Neighborhood House records
Collection
Identifier: MS 0455
Scope and Contents
The Neighborhood House records were donated to the Marriott Library in 1983. Originally organized in 1894 as a free kindergarten for underprivileged children in the Salt Lake area, the Neighborhood House gradually expanded to offer a variety of services for the entire community. General board meeting minutes make up the greatest portion of the collection spanning the years 1894-1969. Along with the original copies, the collection also contains bound photocopies of the board meeting minutes. These records provide information regarding the philosophies and activities of the Neighborhood House as well as the kinds of issues the organization concerned itself with.
Other material found in the collection include annual reports for the years 1942-1982; a fiftieth-year history of the Neighborhood House and Day Nursery Association written by Lela Horn Richards in 1944; a list of board members that resigned between the years 1942-1976; photocopies of newsclippings removed from yearly scrapbooks; financial statements and allocation requests made to the United Way for continued funding in 1985; role books, guest books, and donation records; and the minutes of the Halleck House Board of Trustees, 1913-1918. The Halleck House was operated in conjunction with the Free Kindergarten as a housekeeping apartment where girls untrained in domestic skills were instructed.
Other material found in the collection include annual reports for the years 1942-1982; a fiftieth-year history of the Neighborhood House and Day Nursery Association written by Lela Horn Richards in 1944; a list of board members that resigned between the years 1942-1976; photocopies of newsclippings removed from yearly scrapbooks; financial statements and allocation requests made to the United Way for continued funding in 1985; role books, guest books, and donation records; and the minutes of the Halleck House Board of Trustees, 1913-1918. The Halleck House was operated in conjunction with the Free Kindergarten as a housekeeping apartment where girls untrained in domestic skills were instructed.
Dates
- 1894-1996
Creator
- Neighborhood House (Salt Lake City, Utah) (Organization)
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
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.
Conditions Governing 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.
Organizational History
Funded by private donations, the Free Kindergarten Association was established in Salt Lake City in 1894. The aims of this organization were to "provide instruction for underprivileged children; to come into closer touch with parents in poorly regulated homes; to raise standards of living, and to provide, when necessary, food and clothing."
The first kindergarten was opened in the Odd Fellows Hall with one teacher and fifteen to twenty children. However, the school quickly increased in size making a new and larger location a necessity. During the following ten years the Free Kindergarten moved to various locations throughout the city, seeking larger quarters and locations closer to the populace it served. Finally, in 1910, a piece of property was obtained on Seventh West and First South and a new building constructed. The Free Kindergarten Association was reorganized and incorporated in 1911 under the name of the Neighborhood House, a name that better reflected the goals of the organization.
At this point of its existence, the organization sponsored not only a kindergarten, but a day nursery, library, mother's club, children's club, and sewing classes. In addition, the Neighborhood House frequently sponsored lectures and music and literary programs for the entire community. Over the years the organization has continued to expand and the number of people it serves steadily increases. Presently the Neighborhood House is located at 1050 W. Fifth South and is funded by government contracts, private fees, and the United Way. In addition to the programs the organization provided in its early years, the Neighborhood House now offers a well-baby clinic, dental clinic, and classes for senior citizens.
The first kindergarten was opened in the Odd Fellows Hall with one teacher and fifteen to twenty children. However, the school quickly increased in size making a new and larger location a necessity. During the following ten years the Free Kindergarten moved to various locations throughout the city, seeking larger quarters and locations closer to the populace it served. Finally, in 1910, a piece of property was obtained on Seventh West and First South and a new building constructed. The Free Kindergarten Association was reorganized and incorporated in 1911 under the name of the Neighborhood House, a name that better reflected the goals of the organization.
At this point of its existence, the organization sponsored not only a kindergarten, but a day nursery, library, mother's club, children's club, and sewing classes. In addition, the Neighborhood House frequently sponsored lectures and music and literary programs for the entire community. Over the years the organization has continued to expand and the number of people it serves steadily increases. Presently the Neighborhood House is located at 1050 W. Fifth South and is funded by government contracts, private fees, and the United Way. In addition to the programs the organization provided in its early years, the Neighborhood House now offers a well-baby clinic, dental clinic, and classes for senior citizens.
Extent
15 Linear Feet (16 boxes and 2 oversize boxes)
Abstract
The Neighborhood House records (1894-1996) contains general board meeting minutes, annual reports, a list of board members, photocopies of news clippings, financial statements, role and guest books, and donation records. Also included in the collection is a fiftieth-year history of the Neighborhood House and Day Nursery Association written by Lela Horn Richards in 1944.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Neighborhood House in 1983.
Boxes 10-16 and oversize boxes 17-18 (11 linear feet) were donated in 2001.
Separated Materials
See also the Neighborhood House photograph collection (P0145) in the Multimedia Division in Special Collections.
Processing Information
Processed by Allesen Peck, Kate Kimball, and Andrew J. Lengyel from 1988-2005.
Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.
Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.
- Annual reports
- Business correspondence
- Charities -- Utah -- Salt Lake City
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
- Community centers -- Utah -- Salt Lake City -- Records and correspondence
- Community development -- Utah -- Salt Lake City
- Community education -- Utah -- Salt Lake City
- Community-based family services -- Utah -- Salt Lake City
- Day care centers -- Utah -- Salt Lake City -- Records and correspondence
- Elementary and Secondary Education
- Financial records
- Halleck Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah) -- Records and correspondence
- Handbooks and manuals
- Human services -- Utah -- Salt Lake City
- Kindergarten facilities -- Utah -- Salt Lake City -- Records and correspondence
- Membership lists
- Minutes (Records)
- Neighborhood House (Salt Lake City, Utah) -- Records and correspondence
- Pamphlets
- People with disabilities -- Care -- Utah -- Salt Lake City
- Records (Documents)
- Social Classes
Creator
- Neighborhood House (Salt Lake City, Utah) (Organization)
- Title
- Inventory of the Neighborhood House records, 1894-1996
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Allesen Peck, Kate Kimball, and Andrew J. Lengyel
- Date
- © 1988-2005 (last modified: 2023)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid encoded in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository
Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu