Guide to the Charles Maxton
Schermerhorn
papers
papers
Schermerhorn's
experiences in Greece as a social worker and author. 1924-2019
Schermerhorn
collection documents five consecutive years (1946-1951) of direct field experience highlighting food distribution efforts
during and after the Greek Civil War. These materials add another chapter to the history of humanitarian aid in Greece during
the 20th century. The collection consists of 3 record cartons which include personal files and records, notes and reports,
correspondence, indexed photographs, negatives, and slides, contemporary military-issued maps,
Schermerhorn's
diary from 1948, and a 200,000-word manuscript
Schermerhorn
wrote about his experiences in Greece. The materials are in English. 1924-2019
Schermerhorn
with family, friends, and also work-related correspondence. Series 3 is Notes, Research, and Other Writings which includes
reports written by
Schermerhorn
or by the organizations he was a part of, drafts and manuscript writings, and notes. Series 4 is Maps which includes maps
from different regions in Greece and the surrounding areas of Europe, along with an index of the included maps. Series 5
is Photos, Slides, and Negatives which has photos, slides, and negatives, as well as an index for the photographs.
Schermerhorn
(1901-1986) attended Princeton Theological Seminary in the early 1920s followed by his work as a social worker during the
1930s in San Francisco, where he worked at an orphanage and as a juvenile probation officer. In 1946, the United Nations Relief
and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) sent him to Greece, but he was shortly thereafter employed by the Near East Foundation
in Thessaloniki and by UNICEF, where he was the only civilian (native Greek or foreigner) running humanitarian food distribution
campaigns throughout 170 war-torn northern Greek towns and villages between 1948-1951, during and after the Greek Civil War.
His interactions included associations with the renowned photographer David Seymour and important journalists such as George
Polk, Dana Adams Schmidt, Maynard Owen Williams, and Mark Gayn. Upon returning to the US after 1951,
Schermerhorn
was reportedly blacklisted, which prevented his employment with the US State Department. Subsequently, he pursued gainful
employment as a social worker in California starting in East Los Angeles's Plaza Community Center, then Bakersfield as a coordinator
for the Job Corps, and finally at Friends Outside, a support organization for people imprisoned in Tehachapi and their families,
until his eventual death in 1986.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Schermerhorn
papers were acquired in 2022 from a donation by David
Schermerhorn
, one of Charles
Schermerhorn's
sons. Thanks to Prof. Anthony Bernier of San Jose State University for his time and patience in seeing this donation come
to fruition.
Schermerhorn
papers, Donald & Beverly Gerth Special Collections & University Archives, California State University, Sacramento.
Charley's Diary 1948 1947-1948
Contract -
Schermerhorn
Charles M.
1946-1948
Dad's School Records 1924-1929
[Personal Documents - Passports] 1946-1986
[UN Service Documents] 1946-1948
UNICEF
[Untitled Journal] 1946
Aug '47 Margaret's Birth 1947
Corr. to Charles 46-49 1946-1949
Corr. to Char[les] 49-51 1946-1951
Letters 1947 1947
Letters 1948 1948
Letters Home 1946 1946
Letter + Misc. 1950-1951
Misc. Corr. 1946-1998
Misc. Letters Home (empty)
UNICEF David Corr. 1998 1998
Wanda Letters 1947-1949 1947-1949
Wanda Letters 1949 1948-1950
'52 Wanda Letter to Marge Crawford Re_CMS 1952
August 1948 1948
Caravan Serai David Seymour 1949
Charlie's Early Draft Early Draft (entered) 1946-1948
Charley in Greece 1946-1951 1946-1951
David's Work - '98 1950-2019
Jan/Feb '48 1948
Jan/Feb '49 1949
Jan - Apr '50 1950
July 1949 UNICEF 1949-1999
July/Aug '50 1950
Manus + Dave Nobs
Mar/Apr '48 1948
Mar/Apr '49 1949
May/June '48 1948
May/June '49 1949
May-June 1950 1950
Misc. Manuscript 1946-1947
[Misc. Writings + Pamphlet] 1951
Misc. 1946 1946
M.S. Aug '46 - Mar '48 1946-1948
MS 04'50 1950
MSI 1948
My Notes From '98 Trip 1998
Near East Foundation 1951
NEF 1946-1947 Laird Archer 1946-1947
NEF 1947-1948 Laird Archer 1947-1948
NEF 1949 1949-1950
Nov/Dec '48 1948
Nov/Dec '49 1949
Nov/Dec '50 1950
Original Source Material (Manuscript) 1946-1947
[Radio Transcript]
Sept/Oct '49 1949
Sept/Oct '50 1950
01- LON
02-11 ROM
03-14 ATH 04-18 KAL
05-27 SPA 06-45 ATH
07-62 FAM
08-64 EUB
09.82 PVL 10-88a. NEF 11-86 TOR
12-4-49 Trip + Seymour 1949
12.94-SAL, 13.103-FLO, 14.106-SAL
15-107. SAR, 16-110. FLO, 17-118. GRE, 18.124 AIYD
19-134a. FLO, 20-149 GRE, 21-181 KON
22.202 GRE, 23-216 EPI, 24-225 YAE
25-239A UNI
26-337. PRD MAHI
27-347. SER July 1948
29-353. 49a
31-379. 49b
1946 1946
1947 1947
1948 Early 17s + Docs 1947-1951
Maps Greece
Map Index 1944
Greece 1958
Map Index 1944
Aegean 1943
Greece 1942
Greece - Cities 1946
Peloponnese - Details 1944
Macedonia + Thrace - Details 1944
Aiyina [Aegina] - Salamis 1943
Andros 1943
Atalanti 1941
Athens 1943
Athens 1941
COO 1944
Dhimitsana [Dimitsana] 1944
Drama 1944
Edessa
Euboeia [Euboea] 1943
Greneva [Grevena] 1943
Idhra [Ydra, Hydra] 1943
Ioannina 1946
Ioannina
Kalamata 1943
Kardhitsa [Karditsa] 1943
Karistos [Karystos] 1943
Katerini 1944
Kefalinia [Kefalonia] 1943
Kerkira [Kerkyra]- Corfu - Albania 1943
Kimi [Kymi] 1943
Kiparissa [Kyparissia] 1943
Kithira [Kythira] 1943
Kithira [Kythira] 1943
Korinthos [Corinth] 1943
Koroni 1943
Kozani 1941
Larissa 1943
Leonidhion [Leonidio] 1943
Limnos 1943
Macedonia
Mesolongion [Mesolongi] 1943
Molaoi 1943
Nigrita 1933
Patras 1945
Patras 1943
Peloponese [Peloponnese] 1944
Pilos [Pylos] 1943
Pirgos [Pyrgos] 1943
Polygiros [Polygyros] 1944
Porroia [Poroia] 1944
Preveza 1944
Salonika [Thessaloniki]
Salonika [Thessaloniki] 1944
Skopelos 1943
Rhodes 1944
Serres 1941
Skiros [Skyros] - Psara 1943
Volos 1943
Xilokastron [Xylokastro] 1943
Yithion [Gytheio] 1943
Yannitsa [Giannitsa] 1941
Zakinthos [Zakynthos] 1944
Charley's Numerical List of Photographs 1945-1950
David Index
Village Lists/Photo Lists by David
Box titled "negatives"
Black + White Negatives
Charley Photos 1-253
Charley Photos 254-451
Charley Photos 452-
Family Greece
Mexico - Tara Lamari 1953 1953
Misc. Photos + Negatives
[Negatives]
Negatives 1959
Negative - Sierra 1963
Plaza Negs + Misc. Photos
Photographic Prints Identified but not numbered
Photographic Prints Not Identified 1946-1951
Prints + Negatives
Prints Numbered According to Charley's Numerical List 1946-1950
Proof Sheets + Negs David's Trip to Greece 1998 1998
Ray's Color Negs of Charly's [Charley's] Pictures
Removed photos and slides from document folders
[Untitled Envelope with photos] 1946-1951
[Untitled Large Photo]
[Untitled Photographs] 1950
[Untitled Photos]
[4 loose photos]
Slide Box "Family Greece '40s"
Slide Box "Random Slides No I.D. Villages"
Slide Box "Reviewed 4-19-11"
Slide Boxes (Various - 8 boxes)