Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Los Angeles Collection
URB.YWCA  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Historical Note:
  • Scope and Contents
  • Arrangement of Materials:
  • Related Materials:
  • Conditions Governing Access:
  • Conditions Governing Use:
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Accruals:
  • Preferred Citation:
  • Processing Information:
  • General

  • Contributing Institution: Special Collections & Archives
    Title: Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Los Angeles Collection
    Creator: Young Women's Christian Association of Los Angeles
    Identifier/Call Number: URB.YWCA
    Physical Description: 96.047 linear feet
    Physical Description: 961 Megabytes
    Date (inclusive): ca. 1890-1986
    Abstract: The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Los Angeles was established in 1893 to promote the physical, social, spiritual, and educational well-being of young women. The collection documents the establishment, evolution, and achievements of the YWCA of Los Angeles.
    Language of Material: English.

    Historical Note:

    The YWCA of Los Angeles was established in 1893 when Miss Emma Reeder came from San Francisco expressly to organize a local branch. Incorporated the following year, the Los Angeles chapter served to promote the physical, social, spiritual, and educational well-being of young women. In its first year of operation, the YWCA increased its membership from nine to over 360 members.
    The YWCA of Los Angeles is a decentralized agency with many branches, boarding homes, club houses, and camping retreats throughout LA County. In 1899, a Traveler's Aid Department was established to care for new arrivals to the city. The first boarding home for women in Los Angeles was founded by the YWCA in 1905. Three years later the YWCA's first permanent residence opened, followed by the Hollywood Studio Club, a temporary residence for young women training for careers in the entertainment industry.
    For over eighty years the YWCA of Los Angeles has provided shelter and counseling services for transient and needy women, sponsored camping trips, conducted educational, physical and religious classes, and encouraged women to achieve leadership roles in society.

    Scope and Contents

    The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Los Angeles Collection documents the establishment, evolution, and achievements of Los Angeles' YWCA branches. The bulk of the collection consists of publicity and memorabilia including brochures, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and scrapbooks. Also contained in the collection are extensive administrative records such as by-laws, constitutions, correspondence, financial statements, historical profiles, minutes of various boards and committees, position papers, studies, and reports. The collection is arranged in three major series: Young Women's Christian Association Administrative Records (ca. 1890-1984), Mary Andrews Clark Residence (1910-1986), and Hollywood Studio Club (1915-ca. 1979).
    Series I, Young Women's Christian Association Administrative Records, is divided into seven subseries. Administrative Records (ca. 1890-1974), contains the YWCA's organizational records including annual reports, articles of incorporation, brochures and pamphlets, committee records, constitutions, correspondence, financial statements, various YWCA histories, reports, studies, and audio recordings. Audio recordings are available digitally. It is arranged alphabetically by subject. Board Records (1903-1966), documents the meetings of several YWCA boards, committees, and various joint committee meetings. The files are arranged by board and chronologically within. Committee Records (1904-1971), includes materials from the many committees created to handle the work of the ever-expanding organization. The bulk of the subseries contains minutes and reports of the Executive Committee. The files are arranged in alphabetical order by name of committee. YWCA Branch Records (1908-1975), contains annual reports, brochures, correspondence, fact sheets, histories, pamphlets, and related publicity material on the many branches, campuses, clubs and residences maintained or supported by the YWCA of Los Angeles. The records document the activities of the Mary Andrews Clark Residence, Hollywood Studio Club, International Institute, Japanese Branch, and the San Fernando YWCA Project. YWCA Publicity Files (ca. 1890-1984), includes brochures, handbooks, newsletters, and related reference items documenting the activities of the YWCA of Los Angeles. Newspaper clippings constitute the bulk of the subseries. The subseries is arranged by type of material and chronologically within each category. Scrapbooks (1893-1970), includes completed and fragmented scrapbooks documenting the YWCA's activities throughout the decades, including local and national events and conventions. Photographs (ca. 1900-1964), includes photographic prints, negatives, and albums documenting the people and events associated with the Los Angeles chapter of the YWCA.
    Series II, Mary Andrews Clark Residence, is divided into eight subseries. Administrative Records (1910-1982), contains correspondence and monthly reports by Esther May Carter, as well as financial reports and ephemera. Board and Committee Records (1915-1969), contains reports from the William Andrews Clark Memorial, Clark Residence Committee, Study Committee, Committee of Management and the Ellen Groshon Loan Fund Committee. Publicity Files (1943-1965), contains newspaper clippings from 1948 as well as postcards. Scrapbooks (1912-1986), contains brochures, invitations, letters, newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs and programs. Resident Files (1913-1976), consists primarily of correspondence. Resident Committee Files (1947-1967), contains a variety of minutes and activities for the local and the national YWCA. Personnel policies, night hostess manual, notices and room rates are included. National Publications (1927-1970), contains copies of the journal, The Women's Press. Photographs (1911-1976), includes photographic prints, negatives, and slides documenting the people and events associated with the Mary Andrews Clark Residence.
    Series III, Hollywood Studio Club, documents the YWCA's philanthropic work with young women who came to Los Angeles to seek fame and fortune in the movie industry. The material contained in this series includes resident files, newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, announcements, magazines, guest books, photographs, invitations, and ephemera. It is divided into six subseries. Administrative Records(1919-ca.1979), contains the Hollywood Studio Club account books, annual reports, broadsides, by-laws, correspondence, architectural drawings, history, resident lists, and materials concerning the operations of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. Committee Records (1917-1970), includes notes, minutes, and records of the Study Committee as well as the Advisory, Management, and Administrative Committees. Publicity Files (ca. 1915-ca. 1979), contains articles, artwork, newspaper clippings, press releases, and the report to the national YWCA. Many items central to Hollywood publicity are also contained in the subseries. Scrapbooks (1915-ca. 1970), contains oversized materials including photographs, newspaper clippings, invitations and other ephemera. Non-YWCA Materials (1921-1968) includes the book, The History of Hollywood. Photographs (ca. 1920-1974), includes photographic prints, negatives, slides, and albums documenting the people and events associated with Hollywood Studio Club.

    Arrangement of Materials:

    Series I: Young Women's Christian Association Administrative Records, ca. 1890-1976
        Subseries A: Administrative Records, ca. 1890-1974
        Subseries B: Board Records, 1903-1966
        Subseries C: Committee Records, 1904-1971
        Subseries D: YWCA Branch Records, 1908-1975
        Subseries E: YWCA Publicity Files, ca. 1890-1984
        Subseries F: Scrapbooks, 1893-1970
        Subseries G: Photographs, ca. 1900-1964
    Series II: Mary Andrews Clark Residence, 1910-1986
        Subseries A: Administrative Records, 1910-1982
        Subseries B: Board and Committee Records, 1915-1969
        Subseries C: Publicity Files, 1943-1965
        Subseries D: Scrapbooks, 1912-1986
        Subseries E: Resident Files, 1913-1976
        Subseries F: Residence Committee Files, 1947-1967
        Subseries G: National Publications,1927-1970
        Subseries H: Photographs, 1911-ca. 1976
    Series III: Hollywood Studio Club, 1915-ca. 1979
        Subseries A: Administrative Records, 1919-ca. 1979
        Subseries B: Committee Records, 1917-1970
        Subseries C: Publicity Files, ca. 1915-ca. 1979
        Subseries D: Scrapbooks,1915-ca. 1970
        Subseries E: Non-YWCA Materials, 1921-1968
        Subseries F: Photographs, ca. 1920-1974

    Related Materials:

    Conditions Governing Access:

    The collection is open for research use.

    Conditions Governing Use:

    Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has been dedicated to the public. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Young Women's Christian Association of Los Angeles, 06/1981

    Accruals:

    1991, 1995

    Preferred Citation:

    For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials  guide.

    Processing Information:

    Robert G. Marshall, Claire La Fia

    General

    Other Information:
    Initial processing of this collection was made possible in part through a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Ephemera
    Documents
    Photographs
    Scrapbooks