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American Red Cross, Muncie Area Chapter records and photographs

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-112

Scope and Contents

This collection is composed of four series: scrapbooks, organizational records, photographs, and oversize materials. Scrapbooks show activities dating from 1940-1987 through clippings, correspondence, photographs, and ephemeral materials. Organizational records contain annual reports, building records, financial records, newspaper clippings, and printed materials dating from 1920 until 1980. Photographs document activities between 1918 and the 1980s, including wartime activities, as well as training programs. The oversize materials consist of a Muncie Area poster.

Dates

  • 1918-1987

Language of Materials

Materials entirely in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.

Biographical Note / Historical Note / Administrative History

The local chapter of the American Red Cross held its organizational meeting April 25, 1917, at the Commercial Club, corner of Main and Jefferson Streets. The eighteen to twenty persons in attendance at that first meeting had been working for the Belgium Relief Fund. The following officers were elected: Theodore Rose, Chairman; Mrs. F. C. Ball, Vice-Chairman; F. J. Claypool, Secretary and K. A. Osterle, Treasurer. Mr. Rose served as Chairman until his death. Other early leaders included G. A. Gall, F. J. Claypool, F. D. Rose, E. Arthur Ball and Ralph Noyer. By-laws for the organization were adopted May 22, 1917, creating 36 directors. In 1936, at the 17th Annual Meeting, the by-laws were amended and the number of directors was reduced to nine. In 1925, the local chapter became part of the Community Fund.

The first office space for the American Red Cross was at 220-222 E. Main St. Service at the time the chapter was organized consisted of making surgical dressings, sewing and knitting. The entire fifth floor of the Johnson Building, 318 S. Walnut, was used by the Red Cross and for a time surgical dressings were made in the old Masonic Temple at the corner of Main and High. A workroom was also donated in the Boyce Block, Main & Jefferson. In July of 1918, a Canteen service was organized to meet trains and aid the traveling soldiers.

In 1924, the Junior Red Cross was organized and in 1930, classes were offered in First Aid and Life Saving.

With the start of the Second World War, new programs were instituted. Nellie G. Brown, Superintendent of Nurses at Ball Memorial Hospital, organized the Nurse Aide Program. Dr. L. R. Mason chaired a committee to solicit blood plasma donors and in 1943, the local chapter established a Motor Corp. to aid in transporting blood donors and donations. A war relief program also brought aid to Poland, Finland, England, China and Spain and it was during this period that the Red Cross offices were moved to 322 E. Washington, their present home.

Extent

12 Cubic Feet (10 boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Arrangement

Arranged in the following series:

Series 1: American Red Cross, Muncie Area Chapter scrapbooks, 1919-1987

Series 2: American Red Cross, Muncie Area Chapter organizational records, 1920-1980

Series 3: American Red Cross, Muncie Area Chapter photographs, circa 1918-1980s

Series 4: American Red Cross, Muncie Area oversize materials, undated

Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation from the American Red Cross, Muncie Area Chapter on 1990/02/14.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Existence and Location of Copies

Select materials from this collection have been digitized and are available online in the Ball State University Libraries Digital Media Repository:

http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/AmrcnRdCrs

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 1990/02/19 by D. Tambo. Finding aid revised 2007/07/16 by Maren Read. EAD finding aid created 2009/03/25 by Maren Read. EAD finding aid revised 2012/05/07 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid revised 2013/08/05 by Leslie Nellis.

Title
American Red Cross, Muncie Area Chapter records and photographs
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Stoeckel Archives of Local History Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA