Guide to the Evelyn Berger Brown Collection

Lucinda Glenn Rand
Graduate Theological Union Archives
Graduate Theological Union
2400 Ridge Road
Berkeley, California, 94709
Phone: (510) 649-2523/2501
Email: archives@gtu.edu
URL: http://gtu.edu/library/information/special-collections
© 2006
Graduate Theological Union. All rights reserved.

Guide to the Evelyn Berger Brown Collection

Collection number: GTU 90-2-01

Graduate Theological Union Archives

Graduate Theological Union

Berkeley, California
Processed by:
Lucinda Glenn Rand
Date Completed:
July 15, 1999
Encoded by:
UCSC OAC Unit
© 2006 Graduate Theological Union. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

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.
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

Access

Collection is open for research.

Access Restrictions

Three files restricted until 2024 (25 years from 1999). Located in Restricted Box 1, ff 6-8, 3/B/1.

Publication Rights

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.

Preferred Citation

Evelyn Berger Brown collection, GTU 90-2-01. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Evelyn Berger Brown in 1990

Biography

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.

Indexing Terms

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


box-folder 1-6

Correspondence 1966-1976

box-folder 1-4

Alphabetical 1966-1976

box-folder 1

A-G 1966-1976

box-folder 2

F-K 1966-1976

box-folder 3

L-R 1966-1976

box-folder 4

S-Z 1966-1976

box-folder 5:1-3

General 1977-1988

box-folder 5:4-6:6

Lecture correspondence - concerning lecture dates, places and arrangements 1966-1977

box-folder 5:4-11

A-N 1966-1977

box-folder 6:1-6

O-Z 1966-1977

box-folder 6:7-10, 7:1-34, 8:1-5, 12

Lectures 1936-1976

box-folder 6:7

Air Force 1966-1967

box-folder 6:8

Chaplain's Wives 1977

box-folder 6:9-10

Costa Rica 1946-1984

box-folder 7:1

The Grass Looks Greener n.d.

box-folder 7:2

U.S.S. Hancock (Navy) 1966-67

box-folder 7:3-5

Various Programs and Lectures 1946-1950 1965-1984 undated

box-folder 7:6-7

Lectures given: lists of titles and venues 1936-1986

box-folder 7:8

Lecture Topics, lists of titles and program outlines n.d.

box-folder 7:9

Missions n.d.

box-folder 7:10

Ministers and Minister's Wives Workshops 1954-1973

box-folder 7:11-16

Pebbles: a series of vignettes and topics n.d.

box-folder 7:17

Spanish America, various dates 1943-1947

box-folder 7:18

Colston Leigh, lecturer's agent; contract 1956-1958

box-folder 7:19-25

Post Lecture correspondence 1965-1986

box-folder 7:26

Promotional material, lecture brochures, and biographical data n.d.

box-folder 7:27-34, 8:1-5

Lectures from Binders

Note

Note: Evelyn B. Brown had a series of small three-ring binders with typed notes and outlines, dated and undated. The binders had headings on the outside cover, the contents were tabbed with titles or topics.
box-folder 7:27-32

General topices n.d.

box-folder 7:33-34

Berkeley Baptist Divinity School n.d.

box-folder 8:1

Counseling n.d.

box-folder 8:2

Marriage Counseling n.d.

box-folder 8:3-4

Parent/Child/Family Relationships n.d.

box-folder 8:5

Travel n.d.

box-folder 12

Lecture notes on 4.5 x 6 in. cards. Taken from a small green Microform metal box. The box is housed inside Box 10.

box-folder 8:6-26, 9:1-6

Publications 1923-1988

box-folder 8:6

La Joven (in Spanish) 1923

box-folder 8:7

Extra Curricular Activities for the Spanish Department, Pamphlet and Correspondence 1942-50

box-folder 8:7b

Who Matter Most, Today's Children 1954

box-folder 8:8

The Minister and Family Counseling, MSS ca. 1963-64

box-folder 8:9-11

Triangle, book and correspondence 1971-1975

box-folder 8:12

Loneliness, correspondence 1974

box-folder 8:13-16

This One Thing I Do: the story of Alice Weed, correspondence 1982-1987

box-folder 8:17-18

Formula for a Happy Marriage, (sample chapters) and correspondence, MSS 1983-1985

box-folder 8:19-20

Bits and Pieces: EBB Memoir, MSS 1986

box-folder 8:21-22

Pricetag, a novel, MSS drafts 1984-1988

box-folder 8:23

Suggestions for Writing a Religious Play, MSS and published pamphlet n.d.

box-folder 8:24-26

Family Affair, MSS n.d.

box-folder 9:1-6

Faucets (Sections: Hostility, Guilt, Fear, Low Self-Esteem, Wrenches), MSS n.d.

box-folder 9:7-29

Media Work 1944-1965

box-folder 9:7-9

Radio Show: Successful Parents, correspondence and show scripts 1944

box-folder 9:10-13

TV Show: Crosswinds, correspondence and show scripts 1957-1958

box-folder 9:14-21

TV Show: A Family Affair, correspondence and show scripts (includes some for Crosswinds) 1960

box-folder 9:22

TV Show: Family Forum, correspondence 1963-64

box-folder 9:23

Filmstrips: Cathedral Films, scripts 1965

box-folder 9:24

TV and radio scriptwriting workshops ca. 1964

box-folder 9:25-29

Playscripts: Henry, Pricetag on Love, Roaring Forties: Dangerous Curves Ahead, Tremendous Trifles, Without Benefit of Clergy n.d.

box-folder 9:30-45, 10:1-26

Subject files 1923-1987

box-folder 9:30

Association of Couples for Marriage Enrichment 1973-1974

box-folder 9:31

American Association of Marriage Counselors 1966-74

box-folder 9:32

American Board of Counseling Services 1966

box-folder 9:33

American Institute of Family Relations 1966-75

box-folder 9:34

Jesse Berger Scholarship, University of the Pacific 1969-87

box-folder 9:35

Berkeley Baptist Divinity School 1963-1972

box-folder 9:36

Bibliographies/Book Lists 1960-1968

box-folder 9:37-44

Bishop and Mrs. George A. Miller Lectureship, University of the Pacific 1961-1987

box-folder 9:45

Evelyn Berger Brown, biographical data 1896-1990

box-folder 10:1

Evelyn Berger Brown Family Trust, 2nd amendment 1989

box-folder 10:2-4

Case studies 1946-1966

box-folder 10:5

Drew University, United Methodist Archives (Bishop Miller Collection) 1970-1986

box-folder 10:6

East Bay Psychological Center (also called the Psychological Consultation Center and the Evelyn Berger Center) ca. 1940-1975

box-folder 10:7

Graduate Theological Union, Correspondence 1967

box-folder 10:8

"The Topsey Growth of a Counseling Center", East Bay Psychological Center 1989

box-folder 10:9

Licenses 1950-1987

box-folder 10:10-11

Bishop George A. Miller Collection, Drew University, United Methodist Archives n.d.

box-folder 10:12

List of Photographs send and returned 1963-65

box-folder 10:13-16

Referrals, from ministers, doctors, lawyers 1966-1969

box-folder 10:17-18

Scarritt College, Board of Trustees 1966-79

box-folder 10:19

Spanish House, Stockton, CA. 1930

box-folder 10:20-21

Staff Applicants from APA Employment Bulletin 1966-1967

box-folder 10:22

Bishop Marvin Stuart, UM Church, Northern CA-NV Conference 1970-1975

box-folder 10:23-24

Tests 1949-57

box-folder 10:25

Women's Athletic Club, Oakland 1947-48

box-folder 10:26

Women's Society of Christian Service, Methodist Church, history 1989

box-folder 11

Photographs 1898-1981

box-folder 11:1-22

Photos covering Evelyn's childhood, high school, college and graduate years 1898-1933

box-folder 11:9

Father 1924

box-folder 11:11-15

Trip to Spain 1927

box-folder 11:22

Parents 1937

box-folder 11:23-30

Photos are career woman portraits of her from professional studios. 1931-1981

Folio 1

Mounted photo of Evelyn Miller ca. 1931

box-folder 1

Restricted Material

Note

Restricted until 2024 (25 years from 1999). Located in Restricted Box 1:6-8, (3/B/1)
box-folder 1:6

American Baptist Foreign Missionary Testing, Candidates 1968-1969

box-folder 1:7

American Baptist Seminary of the West/Berkeley Baptist Divinity School Psychological Testing 1962-69

box-folder 1:8

Test Reports 1979 1982