Correspondence and Notebooks 1891-1963; 1924-1962 [microform]

ArchivalResource

Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses. Correspondence and Notebooks 1891-1963; 1924-1962 [microform]

Correspondence and Notebooks 1891-1963; 1924-1962 [microform]

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/288630834

This series comprises records generated or retained during the regular course of business by the directing sister for the Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses (MJDH/PMD). They are from 1891-1963 with the bulk dating from 1924-1962. Record types include business correspondence, circular letters, and handwritten lecture notes. Almost all of the material was generated or retained by the last directing sister, Sister Anna Ebert. There is one folder of correspondence retained by Sister Julia Mergner and one folder of circular letters composed by Sister Grace Lauer who was the interim directing sister from 1943-1945 while Sister Anna was serving as the directing deaconess for Lankenau Hospital. The bulk of the records are business correspondence and circular letters. The correspondence is Sister Anna's and comprises handwritten and typewritten letters. Subject matter of these letters include Sister Anna's time in Germany in 1930 studying the work of motherhouses; responses to invitations issued for the anniversaries to be celebrated in 1938 and 1959; Sister Anna's selection as a delegate to the first LWF assembly held in Lund, Sweden, 1947; post World War II relief efforts for German deaconesses; a National Lutheran Council church worker exchange program that included visits by European deaconesses to United States; and revision of the deaconess garb. Of note is a pair of letters between Sister Anna and the Rev. George Drach, Administrative Secretary, Board of Foreign Missions, United Lutheran Church in America. Sister Anna's letter to Rev. Drach is in response to an editorial he wrote that appeared in September 1943 issue of The Foreign Missionary pertaining to women's roles in the church. In addition to the business correspondence is a compilation of circular letters Sister Anna sent to all sisters in the MJDH/PMD. In these letters Sister Anna relayed information on sisters who were ill, deaths occurring within the deaconess community, general news, updates on work occurring at outstations, and actions taken at meetings of the Sister's Council. Other circular letters are those pertaining to seminars held for groups of consecration classes. These letters were sent to a block of consecration classes and contained information on upcoming seminars as well as the schedule of events for the seminar. There is one folder of general circular letters from 1943-1945 composed by Sister Grace Lauer while she was serving as the interim directing sister. The other records in this series are handwritten lecture notes compiled by Sister Anna for use in Bible studies, general lectures, and devotions.

2 microfilm reels (35mm).

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library, ELCA Library