Finding aid for the Western Reserve Child Welfare Council Records

History of the Western Reserve Child Welfare Council

The Western Reserve Child Welfare Council was founded in 1911, following the first Western Reserve Conference on the Care of Neglected and Dependent Children, held at the Engineer's Building in Cleveland, Ohio, November 17-19, 1910. The Cleveland Committee on Cooperation had invited members of various child welfare organizations to form a "Central Committee" in order to arrange a conference for Cleveland such as had been organized in Philadelphia the previous year. Following the conference's success in Cleveland, the Central Committee recommended that a permanent organization be formed to promote cooperation between child welfare agencies in the Western Reserve. It was named the Western Reserve Child Welfare Council, and its membership consisted of two appointed representatives from each agency, both private and public.

During its seven year history, the council produced reports and addressed such issues as child labor, infant care, education, institutional care, and dependent mothers with infants. Through these reports, the council also served as a watchdog organization that could recommend action by the City of Cleveland on child advocacy issues. Leading members included James R. Garfield, Chester C. Bolton, Gilbert P. Jennings, and Dr. Richard Bolt.

In 1914, the Western Reserve Child Welfare Council changed its name to the Cleveland Welfare Council. In 1917, the council's members voted to join with the Cleveland Federation for Charity and Philanthropy in a single organization named the Cleveland Welfare Federation. The federation's purpose would be to encourage cooperation between all city welfare agencies and to raise and distribute funds to the area welfare organizations.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Western Reserve Child Welfare Council

Scope and Content

The Western Reserve Child Welfare Council Records, 1910-1917, consists of a constitution, minutes, budget statements, correspondence, and reports.

For the scholar pursuing a greater understanding of the development of social service administration and regulation in the Cleveland area, this collection offers an exceptional view of the city's first advisory board for child advocacy and reform. Meeting notes disclose early discussions of the community's needs that led to a conference on child advocacy and then to a cooperative council for advising the area's child protection agencies and helping to regulate their services. Until this council's existence, there was no area organization that acted as an advisory board to the city's many public and private child social service agencies. Minutes, correspondence, and reports document the gradual evolution of this council and record its changing contributions to the city and its final development as a part of a larger and more effective Cleveland Welfare Federation.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4632 Western Reserve Child Welfare Council Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Family Planning Services of Lorain County, 1992

Processing Information

Processed by Rebecca M. Johnson in 1993

Detailed Description of The Collection