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Guide to the Evelyn Berger Brown Collection
GTU 90-2-01
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Title: Evelyn Berger Brown collection
Dates: 1898-1989
Bulk Dates: (Bulk) 1966-1980
Collection number: GTU 90-2-01
Creator:
Brown, Evelyn Berger
Collection Size:
12 boxes, 1 folio
7 linear ft.
7 linear ft.
Repository: The Graduate Theological Union. Library.
Berkeley, CA 94709
Abstract: This collection consists of Evelyn Berger Brown's professional papers from the mid-1960's to her retirement in the mid-1970's.
There is very little personal material. A large portion of the collection consists of material concerning her extensive community
lecturing, from the 1930's to the 1980's.
Shelf location: 2/J/2-2/J/4
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research.
Three files restricted until 2024 (25 years from 1999). Located in Restricted Box 1, ff 6-8, 3/B/1.
Copyright has not been assigned to The Graduate Theological Union. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Graduate Theological Union
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the reader.
Evelyn Berger Brown collection, GTU 90-2-01. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.
Gift of Evelyn Berger Brown in 1990
Evelyn Berger Brown (1896-1990) was born Evelyn Miller in Hanford, California, July 11, 1896, daughter of Bishop George A.
Miller and Margaret Rose Miller. George Miller, a Methodist minister, served local churches in California then became a missionary,
later a bishop, in the Philippines, Costa Rica, Chile, and Argentina. Evelyn therefore grew up in these various places, and
when older, taught in mission schools (1917-19) and served as a field worker among youth (1921-23).
Evelyn received an A.B., 1921, and M.A., 1930, from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in psychology, 1932, from Columbia University.
She also studied in Mexico and Spain and was fluent in Spanish. After receiving the Ph.D., she served as Dean of Women and
Professor of Spanish at Allegheny College. Her teaching experience included, at various times, the University of Idaho, San
Diego State College, University of the Pacific, and the Berkeley Baptist Divinity School.
In 1939, Evelyn married Jesse Berger. Then in 1941, Evelyn Miller Berger founded the East Bay Psychological Center in Oakland,
California, later named the Evelyn Berger Center for Counseling and Psychotherapy after her retirement. Her work and style
of therapy centered on the importance of an individual's religious faith in handling psychological problems. The staff always
included ordained ministers of different denominations. She had a large and successful counseling practice, held workshops
for ministers teaching counseling techniques, and, in the wider community, lectured and taught extensively on family problems,
marriage, teenage difficulties, and general emotional disturbances. Evelyn frequently appeared on radio and television as
well as hosting her own local shows in the San Francisco Bay Area: "Successful Parents" on radio, and "Cross Winds" and "It's
a Family Affair" on TV. Her writing included published articles in church publications and professional journals, and books.
Evelyn was a dedicated member of the Methodist Church and supported the church strongly throughout her life. She was the
first California-Nevada Conference president of the Women's Society of Christian Service, and served on various Conference
committees and commissions. She was on the Boards of several Conference missions. Evelyn and her husband Jesse were active
with youth organizations. She was later a donor to and supporter of the Methodist colleges, Scarritt College, the University
of the Pacific, and Drew University establishing lectureships and scholarships.
After Jesse's death in October 1971, Evelyn married C. Maxwell Brown in November 1972. On their retirement, they moved to
the Lake Park Methodist retirement residence in Oakland, California. Evelyn Berger Brown died there on November 20, 1990.
(For more extensive biographical information, see Biographical Data, Box 9, ff 45, and "Bits and Pieces", a memoir, Box 8,
ff 19-20.)
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection was taken from the retirement home of Evelyn Berger Brown by the Archivist. Evelyn had moved to the Lake Park
Residence in Oakland, CA from her large home of several years. At the time of the move she indicated to the Archivist that
she had discarded most of her earlier professional and personal files and correspondence. This collection consists of her
professional papers from the mid-1960's to her retirement in the mid-1970's. There is very little personal material. A large
portion of the collection consists of material concerning her extensive community lecturing, from the 1930's to the 1980's.
Note: Three files restricted until 2024 (25 years from 1999). Located in Restricted Box 1, ff 6-8, 3/B/1.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Psychologists--United States
Psychologists--Biography
Psychology--United States--History--Sources
Psychology--Women--History--Sources
Psychology--Clergy--History--Sources
Marriage Counseling--United States
Family Psychotherapy--United States
Counseling of Clergy
Counseling of Clergy Family Relationships
Methodists--Biography
Women in church work
Radio Programs
Television Programs
Miller, George Amos, 1868-1961