Guide to the Children's Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania Records, 1936-1947 AIS.2016.04
- Repository
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Title
- Children's Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania Records
- Collection Number
- AIS.2016.04
- Extent
- 0.33 Linear Feet
- Date
- 1936-1947
- Abstract
- Founded in 1885, the Children's Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania was the first organization to provide services for underprivledged children in Western Pennsylvania; they starting the area's first foster care program. From 1893-1948 it operated as a coordinating agency for local chapters, helping them fundraise and holding an annual conference. These records consist of ten annual reports from 1936-1947.
- Language
- English .
- Publisher
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Address
- University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Scope and Content Notes
These annual reports document the services provided by local Children's Aid Societies, especially which local chapters provided which services. Also included are the yearly budget of the Children's Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania, iteneraries of the yearly conferences.
Arrangement
The Annual Reports contained in this collection are arranged chronologically by year.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
History
The Children's Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania was founded in 1885 as the Children's Aid Society of Allegheny County, making it the first children's social service agency in the region. From 1885-1889 their offices were located at 708 Penn Ave; from 1890 onward, their offices were located at 76 Sixth Ave. In the beginning, the Children's Aid Society dealt directly with Allegheny County children and started the first foster care program in the area. In 1893, the organization developed into a coordinating agency, with chapters all over western Pennsylvania. The Children's Aid Society primarily helped the county chapters secure necessary funding and develop services like foster care programs, leisure-time activities, and counselling. Moreover, the Children's Aid Society did a lot of the administration duties for the local chapters, allowing chapters to focus on direct services to needy children.
Each year, the Children's Aid Society held an annual conference for all their county chapters to meet, discuss the business of the year, and learn from guest speakers on how to better provide services for needy children, especially those living in rural areas. In 1936, thirty-seven social agencies from seventeen counties were represented at the annual meeting. Each chapter provided different services, depending on the specific needs of their area.
The Children's Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania, the Children's Service Bureau, and Associated Charities all offered similar services, and after a 1930 investigation by Community Chest (one of their major benefactors), the organizations started the merger process. In 1948 they merged and became the Family Services of Western Pennsylvania, which still exists today.
Copyright
The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.
Preferred Citation
Children's Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania Records, 1936-1947, AIS 2016.04, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Acquisition Information
This collection of Annual Reports was transferred to the Archives Service Center from the former library of the University of Pittsburgh's School of Applied Social Sciences.
Subjects
- Social action
- Associations