintraub, Meyer undated Wendrow, N. 1953 West, George R. 1955 Who's Who in Jewish Labor undated Weiner, Morris 1943 Workmen's Circle Branch 305E 1953 Workmen's Circle Branch 578, 685 1949, 1964 Workmen's Circle Home for the Aged (N. Y. Branches, Inc.) 1956 Workmen's Circle School #5 1954 Workmen's Circle National Campaign for Cancer Hospital at City of Hope 1950-1951 Workmen's Circle Sanitarium 1939 Yaffee, Jack 1953-1956 Young Circle League undated Unidentified 1956 1/10 Hebrew Sheltering and Immigration Aid Society 1926, undated 1/11 Jewish Family and Child Service 1950-1954 1/12 Mitchell, Hugh B. 1946 1/13 Ringold, Solie 1961-1965 2/1-3 Incoming Letters - Workmen's Circle National Office 1930-1971 Incoming Letters - 304B

304B was the women's organization

 2/4 Chanin, N. 1945 Cooper, Dora 1961 Federated Jewish Fund and Council 1957 Workmen's Circle National Office 1955-1959 Incoming Letters - 304Y

304Y was the youth organization

 2/5 Baskin, Joseph 1942 Knox, Israel 1942 2/6-10 Outgoing Letters 1925-1970 2/11 Outgoing Letters - 304B 1931-1961 3 Yiddish Correspondence 1927-1969 4/1 Tax Records 1943-1961 4/2 Legal Documents 1914-1966 4/3 Insurance Policies 1939-1961 4/4-6 Financial Records 1920-1971 4/7 Financial Records - 304B 1938 5-6 Financial Records - Membership Ledgers 1909-1960 6 Financial Records - Cash books 1909-1960 7-8 Financial Records - Receipt Books 1942-1971 8 Financial Records - Cash Books 1951-1969 9/1 Minutes Book 1956-1957 9/2 Minutes 1941-1968 9/3 Minutes - 304B 1937-1946

in Yiddish

 9/4-5 Reports 1940-1962 9/6 Resolutions 1929, 1942, 1952, 1963 9/7 News Releases 1949-1962 9/8 Writings 1954-1962, undated 9/9 Writings - Invitations 1943-1959 9/10-11 Writings - Yiddish 1957-1965, undated 10/1 Membership Campaign Materials 1951-1956 10/2 Election Ballots 1938-1948 10/3-4 Bulletins 1925-1967 10/5-19 Newsletters and Bulletins - Other Branches and National 1929-1965 11/1-2 Ephemera - Promotional 1926-1962 11/3-4 Ephemera - Other Branches and National 1925-1961 11/5-6 Ephemera - Yiddish undated 11/7-9 Ephemera - Jewish, Non-Workmen's Circle, Seattle 1929-1965 11/10-11 Ephemera - Jewish, Non-Workmen's Circle, Non-Seattle 1917-1966 12/1-7 Ephemera - Jewish, Non-Workmen's Circle, Non-Seattle 1917-1966 12/8-9 Ephemera - Socialist and Labor-Related 1927-1954 12/10-13 Programs 1927-1960 13/1 Programs 1927-1960 13/2 Souvenir Programs 1927-1949 13/3 Programs - Other Branches and National 1933 13/4-7 Souvenir - Other Branches and National 1925-1962 13/8-10 Lists 1909-1964 13/11 Notes 1934-1967 14/1 Notes (Yiddish) undated 14/2 Meeting Notices 1931-1953 14/3 Meeting Notices - Lectures 1927-1931 14/4-5 Clippings 1933-1956, 1968 14/6 Photographs 1931-1935, undated

Placeholder only; materials relocated to PH Coll 769

 14/7 Awards and Certificates 1922-1947 14/8-9 Memorabilia 1931-1952 14/10 Blank Forms undated 14/11 Insurance - Other Branches and National 1913-1959 14/12 Educational Materials - Other Branches and National undated 14/13 Miscellaneous Re: Genocide Legislation and Immigration Policy undated 15/1 Youth Camp undated Series 2 Union Street Building

Materials related to the purchase and renovation of the Workmen's Circle property at 1614 East Union Street in Seattle, Washington.

 15/2 Specifications 1937-1939 15/3 Minutes 1937-1941 15/4 General Correspondence 1938-1943 15/5 Agendas 1942 15/6 Financial Records 1938-1942 15/7 Contracts 1938-1939 15/8 Resolutions 1940 15/9 Notes 1941, undated Series 3 Northwestern District Committee

Materials related to a regional decision-making arm of the Workmen's Circle organization, established July 27, 1924 in Seattle, Washington.

 15/10-13 General Correspondence 1934-1958 15/14 Minutes 1940-1941 15/15 Financial Records 1957-1961 15/16 Lists 1932, undated 15/17 Clippings undated 15/18 Memorabilia 1921-1953 15/19 Photographs

Placeholder only; materials relocated to PH Coll 769

 15/20 Ephemera 1932-1950

Includes 5 handbills advertising the 23rd annual Picnic and Dance