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New York Friends Center records

 Collection
Identifier: SFHL-RG4-135

Scope and Contents

The records document the activities and events of the New York Friends Center and consist of minutes, financial records, correspondence, newsletters and newspaper clippings, particularly of the Hiroshima Maidens Project, 1955 – 1956.

Dates

  • Creation: 1938 - 1964

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce items in this collection beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/.

Biographical / Historical

Established in 1938 by the New York Monthly Meetings (Hicksite and Orthodox) at the 20th Street meeting house, the New York Friends Center was created initially to provide a meeting place for Quakers and to serve as a Quaker information and reception center in New York City. Lectures and social events were held. Sponsorship of service projects began in the 1940’s. Housing and community projects included an international visitors program and hostel, sponsoring alternative service for conscientious objectors, social rehabilitation through counseling and job placement of women prisoners, assisting WWII refugees through the monthly Tuesday Luncheon Clubs (1942 - 1961) and providing hospital visitors.

In 1955 the New York Friends Center joined with the Hiroshima Peace Center Association to sponsor the travel to New York City and reconstructive surgery for twenty five Japanese girls who had been injured in the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Known as the “Hiroshima Maidens,” the young women stayed with Quaker families during the year-long recuperation. The women initially stayed at the Pendle Hill, Wallingford, PA, from March 10 to March 25. This effort was coordinated by Norman Cousins and C. Frank Ortloff, President of the New York Friends Center.

New York Friends Center volunteers operated a Thrift Shop and held an annual bazaar to raise monies. In November 1962, due to financial debts, the American Friends Service Committee assumed responsibility for the programs of the New York Friends Center.

Extent

1.25 linear ft. (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Established in 1938 by the New York Monthly Meetings (Hicksite and Orthodox) at the 20th Street meeting house, the New York Friends Center was created initially to provide a meeting place for Quakers and to serve as a Quaker information and reception center in New York City. Lectures and social events were held. Sponsorship of service projects began in the 1940’s. In November 1962, the American Friends Service Committee assumed responsibility for the programs of the New York Friends Center. The records document the activities and events of the New York Friends Center and consist of minutes, financial records, correspondence, newsletters and newspaper clippings, particularly of the Hiroshima Maidens Project, 1955 – 1956.

Arrangement

The records are organized in three series: Series 1: Minutes and Correspondence, 1938 - 1964; Series 2: Reports, 1939 - 1962; Series 3: Projects, 1939 - 1961

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was deposited by the New York Yearly Meeting, 1997.

Processing Information

The bulk of the material was received in 1997. Materials were sorted as necessary, and a new inventory and finding aid produced. In 2020, that finding aid (never previously encoded) was added to ArchivesSpace.

Author
B.B.
Date
2002-11-26
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2020: DOC finding aid (never previously encoded) added to ArchivesSpace

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 repoductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library

Contact:
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore Pennsylvania 19081 USA