Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture
Joel E. Ferris Research Library and Archives
2316 W. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: (509) 363-5313
Fax: (509) 363-5303
Email: archives@northwestmuseum.org

Guide to the Ladies' Benevolent Society/Spokane Children's Home Records, 1884-1950


Ms 42





Finding aid prepared by Kyna Herzinger

Finding aid encoded by Kyna Herzinger, 2006
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture
Joel E. Ferris Research Library and Archives

2316 W. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: (509) 363-5313
Fax: (509) 363-5303
Email: archives@northwestmuseum.org
 
Collection Number:
 

Ms 42
 
Creator:
 

Spokane Children’s Home (Spokane, Wash.)
 
Title:
 

Ladies' Benevolent Society/Spokane Children's Home Records
 
Dates:
 

1884-1950 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

10 linear ft.
10 boxes
 
Languages:
 

Materials are in English 

 
Summary:
 

The Ladies' Benevolent Society, a charitable and educational organization, was founded in 1884 chiefly to establish an orphanage in Spokane, Wash., which was incorporated in 1886 as Spokane Children's Home; closed in 1950. Secretary's and trustees' reports (1891-1941 (broken run)); records of individual children and caseworker studies (1924-1950); financial records (1919-1935); and fragmentary correspondence relating to adoptions and birth information (1938-1943).
 

Historical Note

The Ladies’ Benevolent Society was founded in 1884 to organize community efforts toward the establishment of a home to orphans. It was incorporated in 1886, and reincorporated in 1896. Until its closure in 1950, it offered shelter to orphans, to children whose parents could not care for them, and coordinated adoption services and social casework.

Content Description

The collection includes a broken run of secretary’s and trustee’s reports, 1891-1941; records of individual children and caseworker studies, 1924-1950; financial records, 1919-1935; and fragmentary correspondence regarding adoptions and birth information, 1938-1943.

Arrangement

The collection is physically arranged at the folder level. For the purposes of the finding aid, intellectual groupings have been created to provide the following series:

  • Administrative
  • Forms
  • Correspondence
  • Secretary Reports
  • Minutes
  • Financial
  • Miscellaneous
  • Case Information
Items listed within each series may or may not be physically present in the same box.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

Donated by Spokane Rehabilitation Center, 1984 (L84-47).

Processing Note 

The collection was originally processed in 1987 to the file folder level; however, a significant amount of material was left unprocessed at this time. These unprocessed materials were processed in 2006 using the "More Product, Less Process" method.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is not restricted, except for case records, which are restricted for 75 years from the date of creation. Family members may access case files by contacting the repository.

Restrictions on Use 

Collection is open for use.

Preferred Citation 

Ladies' Benevolent Society/Spokane Children's Home Records (Ms 42), Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA.

Related Information

Additional Reference Guides 

Nolan, Edward W. A Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Spokane, WA: Eastern Washington State Historical Society, 1987).

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) WorldCat database. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search WorldCat using these headings.

 
Spokane Children's Home (Spokane, Wash.)--Archives
Spokane (Wash.)--Charitable and social work--Orphanages
Spokane (Wash.)--Societies, etc.--Women
Washington (State)--Charitable and social work--Orphanages
Washington (State)--Societies, etc.--Women
Washington (State)--Vital records
Adoption--Washington (State)
Charities--Washington (State)
Children--Institutional care--Washington (State)
Group homes for children--Washington (State)
Orphanages--Washington (State)
Orphans--Washington (State)
Social case work--Washington (State)
Women $z Washington (State)--Societies and clubs
Women in charitable work--Washington (State)
Other Creators :
Ladies' Benevolent Society (Spokane, Wash.)

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 
box/folder
1/1

Inventory

  
 
box/folder
5/13


Articles; Bylaws; Board Members; Corporation Certificate, 1937 February

  
 
box/folder
5/13


Articles; Bylaws; Board Members; Corporation Certificate, 1940 November

  
 
box/folder
5/13


Articles; Bylaws; Board Members; Corporation Certificate, 1930 April 6

  
 
box/folder
5/13


Articles; Bylaws; Board Members; Corporation Certificate, 1931 December 14

  
 
box/folder
7/10


Fact Sheet on Spokane Children’s Home

  
 
box/folder
7/33


Notice of Change of Services, 1947 April

  
 
box/folder
7/38


Tentative work Agreement between Spokane Child Welfare Division and Spokane Children’s Home, 1947 May 20

  
 
box/folder
7/3


Agreement Between the City of Spokane and Spokane Children's Home, 1948

  
 

Forms
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
7/13

Agreement for Payment
  
 
5/38

Agreement for Placement and Medical Release
  
 
7/14

Agreement for Placement in Spokane Children’s Home
  
 
5/37

Agreement to Pay
  
 
5/30

Application for Admission, Spokane Children’s Home
  
 
7/15

C-1, Protective & Foster Care of Children (Completed)
   1948
 
7/16

C-1, Instructions
  
 
7/17

C-2, Institutions for Dependent & Neglected Children (Completed)
   1948-1949
 
7/18

C-2, Instructions
  
 
7/19

Case Workers Worksheet
  
 
7/20

Child’s Medical Record
  
 
5/40

Child’s Personal Record
  
 
7/21

Department of Social Security Voucher
  
 
5/39

Face Sheets
  
 
5/31

Miscellaneous blank
  
 
7/22

Notary Public
  
 
7/23

Notification of Movement of Child in Foster Care
  
 
7/24

RC-3, Services of Children’s Casework Agencies (Completed)
   1949
 
7/25

RC-3, Instructions
  
 
7/26

Record of Child’s own Family
  
 
5/22

Request for State Payment for Child under care of Approved Agency
  
 
7/27

Request of State Payment
  
 

Correspondence
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
5/14

Correspondence, Miscellaneous
   1938 December 31-1939 January 6
 
5/33

Correspondence, Miscellaneous, and Milage reports
   1950 December 5-1948 October 12
 
5/44

Correspondence, Miscellaneous (Alphabetical)
   circa 1938-1943
 
7/12

Correspondence, Miscellaneous
   1945 December 17-1950 February 8
 

Secretary Reports
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/2

Secretary Reports: Loose Sheets
   Undated, 1904, 1907, 1910
 
1/3

Secretary Reports: Loose Sheets
   1909
 
1/4

Secretary Reports
   1893-1897
 
1/5

Secretary Reports
   1897-1903
 
1/6

Secretary Reports
   1906-1907
 
1/7

Secretary Reports
   1908
 
1/8

Secretary Reports
   1909
 
1/9

Secretary Reports
   1910
 
1/10

Secretary Reports
   1911
 
1/11

Secretary Reports
   1917
 
1/12

Secretary Reports
   1919
 
1/13

Secretary Reports
   1920
 
1/14

Secretary Reports
   1921
 
1/15

Secretary Reports
   1923
 
2/1

Secretary Reports
   1924
 
2/2

Secretary Reports
   1925
 
2/3

Secretary Reports
   1926
 
2/4

Secretary Reports
   1927
 
2/5

Secretary Reports
   1928
 
2/6

Secretary Reports
   1929
 
2/7

Secretary Reports
   1930
 
3/1

Secretary Reports
   1931
 
3/2

Secretary Reports
   1932
 
3/3

Secretary Reports
   1933
 
3/4

Secretary Reports
   1934
 
3/5

Secretary Reports
   1935
 
3/6

Secretary Reports
   1936
 
3/7

Secretary Reports
   1937
 
3/8

Secretary Reports
   1938
 
4/1

Secretary Reports
   1939
 
4/2

Secretary Reports
   1940
 
4/3

Secretary Reports
   1941
 

Minutes
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
7/43

Minutes of the Trustee Meetings and Home Board
   1893-1896
 
5/15

Minutes: Board Meeting
   1939 January-April
 

Financial
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
5/5

Money Received for Children’s Board
   1942 March-1946 September
 
5/6

Money Received for Children’s Board
   1935 January-1942 February
 
5/8

Expense Record
   1930 April-1931 April
 
5/9

Money Received for Children’s Board
   1929 January-1934 December
 
5/10

Donations
   circa 1936 June-1945 November
 
5/11

Receipt Book
   1947 October-1950 January
 
5/17

Receipt Books
   1946 March 29-1947 September
 
5/18

Receipt Book
   1935 November 30-1939 January 2
 
5/19

Receipt Book
   1950 February 27-1951 April 28
 
5/26

Per Capita Cost Report: Voluntary Child Care Agencies and Institutions
   1947
 
7/40

Receipt Ledgers
   Undated, 1930
 
7/41

Accounts Record
   1925-1930
 
7/42

Financial: Record of Cash Receipts
   1929 February 18
 
10/1

“Odds and Ends” Donations; Roll Call of Workers; Work Sold; Purchases
   circa 1884-1892
 
10/2

Donations Received
   1893 March-1896
 
10/3

Stock Record
   1907
 
10/4

Records of the Children’s Home Building Committee
   1908 February 6-1909
 
10/5

Receipts & Disbursements
   1934
 
10/6

Donations
   1930 October-1936 March
 
10/7

Receipts & Disbursements; Budget
   1936
 
10/8

Receipts & Disbursements; Budget
   1937
 
10/9

Budget; Correspondence with Spokane Community Welfare Federation
   1936, 1936 April-1937 March
 
10/10

Account Summaries from the Spokane & Eastern National Bank
   1936 August, 1939 January-April
 
10/11

Account Summaries from the Spokane & Eastern National Bank
   1939 May-August
 
10/12

Account Summaries from the Spokane & Eastern National Bank
   1939 September-November
 
10/13

Bills
   1939 January-June
 
10/14

Bills
   1939 July-December
 
10/15

Money Receipts
   1939 January-1942 June
 
10/16

Cash Book
   1946-1951
 

Miscellaneous
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
5/12

Victor Dessert name plate
  
 
5/16

Inventories and House Committee Minutes
   1936 April 27, 1937 May 27, 1891 February 14-1892 August 22
 
5/20

Services to Children; Responsibilities of Workers; Institutional Guidelines
 
 
5/21

Spokane Public Schools Directory
   1947-1948
 
5/23

National Health & Welfare Retirement Association Inc. List of Contributing Member Organizations
   1948 April 1
 
5/24

“Speaking of Children”
  
 
5/25

Blank Stationary
  
 
5/27

Football Tickets
  
 
5/28

Materials Published by the Department of Social Security
  
 
5/29

Directory of Social & Health Resources of Spokane, WA
   1947
 
5/32

Certificate of Approval
   1950 July 22-1951 January 21
 
5/34

Bibliographies and References
   1946-1949
 
5/35

Statistical Reports
  
 
5/36

Medical Records
  
 
5/41

Monthly Statistical Report from Institutions for Dependent & Neglected Children
   1949-1951
 
5/45

Miscellaneous
  
 
7/1

Photographs
  
 
7/2

Bibliography: The Child in the Institution
  
 
7/4

Caseworkers and Superintendents Duties
  
 
7/5

Caseworkers Work Sheets
   1943-1946
 
7/6

Certificate of Approval
   1938 April 1-1940 March 31, 1945 October 16-1946 October 15, 1950 January 23-1950 July 22
 
7/7

City License
   1943 July 1-1945 June 30
 
7/8

Community Welfare News
   1947 February 10
 
7/9

Family Welfare Association Monthly Report
   1943-1949
 
7/11

Corporate Resolution
   1943 June 3
 
7/28

Papers, Miscellaneous
  
 
7/29

4-H Leader Training Program Recreation
  
 
7/30

Group Work in the Institution
  
 
7/31

Monthly Report Form: State of Washington, for Agencies, Instructions
 
 
7/32

Monthly Statistical Report Form: State of Washington
   1947-1949
 
7/34

Referral & Payment for Care of Children: Private Agencies from State Department of Public Welfare
   1948 February 25
 
7/35

Report of Committee on Children’s Institutions
  
 
7/37

Standards for Institutions
  
 
7/39

Voters’ Pamphlet
  
 

Case Information
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
5/1

Index Cards: Case Notes
   circa 1945-1948
 
5/2

Register of Residents
   1929 April-1948 June
 
5/3

Register of Residents
   1911 February-1944 June
 
5/4

List of Children
   1935 August-1938 August
 
5/7

Register
   1938 October-1940 March
 
5/42

Application Summaries
  
 
5/43

Miscellaneous Case Notes
  
 
7/36

Report Cards, Miscellaneous
  
 
box
6

Case files 1-300
  
 
Please contact EWSHS for information regarding how to access these files.
 
8

Case files 301-470
  
 
Please contact EWSHS for information regarding how to access these files.
 
9

Case files 471-637; Unknown case number files; Baby File; Rejected Applications
  
 
Please contact EWSHS for information regarding how to access these files.