Finding aid for the Kulas Foundation Records
Title:
Kulas Foundation Records
Repository:
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722
http://www.wrhs.org
Creator:
Kulas Foundation
Dates:
1937-1984
Quantity:
20.00 linear feet (20 containers)
Abstract:
 The Kulas Foundation was established in 1937 by Elroy J. and Fynette H. Kulas to fund and promote music and higher education in greater Cleveland, Ohio. The collection consists of articles of incorporation, code of regulations, minutes, agendas, papers relating to grant proposals, financial papers, and correspondence.
Identification:
MS 4158
Location:
closed stacks
Language:
The records are in English

History of the Kulas Foundation

The Kulas Foundation (f. 1937) was established by Elroy John Kulas (1880-1952) and his wife Fynette Hill Kulas. Kulas, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, acquired his wealth in the steel industry and formed the Midland Steel Company when his Cleveland-based Parish and Bishop Company merged with Detroit Pressed Steel. He was also the director of several railroads during his life. The Kulas Foundation is interested in funding and promoting music and higher education in Greater Cleveland. No individuals or endowment funds receive grants from the foundation. In 1981 over $892,000 was distributed in 60 grants on a principal of $10,341,000. The foundation has a continuing relationship with the law firm Jones, Day, Reavis, and Pogue. Partner John Reavis was the first president of the Kulas Foundation; as of 1988, Richard E. Pogue held that position. Other officers of the institution were Allen O. Holmes, Frank E. Joseph, and Herbert E. Strawbridge.


click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Kulas Foundation


click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Elroy John Kulas

Scope and Content

The Kulas Foundation Records, 1937-1984 and undated, consist of articles of incorporation, code of regulations, minutes, agendas, papers relating to grant proposals, financial papers, and correspondence.

This collection is useful for understanding all operations of a public foundation and gives a good overview of the interests the Kulas Foundation promoted. Among those interests were music education, especially higher education as it related to projects at the major universities in the area: Kent State, Oberlin, Cleveland State, Case Western Reserve, John Carroll, Baldwin-Wallace, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Organizations such as the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Ballet, the Cleveland Opera, the Musical Arts Association, and the Cleveland Play House also benefited. Organizations promoting the handicapped, such as the Cleveland Society for the Blind and the Cuyahoga County Association for Retarded Children and Adults also received numerous grants.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged in six series.
Series I: Articles of Incorporation and Related Papers consists of materials relating to the establishment and operation of the foundation, including minutes. It is arranged by document type and then chronologically.
Series II: Agendas contains materials relating to the foundation's quarterly meetings and includes grant proposals. It is arranged chronologically.
Series III: Grants is arranged in three subseries.
Sub-series A: Yearly Files contain chronologically arranged summaries and correspondence concerning grant awards.
Sub-series B: Grantee Information contains alphabetically arranged files on grant recipients.
Sub-series C: Grantee Reports contains chronologically arranged reports generated for the foundation by the recipients.
Series IV: Financial is arranged hierarchically by document type.
Series V: Correspondence is arranged in chronological order.
Series VI: Miscellaneous is arranged by document type and then chronologically.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Related Material: Related Material

The researcher should also consult MS 4246 Kulas Foundation Records, Series II; and MS 4679 Kulas Foundation Records, Series III.


Separated Material: Separated Material

All photographs have been removed to the photograph and print collection.


Indexing Terms

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

Subjects:

Arts -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Endowments.
Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Charities -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Education, Higher -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Endowments -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Kulas Foundation (Cleveland, Ohio).
Music -- Instruction and study -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Endowments.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4158 Kulas Foundation Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Kulas Foundation, 1985, 1986, and 1987.

Processing Information

Processed by Richard W. Hite and Daniel J. Linke in 1988.


Detailed Description of The Collection



Series I: Articles of Incorporation and Related Papers, 1937-1984

Box 1 / Folder 1
Articles of incorporation, code of regulations, and organization papers, 1937-1970




Box 1 / Folder 2-3
Record book, 1937-1957




Box 1 / Folder 4
Board of Trustee Minutes, 1937-1984





Series II: Agendas, 1957-1985

Box 1 / Folder 5-21
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, November 1957-February 1961




Box 2 / Folder 22-40
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, February 1961-February 1964




Box 3 / Folder 41-56
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, February 1964-May 1967




Box 4 / Folder 57-74
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, August 1967-May 1971




Box 5 / Folder 75-94
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, May 1971-November 1975




Box 6 / Folder 95-113
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, February 1976-November 1978




Box 7 / Folder 114-130
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, November 1978-June 1981




Box 8 / Folder 131-148
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, August 1981-February 1984




Box 9 / Folder 149-152
Agenda for Board of Trustees Meeting, February 1984-May 1985





Series III: Grants, 1943-1983; undated




Sub-series A: Yearly Files, 1943-1980

Box 9 / Folder 153-178
Summaries and correspondence, 1943-1967




Box 10 / Folder 179-188
Summaries and correspondence, 1968-1980







Sub-series B: Grantee Information, 1952-1983; undated

Box 10 / Folder 190
Alta House, 1974




Box 10 / Folder 191
Baldwin Wallace College, Kulas Musical Arts Building, 1958




Box 10 / Folder 192
Boys' Club of America, 1958




Box 10 / Folder 193
Brecksville-Broadview Heights Band Boosters, 1979




Box 10 / Folder 194
Cleveland Ballet, 1978




Box 10 / Folder 195
Cleveland Heritage Center, 1981




Box 10 / Folder 196-197
Cleveland Institute of Music, 1969-1972




Box 10 / Folder 198
Cleveland Opera Theater, 1980




Box 10 / Folder 199
Cleveland Play House, 1975




Box 10 / Folder 200
Cleveland Summer Arts Festival, 1968




Box 10 / Folder 201
Downtown Cleveland Corp., 1976-1979




Box 10 / Folder 202
Drexel Institute of Technology, 1962




Box 10 / Folder 203
Family Service Association, undated




Box 10 / Folder 204
Help for Retarded Children, Inc., 1973




Box 10 / Folder 205
House of Hospitality, 1979




Box 10 / Folder 206
Louis Bromfield Institute, 1958




Box 10 / Folder 207
Medical Service Foundation of America, 1966




Box 10 / Folder 208
Musical Sound Books, 1955




Box 10 / Folder 209
Music Therapy, 1956-1958




Box 10 / Folder 210
National City Bank, 1958




Box 10 / Folder 211
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1974




Box 10 / Folder 212
Public Education Task Force of the Cleveland School System, 1983




Box 10 / Folder 213
Silver Burdett Company, 1957-1970




Box 10 / Folder 214-215
Sound Book Press Society, 1952-1954




Box 10 / Folder 216
Supplementary Educational Center, 1974




Box 10 / Folder 217
Thompsonville Methodist Church, 1963




Box 10 / Folder 218
Tri-County Volunteer Counselor's Inc. for Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky Counties, 1976




Box 10 / Folder 219
Western Reserve Academy Summer Music Experience, 1973




Box 10 / Folder 220
Willoughby Fine Arts Association, 1957







Sub-series C: Grantee Reports, 1971-1978

Box 10 / Folder 221
Cleveland Music School Settlement, Music Therapy Report, 1972




Box 10 / Folder 222
Collinwood Arts Center and Institute of Fine and Performing Arts, 1976-1978




Box 10 / Folder 223
Musical Common Ground Project, 1971




Box 10 / Folder 224
Western Reserve Academy, Summer Music Experience, 1978





Series IV: Financial, 1937-1983; undated

Box 11 / Folder 225-228
Audited Financial Statements, 1958-1982




Box 11 / Folder 229
Ledger Book, 1937-1957




Box 11 / Folder 230-231
Review of Securities, Trust Fund, 1958-1968




Box 11 / Folder 232-234
Grant Receipts, 1974-1983




Box 11 / Folder 235
Miscellaneous, Inventory of Assets, 1964




Box 11 / Folder 236
Miscellaneous, Summary of Transactions, 1964




Box 11 / Folder 237
Miscellaneous, Power of Attorney and Waiver of Notice Papers, 1952




Box 11 / Folder 238
Miscellaneous, Continuing Annual Obligations, Schedule of Annuities, 1952-1981




Box 11 / Folder 239
Miscellaneous, Tax papers, 1979-1981




Box 11 / Folder 240
Miscellaneous, Draft Patent Agreements, Kulas Harp, 1969




Box 11 / Folder 241
Miscellaneous, Various financial status sheets, 1952-1964




Box 11 / Folder 242
Miscellaneous, financial memoranda, 1938-1980




Box 11 / Folder 243
Miscellaneous, 1962-1968





Series V: Correspondence, 1937-1984

Box 11 / Folder 244-248
Correspondence, 1937-1957




Box 12 / Folder 249-267
Correspondence, 1954-1960




Box 13 / Folder 268-286
Correspondence, 1961-February 1964




Box 14 / Folder 287-304
Correspondence, March 1964-September 1966




Box 15 / Folder 305-325
Correspondence, October 1966-September 1970




Box 16 / Folder 326-346
Correspondence, July 1970-April 1973




Box 17 / Folder 347-368
Correspondence, May 1973-March 1976




Box 18 / Folder 369-390
Correspondence, April 1976-March 1979




Box 19 / Folder 391-410
Correspondence, April 1979-May 1982




Box 20 / Folder 411-425
Correspondence, October 1981-December 1984





Series VI: Miscellaneous, 1937-1984; undated

Box 20 / Folder 426
Fynette H. Kulas Scholarship Fund Record Book, undated




Box 20 / Folder 427
Newspaper clippings, 1958-1973




Box 20 / Folder 428
Certificates, 1968-1980




Box 20 / Folder 429-430
Miscellaneous memoranda, papers, etc., 1937-1984