|
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Board of National Missions War Services Unit Records, 1941-1950 (bulk, 1941-1948) Finding Aid to Record Group 301.6 7.50 cu.ft. |
|
|---|
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
The 1941 General Assembly (PCUSA) assigned responsibility for ministry to "War Industry Communities" to the Board of National Missions. The term "War Industry Communities" covered all critical problems in the home field within the general scope of National Missions except those having to do with service to US military forces, to refugees, or to prisoners of war. This mission work extended to include Puerto Rico and Cuba.
The BNM created a special War Services Unit. A.L. Roberts, Assistant Secretary of Rural Church Work, was placed in charge of this unit; assisting him was Thomas B. Foster. The Unit operated under the supervision of Administrative Secretary Hermann N. Morse.
The Unit worked with the Board of Christian Education and the Committee on Camp and Church Activities as well as with interdenominational agencies such as the Home Missions Council of North America. Its primary concern was to minister to the massive numbers of Americans who had left their homes and churches to find work in the newly created industrial defense areas. BNM field workers established Sunday schools, built churches, and organized parishes. Temporary housing areas such as trailer parks were served by a "wayside chapel"--a missionary drove from place to place in a bus and conducted services along his route.
Since War Service work was national in scope, it had to be administered locally to some extent. Roberts and Foster worked with five contacts at the synod level: Jacob A. Long, J. Earl Jackman, Henry S. Randolph, A.B. McCoy, and E.A. Odell. All five were departmental secretaries in the BNM, Jackman in the Department of Missionary Support and the other four men in the Department of Missionary Operation. These men made recommendations for continuation of grants and employment of field personnel.
Upon the end of the war in 1945, the Unit's focus shifted towards helping the population to readjust to peacetime conditions. On June 1, 1946, drastic budget cuts went into effect in the Unit. Most of its funds from that point on were expended on projects which were to be permanent work done by regular national missionaries. In the course of the next two years all such projects were absorbed into various permanent departments of the BNM.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
Record Group 301.6 comprises the files of the War Services Unit from 1941-1948, with one report on postwar planning from 1950. It includes administrative files, field correspondence and
reports, and photographs. The administrative files include a good deal of material on the Home Missions Council of North America and on the Christian Commission for Camp and Defense Communities, organizations which sponsored interdenominational projects. The PCUSA was active in both institutions. The field correspondence and reports provide details on war service work all over the country. The photographs were sent in by the field workers and provide a visual supplement to their letters and reports. The collection is arranged as follows:
SERIES 1: ADMINISTRATIVE FILES, 1941-47, 1950
SERIES 2: FIELD CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS, 1941-48
SERIES 3: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1941-47
Oversize Photographs/Posters
8 x 10 Photographs/Illustrated Reports
Small Photographs
NOTES TO THE RESEARCHER
The articles written by the War Service Unit for publicity purposes (Box 2 Folders 19-21) are especially worthwhile, as they are excepts from narrative field reports which have in large measure not survived. Such reports provided a wealth of detail about the everyday life and work on the field, and a good bit of that information went into the articles. The few surviving reports will be found in Series 2 of this collection.
Related collections include:
RG 10 Dept. of Chaplains and Service Personnel Records
RG 37 Board of Christian Education Dept. of Theological
Seminaries Records
RG 289 William Orr Papers
RG 301.7 Board of National Missions Div. of Church Strategy
and Development Records
Collection processed and finding aid prepared: August 1992
Stephanie Muntone, Processing Archivist
Box Folder Description | ||
1 1 Finding Aid to Record Group 301.6
2 BNM Emergency Executive Committee Minutes--
Creation of War Services Unit, 1941-42
3 Organization/Operation of Unit; Closing of Unit, 1943-46
SERIES 1: ADMINISTRATIVE FILES, 1941-47, 1950
4 Alaska
5 Annual Report Materials, 1943-46
6 Board of Foreign Missions, 1946
7 Board of National Missions--Educational/Medical Work, 1946-47
8 Board of Pensions--Lists of War Services Workers, 1942-45
9-12 Budget (by synod), 1941-47
13 Camp and Defense Communities Survey--correspondence, 1941-42
14 Children's Work
15 Christian Commission for Camp and Defense Communities-General
16 Budget Committee, 1943-45
17 Church Letter on War Communities, 1944
18 Church Mobilization, 1942
19 Correspondence, 1942-45
20 Executive Committee, 1943-45
21 Industrial Division, 1942-46
22 Literature Committee, 1943-44
23-25 Minutes, 1941-45
26 New Mexico/Arizona, 1944
27 Policy and Program Committee, 1945-46
28 Reports, 1941-44
29 Special Committee, 1942
30 Volunteer Services, 1942-46
31 Committee on Camp and Church Activities, 1941-46
32 Conferences--Atlantic Synod
33 on Churches' Official Standing
34 Presbytery Enlistment Chairmen
35 Special Administrative Conferences, general, 1943
36 Arizona Synod, 1943
37 Arkansas Synod, 1943
38 Baltimore Synod, 1943
39 California Synod, 1943
40 Colorado Synod, 1943
41 Illinois Synod, 1943
42 Intermountain Area (UT, WY, ID), 1943
43 Japanese Work, 1942
44 Kansas Synod, 1943
45 Kentucky Synod, 1943
46 Michigan Synod, 1943
47 Mid-South Synod (AL, TN), 1943
48 Minnesota Synod, 1943
49 Missouri Synod, 1943
50 Montana Synod, 1943
1 51 Special Administrative Conference--Montana/Dakotas, 1943
52 Nebraska Synod, 1943
53 New England Synod, 1943
54 New Jersey Synod, 1943
55 New Mexico Synod, 1943
56 Ohio Synod, 1943
57 Oklahoma Synod, 1942
58 Oregon/Washington, 1943
59 Pennsylvania Synod, 1943
60 Texas Synod, 1942-43
61 Conscientious Objectors, 1942
62 Contact Officers' Meetings--Minutes, 1945
63 Church Work in Defense Industries--Outlines, Pamphlet Material, 1941-42
64 Defense Service Council (PCUS), 1941
65 Episcopal Church, 1942-44
66 Evangelism, 1942
67 Federal Council of Churches, 1942
68-69 Federal Public Housing Projects, 1942-46
70 Federal Security Agency, 1942-43
71-73 Hazel, William, 1941-44
74 Home Missions Council of North America, 1942-47
75 Japanese-American Resettlement Committee
76 Reports, 1942, 1947
77 Student Veterans' Emergency Committee, 1946-47
2 1-2 Industrial Chaplaincy, 1942-47
3 Interboard Committee on Conference on Church and Social Services, 1944
4 Japanese-American Work, 1943-44
5 Missionaries--Job Descriptions/Definitions, 1945
6 National Family Week, 1943
7 Negro Populations in Camp and Defense Areas, 1942
8-9 Newsletter--"Defense/War Industry/War-Time Service Bulletin", 1942-44
10 Correspondence, 1942
11 Supplements to Bulletins, 1942-43
11a "War Service News," 1945-46
12 Office of Civilian Defense, 1942-44
13 Office of Defense Health and Welfare Services, 1942-43
14 People's Institute of Applied Religion
15 Policy and Procedure Manual
16 Postwar Planning, 1943-50
17 Presbyterian Wartime Service Commission--Restoration Fund, 1945-46
18 Publicity, general
19 Articles
20 Monday Morning, 1941-44
21 The Presbyterian, 1944-46
22 Movies, 1942-43
23 Notes, 1942-43
24 Publicity Committee, 1943-44
25 Radio Ministry, 1943-44
26 Sermons for Junior Groups, 1944
27 Quota Report--Synods and Presbyteries, 1945
2 28 Restoration Fund Projects Committee, 1944-46
29 Returning Service Personnel, 1944
30 Rural Concerns, 1942-44
31 Summer Service, general, 1943-44
32 Chicago, 1943-44
33 Illinois, 1943-44
34 Texas--Spanish-Speaking Work, 1943-44
35 Training Course--Class Notes, Papers, 1945
36 Correspondence, 1945-47
37 Sunday School Materials--Correspondence, 1943
38 Tire and Gas Rationing, 1942-44
39 Wayside Chapel--Arizona, 1942
40 California, 1943
41 Illinois, 1942
42 Indiana, 1942
43 Kansas, 1942
44 Michigan, 1942
45 Nevada, 1943
46 Eastman, Fred, 1942-43
47 Young, S. Edward, 1943-44
48 Publicity Manual, 1942
49 War Services Committee Minutes, 1945-46
50 War Services Workers, general
51 Dates and Places of Service, 1943-44
52 Lists of Workers and Projects, 1943
53 Youth--"Presbyterian Youth Program" by Inez Hazel
SERIES 2: FIELD CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS, 1941-48
54 Monthly Field Report Data (by synod), A-C, 1946
3 1 D-Z, 1946
2 Alabama-- Birmingham--Inglenook Church, 1942-47
3 Decatur, 1945-46
4 Sheffield, 1941-47
5 Alaska, general
6 Anchorage--First Church, 1943-47
7 David Crawford, 1943-44
8 Arizona, general
9 Clifton/Morenci, 1942-46
10 Flagstaff--Ordinance Depot, 1942-45
11 Florence/Valley Farms, 1942-43
12 McNary--McNary Church, 1945
13 Miami, 1942-45
14 Navajo Missions, 1943-47
15 Phoenix-- Desert Mission, 1945
16 First Church, 1943-46
17 Negro Work, 1944
18 Tempe, 1944-45
19 Winkleman/Hayden/Ray, 1943-45
3 20 Arkansas, general
21 Benton Bauxite, 1942-45
22 Hot Springs, 1942
23 California, general
24 Alameda (interdenominational), 1943-46
25 California--Belleflower--Belleflower Church, 1943
26 Herlong (interdenominational), 1943-44
27 Inglewood--Inglewood Church, 1942-47
28 Los Angeles--El Cajon Church, 1945
29 Marin City (interdenominational), 1942-46
30 Oxnard/Port Huneme, 1945-46
31 Richmond, 1943-45
32 Riverside Presbytery survey, 1942-45
33 Rodeo, 1942-46
34 San Bernardino--First Church, 1943-45
35 San Diego--Cyane Project, 1945-46
36 East San Diego Church, 1945-46
37 San Francisco--Interracial Church, 1943-45
38 Park Boulevard Church, 1943-46
39 Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 1941-42
40 Redwoods survey, 1942-43
41 Trinity Center, 1943
42 San Mateo, 1942-46
43 Santa Ana--First Church, 1943-45
44 Vallejo (interdenominational), 1942-44
45 Colorado, general, 1945
46 Connecticut--Bridgeport, 1943-46
47-48 CT Council of Churches, 1941-45
49 Hartford, 1942-44
50 Cuba, 1942-45
51 Indiana-- Rising Sun, 1943
52 Iowa--Bettendorf, 1943-45
53 Kansas, general, 1942-44
54-55 Witchita Council of Churches, 1942-46
56 Kentucky, general, 1943
57 Louisiana--New Orleans, 1942
58-59 Maine--Portland, 1942-47
60 Maryland--Baltimore--Aisquith Church, 1944-45
61 Fairfield Project, 1942-46
62 1942-47
4 1-2 MD Council of Churches, 1941-47
3 Dundalk, 1942-46
4 Elkton/Cecil County (interdenominational), 1942-45
5 Massachusetts--Quincy (interdenominational), 1942-45
6 Waltham/Watertown, 1943
7 Michigan, general
8-9 Detroit Council of Churches, 1942-46
10 Special Ministry to Labour, 1942-45
11 Flint--Flint Community Church, 1944-46
12 Willow Run, 1942-47
4 13 Minnesota, general, 1942-43
14 Mississippi, general, 1942-44
15 Missouri, general, 1943-47
16 Affton--First Church, 1944-48
17 Independence--First Church, 1943-46
18 Kansas City--Paseo and Broadland Churches, 1945-47
19 Neosho, 1941-43
20 St Louis--Manor Church, 1943
21 Markham Memorial Church, 1944-48
22 Nebraska, general, 1942-45
23-24 Nebraska--Bellevue, 1941-46
25 Grand Island, 1942-43
26 Hastings (interdenominational), 1942-43
27 Omaha--Wheeler Church, 1944-45
28 Sidney, 1942-45
29 Nevada--Basic Magnesium, 1942-46
30 Reno--Italian Missions, 1946-47
31 New Jersey, general, 1942-45
32 Avenel, 1943
33 Bayonne, 1942-43
34 Dover, 1943-46
35 Grandview, 1945-47
36 Lower Penn's Neck, 1942-43
37 New Brunswick--First Hungarian Church, 1943-46
38 Osceola/Winfield, 1941-46
39 Paterson (interdenominational), 1943-44
40 Rahway, 1943-45
41 Red Bank, 1943-45
42 New Mexico--Albuquerque, 1945
43 Carlsbad, 1943-44
44 Hobbs, 1943-46
45 New York, general, 194
46 Brooklyn Navy Yard (interdenominational), 1944-47
47 Buffalo, 1942-45
48 NY Council of Churches, 1942-44
49 Geneva (interdenominational), 1943-45
50 Minersville, 1943
51 Niagara Falls, 1942-44
52 (interdenominational)
53 Nyack, 1942
54 Rome (interdenominational), 1943-46
55 Romulus, 1941
56 Star Lake/Benson Mine, 1943-44
57 North Carolina--Charlotte, 1943-45
58 Wilmington--Maffit Village, 1945
59 Ohio, general, 1942
5 1 Cincinnati--Golf Manor, 1942-45
2 Dayton (interdenominational), 1943-46
3 Middleport-First Church, 1942
4 New Carlisle--New Carlisle Church, 1944-47
5 5 Osborn--First Church, 1944-47
6 Ravenna, 1943
7 Warren (interdenominational), 1942-46
8 Oklahoma, general, 1942-46
9-10 Chouteau--First Church, 1941-43
11 Kiowa--First Church, 1943-44
12 Lawton--First Church, 1944-45
13 McAlester, 1942-47
14 Tulsa--Yale Avenue Church, 1941-46
15 Oregon, general
16 Guild Lake, 1943-46
17 Portland Council of Churches, 1943-46
18 Portland--northeast section, 1945-46
19 St. John's Woods, 1943
20 Pennsylvania Synod, 1941-47
21 Beaver County, 1944-46
22 Pennsylvania--Carlisle Presbytery (Harrisburg area), 1943-46
23 Middletown, 1941-45
24 Philadelphia--Beth Eden House, 1943-45
25 Philadelphia Presbytery, general, 1943-46
26 Puerto Rico--Aguadilla, 1941-46
27 Rhode Island, general, 1944
28 Council of Churches, 1942-45
29 South Dakota, general, 1942-45
30 Tennessee, general
31 Alcoa, 1941
32 Humboldt, 1943-45
33 Huntingdon, 1941
34 Kingston, 1944-47
35 LaVergne, 1941-42
36 Memphis--Bethel Church, 1946-47
37 Milan, 1941-44
38 Tullahoma, 1941-44
39 Texas, general
40 Dumas--Cactus Ordinance Works, 1943-44
41 Houston--Southwest Bohemian Presbytery, 1942-44
42 McGregor, 1942-44
43 San Antonio Council of Churches, 1945-46
44 Utah, general
45 Ogden/Salt Lake (interdenominational), 1942-47
46 Springerville, 1941-45
47 Utah County Larger Parish, 1943-45
48 Virginia, general, 1943-45
49 Arlington--First Church, 1945
50 McLean--Lainsville Church, 1945
51 Washington DC--Tabor Church, 1943-44
52 Washington Federation of Churches, 1942-43
53 Washington State, general
54 Auburn, 1944-46
55 Bremerton--First Church, 1941-43
56 Summit Avenue Church, 1943
5 57 Ephrata, 1943
58 Hanford--United Protestant Church, 1944
6 1 Hanford-Richland area, 1943-44
2 Howell, William J, 1942-43
3 Neah Bay, 1941-43
4 Opportunity-Dishman, area, 1944-47
5 Seattle--Boulevard Park Church, 1941-44
6 Lake Burien Church, 1943-46
7 Riverton Heights Church, 1945
8 Spokane--First Church, 1943
9 Ligerwood Church, 1943-47
10 Whitworth Church, 1946-47
11 West Virginia--Julius Scheidel, 1944
12 Wisconsin Council of Churches, 1942-44
13 Madison--Badger Ordnance Works, 1942-47
14 Wyoming--Cheyenne, 1942
SERIES 3: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1941-47
Oversize Photographs; Poster
7 12 Oversize Photographs with captions, two with
negatives
1 Poster
8 x 10 Photographs; Illustrated Reports
8 1 California--Bellflower Church, 1946
2 Los Angeles--Pilgrim House
3 Pacific Beach
4 Richmond
5 West Oakland
6 Illinois--Chicago--Grace Community Church and Center
7 Nebraska--Bellevue, 1944
8 Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
9 South Side Church
10 South Carolina--Charleston
11 Texas--Dallas
12 Fort Worth--Liberator Village
13 Grand Prairie, 1944
14 Utah--Ogden, 1943
15 Virginia--Portsmouth--Carver Homes
16 Northwestern US
17 Identified Photos
18 Unidentified Photos
Small Photographs
19 Letter Identifying Affton, MO Photos, 1947
(photos in box 9 folder 25)
9 1 Alabama, 1945-47
2 Alaska, 1944
3 Arizona
4 Florence
5 Phoenix
6 Tucson
7 Valley Farms
8 California--Belleflower/Mayfair, 1944-46
9 Belleflower Church, negatives, 1946
10 Inglewood, 1943
11-12 Linda Vista, 1944
13 Oxnard/Port Huneme, 1945-46
14 Pacific Beach/Bayview Terrace, 1943-45
15 Richmond, 1944
16 West Oakland
17 Connecticut--Bridgeport, 1944
18 Illinois, 1943-45
19 Indiana, 1942-43
20 Iowa--Burlington, 1943
21 Kansas, 1945
22-23 Maine--Elizabeth Park/Portland, 1945-46
24 Maryland, 1947
25 Missouri--Affton, 1947 (see list above for information)
26 Nebraska, 1941-44
27 New Jersey
28 New Mexico
29 North Carolina
30 Ohio, 1943-46
31 Tennessee
32 Texas, 1944-45
33 Virginia, 1945-46
34 Washington, 1944-46
35 Wayside Chapel, 1944
36 Photographs, general
37 Negatives, general | ||