Maurine Boie La Barre Papers

The Maurine Boie La Barre papers house the papers of Maurine La Barre, graduate of the Bryn Mawr School of Social Work, founder of the Durham School for Pregnant School Girls, professor of Social Work at Duke University, and recipient of the Isabel Carter Award for Distinguished Contributions to Social Work. The collection, which dates from 1863 to 1989, consists of professional publications, personal and academic papers.

The collection is housed in eight boxes. Some of the boxes are arranged by subject, but most contain a miscellany of materials.

Box 1 consists of a large variety of materials, including a bibliography; letters of appreciation articles, clippings, and talks; and correspondence. Box 2 also contains a mixture of materials, including LaBarre’s C.V.; professional correspondence, papers, and articles; and personal writings and papers. Box 3 consists primarily of photographs and letters to Mildred Boie from the 1930s, as well as some miscellaneous letters and papers. Box 4 consists of published papers; personal papers and brochures; personal photographs; and personal correspondence. Box 5 contains a great deal of materials related to LaBarre’s practice as a social worker, including publications on cultural influences, pregnant school girls, and family social work. Box 6 contains a large variety of materials, from LaBarre’s notes from Fisk and Bryn Mawr, dated 1931-1934; more publications on child, mother, and family social work; notes on John from November 1943- March 1945; and LaBarre’s master’s thesis entitled “A Study of Conflict and Accommodation of Negro-White Relations in the Twin Cities- Based on Documentary Sources from 1932. The vast majority of Box 7 is Maurine’s letters to Weston La Barre, from July 1943- March 1963. It also contains letters from family and friends. Box 8 contains four volumes of family history.

This collection contains unique views into the personal and professional life of Maurine LaBarre. It would be of value to those interested in the Bryn Mawr School of Social Work, and Maurine LaBarre’s social work career, as well as mid-20th century opinions on family social work.