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Guide to the Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary Mardi Gras Programs Collection
MS 259
MS 259
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Title: Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary Mardi Gras Programs Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 259
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.75 Linear feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1956-1983
Abstract: The Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary held an annual Mardi Gras Ball, from the late 1940s to 1983, to benefit Camp Oliver
in Descanso, California. This collection consists of programs from the Mardi Gras Ball.
creator:
Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary.
Collection processed by Jennifer Ho on June 16, 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.
Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary Mardi Gras Programs Collection, MS 259, San Diego History Center Document Collection,
San Diego, CA.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Some programs have loose or detached pages. (June 15, 2011)
The items are arranged chronologically.
The collection consists of event programs from the Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary Mardi Gras Balls from 1956 through
its conclusion in 1983 (programs from 1957, 1965, 1968 are not included in collection). The programs are comprised primarily
of advertisements from local businesses, many of whom integrated the event’s theme and members into the advertisements. Beginning
pages of the programs contain features such as group photos of that year’s court as well as past years’ courts, names and
photos of the event committee members, acknowledgements, lists of club members, Executive Board members, event patrons and
contributors to the event, and the evening’s schedule. Through 1959, the programs also contained blank calendar pages. There
are also items that were inserted in the annual programs such as bookmark and pencil advertisements, a Camp Oliver brochure
from 1966, and loose printed images of the annual Mardi Gras’ courts.
Biographical / Historical Notes
The Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary was a women’s group in San Diego, founded to assist the Sisters of Social Service.
Members regularly volunteered at the Bayside Social Center, a settlement house in San Diego, and organized the annual Mardi
Gras Ball, raising funds for Camp Oliver in Descanso. According to a 1966 brochure, Camp Oliver offered an environment where
girls could grow “spiritually, physically, socially in the Christian atmosphere of the camp.” Camp Oliver was run by the Sisters
of Social Service, and all proceeds from the annual Mardi Gras Balls went to the Camp Oliver Fund.
The Mardi Gras Ball was a major annual event. The Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary began planning for the ball every
spring. Each member was responsible for finding advertisers for the program, attending work meetings and giving talks to the
community about Camp Oliver. The Ball had a different theme each year, with sponsors incorporating the theme into their advertisements
in the annual program. All decorations at the Ball were created by the members. An appropriately-dressed court presided over
each Ball. Men served as court escorts, ushers, jesters and “masquers.” The Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary held this
annual event until 1983.
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number 840426A.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Camp Oliver.
Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary.
Sisters of Social Service.
Social Service Auxiliary.
Advertising
Camping
Camps for girls
Descanso (Calif.)
Fund raising
San Diego (Calif.)
Women -- Societies and clubs