mums051 Easthampton Community Chest Records, 1943-1969 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Anneliese Ostendarp. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA
2003

University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric Cartier. 2003-04-22 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mu5 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Easthampton Community Chest Records, 1943-1969 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 51 Compiled by Anneliese Ostendarp June 1985 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

2003 University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Collection Overview Easthampton Community Chest (Easthampton, Mass.) Easthampton Community Chest Records 1943-1969 MS 51 2 boxes (.75 linear ft.) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Organization created to sponsor and conduct all fundraising for, and to distribute funds to, relief and social agenices in the town of Easthampton, Massachusetts. Contains records of minutes, campaign reports, Presidents' and Treasurers' reports, and correspondence. Also included are scrapbooks with newspaper clippings and other printed material. English. Historical Note

In 1943, Easthampton citizens incorporated the Easthampton Community War Fund to sponsor and conduct all fundraising for, and to distribute funds to, the relief and social agencies in the town. Nine years later in 1952, the organization was renamed the Easthampton Community Chest.

Through the 1950's and early 1960's, however, the Chest failed to reach its campaign goals. Board minutes reflect the Chest's difficulties in finding volunteers to help with the campaigns, in educating the public and in developing interest in the Chest. Proposed solutions included dropping the Chest Drive, hiring a professional director, and holding a joint drive with the surrounding towns. The Easthampton Community Chest held its last drive in 1968. In 1969, the Easthampton Community Chest joined the Northampton Community Chest as the Hampshire United Fund.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The collection is approximately .75 feet and consists of two series, including Administration, 1943-1968 and Scrapbooks.

Series I, Administration, contains the Easthampton Community Chest records maintained by the secretary in chronological order. Minutes (1943-1968), campaign reports, Presidents' and Treasurers' reports, and correspondence are found in a single sequence.

Series II, Scrapbooks, contains three Easthampton Community War Fund scrapbooks. The scrapbooks document campaign activity and included newspaper clippings and other printed material (1943-1945).

Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into two series:

Series 1. Administration (1943-1968) Series 2. Scrapbooks (1943-1945)

The collection is open for research.

 Preferred Citation

Cite as: Easthampton Community Chest Records (MS 51). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Collection processed by Anneliese Ostendarp, 2003.

 Search Terms Easthampton Community War Fund (Easthampton, Mass.)--Archives. Easthampton Community Chest (Easthampton, Mass.)--Archives. Charities--Massachusetts--Easthampton--History--Sources. Federations, Financial (Social service)--History--Sources. Easthampton (Mass.)--Social conditions--Sources. Scrapbooks. Series 1. Administration1943-1968

Contains the Easthampton Community Chest records maintained by the secretary in chronological order.

Minutes (1943-1968), campaign reports, Presidents' and Treasurers' reports, and correspondence are found in a single sequence.

 Series 2. Scrapbooks1943-1945

Contains three Easthampton Community War Fund scrapbooks. The scrapbooks document campaign activity and included newspaper clippings and other printed material (1943-1945).

 Series 1. Administration1943-1968 1 1 By-Laws 1943 1 2 Incorporation Papers 1943-1963 1 3-7 Minutes and Correspondence 1943-1968 Series 2. Scrapbooks1943-1945 1 1 Scrapbook 1943 2 2-3 Scrapbook 1944-1945