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New Swarthmoor Community Records

 Collection
Identifier: SCPC-DG-028

Scope and Contents

The New Swarthmoor Community collection includes background material about the history of the community; administrtive and financial records; publicity about the community; correspondence; a community journal/diary; refernce material about other community groups, peace groups/activities; religious issues; and a yearbook from the 1995-1996 community reunion.

Dates

  • 1969-1996

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Limitations on Accessing the Collection

This collection is restricted indefinitely. Researchers must obtain permission of a minimum of one former New Swarthmoor Community member to view the materials. Contact the Swarthmore College Peace Collection at peacecollection@swarthmore.edu for more information.

Copyright and Rights Information

Yes, this collection is restricted. Patrons must obtain permission of former New Swarthmoor Community members to see the collection. Please consult with SCPC staff for further information

Historical

"New Swarthmoor Community was originally founded in 1969 as a communal household in Clinton, New York, as a base for Young Adult Friends doing traveling ministry on the model of Swarthmoor Hall in England. It evolved quickly into a non-residential movement of over a hundred Friends with an emphasis on spirit-filled worship, simplicity, strong nonviolent opposition to war, and a radical return to early Friends' principles and practices. Additional households were established in Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Ohio, Michigan and Sumneytown, Pennsylvania. It organized dozens of applepicking crews in four states. The movement had close connections with Young Friends of North America. The community was formally laid down in 1974. New Swarthmoor had a significant and ongoing impact on Friends in terms of use of clearness committees to hear God's leading regarding many different subjects besides marriage and renewed interest among FGC Friends in Bible study and early Friends writings and practices." Written by Peter Blood, Deborah Haines, Lee Garner, and Helen Mangelsdorf, August 2011.

Extent

2.25 Linear Feet (6 Boxes)

Overview

The New Swarthmoor Community was founded in 1969 and located in Clinton, New York. The New Swarthmoor Community was a communal household which worship, simplicity, strong nonviolent opposition to war, and a radical return to early Friends' (Quakers), principles and practices. Additional households were established in Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Ohio, Michigan and Sumneytown, Pennsylvania. The community was formally laid down in 1974.

Arrangement

The records are organized in following manner: the history and administration of the New Swarthmoor Community are organized first in the collection; then correspondence in chronological order by year; then the shared community journal, filed chronologically; reference files organized by subject in rough alphabetical order by topic; later accesions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Eli Hochstedler, 1974; Jeff Keith 2008 (Acc. 08A-058) 2015 unknown donor (Acc. 2015-051 2017 Lee Garner (Acc. 2017-087) 2017 Jeff Keith (Acc. 2017-088) 2019 Lee Garner (Acc. 2019-069)

Separated Materials

Photographs

Legal Status

Copyright to the records created by New Swarthmoor Community created by the organization has been transferred to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Copyright to all other materials is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Processing Information

Processed by Anne Yoder, October 2005; this finding aid created and updated by Wendy Chmielewski, August 2008.

Source

Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2018: The file list was standardized in Summer 2017 by Min Cheng in preparation for importing into ArchivesSpace. Elisabeth Miller added the notes in Fall 2017. This finding aid was updated by Wendy E. Chmielewski February and March 2020.

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting reproductions from Swarthmore College Peace Collection Library

Contact:
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore 19081-1399 USA US
610-328-8557
610-328-8544 (Fax)