The University of Toledo

Social Welfare

ABILITY CENTER OF GREATER TOLEDO RECORDS, 1920-2000. [PDF]
Originally started by a small group of Toledo Rotarians as the Toledo Society for Crippled Children, through the years the organization has served as a convalescent home for children with disabilities, a polio and tuberculosis center, a school, and a social service agency. 
The collection includes photographs, board minutes and administrative materials, fundraising material, programming material, publications, newspaper clippings, and awards.  MSS-190, 10 linear feet.  
See also: entry under Disability History

ASSISTANCE DOGS OF AMERICA, INC., 1986-2002. [PDF]
Organization founded for the purpose of providing trained dogs and special equipment to enable disabled persons to be more independent (1984-present). 
The collection includes administrative and financial records, photographs and videotape, printed material, and correspondence documenting the day-to-day work of the organization.  MSS-175, 5 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Disability History

BITTERSWEET FARMS, 1974-2004. [PDF]
Supported living farm dedicated to the individual development of persons with autism
Included in this collection are administrative, funding, research, correspondence, and historical materials, as well as photographs and videotapes.  MSS-195, 9 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Disability History

NOTE: Researchers will be asked to sign a Confidentiality Note prior to using this collection per donor's request

WILLIAM M. BOOKER SCRAPBOOKS, 1907-1952. [PDF] 
Civic leader, regional manager of Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company (1874-1945)
Three volumes document Booker's civic and business endeavors from 1907 to 1945, including his work with the Toledo War Chest (which underwent many name changes, including Community Chest, now known as United Way), the Rotary Club, the American Red Cross, and the Toledo Area Boy Scouts of America through newspaper clippings, correspondence, speeches, and other materials. There is also some evidence of Booker's involvement with the disposition of Edward Drummond Libbey's estate in 1941. MSS-070, 1 linear foot.
See also: entries under Civic Interests, Philanthropy, and Philosophy and Religion

CUMMINGS-ZUCKER CENTER RECORDS, 1913-1997. [PDF]
A residential facility which also operated a school, it gave dependent, neglected, and underprivileged girls a proper home life and suitable educational and vocational training as well as providing academic and domestic science training. The school was accredited by the Toledo Public Schools.
The collection contains administrative records, ephemera/memorabilia, and financial records of the institution in its various iterations: Girl's Protection Agency (1913-1914), the Luella Cummings Home (1914-1981), and the Cummings-Zucker Center (1981-1997). MSS-130, 5.75 linear feet.
See also: entry under Education and Schools

DAVID'S HOUSE COMPASSION, 1987-2004. [PDF]
Service organization that provided education and counseling programs, as well as other assistance, to HIV/AIDS victims
Contains administrative files, funding and financial records, material on planning and development, printed material, audiovisual material, and ephemera.  MSS-188, 12 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Disability History

FAMILY SERVICE OF NORTHWEST OHIO RECORDS, 1904-1989. [PDF]
Social service agency (1904-Present)
Records document the programs, policies, and activities of this agency through its many name changes. Materials include minutes (1904-1987), daily reports (1904-1908), scant correspondence, literary productions on agency history, a document signifying Edward D. Libbey's $30,000 donation to the agency in 1927, scrapbooks (1908-1980s), pamphlets, an in-house newsletter, and scattered issues of 3 agency newsletters. Some materials pertain to the Traveler's Aid Society of Toledo, (1919-1939). Access to some materials in this collection is restricted. MSS-075, 5 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Philanthropy

HUGH GREGORY GALLAGHER PAPERS, 1880-2002. [PDF]
Disability Rights Activist (1932-2004)
Paralyzed by polio contracted at the age of 19, Gallagher was known as the "father of the disability rights movement."  He was the author of the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, and wrote several books and articles.  Gallagher was also a respected Franklin D. Roosevelt scholar.  Perhaps his best-known book is FDR's Splendid Deception, which explored the former president's disability and how he hid it from the public.  This collection contains correspondence, biographical and family files, Mr. Gallagher's writings, research files, senate files, photographic material, awards, and artifacts.  MSS-185, 13 linear feet. 
See also: entries under Disability History, Medicine and Health, and Politics and Government

KIWANIS CLUB OF DOWNTOWN TOLEDO RECORDS, 1916-1989. [PDF]
Fraternal and charitable organization, (1916-Present)
Collection documents the activities of this businessmen's organization through meeting minutes, membership records, monthly reports, weekly bulletins, and newsletters. Subjects include fund-raising (especially the annual Kiwanis Peanut Sales and Pancake Days) and business promotion. Files on guest speakers at weekly Kiwanis meetings offer information on a wide variety of subjects. MSS-081, 5 linear feet.
See also: entries under Business and Commerce, Civic Interests, and Philanthropy

LEE LAWRENCE PAPERS, 1923-2002. [PDF]
Disability Rights Activist (1923-2002)
After a catastrophic fall ended her theatre and television career, Lee Lawrence spent the rest of her life advocating for the disabled and educating the public.  This collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, material on programs, agencies, organizations, laws, illnesses, diseases, and accessibility.  It also contains printed material and proceedings of the White House Conferences on Handicapped Individuals and the White House Conference on Aging.  MSS-174, 9 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Disability History

JOSINA JONES LOTT PAPERS, 1949-2000. [PDF]
Educator (1898-1972)
Founder of the Lott Day School, the first of several schools for developmentally disabled children.  Also founded the Lott Sheltered Workshop (later known as Lott Industries) to provide her students with job skills. 
This collection consists of administrative records, biographical and historical materials, printed material, audiovisual material, and ephemera.  MSS-186, 4.5 linear feet. 
See also: entries under Disability History and Education and Schools

BETTY MORAIS PAPERS, 1976-2004. [PDF]
Activist and Director of Planned Parenthood of Northwest Ohio
This collection contains letters, awards, articles, memos, speeches, photographs, and other records pertaining to Morais's directorship of Planneed Parenthood and to her activism in other areas. MSS-183, .5 linear foot.
See also: entry under Women

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL, TOLEDO CHAPTER, RECORDS, 1980's-2002. [PDF]
Organization formed to improve the lives of persons with mental illness
The collection contains administrative and financial records, photographs, and material about the organization's education programs.  MSS-178, 3.25 linear feet. 
See also: entry under Disability History

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT FOUNDATION OF TOLEDO SCRAPBOOKS, 1958-1971. [PDF]
Community operated organization devoted to the conservation and preservation of Toledo neighborhoods (est. 1952)
Scrapbooks contain mission statements and other foundation papers, newspaper clippings, and other materials documenting the group's efforts at community beautification. The scrapbooks were used to recruit new members and entered into national city beautification contests. Among the issues covered by these scrapbooks are air and water pollution, traffic safety, fair housing, gun control, industrial development, streets, and expressway construction. MSS-073, 16 scrapbooks.
See also: entry under Civic Interests

GUSTAVUS OHLINGER PAPERS, 1821-1987. [PDF]
Lawyer, member of the Toledo United Nations Association (1877-1972)
Collection includes journals, correspondence, literary productions, scrapbooks, printed materials, and photographs related to Ohlinger's civic, professional, and personal life. Some correspondence documents his high school years in Chefoo, China. A journal kept by Ohlinger from 1902 to 1905 chronicles his law career in Shanghai and his participation in post-Russo-Japanese War negotiations. "Our Summer Odyssey, August 1 to September 1, 1954," a journal/photo album of a European vacation, further documents some of Ohlinger's travels. Also included in this collection are papers generated and collected by various family members. The most extensive group is the papers of Ohlinger's sister, Constance Ohlinger. MSS-013, 5.25 linear feet.
See also: entries under Civic Interests, Politics and Government, and Travel

BETTY A. REARDON PAPERS, 1960-2009. [PDF]
Acknowledged founder of peace education (b. 1929)
The Reardon papers include published and unpublished manuscripts, correspondence, curricula, policy documents, reports, presentations, projects, and notes. MSS-226, 9 linear feet.
See also: entries under Civic Interests, Education and Schools, Politics and Government, and Women

NOTE: This collection is housed off-campus. Therefore, Canaday Center staff will require a 48-hour advanced notice for its retrieval.   

SIGHT CENTER OF TOLEDO RECORDS, 1920-2004. [PDF]
Founded in 1923 as the Toledo Society for the Blind, this organization strove to improve the lives of persons with visual impairments by teaching vocational and life skills and hosting social events. 
The collection includes photographs, administrative records, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks.  MSS-179, 12.25 linear feet.
See also: entries under Disability History and Education and Schools

ELLA P. STEWART PAPERS, 1922-1987.  [PDF]
Pharmacist, civic leader of Toledo, Ohio (1893-1987)
This collection consists of scrapbooks and literary productions documenting Stewart's activities and honors. She was active in the Berea in Korea Foundation, the Pan-Pacific and South East Asia Women's Association, the Indiana Avenue Nursery, and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Subjects include child care, famous figures in African-American history, and women's social clubs. MSS-052, 2 linear feet.
See also: entries under African-Americans, Civic Interests, Medicine & Health, and Women

SUNSET HOUSE RECORDS, 1871-1988. [PDF]
A home for elderly and retired women in Toledo, Ohio (1872-present)
Administrative records, financial records, ephemera and memorabilia, including annual reports, treasurers reports, membership and admission committee reports, a visitor's register, board minutes, correspondence, cash books, financial ledgers, accountants reports, financial statements, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, secondary and primary source histories of the institution and residents, proclamations and slides. MSS-125, 4.25 linear feet.
See also: entry under Civic Interests

TOLEDO STATE HOSPITAL, LUCAS COUNTY INFIRMARY, & MAUMEE VALLEY HOSPITAL ARCHITECTURAL AND SURVEY DRAWINGS. [PDF]
Insane Asylum (1888-1973)
Collection includes schematic maps from the Toledo Insane Asylum, which was designed by Edward O. Fallis and operated by Dr. Henry A. Tobey.  The schematic drawings are from the original plans for the asylum. MSS-221, 50 linear feet.
See also: entries under Architecture, Disability History, and Medicine and Health.

TOLEDO ROTARY CLUB RECORDS, 1912-1998. [PDF]
Service organization of professional businessmen
Originally formed to encourage ethical business practices, the club eventually developed a focus on helping disabled children.  This collection includes administrative and committee files, correspondence, membership records, scrapbooks, and project files.  MSS-145, 13.5 linear feet.
See also: entries under Business and Commerce, Civic Interests, Disability History, and Philanthropy

UNITED WAY OF GREATER TOLEDO COLLECTION, 1941-1983. [PDF]
Charitable organization supporting seventy-six human service agencies in Lucas, Ottawa, Wood, and eastern Fulton Counties. (1918-present)
The scrapbooks in this collection include clippings on fund drives, explanations of the work of the United Way and its agencies, and profiles of the organization's beneficiaries.  They also document many name and location changes over the years. MSS-064, 46 volumes.

BRAND WHITLOCK LETTERS, March 1915. [PDF]
Toledo, Ohio mayor; lawyer; author; and U.S. ambassador to Belgium (1869-1934)
Approximately 7000 letters written by the schoolchildren of Ghent, Belgium expressing thanks for American shipments of food and clothing following World War I. MSS-023, 5 linear feet (ca. 7000 items).
See also: entry under Politics and Government

ZEIGLER HABILITATION HOMES, 1960's-2005. [PDF]
Intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities and mental illness, founded in 1979 by Charlotte Zeigler
Contains photographs of the Zeigler family, the homes and their residents, Mrs. Zeigler's obituary, and sympathy cards.  MSS-208, .75 linear feet.
See also: entries under African-Americans, Disability History, and Women.