Guide to the San Diego Center for Children Records
MS 227
Finding aid prepared by Aimee Santos
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
December 19, 2011
Title: San Diego Center for Children Records
Identifier/Call Number: MS 227
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
10.75 Linear feet
(20 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1887-2000
Abstract: This collection contains the records of the San Diego Center for Children of which includes details of registered children,
scrapbooks, photographs, and documents regarding internal operations.
creator:
San Diego Center for Children.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Aimee Santos on December 19, 2011.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Preferred Citation
San Diego Center for Children Records, MS 227, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged into six series:
Series I: Administration
Series II: Reports
Series III: Finances
Series IV: Correspondence
Series V: Membership, Development, and Publicity
Series VI: The Children
The items in each series are arranged by subject.
Biographical / Historical Notes
In 1887, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, San Diego Chapter, invested $1000 in a “home for indigent gentlewomen.” On
February 17, 1887, the Center, located at 1365 16th Street, began as the Women’s Home Association for poor, aged and destitute
women. In 1888, the Women’s Home Association created a Day Care Nursery as a service for working mothers and widowed fathers.
The County began placing more and more children in the Day Nursery due to a surge of disadvantaged people. San Diego businessman
and philanthropist, Byrant Howard, proposed a union of the Woman’s Home and Day Nursery and his Children’s Industrial Home
which was an organization to serve the needs of homeless, abused, and delinquent children in San Diego. The Home and Day Nursery
accepted the proposal which qualified the establishment for state aid. The San Diego Children’s Industrial Home, relocated
to the present site of the Naval Hospital. In 1898, the name was changed to the Women’s and Children’s Home of San Diego and
then the name was changed once again in 1904 to the San Diego Children’s Home Association. Finally, in 1975, the San Diego
Children’s Home Association changed its name to the San Diego Center for Children. In an agreement with the City in the 1950s,
the Home received an eight-acre building site in Kearny Mesa and $160,500 in cash in exchange for its 16th Street property
which would be bisected by freeway construciton in 1957. An additional amount of $130,000 was raised through a fundraising
campaign for the new Home, and on January 9, 1959, construction began of the Home at its present location on 3002 Armstrong
Street in Kearny Mesa. The new Home consisted of three child care cottages, a classroom, a utility building, and a treatment
building, which housed administration offices. The classroom, called the Cosgrove School, was the Home’s first on-grounds
classroom with a capacity for nine children at a time.
Many women were involved in the prosperity of the Center beginning with founders Mrs. George Marston, Mrs. E.S. Babcock, Mrs.
W.W. Stewart, Mrs. Carl S. Murray, and Miss E.M. Chapin. Women who served as presidents included Mrs. H.P. Davison, Mrs. M.H.
Lesem, Mrs. Julius Wangenheim, Mrs. B.J. O’Neill, and Bernice Cosgrove. Another woman, Mrs. Winifred Lee Percival, served
as Superintendent. It is also noted that George Horne served as Superintendent and Executive Director for some time.
The Center is San Diego’s oldest accredited non-profit organization and depends largely on the support from organizations
and the San Diego public for funding. Promotional events such as the first Charity Ball in 1905, held under Mrs. Lena Sefton
Wakefield, also contributed to the Center’s financial needs. Much later, a Gala party was thrown at the Hotel del Coronado
on April 16, 1977 to celebrate 90 years of the Center’s success in San Diego. In 70 years, the Center took in approximately
6,000 homeless and neglected children.
The Center was known to provide care, affection, and understanding for children and it was never a disciplinary institution.
According to the circumstances, the Center provided temporary or permanent housing for orphans, half-orphans, and abandoned
children. Children were also taken in, in the case of sickness or an emergency in the family. Ages of children ranged from
a few weeks to 14 years old.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number 911024.
Scope and Content
The collection contains records from the San Diego Center for Children since its inception in 1887, including admission and
medical records on the children admitted to the Center as well as general administrative and operational documents. Administrative
documents include Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, reports, internal and external correspondence, and financial records.
There are also newsletters, brochures and pamphlets regarding community outreach. Documents pertaining to the central focus
of the Center, the children, include admission registers and medical history cards of children admitted as early as October
6, 1888, as well as a visitor’s book dated from 1911 to 1991 and scrapbooks containing photographs and newspaper clippings.
Also included are photographs of the children, the Center’s buildings and grounds, and events.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Babcock, E. S., Mrs.
California. Dept. of Social Welfare.
California. State Relief Administration.
Chapin, E. M., Mrs.
Child Welfare League of America.
Chojnacki, Frank
Community Chest.
Cosgrove, Bernice
Crosby, Bing, 1903-1977
Daugherty, Charles
Davison, H. P., Mrs.
Day, Horace B., Mrs.
First Women's Christian Temperance Union of San Diego.
Fischer, Adam, 1888-1968
Gary, Cary, Ames and Driscoll.
Gill, Irving, 1870-1936
Holly Sefton Memorial Hospital.
Howard, Bryant
Jennings, F.S.
Kelcher, Louis
Lesem, M. H., Mrs.
Marston, George White, 1850-1946
Marston, George, Mrs.
Murray, Carl S., Mrs.
Neyes, Charles
O'Neill, B. J., Mrs.
Percival, Winifred Lee
San Diego (Calif.). Dept. of Public Health.
San Diego Center for Children.
San Diego Chargers (Football team).
San Diego Trust & Savings Bank (Calif.).
Sefton, Joseph W., 1882-1966
Sefton, Joseph, Mrs.
Stewart, W. W., Mrs.
Stewart, W. W.
United States. Food and Drug Administration.
Wakefield, Lena Sefton
Wangenheim, Julius, Mrs.
Wangenheim, Julius
White, Ed
Whitney, W. W., Mrs.
Zarelli, George
Abandoned children
Charities
Child mental health
Child welfare
Children -- Institutional care
Day care centers
Education
Hospitals
Mental health
Non-profit organizations
Orphans
San Diego (Calif.)
Social service
Box-folder 1:1
Articles of Incorporation,
1887-1907
Box-folder 1:2
Articles of Incorporation,
1930-1946
Box-folder 1:3
Articles of Incorporation,
1947-1975
Box-folder 1:4
Application to change name to San Diego Children’s Home Association (SDCHA),
1904-1915
Box-folder 1:5
Health Officer’s License of Women and Children’s Home,
1903
Box-folder 1:6
By-laws,
1954-1975 and undated
Box-folder 1:7
Rules and regulations,
1909-1948
Box-folder 1:8
Accreditations,
1996-1999
Box-folder 1:9
Proposal to the Board of Directors – governing board, staff, and institution descriptions,
1941
Box-folder 1:10
Board of Directors and Committee members,
1933-1977 and undated
Box-folder 1:11
“Book of Minutes 1900-1905” - meeting minutes,
1900 May-1905 May
Box-folder 1:12
“Record – Minutes 1905” - meeting minutes,
1905 May-1911 May
Box-folder 1:13
“Record – Minutes 1911” - meeting minutes,
1911 June-1914 April
Box-folder 1:14
“Record – Minutes 1914-1916” - meeting minutes,
1914 May-1917 January
Box-folder 2:1
“1917 Minutes” - meeting minutes,
1917 January-1920 December
Box-folder 2:2
“Record – Minutes 1921-1924” - meeting minutes,
1921 January-1924 December
Box-folder 2:3
“Record – Minutes 1925” - meeting minutes,
1925 January-1929 October
Box-folder 2:4
“Minutes 1930” - meeting minutes,
1929 November-1935 July
Box-folder 2:5
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1930 July-November
Box-folder 2:6
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1938
Box-folder 2:7
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1939
Box-folder 2:8
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1940
Box-folder 2:9
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1941
Box-folder 2:10
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1942
Box-folder 3:1
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1943
Box-folder 3:2
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1944
Box-folder 3:3
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1945
Box-folder 3:4
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1946
Box-folder 3:5
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1947
Box-folder 3:6
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1948
Box-folder 3:7
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1949
Box-folder 3:8
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1950
Box-folder 3:9
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1951
Box-folder 3:10
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1952
Box-folder 3:11
Minutes of Directors' meetings,
1953
Box-folder 3:12
Waiver of Notice of Special Meeting of Board of Directors,
1930-1934
Box-folder 3:13
Strategic Planning Committee meeting minutes,
1986
Box-folder 3:14
Minutes of SDCHA members annual meetings,
1930-1944
Box-folder 3:15
Statement of personnel practices,
1954
Box-folder 3:16
Personnel payroll lists,
1946-1953
Box-folder 3:17
Summary of Services and Charges (draft),
1986
Box-folder 3:18
Property documents,
1903-1961
Includes:
Grant Deed
Building Agreement
List of Contractors
Box-folder 3:21
Miscellanea,
1930-1986
Includes:
Notes on food consumption
Girls Institutions
Box-folder 3:20
Annual Reports,
1985-1999
Box-folder 4:1
Annual Reports by the President,
1939-1942
Box-folder 4:2
Annual Reports by the Superintendent,
1944-1947
Box-folder 4:3
Annual Reports by the Personnel Committee,
1941
Box-folder 4:4
Annual Reports by the Secretary,
1938-1945
Box-folder 4:5
Annual Reports by the Hospital,
1932-1949
Box-folder 4:6
Annual Reports by the Maintenance Committee,
1941
Box-folder 4:7
Annual Regular Enrollment Admission and Discharge Reports,
1930-1951
Box-folder 4:8
Annual Receiving Home Admission and Discharge Reports,
1950-1952
Box-folder 4:9
Social Statistics Reporting for Children’s Institutions,
1915-1919
Box-folder 4:10
Junior League Child Welfare Project Reports,
1938-1939
Box-folder 4:11
Study Salaries in Child Welfare Agencies,
1947
Box-folder 4:12
State Department of Social Welfare Reports,
1942-1943 and undated
Box-folder 4:13
Department of Public Health – City of San Diego Reports,
1936 and undated
Box-folder 4:14
"Challenge in Eduation Through Creativity" - report,
1965
Box-folder 4:15
Public Health Informational Brochures,
1935 and undated
Box-folder 4:16
Monthly Treasurer's Reports,
1926 July-1929 June
Box-folder 4:17
Monthly Treasurer's Reports,
1929 July-1933 June
Box-folder 4:18
Annual Financial Reports,
1932-1952
Box-folder 4:19
Annual Financial Comparative Reports,
1950-1951
Box-folder 4:20
U.S. Treasury Department documents,
1940-1955
Box-folder 4:21
State of California – Office of Franchise Tax Board documents,
1955, 1976
Box-folder 4:22
State of California – Board of Control: claim for aid,
1917, 1919
Box-folder 4:23
County of San Diego – Office of Assessor documents,
1939-1953
Box-folder 4:24
San Diego County Tax Collector: tax bills,
1948-1953
Box-folder 4:25
County of San Diego – Office of County Auditor,
1947
Box-folder 4:26
San Diego Trust and Savings Bank documents,
1954-1963
Box-folder 5:1
Community Chest of San Diego documents,
1926-1951 and undated
Box-folder 5:2
Community Chest of San Diego documents,
1954-1956
Box-folder 5:3
Child Welfare League of America, Inc. documents,
1937-1957
Box-folder 5:4
Stocks and Bonds lists,
undated
Box-folder 5:5
Stocks and Bonds (A-B),
1932-1957
Box-folder 5:6
Stock and Bonds (C-K),
1931-1957
Box-folder 5:7
Stocks and Bonds (L-P),
1929-1957
Box-folder 5:8
Stocks and Bonds (R-W),
1928-1956
Box-folder 5:9
Record of Shares: Stocks and Bonds - standard bound notebook,
1943-1961
Box-folder 5:10
Property insurance,
1935-1953
Box-folder 5:11
Treasurer’s list of members of Association,
undated
Box-folder 5:12
Auditor’s Report: Estate of W.W. Whitney,
1925-1926
Box-folder 17
"Cash Book" receipts and disbursements,
1906-1916
Box-folder 5:13
Receipts and expenditures,
1907-1950 and undated
Box-folder 5:14
Expenses - ledger,
1914 January 1-1918 July 31
Box-folder 5:15
“S.E. Ledger” – Building Fund,
1926 March 17-1928 December 21
Box-folder 5:16
Expenses - ledger,
1927 July 1-1935 June 30
Box-folder 6:1
"Ledger" - expenses,
1930 December-1937 July
Box-folder 6:2
“Cash Book” – financial records,
1930 July 30-1935 July 15
Box-folder 6:3
“D.E. Ledger” – expenses,
1937 August-1948 December
Box-folder 6:4
“Double Entry Ledger” – expenses,
1949 January-1957 December
Box-folder 6:5
"General Ledger,"
1945 June 30-1954 December 31
Box-folder 18
"Cash Receipts, Cash Disbursements, Claims Payable Register,"
1955 January 7-1958 December 30
Box-folder 20:1
"Record of Journal Entries" (1 of 2),
1958-1963
Includes:
“Cash on Hand”
Accounts Receivable
Contributions
Designated gifts
Foster Home income
Box-folder 20:2
"Record of Journal Entries" (2 of 2),
1958-1963
Box-folder 7:1
"General Ledger: Accounting,"
1958 January 17-1963 March 31
Includes:
Assets
Liability
Income
Expenses
Box-folder 7:2
Miscellaneous checks and receipts,
1943 January 13-1962 August 1
Includes:
Checks payable to the Standard Oil of California and United Community Services
Box-folder 7:3
Miscellaneous financial correspondence,
1940-1959
Box-folder 7:4
Financial miscellanea,
1941-1962 and undated
Includes:
“Designations” and “Checks Received”
Financial suggestions report
Series IV:
Correspondence
Box-folder 7:5
Superintendent,
1905-1950
Box-folder 7:9
County of San Diego Department of Public Welfare and Office of City Clerk,
1938
Box-folder 7:10
Family Service Association of San Diego,
1941-1944
Box-folder 7:11
Department of Social Welfare,
1945
Box-folder 7:12
California State Relief Administration,
1939-1940
Box-folder 7:13
Junior League of San Diego,
1937-1939
Box-folder 7:14
Works Progress Administration,
1937-1939 and undated
Box-folder 7:15
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Food and Drug Administration,
1947
Box-folder 7:16
Affiliations and publicity,
1907-1982
Box-folder 7:17
Internal,
1909-1953 and undated
Includes:
Resignations
Sympathy
Thank You Cards
Series V:
Membership, Development, and Publicity
Box-folder 7:18
Lists of SDCHA members,
1908
Box-folder 7:19
Designated “Direct” pledges to agencies,
1926
Box-folder 7:20
Pledges to "Building Fund,"
1958 and undated
Box-folder 7:22
Center's flyers and pamphlets,
undated
Includes:
Outreach for Donations and Membership
Box-folder 8:1
Charity events flyers and pamphlets,
1938-2000
Box-folder 8:2
Newspaper clippings,
1939-2000
Box-folder 8:3
"San Diego Center for Children 'Bring Back the Children'" (VHS tape),
undated
Box-folder 8:4
"San Diego Center for Children 'A Better Day Down the Road' Annual Dinner 1999" (VHS tape),
undated
Box-folder 8:5
"Centennial Charity Ball" photo album,
1987
Box-folder 8:6
"SDCC Campaign '89 – Community Outreach" - photos and pamphlets,
1989
Box 20:3
"San Diego Humane Society 'We Help the Helpless'" parade photograph,
1914
Box 20:4
"The Escalera's" family photograph,
undated
Box-folder 8:7
Membership, development, and publicity miscellanea,
1950-1980 and undated
Includes:
"The Solar Blast" p. 16: Children of the Home are to receive a Christmas tree and gifts from the Tool Shop’s sixth annual
Christmas celebration
"Where Do You take Your Troubles?" from the Family Service Association
Essay and articles on the Center
Box-folder 8:8
"Register of Children Book #1" (Book #1),
1888 October 6-1906 September 24
Box 19
"Record - San Diego Children's Home #2" (Book #2),
1890 October 15-1913 June 30
Box 19
"Record of Orphans #3" (Book #3),
1915 September 30-1936 July 22
Box-folder 9:1
"State Children and County Children" - monthly payments ledger,
1914 January 1-1929 April 4
Box-folder 9:2
"Ledger" - monthly payments ledger,
1922 August 25-1937 January 16
Box 17
"Visitor's Book - Children's Home San Diego, Calif.,"
1911 August 15-1991 May 30
Box-folder 9:3
"Register 36-41” - monthly register of children,
1936 January-1941 May
Box-folder 9:4
"Register 41-45” - monthly register of children,
1941 June-1945 June
Box-folder 10:1
"Register 46-51” - monthly register of children,
1946 July-1951 July
Box-folder 10:2
“Single Entry Ledger” - monthly register,
1951 August-1954 September
Box-folder 10:3
"Single Entry Ledger" - monthly register,
1954 October-1962 April
Box-folder 10:4
“S.E. Ledger – Register 1938-42” - daily record of children’s illnesses,
1938 January 1-1942 September 12
Box 18
"Record of Orphans – State Record Book” - record kept by the corresponding Secretary of “Whole Orphans, Half Orphans, and
Abandoned Children,"
1908 January-1914 May 16
Box-folder 10:5
"S.D.C.H. July 1931- " - chronological list of admitted children,
1923 October 23-1932 July 17
Box 20:5
Register of children admitted,
1888 October 2-1975 January 1
Box-folder 10:6
"Record" - list of admitted children (A-K),
1888 October 16-1974 December 20
Box-folder 11:1
Medical examinations (A),
1923-1938 and undated
Box-folder 11:2
Medical examinations (B),
1919-1934 and undated
Box-folder 11:3
Medical examinations (C),
1919-1934 and undated
Box-folder 11:4
Medical examinations (D),
1922-1938 and undated
Box-folder 11:5
Medical examinations (E),
1920-1933 and undated
Box-folder 11:6
Medical examinations (F),
1921-1933 and undated
Box-folder 11:7
Medical examinations (G),
1919-1929 and undated
Box-folder 11:8
Medical examinations (H),
1913-1934 and undated
Box-folder 11:9
Medical examinations (J),
1920-1934 and undated
Box-folder 11:10
Medical examinations (K),
1914-1933 and undated
Box-folder 11:11
Medical examinations (L),
1919-1932 and undated
Box-folder 11:12
Medical examinations (Ma-McI),
1920-1930 and undated
Box-folder 11:13
Medical examinations (McK-My),
1919-1933 and undated
Box-folder 11:14
Medical examinations (N),
1922-1932 and undated
Box-folder 11:15
Medical examinations (O),
1921-1930 and undated
Box-folder 11:16
Medical examinations (P-Q),
1919-1933 and undated
Box-folder 12:1
Medical examinations (Ra-Rod),
1921-1934 and undated
Box-folder 12:2
Medical examinations (Ron-Ru),
1922-1933 and undated
Box-folder 12:3
Medical examinations (Sa-Sp),
1919-1935 and undated
Box-folder 12:4
Medical examinations (St-Sy),
1923-1934 and undated
Box-folder 12:5
Medical examinations (T),
1919-1932 and undated
Box-folder 12:6
Medical examinations (U-V),
1920-1932 and undated
Box-folder 12:7
Medical examinations (Wa-Wh),
1922-1935 and undated
Box-folder 12:8
Medical examinations (Wilc-Wils),
1920-1934 and undated
Box-folder 12:9
Medical examinations (Y-Z),
1924-1932 and undated
Box-folder 12:10
History card (A),
1917-1928
Box-folder 12:11
History card (Badger-Bigler),
1913-1929
Box-folder 12:12
History cards (Billingster-Brown, Frank),
1912-1926
Box-folder 12:13
History cards (Brown, Herman-Butler),
1914-1931
Box-folder 12:14
History cards (Caletrino-Christensen),
1910-1929
Box-folder 12:15
History cards (Church-Correll),
1914-1929
Box-folder 12:16
History cards (Cosper-Cuccia),
1917-1928
Box-folder 12:17
History cards (Dalton-Dehr),
1909-1929
Box-folder 12:18
History cards (Demangos-Domintz),
1911-1929
Box-folder 13:1
History cards (Dowdy-Dursley),
1914-1926
Box-folder 13:2
History cards (E),
1917-1926
Box-folder 13:3
History cards (Fee-Ford),
1915-1927
Box-folder 13:4
History cards (Forester-Funkhouser),
1914-1927
Box-folder 13:5
History cards (Gaian-Gershon),
1915-1923
Box-folder 13:6
History cards (Gibbs-Goldie),
1913-1930
Box-folder 13:7
History cards (Gonzales-Guinan),
1915-1929
Box-folder 13:8
History cards (Habeshc-Harrison),
1914-1928
Box-folder 13:9
History cards (Hartley-Hirch),
1915-1929
Box-folder 13:10
History cards (Hodges-Hume),
1913-1928
Box-folder 13:11
History cards (I),
1918-1920
Box-folder 13:12
History cards (J),
1915-1929
Box-folder 13:13
History cards (K),
1913-1928
Box-folder 13:14
History cards (Laidlow-Lingren),
1909-1929
Box-folder 13:15
History cards (Logston-Lyons),
1915-1929
Box-folder 13:16
History cards (MacDougall-McIntyre),
1912-1926
Box-folder 13:17
History cards (McKagne-Mills),
1911-1929
Box-folder 13:18
History cards (Mitchell-Mustain),
1913-1929
Box-folder 14:1
History cards (N),
1916-1929
Box-folder 14:2
History cards (O),
1910-1929
Box-folder 14:3
History cards (Page-Phelps),
1916-1928
Box-folder 14:4
History cards (Philip-Quintana),
1913-1924
Box-folder 14:5
History cards (Randall-Robinson),
1913-1928
Box-folder 14:6
History cards (Roche-Rykde),
1908-1929
Box-folder 14:7
History cards (Sanchez-Sloane),
1913-1926
Box-folder 14:8
History cards (Smith-Steadman),
1913-1929
Box-folder 14:9
History cards (Steffan-Sykes),
1916-1929
Box-folder 14:10
History cards (T),
1890-1929
Box-folder 14:11
History cards (U),
1918-1920
Box-folder 14:12
History cards (V),
1915-1928
Box-folder 14:13
History cards (Waago-Weissman),
1916-1930
Box-folder 14:14
History cards (Wells-Whyte),
1918-1930
Box-folder 14:15
History cards (Wilcox-Wouten),
1906-1929
Box-folder 14:16
History cards (Y-Z),
1915-1927
Box-folder 15:3
Scrapbook (1 of 2),
1953-1960
Box-folder 15:4
Scrapbook (2 of 2),
1953-1960
Box-folder 20:7
Scrapbook (1 of 2),
1963-1965
Box-folder 20:8
Scrapbook (2 of 2),
1963-1965
Box-folder 16:2
Scrapbook, loose items,
1973-1977
Box-folder 16:3
Scrapbook, loose items,
1976-1986
Box-folder 16:4
Illustration,
undated
Includes:
Pencil drawing of unidentified boy with bicycle, by "Schneider, '87."
Box-folder 16:5
Book of Common Prayer - Bible from St. Mark’s Church,
undated
