The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections The University of Toledo

Finding Aid

Cummings-Zucker Center Records, 1913-1997

MSS-130

Size: 5.75 linear feet

Provenance: received from: Mr. Charles F. Thayer, LISW, Harbor Behavioral Health Care/Shirley Hinkle, Office Manager

Access: Open

 

Copyright: The literary rights to this collection are assumed to rest with the person(s) responsible for the production of the particular items within the collection, or with their heirs or assigns.  Researchers bear full legal responsibility for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code.  The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.

 

Completed by: Janice Colwell, April, 1998

 

Biographical/Historical Sketch

      The Luella Cummings Home, which also operated a school after its first year of existence, was initially organized as The Girls Protection Agency in May 1913.  The agency was largely founded under the leadership and inspiration of Mrs. Luella (Harry) Cummings, first president of the Board of Trustees, for whom it was renamed following her death in 1914.  Its purpose was to give dependent, neglected and underprivileged girls a proper home life and suitable educational and vocational training.  Providing academic and domestic science training, the school was accredited by the Toledo Public Schools which also furnished teaching staff to the organization.  Some residents of the Home attended local high schools or were out-placed in employment internships, mostly in child care and domestic service.
     From its inception, the organization reflected a strong de-institutional emphasis, part of reformers’ broad-based criticism of earlier asylums and orphanages which failed to take account of persons’ individual differences.  The formation of the Luella Cummings Home coincides with the development of the Juvenile Court in Toledo, the societal defining of adolescence, and a growing public concern with the urban poverty’s effects upon children and youth.  Its evolution likewise reflects trends and policies in the fields of child welfare and social work.  Formed with the example of other Progressive-era settlements in mind (particularly Chicago’s Coulter House), the agency soon developed its own unique programs, character and reputation.
      Early on, girls were referred to the Home by the Child Welfare League and the Juvenile Court.  Later, referrals often came from families, other social service agencies, and local schools.  In its first year the agency functioned as a basic rescue home, taking females as old as twenty-five for short-term assistance; however, this policy soon changed to a focus on younger girls, usually fourteen to eighteen, for stays averaging several years.  The Home and school with an initial staff of three, soon expanded with bequests and donations from individuals and churches and assistance from the Toledo Community Chest, begun in 1920.  The school’s curriculum expanded over time and later came to include college preparatory courses.  A summer camp, begun in 1918, became an important part of the organization’s programs.  Its central location became Camp Miniger at Somerset, Michigan, donated by board member Mrs. George Miniger Jones.  In the mid-1960s, girls from the Home began to run the camp under a Counselor-in-Training Program.
       During its history the organization has had several locations, the first being a leased house on Cherry Street.  Mr. Harry Cummings soon purchased a residence at 141 22nd Street to which the Home, needing space to house more girls, later added the adjoining home and lot.  A new structure was erected on the property through the Works Progress Administration in 1934.  The organization’s most recent location at 123 22nd Street, the result of a fundraising campaign, was completed in 1958.  The organization, which briefly experimented with taking boys, closed the main portion of its residence-school in 1980.
In 1981 the Cummings Center merged with the Ralph L. Zucker Center, formerly the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center for Retarded Children, forming the Cummings-Zucker Center.  The new organization provided comprehensive services to children and families with emotional, behavioral and developmental problems.  Since becoming a new entity in 1997, when brought and subsumed under Harbor Behavioral Health Care, the organization no longer bears the Cummings name.  While still providing comprehensive out-patient treatment services for children and adolescents, it then became Harbor Behavioral Health Care’s child-centered site.  Harbor Behavioral Health Care, also a non-profit organization, offers an array of comprehensive mental health services to individuals, families and corporations, operating numerous programs in conjunction with the Toledo Mental Health Board, the Toledo Public Schools and other local social service agencies.

Scope and Content Note

     The collection is arranged in two record groups, reflecting its creator’s organizational history.  Series I, “The Luella Cummings Home,” which comprises the bulk of the collection, contains the records of the institution, roughly 1913-1980.  This section also includes some records of the “Girl’s Protection Agency,” the name under which the institution was first organized, prior to being named for Luella Cummings in 1914.  In 1955 the organization’s name was changed to the “Luella Cummings School,” reflecting its educational emphasis, and during 1971 shortened it to “Cummings.”  The categorization of records 1913-1981 under Luella Cummings Home reflects the continuity of its residence as a core and distinguishing feature of the organization’s policies and programs.  Series II, “Cummings-Zucker Center” (1981-1997), is comprised of the smaller portion of the collection generated just prior, during and after merger the organization’s merger with the Ralph L. Zucker Center, forming a new non-residential facility of out-patient programs.  This group also contains some records of the former Zucker Center as a separate entity.
     The collection is arranged first alphabetically, then chronologically and is also divided into three sub-series, reflecting the scope of the organizations activities-- Administrative Records, Ephemera/Memorabilia, and Financial Records.  Records exclusively pertaining to the activities of the school or camp are grouped together alphabetically in each sub-series of the Luella Cummings Home records.  The Cummings-Zucker record grouping contains no financial sub-series, but information on finance for this series may be found in the administrative records of the Board of Trustees.

Series List

S1	Luella Cummings Home 1913-1981, 5.25 linear feet Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically This series documents the activities of the organization roughly 1913-1981.  It is divided into three subseries: Administrative Records, Financial Records and Ephemera/Memorabilia.  Administrative records for this series include Board of Trustees minutes from its inception; administrative and Board of Trustee correspondence, committee reports; biographical information and board manuals; annual reports; constitution and articles of incorporation; general administrative correspondence and correspondence with government and social service agencies; documentation of future program development and physical planning; service and personnel policies; deeds; welfare certifications; legal codes and regulations.  Ephemera/memorabilia for the Home contains period documentation, encapsulating the activities of administrators, students and staff.  A large part is made up of photographs; newspaper clippings; articles and publicity; and chronologies and histories of the organization (including one from 1920).  It also includes duplicates of cornerstone materials; brochures, yearbooks and other publications from the Luella Cummings School.  The financial records of the Home contain their own correspondence section.  A substantial portion includes gift-giving and bequests.  Also included are annual financial reports; budgets; investments; receipts; and financial information on the 1956 building campaign.
S2	Cummings-Zucker Center 1981-1997, .5 linear feet Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically  It is comprised of organizational records just prior to, during and after Cummings’ merger with the Ralph L. Zucker Center.  This series is divided into two subgroups: Administrative Records and Ephemera/Memorabilia.  Administrative records include minutes of the Ralph L. Zucker Center and board minutes of Cummings-Zucker; legal record of the name change; documentation of the merger of Cummings-Zucker; and the Cummings-Zucker constitution; as well as materials on various Cummings-Zucker programs, including group homes and the Mayfair alternative school. Ephemera/memorabilia for the series include some newspaper clippings and transcripts of oral interviews with Anne Zucker, wife of Ralph Zucker and Laura West, retiring director of the former Cummings-Zucker.

Folder List

box	folder	Folder Title
		S1. Luella Cummings Home
		Administrative Records
1	1	Annual Report (Second), 1914-1915
	2	Annual Reports, 1915-1917
	3	Annual Reports, 1939-1943
	4	Annual Reports, 1946-1950
	5	Annual Reports, 1951-1955
	6	Annual Reports, 1956-1960
	7	Annual Reports, 1961-1962
	8	Annual Reports, 1962-1964
	9	Annual Reports, 1965-1967
	10	Annual Reports, 1968-1969
	11	Annual Reports, 1970-1971
	12	Annual Reports,  1972-1973
	13	Annual Report, 1981
	14	Architectural Drawings & Related Materials (Sanborn, Inc.), 1970’s
	15	Board of Trustees—Board Members & Biographical Information, 1940’s-1970’s
	16	Board of Trustees—Committee Assignments, 1976-1978
	17	Board of Trustees—Committees—Education, 1971—1978
	18	Board of Trustees—Committees—Executive, 1974-1978
	19	Board of Trustees—Committees--Future Development—1971-1974
	20	Board of Trustees—Committees--Future Development—1975-1978
	21	Board of Trustees—Committees--Future Develop. (general),(ca. 1970’s)
	22	Board of Trustees—Committees—Future Develop. (Facility with MCO), 1969
	23	Board of Trustees—Committees—Group Home Committee, 1974
	24	Board of Trustees—Committees—Joint Advisory, (ca. 1970’s)
	25	Board of Trustees—Committees—Nominating, (ca. 1960’s-1970’s)
	26	Board of Trustees—Committees—Personnel Committee, 1975
	27	Board of Trustees—Committees—Public Relations Committee, 1976-1977
	28	Board of Trustees---Committees---Volunteer Committee, 1976
	29	Board of Trustees Manual, 1978-1979
	30	Board of Trustees Manual, 1980-1981 (Part 1)
	31	Board of Trustees Manual, 1980-1981 (Part 2)
	32	Board of Trustees Manual, 1980-1981 (Part 3)
	33	Board of Trustees Manual, 1980-1981 (Part 4)
	34	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1913-1915
	35	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1915-1922 (OVERSIZED))—
		(Moved to Box 8; File 1)
	36	Board of Trustees Minutes,  1922-1925
	37	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1925-1929
	38	Board of Trustees Minutes,  1929-1932
2	1	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1932-1937
	2	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1938-1940
	3	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1941-1946
	4	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1947-1956
	5	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1957-1960
	6	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1961-1963
	7	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1967-1972
	8	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1973-1974
	9	Board of Trustees Minutes, 1975-1978
	10	Building Campaign Contributors, 1955-1956
	11	Building Campaign Plans and Procedures (ca. 1956)
	12	Building Contracts and Agreements (ca. 1956)
	13	Building Plans, Bellman, Gillett & Richards, 1956-1958
	14	Building Specifications, Bellman, Gillett & Richards, 1957
	15	Building Specifications, 1960’s
	16	Camp Care—Correspondence, 1972-1974
	17	Camp Care (YWCA), 1970’s
	18	Camp Miniger—Correspondence, 1969-1975
	19	Camp Miniger-Counselor—In-Training Program, 1970-1975
	20	Camp Miniger—Licensing and Rules, 1969-1978
	21	Camp Miniger—Reports, 1963-1976
	22	Camp—Personnel—Job Descriptions & Forms (n.d.)
	23	Child Care Custody and Expenses (ca. 1960’s-1970’s)
	24	Code of Regulations (n.d.)
	25	Constitution and Amendments, 1910-1970’s
	26	Correspondence—Board of Trustees, 1930’s
	27	Correspondence—Board of Trustees, 1940’s
	28	Correspondence—Board of Trustees, 1950’s
	29	Correspondence—Board of Trustees, 1960’s
	30	Correspondence—Board of Trustees, 1970’s
	31	Correspondence—Board of Trustees (n.d.)
	32	Correspondence—Community Chest, 1920’s-1970’s
	33	Correspondence—Family Court, 1955
	34	Correspondence—Future Development, 1968-1978
	35	Correspondence—General—1920’s-1930’s
	36	Correspondence—General—1940’s-1950’s
	37	Correspondence—Group Home Controversy, 1977-1978
	38	Correspondence—Ohio Dept. of Public Welfare, 1920’s-1930’s
	39	Correspondence—Ohio Dept. of Public Welfare, 1970’s
	40	Correspondence—Other Social Service Agencies, 1920’s-1970’s
	1	Fire Safety Inspection (ca. 1970’s)
3	2	Future Development—Children’s Services, 1970’s
	3	Future Development—Community Planning Council, 1970’s
	4	Future Development—Grants, 1971-1972
	5	Future Development—Lucas Co. Mental Health & Retard. Bd., 1970-1977
	6	Future Development—Ohio Youth Comm./Regional Youth Services. (ca.1970’s)
	7	Future Development—Property Appraisal, 1968
	8	Government Milk Program, Lunches & Surplus Food, 1970’s
	9	Group Homes (General), (ca. 1970’s)
	10	Group Homes—Parent Handbook (ca. 1970’s)
	11	Insurance, 1940-1975
	12	Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, 1975
	13	Legal Codes and Regulations (ca. 1970’s)
	14	Medical Policies (ca. 1960’s-1970’s)
	15	Mission (n.d.)
	16	Ohio Dept. of Public Welfare—Reports (ca. 1960’s-1970’s)
	17	Outside Agencies—Materials & Correspondence
	18	Personnel—Job Descriptions/Staff Listings (n.d.)
	19	Personnel—Organizational Charts (n.d.)
	20	Personnel—Policy Manuals, (1948, 1964, 1975, 1977 & 1979)
	21	Personnel—Policy Manual, 1980 (Part 1)
	22	Personnel—Policy Manual, 1980 (Part 2)
	23	Personnel—State Guidelines, (ca. 1970’s)
	24	Personnel—Workman’s Compensation, 1950’s-1970’s
	25	Policy Guidelines (n.d.)
	26	Policy Manual (-1980)
	27	Policy Manual (ca. 1980-1981)
	28	Property Deeds, Correspondence & Receipts, 1930’s-ca. 1980’s)
	29	Proposal for a Psychiatric Treatment Center (n.d.)
	30	Publicity, Press Releases and Materials (ca. 1920’s-1970’s)
	31	Public Welfare/Social Service Agency Materials (general), 1970’s
	32	Reports—Future Develop. Samborn Report, Architect. Drawings, 1972 (#1)
	33	Reports—Future Develop. Samborn Report, Architect. Drawings, 1972 (#2)
	34	Reports—Future Develop. Samborn Report, Architect. Drawings, 1972 (#3)
	35	Reports of Other Social Service Agencies, 1930’s-1980’s
	36	Reports/ Profiles (ca. 1930-1955)
	37	Reports/ Profiles, 1960’s
	1	Reports/ Profiles, 1970’s-1980’s
4	2	Reports—Samborn—Charts, 1972
	3	Reports—Samborn Report, 1972 (Part 1)
	4	Reports—Samborn Report, 1972 (Part 2)
	5	Review of Service, 1964-1969
	6	School—Correspondence—Toledo Public Schools & Bd. of Ed., 1930’s-1970’s
	7	School—Forms (n.d.)
	8	School—Mission, 1960’s
	9	School—Special Education (ca. 1960’s-1970’s)
	10	School Survey, 1961
	11	School—WPA (Proposals, Specifications & Correspondence), 1935-1936
	12	Surveys (most undated)
	13	Work Contracts and Payments, 1934-1969
	14	Workshop, 1974
		Ephemera/ Memorabilia
	15	Articles/Profiles of Cummings (ca. 1940’s-1950’s)
	16	Brochures and Pamphlets (ca. 1920’s-1970’s)
	17	Brochures—Others Social Service Agencies (n.d.)
	18	Camp—“A Bird’s Eye View of Camp,” 1932
	19	Camp—History, 1964-1968
	20	Camp—Miscellaneous (n.d.)
	21	“The Campaign Herald” (Newsletter), 1956
	22	Certificates (1954 & n.d.)
	23	Cornerstone—Duplicate Materials, 1956
	24	Histories and Chronologies—“The Luella Cummings Home,” 1920
	25	Histories and Chronologies—(n.d.)
	26	Histories, Overviews & Sketches, 1930’s
	27	Histories, Overviews & Sketches,  1960’s
	28	Histories, Overviews & Sketches, 1970’s
	29	Histories, Overviews & Sketches, 1980’s
	30	Mascot—“Blackie,” 1940’s
	31	Miscellaneous, 1940’s-ca. 1970’s
	32	Newspaper Clippings, 1910’s
	33	Newspaper Clippings, 1920’s
	34	Newspaper Clippings, 1930’s
	35	Newspaper Clippings, 1940’s
	36	Newspaper Clippings, 1950’s
	37	Newspaper Clippings, 1960’s
	38	Newspaper Clippings, 1970’s-1980’s
	39	Photographs, Board of Trustees (n.d.)
	40	Photographs—Buildings (Interior & Exterior), n.d.
	41	Photographs (& captions)—Camp Miniger (n.d.)
	42	Photographs—Camps (other), ca. 1920’s-1940’s
	43	Photographs—Cartwright, Jane (alone & with others), n.d.
	44	Photographs—Classes (ca. 1920’s-1950’s)
	45	Photographs—Commencement (ca. 1920’s-1930’s)
	46	Photographs—Daily Life (n.d.)
	47	Photographs—Miscellaneous (n.d.)
	48	Photographs—Miscellaneous Slides & Negatives (ca. 1940’s)
	49	Photographs—Staff with Students (ca. 1950’s)
	50	Photographs—Students—Individual (ca. 1920’s-1950’s)
	51	Photographs—Students—Group (n.d.)
	52	Photographs—Special Occasions & Events (ca. 1910’s-ca. 1950’s)
	53	Photographs—Unknown  Persons & Places (n.d.)
	1	School Publications—Miscellaneous, 1970’s
5	2	School Publications—“Modus Vivendi,” School Paper, 1969, 1971
	3	School Publications—Yearbook, 1967-1968
	4	School Publications—Yearbook, 1973
	5	School Publications—Yearbook, 1974
	6	School Publications—Yearbook, 1975
	7	School Scopes and Overviews (ca. 1960’s)
	8	Scopes and Overviews (most undated)
	9	Staff Writings (n.d.)
	10	Student Writings (n.d.)
		Financial Records
	11	Accountants’ Reports, 1962-1969
	12	Accountant’s Reports, 1970-1978
	13	Bank Authorizations, 1950’s-1970’s
	14	Bequests and Legacies, 1920’s
	15	Bequests and Legacies, 1930’s
	16	Bequests and Legacies, 1940’s
	17	Bequests and Legacies, 1950’s
	18	Bequests and Legacies, 1960’s
	19	Bequests and Legacies, 1970’s
	20	Building Fund Statements (Sept. 1956-Sept. 1959)
	21	Building Improvements—Invoices and Receipts, 1956-1959
	22	Camp Miniger—Budgets, 1970-1975
	23	Camp Miniger—Expenses, 1960’s-1970’s
	24	Correspondence—Building Campaign (Mar. 1956-Feb. 1960)
	25	Correspondence—(General), 1960’s-1970’s
	26	Correspondence--Special Gifts, 1939-1975
	27	Correspondence—Taxes, 1940’s-1950’s
	28	Group Homes, 1970’s
	29	Investments, 1946-1958
	30	Loans, 1943-1944
	31	Monthly Reports, 1918-1922
	32	Reports, 1919-1928
	33	Reports, 1936-1939
	34	Reports, 1940-1945
	35	Reports, 1946-1950
	36	Reports, 1951-1955
	37	Reports, 1955-1960
	38	Spitzer Scholarship Fund, 1967-1976
		S2. Cummings-Zucker Center
		Administrative
	1	Board Materials (Ralph L. Zucker Center), Oct. 1979-April 1980
6	2	Board Materials (Ralph L. Zucker Center), May 1980-August 1980
	3	Board Materials (Ralph L. Zucker Center),  Sept. 1980-Jan. 1981
	4	Board Minutes (Ralph L. Zucker Center), Feb. 1981-Dec. 1981
	5	Board of Trustees Related Materials, 1985-1986
7	1	Code of Regulations, 1984
	2	Constitution of Cummings-Zucker Center (n.d.)
	3	Correspondence-Merger-Related, 1981-1982
	4	Extended Day Treatment & Family Counsel./Chem. Depend., (ca. 1980’s)
	5	Mayfair School Program (ca. 1982)
	6	Merger Legal Documents, 1981
	7	Merger Study Committee (ca. 1981-1982)
	8	Merger Study Committee Report, 1981
	9	Personnel Policy Manuals (n.d. & 1982)
	10	Policy Manual (Ralph L. Zucker Center), 1981 (Part 1)
	11	Policy Manual (Ralph L. Zucker Center), 1981 (Part 2)
	12	Staff Memos, 1980’s
	13	Miscellaneous Records (ca. 1960’s-1980’s)
		Ephemera/Memorabilia
	14	Brochures and Pamphlets (ca. 1980’s-1990’s)
	15	“History of the Ralph L. Zucker Memorial Education Fund, 1968-1985”
	16	Interview with Anne Zucker (wife of Ralph L. Zucker), (n.d.)
	17	Interview with Laura West, retiring director (November, 1997)
	18	Newspaper Clippings, 1981-1985
		OVERSIZED MATERIALS
8	1	Administrative—Board of Trustees Minutes, 1915-1922
		(Removed from Box 1; Folder 35)
	2	Administrative—Oversized Constitution & Amendments, 1955, 1971
		(Removed from Box 2; Folder 25 )
	3	Ephemera/Memorabilia—Photograph of Building (2), 1956
		(Removed from Box 4; Folder 40 )