Summary Information
At a Glance
| Bib ID: | 4079914 View CLIO record |
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| Creator(s): | La Guardia Memorial House (New York, N.Y.) |
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| Title: | La Guardia Memorial House records,
1899-1993.
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| Physical description: | 4 linear ft. (in 9 boxes).
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| Language(s): | In English
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| Access: |
This collection has no restrictions.
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least
two business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript
Library reading room.
More information » |
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Arrangement
Arrangement
Arranged in two series:
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Description
Scope and Content
The LaGuardia Memorial House Records document the settlement's activities from its
earliest years as "The Home Garden" to its current social service programs for the youth
of East Harlem. They offer a unique view of the first wave of the settlement movement in
America, and document social conditions, demographic change, political activity,
philanthropy and social work in East Harlem over a 90 year period. The records include:
annual reports, board minutes and correspondence, headworker correspondence, financial
records, fundraising information, and photographs.
The first three decades of the settlement are documented by annual reports, board
minutes, correspondence, newsletters and program files. Of particular interest is
administrative correspondence from 1919-20, which provides insight on the vigorous
"Americanization" work the settlement undertook in this period; and Fresh Air Camp
records which evidence the ethnicity of program participants. Records from subsequent
years are much less complete. They include brochures and newsclippings describing
settlement activities, biographical information on board members including Edward Corsi,
and photographs of settlement staff, programs and participants.
Series I: Administration
Annual reports, Board of Directors minutes and biographical information, brochures
and promotional materials, correspondence, financial records, headworker files,
and program information. Folders arranged alphabetically. Documents arranged
chronologically, except in correspondence files where existing alphabetical
document arrangement has been maintained.
Series II: Audio-Visual Materials
Black and white and color photographs of settlement staff, board members, programs
and participants. Folders arranged alphabetically by subject. Photographs arranged
chronologically when possible.
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Using the Collection
Offsite
Access Restrictions
This collection has no restrictions.
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least
two business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript
Library reading room.
Restrictions on Use
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of
the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The
responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); La Guardia Memorial House records; Box
and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Finding aid available online and in repository.
Selected Related Material-- Other Repositories
Edward Corsi Papers,
Syracuse University.
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About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries. Rare Book and
Manuscript Library; machine readable finding aid created by Columbia University
Libraries Digital Library Program Division
Processing Information
The LaGuardia Memorial House Records were identified for preservation by the New York
City Settlement House Records Survey of LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, LaGuardia
Community College, The City University of New York. The survey was funded by a 1993-94
grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The survey was
conducted by: Richard K. Lieberman, Director, LaGuardia and Wagner Archives; Sarah
Lederman, Project Coordinator; and James Moske and Holly MacCammon, Project Archivists.
Emily Marks and Suzy Edelstein of United Neighborhood Houses lent invaluable assistance
to the project. Julius C. C. Edelstein has provided inspiration and guidance from its
inception.
Donation of the records was coordinated by: Jean Ashton, Director, Rare Book and
Manuscript Library, Columbia University; Bernard Crystal, Curator of Manuscripts, Rare
Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University; and Jim Soler, Executive Director,
LaGuardia Memorial House.
The records were processed and this finding aid prepared by James Moske and Holly
MacCammon of LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, with funding from the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission.
Finding aid written by James Moske, October 2001. This Finding Aid is dedicated to Peter
Pascale, LaGuardia Memorial House board member and former Executive Director, whose
affiliation with the settlement spans seven decades.
Machine readable finding aid generated from MARC-AMC source via XSLT conversion
June 26, 2009
Finding aid written in English.
2014-09-10
XML document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi
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Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
All links open new windows.
Genre/Form
Subjects
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History / Biographical Note
Historical Note
During the late 1800s Manhattan's East Harlem experienced a dramatic increase in
population and economic activity as transportation lines were extended into the area and
new housing was constructed. Successive waves of Irish, German Jewish and Italian
immigrants moved into tenement buildings and formed a vital community establishing small
businesses benevolent societies and fraternal organizations. But the dense concentration
of population also gave rise to a host of urban problems poor housing inadequate health
care lack of educational opportunities and crime.
Such an increase in the social problems attending urban growth had led reformers and
philanthropists in England to establish Toynbee Hall the first settlement house in 1884.
Originally distinguished by the commitment of educated upper and middle-class volunteers
to settle in working class communities in order to understand their problems first-hand
the settlement model was imported to the United States in 1886 when Neighborhood Guild
was established on New York's lower east side. American settlement houses were in the
vanguard of efforts to provide social services in their neighborhoods through such
programs as kindergartens day care hot lunches health clinics visiting nurses camps
playgrounds and arts education. In addition the settlements joined Progressive-era
reform movements for improved housing public health and sanitation.
In 1898 Anna C. Ruddy a Canadian who had done missionary work in East Harlem for the
previous eight years decided to establish a settlement house in the neighborhood. Ruddy
opened The Home Garden in a tenement on East 115th Street but soon moved to 322 Pleasant
Avenue where the settlement was legally incorporated in 1901. Its early focus was on
programs for children including clubs a day nursery and classes in sewing cooking and
carpentry. There was also a strong religious emphasis through Bible classes and a Sunday
school. During the 1910s under the leadership of Headworker Bertha Muriel Gage the
settlement broadened its focus to the adults of East Harlem through mother's clubs
debating groups and citizenship classes. Children's activities were expanded to include
Fresh Air Camp a Boy Scout troop and health care by hosting a district nurse sponsored
by Henry Street Settlement. To facilitate these activities the settlement moved to
larger quarters at 405 East 116th Street and eventually to 311-316 East 116th. In 1916
the settlement's name was changed to Haarlem House.
During the 1920s and 30s East Harlem's demography began to shift as Puerto Ricans and
African-Americans moved into the neighborhood. Many other ethnic groups remained as well
reflected by a 1926 news clipping which reports that people of 27 different national
origins participated in Haarlem House activities. Italian-Americans were well
represented among these and Director of Men's Work Edward Corsi coordinated many
citizenship programs oriented to them. Corsi also served briefly as Executive Director
of the settlement before going on to a political career that included positions as U. S.
Commissioner of Immigration and New York State Industrial Commissioner. In 1955 he
returned to the settlement as Executive Director then joined its Board of Directors.
In 1956 Haarlem House was re-named LaGuardia Memorial House in honor of former East
Harlem congressman and New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. During this period the
settlement operated a music school and worked to improve relations between Puerto Rican
and Italian-American youth in the area. In 1967 LaGuardia Memorial House transferred
title of its East 116th Street property to the New York City Housing Authority which
built new housing for senior citizens on the site as well as a new community center
facility which has since been operated by the settlement. In 1973 Peter Pascale became
Executive Director of LaGuardia Memorial House. Pascale had grown up in East Harlem
using the settlement and first joined its staff as Athletic Director in 1931. Both he
and his successor Jim Soler maintained the agency's historic commitment to the youth of
East Harlem through such programs as day care after school recreation summer day camp
and athletics.
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