Ventura County Public Health Department records MVC039
Nancy Enneking, 2011 and Ali Phelps, 2024
Museum of Ventura County
September 23, 2011
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Business Number: (805) 653-0323 (Extension: 320)
library@venturamuseum.org
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: Ventura County Public Health Department records
Creator:
Ventura County Medical Society
Creator:
Ventura County Community Council. Health Division
Creator:
California Department of Public Health
Identifier/Call Number: MVC039
Physical Description:
1.74 Cubic Feet
(1 carton, 1 legal-sized document box)
Date (inclusive): 1930-1981 (bulk 1955-1966)
Date (bulk): 1955-1966
Abstract: The Ventura County Public Health Department records primarily document the establishment of and meetings held by the Ventura
County Community Council Health Division from 1955-1961, planning for some of the Health Division's annual health education
workshops during the 1950s and 1960s, and help provided by the Health Division in California's state-wide initiatives to conduct
polio immunization and vaccination campaigns. Types of records found in the files include minutes, agenda, reports, notes,
memos, statistics, clippings, and printed materials, dating from 1930-1981 (bulk 1955-1966).
Physical Location: COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE: Stored at the MVC Research Library. Requests do not have to be made in advance, but researchers
MUST make a research appointment on the
Research Library website .
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained
by the MVC.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Ventura County Public Health Department records, MVC039, Museum of Ventura County, Research Library,
Ventura, California.
Scope and Contents Note
The records pertain to organizations and activities in which the Public Health Department was involved. Records consisting
primarily of meeting materials and planning records were created by the Ventura County Community Council and its Health Division,
during the 1950s and 1960s. The records do not include any information about the Family and Child Welfare Division or the
Group Work and Leisure Time Activities Division, except within the meeting minutes of the overall Council meetings.
The materials thoroughly cover the establishment and meetings of the Community Council from 1955-1961, Council membership
during the 1960s, planning for some of the Health Division's annual health education workshops during the 1950s and 1960s,
and help provided by the Health Division in California's state-wide initiatives to conduct polio immunization and vaccination
campaigns. Of particular interest are a study by the Board of Supervisors (1930) for the need of a full-time County public
health service, and Ventura County's polio immunization statistics.
Types of records included in the files are minutes, agenda, reports, notes, correspondence, memos, statistics, clippings,
programs, and flyers, dating from 1930-1981 (bulk 1955-1966).
Processing Information
Processed by Nancy Enneking, 2011. Addition processed by Ali Phelps under the supervision of Hannah Rogers, 2024.
Our collections are processed using MPLP methods so that we can prioritize access for users and identify potential priorities
for more detailed processing. If while using our collections you think there is something that should be added or amended
in the finding aid, we welcome your input. You can notify staff in the reading room or send us an email at library@venturamuseum.org.
Be sure to include the collection number and name and the box number you were working with in your email.
Historical Note
The foundations of the Ventura County Community Council were established during 1954, when the Ventura YWCA determined that
in order to have a better youth program in Ventura County, California, it would be necessary to conduct a survey to indicate
where needs were met adequately and where unmet needs existed. When the survey was presented to the YWCA Executive Board it
was decided that overall planning for youth groups was necessary in order to avoid duplication of efforts and services. The
Board also felt that since this would be a county project the YWCA should finance this endeavor. An initial meeting was held
with representatives of all private youth groups participating. Then all private and public agencies were invited to attend
the planning discussions. In June of 1954, a temporary chairman was elected and committees were appointed. The YWCA supported
the entire project until the Ventura County Community Council was formally organized on October 19, 1955. The first President
was Frank Colston.
The Council was a non-profit group with a membership of public and private agencies, organizations, and interested lay people
active in community health, welfare, and leisure-time activities. The goals of the group included, among others, providing
a forum where organization representatives could come together to address policies and procedures in order to better coordinate
activites and services; acquaint the general public with the services of the organizations; to improve the quality and scope
of health, welfare, and recreational services and programs; to encourage the promotion of needed new services; and to achieve
more effective planning for the strengthening of family and community life for the prevention of crime and delinquency.
The Council had three functional divisions: Health; Family and Child Welfare; and Group Work and Leisure Time Activities.
Each member agency or organization appointed delegates to each division. The divisions worked primarily through committees
appointed by the chairman to meet specific problems, or to do specific jobs, and cleared all projects through the elected
officers and Board of Directors. The Health Division had annual displays at the Ventura County Fair; held health education
planning workshops for teachers and other interested parties; assisted with state-wide polio vaccination and immunization
programs; and started registration for county-wide volunteer services. The Family and Child Welfare Division worked toward
establishing a family service agency for Ventura County. The Group Work and Leisure Time Division worked on the wants and
needs of senior citizens in Ventura.
Arrangement
The materials are organized into two series:
I. Ventura County Community Council records, 1955-1966;
II. Health Division project files, 1930-1981 (bulk 1957-1966).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Polio vaccine
Ventura County Community Council. -- Administration
Ventura County Community Council records, I.
1955-1966
Physical Description: 0.3 linear_ft.
Arrangement
Foundational documents precede meeting materials and membership rosters.
Scope and Content Note
Records consist of minutes, agenda, reports, membership rosters, lists of board members, an amended consititution, and pamphlets,
dating 1955-1966, of the Ventura County Community Council. The materials cover the meetings of the Council from the group's
foundation in 1955 until 1961, and include reports from its three divisions. Lists of Board members run from 1956 to 1962
and membership rosters date from the 1960s. Topics covered in the meetings include updates on the activities of the Council's
three divisions, administrative and business matters, fundraising, and lists of accomplishments.
Box 1
Establishment, amended constitution, and board of directors,
1955-1960
Box 1
Meeting materials and early history,
1955-1957
Box 1
Meeting materials and reports,
1958-1959
Box 1
Meeting materials and reports,
1959-1960
Box 1
Meeting materials and reports,
1960-1961
Box 1
Health Division committee reports,
1957-1963
Box 1
Membership rosters,
1961-1962, 1965-1966
Health Division project files, II.
1930-1981 (bulk 1957-1966)
1957-1966
Physical Description: 0.7 linear_ft.
Arrangement
Health education workshop planning materials precede polio immunization and vaccination initiative records. A few miscellaneous
clippings and items related to Ventura County health issues appear at the end.
Scope and Contents Note
Records consist of notes, press materials, clippings, memoranda, correspondence, programs, evaluations, photographs, statistics,
and flyers, dating 1930-1981 (bulk 1957-1966) created and maintained by the Health Division of the Ventura County Community
Council. The majority of the materials concern planning for the Health Division's major initiative to provide health education
workshops for teachers and other interested parties during the 1950s and 1960s. The files include a few evaluations. Other
records describe Ventura County's participation in California's state-wide polio initiatives; a joint venture between the
Ventura County Medical Society, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and other service groups including, presumably the Ventura
County Community Council's Health Division. The files include memoranda, flyers, and general information provided by the state.
Health education workshop files
Box 1
2nd Annual Health Education Workshop planning materials,
1959
Container Summary: (includes 14 photographs)
Box 1
3rd Annual Health Education Workshop planning materials,
1960
Box 1
4th Annual Health Education Workshop planning materials,
1961
Container Summary: (2 folders)
Box 1
8th Annual Health Education Workshop planning materials, 1 of 2
1965
Box 1
8th Annual Health Education Workshop planning materials, 2 of 2
1965
Box 1
Annual Health Education Workshops planning materials, 1 of 2
1970-1972
Box 1
Annual Health Education Workshops planning materials, 2 of 2
1970-1972
Box 1
Health Education Workshop evaluations,
1961-1963
Box 1
Workshop registrations,
1966
Box 1
Workshop programs,
1958-1959, 1961-1963, 1966-1968, 1970-1972
Polio immunization and vaccination programs
Box 2
Ventura County Polio Days [Polio vaccination program],
1957
Box 2
California Department of Public Health, information kit for use in California Polio Vaccination Program,
1957
Box 2
Ventura County polio vaccination statistics,
1956-1957
Box 2
Ventura County Polio Vaccination Program, 1 of 2
1955-1959
Box 2
Ventura County Polio Vaccination Program, 2 of 2
1955-1959
Box 2
Ventura County Medical Society oral polio immunization program,
1963-1965
Box 2
Assorted clippings regarding health education workshops and polio programs,
1957-1958
Box 2
Miscellaneous Ventura County health information,
1930, 1949, 1963, 1969-1970, 1973, 1981
