Finding Aid to the Boys and Girls Aid Society Records
Lara Michels
The Bancroft Library
2023
The Bancroft Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
bancref@library.berkeley.edu
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: Boys and Girls Aid Society records
Creator:
Boys and Girls Aid Society (San Francisco, Calif.)
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS C-A 170
Physical Description:
60 linear feet
(34 cartons, 35 oversize boxes, 22 volumes, 2 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1874-1930
Abstract: Records of the Boys and Girls Aid Society of San Francisco, including case books and case files, other inmate data, Research
Department files, administrative files, and financial records dating mostly from 1882 until 1929.
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information
on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Boys and Girls Aid Society records came to the Bancroft Library in 1950. The provenance of the collection is unknown.
Existence and Location of Copies
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Arrangement
Arranged into five series: 1. Case books and case files; 2. Other inmate data; 3. Research Department files; 4. Adminstrative
files; 5. Financial records.
Biographical / Historical
The Boys and Girls Aid Society was organized in 1874. From 1886 until its dissolution around 1930, it was located in San Francisco
at 460 Baker Street (at the corner of Grove). This non-profit organization was founded, at least in part, in response to disillusionment
with an approach to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention that led to the imprisonment of youths in California's prisons
and jails. By the 1860s, public pressure emerged to separate juveniles from adult offenders. This led initially to the establishment
of the San Francisco Industrial School in 1858 and the State Reform School (located in Marysville) in 1861. These institutions
struggled, however, to provide the necessary institutional care for all who required it. In response to the need for more
institutions to take on this work, organizations like the Boys and Girls Aid Society were established.
The Boys and Girls Aid Society saw itself as an alternative to Industrial School commitment or imprisonment. The Society received,
by legal commitment, juvenile offenders from throughout counties in central and northern California who were endangered of
being imprisoned. The organization presented its mission as finding suitable homes or employmeet for at-risk boys and girls
(many homeless, neglected, or abused) and continuing to provide oversight and systematic attention over time. The Boys and
Girls Aid Society would provide institutional care to boys and girls until 1903 and then to only boys from 1903 through the
dissolution of the organization around 1930. Most of the organization's income came from counties in California that paid
for commitments. Other income came from legacies (bequests) and subscriptions, including a monthly allowance from the Crocker
Trust.
Processing Information
Processed by Lara Michels with the help of Student Processing Assistants Richard Lim, Malayna Chang and David Eick.
Content Description
The collection consists of five series: case books and case files, other inmate data, Research Department files, administrative
files, and financial records.
Series 1, the largest and most comprehensive set of records, consists of case books and case files on individual male and
female inmates of the Boys and Girls Aid Society. These case materials date, without interruption, from 1882 until 1929 for
the boys and from 1884 until 1904 for the girls. There are no case files or case books from before 1882. Case books are bound
volumes that include name, date of admission, some family data, notes, and, sometimes, a small photograph of the inmate. Case
files include inmate data cards with admission information, including date of admission, place of origin, family data, notes
and, usually, a photograph. The case files might also include loose correspondence regarding the inmate.
Series 2 consists of materials that provide other sources of information about the Boys and Girls Society inmates. Among these
are monthly and daily record books documenting inmates present in the organization, admissions and dismissals. Volumes entitled
"Monthly record of admissions and dismissals" date, without interruption, from 1884 until 1929. Other materials in this series
document employment of wards, wards present in the home at any one time, inmate accounts, and a number of volumes and files
on the dietary provisions for inmates.
Series 3 includes files from the Research Department of the Boys and Girls Aid Society. This department operated in the 1920s
and undertook psychological and IQ testing on inmates. These materials consist mainly of files relating to specific inmates.
Series 4 consists of administrative files. Among these files are the outgoing correspondence (in letterpress volumes) of the
Boys and Girls Aid Society superintendent from 1885 until 1910. Other correspondence (from the 1920s) can be found in the
mixed administrative files in carton 25. Correspondence in this carton is mixed with financial records and a decision was
made by the processing archivist to keep the files intact. Board meeting minutes and some annual reports dating from 1887
until 1920 can be found in Volumes 21 and 22. An administrative subject file contains information on a range of topics, including
interactions of the Boys and Girls Aid Society with other social service agencies and organizations in San Francisco. Finally,
this series includes a few scrapbooks of newspaper clippings kept by the organization from 1882 until 1897 and from 1905 until
1919.
Series 5 consists of financial records of the organization. These materials date from the 1880s through the 1920s. The materials
in this series are somewhat scattered and many of them are focused on the 1920s.
Conditions Governing Use
Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright 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 owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
For additional information about the University of California, Berkeley Library's permissions policy please see: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/permissions-policies
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Boys and Girls Aid Society (San Francisco, Calif.) -- Archives
Orphanages -- California -- San Francisco
Social service -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area
Public welfare -- California -- San Francisco
Juvenile delinquency -- California -- San Francisco
Children -- Institutional care
Case files
Series 1.
Case books and case files
Scope and Contents
Case books and case files on individual male and female inmates of the Boys and Girls Aid Society. These case materials date,
without interruption, from 1882 until 1929 for the boys and from 1884 until 1904 for the girls. There are no case files or
case books from before 1882. Case books are bound volumes that include name, date of admission, some family data, notes, and,
sometimes, a small photograph of the inmate. Case files include inmate data cards with admission information, including date
of admission, place of origin, family data, notes and, usually, a photograph. The case files might also include loose correspondence
regarding the inmate.
Boys case books
1882-1921
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date of admission.
Girls case books
1882-1904
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date of admission.
oversize_box 18
Girls case books
1882-1884
Volume 18
Girls case book
1884-1887
oversize_box 19
Girls case book
1888-1891
oversize_box 20
Girls case book
1891-1904
Boys case files
1901-1920
Scope and Contents
One girls case file was found in this subseries (for Irene Daily, admitted 1901).
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by boy's surname.
Carton 18
Hunt, Leonard-Lawson, Benn
1901-1920
Carton 19
Lawson, Rodney-Mattison
1901-1920
Boys case files
1916-1929
Physical Description: 11 cartons, 2 boxes.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by boy's surname.
Carton 6
Lindsey-Maxwell
1919-1929
Carton 9
Robertson-Sivyer
1919-1929
Series 2.
Other inmate data
Scope and Contents
Materials that provide other sources of information about the Boys and Girls Society inmates. Among these are monthly and
daily record books documenting inmates present in the organization, admissions and dismissals. Volumes entitled "Monthly record
of admissions and dismissals" date, without interruption, from 1884 until 1929. Other materials in this series document employment
of wards, wards present in the home at any one time, inmate accounts, and a number of volumes and files on the dietary provisions
for inmates.
oversize_box 29, item 1
Listings of Whole and Half Orphans in the Boys' and Girls' Aid Society (volume)
1894-1916
Carton 30, Folder 13-33
Commitment forms and guardianship records
1882-1915
1904
1925
Scope and Contents
A few commitment forms from 1882, 1904 and 1925, legal letters of guardianship, guardianship agreemeents, and resignations
of guardianship. Names on commitment forms in Carton 30, Folder 13 include Mary Flynn (1882), Joseph Fountain (1904), and
Claudios Apedaile (1925).
Volume 1
Record book of wards
1886-1912
Scope and Contents
Includes names, placement information, visitation information, etc.
oversize_box 29, item 2
Daily record
1913-1924
Scope and Contents
Volume recording daily information about admissions, readmissions, dismissals and other information.
oversize_box 29, item 3
Daily record
1924-1929
Scope and Contents
Volume recording daily information about admissions, readmissions, dismissals and other information.
Volume 10
Monthly record of admissions and dismissals
1884-1894
Volume 9
Monthly record of admissions and dismissals
1894-1899
Volume 8
Monthly record of admissions and dismissals
1899-1907
oversize_box 30, item 1
Monthly record of admissions and dismissals
1907-1915
oversize_box 30, item 2
Monthly record of admissions and dismissals
1915-1924
oversize_box 31, item 1
Monthly record of admissions and dismissals
1925-1929
Carton 31, Folder 1
Young America Band of Hope meetings minutes
1878-1880
Carton 31, Folder 2
Statistics on Wards in home, wards absent, and wards in school
1899
Carton 31, Folder 2A
Data sheet on wards
1899-1900
Carton 30, Folder 35
Wards of the Society book
1883
Carton 30, Folder 34
Situations for Wards
1881-1882
Carton 31, Folder 5
Situations for Wards
1899-1903
Carton 31, Folder 6
Letters removed from volume entitled Situations for Wards
1899-1903
Carton 31, Folder 9
Camp--List of wards, goods needed for camp, etc.
1901
Carton 31, Folder 10
Wards Board Accounts
1901-1903
Carton 31, Folder 11
"Berries" (possibly accounts of boys' berry picking)
approximately 1904
Carton 31, Folder 12
Wards for Employment
1903-1905
Carton 31, Folder 13
"Shoes" account book
1904-1905
Carton 31, Folder 14
Account book--inmate charges
1905-1906
Volume 2
Working boarders record book
1907-1921
Scope and Contents
Name, date of admission, name of employer, wages earned.
Volume 5
Working boarders record book
1909-1911
Scope and Contents
Name, date of admission, name of employer, wages earned.
Carton 31, Folder 16
Account book--inmate charges
1907-1908
Carton 31, Folder 17
Working boarders, runaways, locker numbers (volume)
1910
Carton 31, Folder 18
Account book--inmate charges
1920-1921
Carton 31, Folder 19
Account book--inmate charges
1922-1923
Volume 7
Abstract of statistics
1898-1916
Scope and Contents
Name, date of admission/discharge, parental information, etc.
Carton 32, Folder 1
Records of offenses and punishments
1918-1929
Carton 32, Folder 4
List of people having wards (by city)
undated
Carton 32, Folder 5-9
Dietary menus
1908-1917
undated
Carton 32, Folder 10
Instructions for entering new and dismissed boys
undated
Carton 32, Folder 11
Locker signatures
undated
Series 3.
Research Department files
Scope and Contents
Files from the Research Department of the Boys and Girls Aid Society. This department operated in the 1920s and undertook
psychological and IQ testing on inmates. These materials consist mainly of files relating to specific inmates.
Carton 27, Folder 39-72
Research data case files, Adams-Garcia
1920-1929
Carton 28, Folder 1-67
Research data case files, Gillett-Z
1920-1929
Carton 29, Folder 1-54
Social History case notes, A-W and unidentified
approximately 1919-1927
Carton 29, Folder 55
Social History case notes, memoranda
undated
Carton 29, Folder 56-62
Stanford National Intelligence Tests
1924
Carton 30, Folder 1
Stanford National Intelligence Tests
1924
Carton 30, Folder 2-7A
Stanford Achievement Tests
1924
Series 4.
Administrative files
Scope and Contents
Among these files are the outgoing correspondence (in letterpress volumes) of the Boys and Girls Aid Society superintendent
from 1885 until 1910. Other correspondence (from the 1920s) can be found in the mixed administrative files in carton 25. Correspondence
in this carton is mixed with financial records and a decision was made by the processing archivist to keep the files intact.
Board meeting minutes and some annual reports dating from 1887 until 1920 can be found in Volumes 21 and 22. An administrative
subject file contains information on a range of topics, including interactions of the Boys and Girls Aid Society with other
social service agencies and organizations in San Francisco. Finally, this series includes a few scrapbooks of newspaper clippings
kept by the organization from 1882 until 1897 and from 1905 until 1919.
Carton 25, Folder 1
Articles of incorporation and extension of corporate existence
1874
1924
oversize_box 21, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1885-1888
oversize_box 21, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1889-1891
oversize_box 21, item 3
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1891-1893
oversize_box 34, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1893-1899
oversize_box 22, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1899-1901
oversize_box 22, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1901-1902
oversize_box 23, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1902-1903
oversize_box 34, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1903
oversize_box 34, item 3
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1903-1904
oversize_box 35, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1904-1905
oversize_box 23, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1905
oversize_box 35, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1905-1906
oversize_box 24, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1906-1907
oversize_box 24, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1907
oversize_box 25, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1907-1908
oversize_box 25, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1908
oversize_box 26, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1908-1909
oversize_box 26, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1909
oversize_box 27, item 1
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1910
oversize_box 27, item 2
Outgoing superintendent correspondence (letterpress volume)
1910
Volume 22
Board meeting minutes and annual reports
1887-1902
Volume 21
Board meeting minutes
1902-1920
Carton 25, Folder 2-33A
Administrative files
1907-1930
Scope and Contents
Files include a combination of adminstrative correspondence, financial reports and records.
Adminstrative subject file
approximately 1920-1929
Carton 26, Folder 2
Adjustment School
1927-1928
Carton 26, Folder 3
Audit Bureau reports
1923-1928
Carton 26, Folder 4
Alameda and San Francisco County demand
undated
Carton 26, Folder 5
Associated Boys' Council
1927
Carton 26, Folder 8
Babcock & Wilcox Co.
1927
Carton 26, Folder 9
Board of Directors and Board of Education
1929
Carton 26, Folder 10
Boy Scouts Court of Honor
1927-1928
Carton 26, Folder 11
Boy Scouts scoutmaster Troop 29
1927-1929
Carton 26, folder 15
Boys Aid Society -- plans
1920-1929
Scope and Contents
Contains materials relating to the future of the Boys' Aid Society as it was being envisioned in the 1920s.
Carton 26, folder 16
Boys Clubs and Groups
1929
Carton 26, folder 17
Budget and Finances
1920-1929
Carton 26, folder 20
Case Supervision Study Group
1928-1929
Carton 26, folder 21
Charter Annulment
1925-1926
Scope and Contents
Materials regarding the future of the Boys' Aid Society.
Carton 26, folder 22
Chinese Boys--Study of
1927
Scope and Contents
Includes list of Chinese boys cared for by the Boys' Aid Society.
Carton 26, folder 23
City and County of San Francisco
1928
Carton 26, folder 24
Commonwealth Club, Section on Delinquency
1925-1930
Carton 26, folder 25-30
Community Chest of San Francisco
1925-1928
Carton 26, folder 31
Community Chest of Oakland
1925-1928
Carton 26, folder 32
California Society for Crippled Children
1927-1929
Carton 26, folder 33
Council of Social & Health Agencies
1925-1929
Carton 26, folder 38
Financial statements and social statistics
1926-1927
Carton 26, folder 39
Dr. Frick, San Francisco Hospital
1927
Carton 26, folder 46-48
Jesse W. Lilienthal School
1920-1929
Carton 27, folder 1
Lions Club of San Francisco
1927-1928
Carton 27, folder 6
Charles A. Murdock
1927-1929
Carton 27, folder 10
Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railroad Co.
1929
Carton 27, folder 11
Probation officer, Alameda County
1928-1929
Carton 27, folder 12
Probation officer, Fresno County
1927
Carton 27, folder 13
Probation officer, Humboldt County
1927-1928
Carton 27, folder 14
Probation officer, Los Angeles County
1927-1929
Carton 27, folder 15
Probation officer, Nevada County
1927-1928
Carton 27, folder 16
Probation officer, San Francisco County
1927-1928
Carton 27, folder 17
Probation officer, Santa Clara County
1928
Carton 27, folder 18
Probation officer, Santa Cruz County
1928-1929
Carton 27, folder 19
Probation officer, Fresno and Kings Counties
1928
Carton 27, folder 20
Probation officer, Sacramento County
1927-1928
Carton 27, folder 21
Probation officer, San Diego County and Stanislaus County
1927-1929
Carton 27, folder 24
Reports, assorted
1926-1927
Carton 27, folder 25
Description of runaways
1927
Carton 27, folder 27
Sebastopol Berry Process
1927
Carton 27, folder 28
Social Service Exchange
1927
Carton 27, folder 29
Social Worker's Club of Central California
1912-1913
Carton 27, folder 30-31
Southern Pacific Railroad shipping
1928
Carton 27, folder 32
State Board of Control
1927
Carton 27, folder 33
State Insurance
1927-1929
Carton 27, folder 35
Mr. Turner (personal)
1928-1929
Carton 25, Folder 35
Assorted reports and proposals relating to Boys' and Girls' Aid Society
1925-1929
Carton 25, Folder 36
Materials relating to William P. Tanner (correspondence and military documents)
1879-1882
Carton 25, Folder 34
Newspaper clippings from the San Francisco Chronicle
approximately 1929
Scope and Contents
Clippings on fire danger posed by Jesse W. Lilienthal School.
oversize_box 28, item 1-3
Newspaper clippings scrapbooks
1882-1897
Scope and Contents
Mostly newspaper clippings about the Boys' and Girls' Aid Society.
oversize_box 32, item 2
Newspaper clippings scrapbook
1905-1919
oversize_box 32, item 1
Scrapbook for Treasurer's annual financial statements
1882-1905
Scope and Contents
On cover label: Copies of Original Statements were lost in the fire of April 18th 1906. Dudley C. Bates, Treasurer. Volume
includes annual reports from 1910 through 1920. Also includes financial statements from 1883-1908.
Series 5.
Financial records
Scope and Contents
Financial records of the organization. These materials date from the 1880s through the 1920s. The materials in this series
are somewhat scattered and many of them are focused on the 1920s. Some financial records can also be found in the Administrative
files series.
Carton 32, Folder 12-19
Treasurer's reports
1901-1923
Carton 32, Folder 20
Papers taken from safe
1909-1924
Carton 32, Folder 21
Insurance reports
1906-1919
Carton 33, Folder 1-36A
Monthly statements
1907-1926
Carton 33, Folder 37
Budget information
1927-1930
oversize_box 32, item 1
Subscriptions with information about commitments and costs
1913-1917
Carton 33, Folder 41
Accounts received notebook
1895-1898
Carton 33, Folder 43
Wants (supplies needed) volume
1899-1902
Carton 33, Folder 46
Hermann's Market accounts
1902-1904
Carton 33, Folder 47
Subscriptions Book
1902-1905
Carton 33, Folder 48
Cash receipts, payroll, bills paid (volume)
1899-1905
Volume 6
Income and expenditures
1924-1925
Volume 16
Jesse Lilienthal School purchase order register
1923-1929
Carton 34, Folder 1
Boys' Cash Accounts
1904-1906
Carton 34, Folder 4
Subscriptions/Memberships
1911-1918
Carton 34, Folder 7
Subscription book
1908-1917
Carton 34, Folder 8
Items for the fiscal year
1918
Carton 34, Folder 12
Personal accounts/payroll
1919-1929
Carton 34, Folder 13
Account book (subscriptions?)
undated
Carton 34, Folder 15
Payroll signatures
undated