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Abstract

Organization created to sponsor and conduct all fundraising for, and to distribute funds to, relief and social agenices in the town of Easthampton, Massachusetts. Contains records of minutes, campaign reports, Presidents' and Treasurers' reports, and correspondence. Also included are scrapbooks with newspaper clippings and other printed material.

Access

The collection is open for research.

Language:

English.
Easthampton Community Chest Records, 1943-1969
2 boxes (.75 linear ft.)
Call no.: MS 51

Background on Easthampton Community Chest (Easthampton, Mass.)

In 1943, Easthampton citizens incorporated the Easthampton Community War Fund to sponsor and conduct all fundraising for, and to distribute funds to, the relief and social agencies in the town. Nine years later in 1952, the organization was renamed the Easthampton Community Chest.

Through the 1950's and early 1960's, however, the Chest failed to reach its campaign goals. Board minutes reflect the Chest's difficulties in finding volunteers to help with the campaigns, in educating the public and in developing interest in the Chest. Proposed solutions included dropping the Chest Drive, hiring a professional director, and holding a joint drive with the surrounding towns. The Easthampton Community Chest held its last drive in 1968. In 1969, the Easthampton Community Chest joined the Northampton Community Chest as the Hampshire United Fund.

Contents of Collection

The collection is approximately .75 feet and consists of two series, including Administration, 1943-1968 and Scrapbooks.

Series I, Administration, contains the Easthampton Community Chest records maintained by the secretary in chronological order. Minutes (1943-1968), campaign reports, Presidents' and Treasurers' reports, and correspondence are found in a single sequence.

Series II, Scrapbooks, contains three Easthampton Community War Fund scrapbooks. The scrapbooks document campaign activity and included newspaper clippings and other printed material (1943-1945).

Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into two series:

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Series Descriptions
1943-1968
Arrangement:

Contains the Easthampton Community Chest records maintained by the secretary in chronological order.

Scope and content:

Minutes (1943-1968), campaign reports, Presidents' and Treasurers' reports, and correspondence are found in a single sequence.


1943-1945

Contains three Easthampton Community War Fund scrapbooks. The scrapbooks document campaign activity and included newspaper clippings and other printed material (1943-1945).


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Inventory of Collection
1943-1968
By-Laws 1943
Box 1: 1
Incorporation Papers 1943-1963
Box 1: 2
Minutes and Correspondence 1943-1968
Box 1: 3-7

1943-1945
Scrapbook 1943
Box 1: 1
Scrapbook 1944-1945
Box 2: 2-3

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Processing Information

Collection processed by Anneliese Ostendarp, 2003.

Acknowledgments

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Copyright and Use (More informationConnect to publication information)

Cite as: Easthampton Community Chest Records (MS 51). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.

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Names and Subject Terms
Subjects
  • Charities--Massachusetts--Easthampton--History--Sources.
  • Easthampton (Mass.)--Social conditions--Sources.
  • Easthampton Community Chest (Easthampton, Mass.)--Archives.
  • Easthampton Community War Fund (Easthampton, Mass.)--Archives.
  • Federations, Financial (Social service)--History--Sources.
Genre terms
  • Scrapbooks.