Jewish Foundation for Education of Women records 1880-1988

ArchivalResource

Jewish Foundation for Education of Women records, 1880-1988

Jewish Foundation for Education of Women records 1880-1988

http://archives.nypl.org/mss/1563

The Jewish Foundation for Education of Women was founded in New York City in 1880 as the Louis Down Town Sabbath School for the purpose of helping underprivileged children of Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side. From 1895 to 1932 it was known as the Hebrew Technical School for Girls and offered courses in commercial and industrial arts to young women. In 1932 its board of directors closed the school and developed in its place a program of direct scholarship assistance to women. As the Jewish Foundation for Education of Women the foundation continues to offer, since 1964 on a non-sectarian basis, scholarship assistance to disadvantaged women seeking to better themselves through higher education. Collection consists of correspondence, minutes of the board of directors, annual reports, case records, registers of scholarship recipients, and financial statements. Records reflect the origins of the organization in 1880 as a charity school for aiding children of Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side; its development into a vocational school for under-privileged Jewish women; and its work as a foundation offering scholarship grants and loans to disadvantaged Jewish women seeking personal advancement through higher education. Most of the records predate 1964 when the foundation became non-sectarian. Correspondence, 1900-1948, concerns legal, financial and administrative matters. Minutes, 1915-1988, also include financial reports and reports on recipients of grants and loans. Annual reports are from the period 1880-1893, 1896-1919. Case files, 1937-1955 (bulk 1937-1941) contain applications submitted to the scholarship committee by women applying for tuition loans or grants (there are a few photographs of applicants). Registers of applicants cover two periods: 1934-1940 and 1940-1963. Bulk of the financial records consists of auditors' annual financial statements and reports, 1927-1950. Also, miscellaneous records, 1887-1985, and fragmented and deteriorated records of graduates for the period 1907-1932.

8.8 linear feet (21 boxes)

New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division