University of Chicago Library

Guide to the Hyde Park Center Collection 1910-1917

Descriptive Summary

Title:	Hyde Park Center. Collection
Dates:	1910-1917
Size:	0.25 linear feet (1 box)
Repository:	Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.
Abstract:	Established in 1908, the Hyde Park Center was an independent welfare organization providing services to children and youth in the neighborhood, such as a free kindergarten and playground, clubs and activities, and job training for youth. The organization was established in response to the problem of homeless and wayward young boys in the neighborhood. It was affiliated with the Hyde Park Juvenile Protective League, a branch of the Juvenile Protective League founded by Jane Addams in 1901, and relied heavily on mostly female volunteers from the neighborhood and local churches. This collection consists of six bulletins published by the Hyde Park Center.

Information on Use

Access

The collection is open for research.

Digital Images

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Citation

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Hyde Park Center. Collection, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Historical Note

The Hyde Park Center was an independent welfare organization that provided a free kindergarten for toddlers, built a playground, and organized athletic and educational activities for children and teenagers in the neighborhood. The organization was formed in 1908 after the discovery of gangs of homeless and neglected boys in the Hyde Park area. In 1909, the Hyde Park Center became affiliated with the Hyde Park Juvenile Protective League, a branch of the Chicago-wide Juvenile Protective League, which was founded by Jane Addams and her colleagues at Hull House and was devoted to preventing juvenile delinquency. The center was not formally affiliated with a church, but many representatives from local churches were involved in its administration. Activities and clubs were divided along gender lines, with sporting, debate and manual skills emphasized for boys, while homemaking skills, such as cooking and sewing, were emphasized for girls. The center also hosted a library and conducted vocational training and job placement for youth. Most of those who worked at the Center were volunteers, usually women from the Hyde Park neighborhood. The center was supported by membership dues and charitable contributions.

Scope Note

The collection contains six bulletins published by the Hyde Park Center over the period 1910-1917. The bulletins contain reports of the activities, accomplishments and plans of the organization, lists of its members, annual and project budgets, and advertising for local Hyde Park businesses.