Museum of History & Industry
Sophie Frye Bass Library
2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org

Guide to the Metropolitan Business College Records, 1910-1981


1991.25





Finding aid prepared by Jody Hendrickson

Finding aid encoded by, 2006
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

Museum of History & Industry
Sophie Frye Bass Library

2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org
 
Collection Number:
 

1991.25
 
Creator:
 

Metropolitan Business College (Seattle, Wash.)
Alpha Iota (Sorority). Upsilon Chapter (Metropolitan Business College)
 
Title:
 

Metropolitan Business College Records

 
Dates:
 

1910-1981 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

8 boxes
5 linear feet
2 oversize scrapbooks
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
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.
 
Location of Collection:
 

15a.3.1-2
 

Historical Note

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 Description

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.

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

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

The collection was donated by Ludwig-Gray International (liquidators) in 1991.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

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

Subjects

Seattle (Wash.)
Photographic prints
Business schools--Washington (State)--Seattle
Fraternities & sororities--Washington (State)--Seattle
Universities & colleges--Washington (State)--Seattle
Other Creators :
Auerswald Business University
Dudley, Roger (photographer)
Miller, Walter P. (photographer)
Peak, Roy M. (photographer)

Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Photographs , circa 1910-1980

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
 
 


4:  College President Herbert Phillips talking to student
 
 


5:  Three students talking in hallway
 
 


6-7:  Man and woman seated at office desk
 
 


8:  Students typing with two women seated in private office
 
 


9:  Students and teacher seated in classroom
 
 


10-11:  Students in typing class
 
 


12:  Students and teacher in Classroom 10, Room 208
 (image/jpeg) 
   circa 1935
 


13:  Students in Accounting Department classroom
 
 


14:  Students in typing class
 
 


15:  Three women working behind Information desk in General Business Office
 
 


16:  Fourth Avenue looking south from Union Street, showing White Building, 1338 Fourth Avenue
 (image/jpeg) 
   1930s
 


17:  Three women in school office
 
 


18:  Herbert Phillips, President MBC
  circa 1948
 


19:  Man seated at desk
 
 


20:  Students and teacher in stenotype class
 
 


22:  Students seated at tables writing, classroom in background
 
 


24:  Five people in "Principal and Registrar" office
 
 


25-26:  Students writing in classroom, instructor in front
 
 


27:  College President Herbert Phillips talking to student
 
   
Photographs
  
 
Walter P. Miller, Seattle
 


28:  Students typing near two private offices
 
 


29:  Students working in room near private offices
 
 


30:  Students and teacher in stenotype class
 
 


31:  Students typing near two private offices
 
 


32:  Private office
 
 


33:  Typing classroom
 
 


34:  Classroom
 
 


35:  Private office
 
 


36:  Students and teacher in typing class
 (image/jpeg) 
   circa 1930
 


37:  Students reading in class
 
 


38:  Four women behind Information desk in General Business Office
 
 


39:  Students taking dictation from Mrs. Snyder
  1927
 


40:  Students in Accounting Department classroom
 
 


41:  Students in typing class
 
 


42:  Fourth Avenue between Union and University, showing White Building, 1338 Fourth Avenue
  1920s
 


43:  Banquet for Alpha Iota Sorority initiation of pledges and Phi Theta Pi Fraternity installation.
  
 


44:  Women at banquet
 
 


45:  Large group outdoors
 
   
Photographs
  
 
Roy M. Peak, Seattle  ( photographer)
 


46:  Business machine class
 (image/jpeg) 
   circa 1935
 


47:  Men at banquet
 
 


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
 
 


51:  Four portraits of instructors Edwin Hages, Ida Ann Rees and Frances J. Hastings
 
 


53a, 53b:  Four women using "Metromatic" machine
 
 


54:  Jeanne Hanover, winner of essay contest, includes clipping
 
 


56:  Louis Beck, Bookkeeping and Accounting instructor
 
 


57:  Northeast from Westlake Avenue and Olive Way, Metropolitan Business College in foreground
 (image/jpeg) 
   1910
 


58:  Business machine class
 
 


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
 
 


62:  Clarence Stone, C.P.A., instructor
 
 


63:  Eighteen studio portraits, probably instructors
 
 


64:  Snapshots, probably students and their families
  circa 1970s
 


65:  Two women and calculator
 
 


66:  Three students at College entrance
  
 


67:  Students working at business machines
 
 


68:  Instructor and students in classroom
 
 


70:  Instructor and three students with globe
 
 


71:  Letterhead (film)
 
 


72:  Miscellaneous films for printing (Letterheads, captions, images)
 
 


73:  Eight instructors and student around table with Knapp College brochure.
 
 
Associated Photographic Service, Tacoma, WA  ( photographer)
 


74:  Heman Hunt (?), Arden Farms Company
  
 
Bruno  ( photographer)
 


75:  Four people at luncheon or dinner
  
 
George J. Carkonen  ( photographer)
 


76:  Edith L Gaspard
  
 
Leonid Fink  ( photographer)
 


77:  Mrs. Edna P. Kent, National Vice President, Alpha Iota Sorority
   1938
 
Leonid Fink  ( photographer)
 


79:  Students in typing clas
  
 
Forde Photographers  ( photographer)
 


80:  Group of men (possibly students and faculty).
 
 
Grady  ( photographer)
 


81:  Two men and women with typewriter in front of Christmas tree
  
 
Frank Jacobs  ( photographer)
 


82:  Aerial view of Seattle business district with White-Henry Stuart building circled
  
 
Chas. Laidlaw  ( photographer)
 


83:  Group of women, First Northwest Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
 (image/jpeg) 
   1933 July
 
Linkletter Studio  ( photographer)
see Scrapbook 1932-36 for identifications
 
box:oversize
4

84:  Group of women, Second Northwest Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
  1934 May
 
Linkletter Studio  ( photographer)
see also Scrapbook 1932-36
 
box
1

85:  Group of women, Third Northwest Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
   1935
 
Linkletter Studio  ( photographer)
 


86:  Horrace Parrish
 
 
Nordlunds (?) Foto. Co.  ( photographer)
 


87:  Doris Doolittle, of Ryan, Askren and Ryan
  
 
Ralston Studio  ( photographer)
 


129:  Woman and student at office desk
 
 


130:  Two women holding stuffed animals
 
 


131, 136:  Four women using "Metromatic" (see also #53)
 
 


132:  Students in typing class
 
 


133, 134, 138:  Man seated at desk
 
 


135:  Three people in hallway
 
 


137:  Two students with typewriter
 
 

Textual Materials

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1

88:  Catalogs and brochures
  1927-1987 undated
 


89:  Metropolitan Business College newsletters
  1927-1938 1983-1986
 


89b:  Metropolitan-Auerswald Business University newsletters
  1979-1980
 


89c:  Metropolitan Bulletin, bulletin of the Metropolitan Building Company
  1927-1929
 


90:  Registration agreements
 
 


91:  Class schedule
  1985
 


92:  Certificates, mostly professional association memberships
  1942-1981
 


93:  Form letters
  1942-1979
 


94:  Letterheads, envelopes and typefaces
  undated
 


95:  Newspaper advertisements for Metropolitan Business College and other business colleges
  1918-1982
 


96:  Telephone directory ads for Metropolitan Business College
  1979-1981
 


97:  Financial information
  1926-1978
 


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
 


99:  Leases and related correspondence
  1952-1977
 


100:  Equipment-bills and correspondence
  1942-1979
 


101:  Loans
  1976-1981
 


102:  Agreements on use of college premises for non-college courses
  1975 1979
 


104:  Miscellaneous faculty related papers, including letter of resignation, contracts, and staff list
  1963-1980
 


105:  Stockholders [stock subscriptions, sales, meeting records]
  1975
 


106:  Permits
  1972-1978
 


107:  Floor plans
  undated
 


108:  Correspondence with and evaluations of other business schools
  1939-1968
 


109:  Manuals on practical skills
  1932 1947
 


110:  Booklets on running a private commercial school
  1935 December 1948
 

Albums and Other Materials

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
2

115:  Box of driving training course materials (includes filmstrips, slides and cassette tapes)
  undated
 


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
 


140:  Scrapbook
  circa 1925
 
Largely advertisement clippings, brochures and form letters
 


141:  Promotional album
  circa 1930
 
Brochures, clippings and photographs
 

Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority

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
  1951-1952
 
oversize
   
1991.25.144b:  Historian's Book
  1954-1955
 
oversize
 
box
2