St. Joseph Orphan Society Children's Treatment Center Records
Scope and Content
The German Roman Catholic St. Joseph Orphan Society of Dayton, Ohio, was run by a Board of Trustees and set of officers, both elected by the membership. The institution changed its mission, bylaws, and name numerous times, but remained a child caring institution until its closure in 2004. The records of the St. Joseph Orphan Society/ Children’s Treatment Center include printed material, minutes and proceedings of the Board of Directors/Trustees, financial documents, legal documents, photographs, scrapbooks, audio recordings, film, and video tapes documenting the purpose, methods, and activities of St. Joseph. The records are divided into six series and sixteen subseries, with the bulk of the records documenting the period from 1890 to 1950.
Series I: Administrative: This series is divided into ten subseries.
Subseries IA: Governing Documents and History – This subseries contains a variety of legal documents establishing the St. Joseph Orphan Society. Documents include the Society’s Constitutions from 1889 to 1973, Articles of Incorporation from 1909 to 1991, By-Laws from 1980 and 1984, and several licenses. Additionally, included in this subseries is a variety of files documenting the Society’s history. Of particular note is the St. Joseph Orphanage Centennial History Program, documents and certificates for religious relics, and alumni reminiscences. Finally, there are some background files on the establishment of the St. Joseph Archives in the mid-1990s and how documents were gathered.
Subseries IB: Board of Directors/Trustees – This subseries is divided into several major groups. The first major group, General Information, contains the board handbook, organizational charts from the 1980s, and annual reports, primarily from the 1990s. The largest, and most complete group, contains the minutes of Board of Directors/Trustees meetings from 1849 to 2004. The very early minutes, 1849 to 1890, are in old German script. The last major group contains general administrative records. The majority of these files are from the 1980s through 2004. Most of the files document the deliberations of various committees.
Subseries IC: Children’s Records – This subseries contains the Admission and Dismissal records for the children at St. Josephs from 1849 to 1999. The early records, 1849 to 1913, are in old German script. The records contain information about children at St. Josephs including the date of admission and dismissal, names and general information about parents, date of birth, date and place of baptism, and general comments about the child. The records do not contain adoption information. Also included in this subseries are Baptism records from 1890 to 1943, First Holy Communion records from 1912 to 1975, and Confirmation records from 1911 to 1942.
Subseries ID: Personnel – The Personnel subseries primarily documents personnel related activities during the 1980s. Included in this subseries is information about volunteers, including the Volunteer Manual, policies and procedures, Executive Director correspondence, job descriptions, minutes of several committees, organizational charts, and miscellaneous personnel-related activities.
Subseries IE: Programs and Outreach – This is a small subseries relating to outreach programs of St. Joseph Children’s Treatment Center from the 1970s to the 1990s. Of particular note are the files on the National Training Institute held at St. Joseph in 1994 and 1995, the St. Joseph Leadership Development Program sponsored by St. Joseph and the University of Dayton in 1996-1997, conferences held at St. Joseph in 1981, 1993 and 1995, and information about St. Joseph treatment homes, including Liberty House and The Anchorage.
Subseries IF: Public Relations – This is another relatively small subseries pertaining to public relations activities of St. Joseph. Most of the information pertains to activities during the 1970s and 1980s. Of particular note for researchers is information concerning anniversary events held in 1949 and 1984 and newspaper articles about St. Joseph from 1971 to 2004. Also included in this subseries a June 17, 1974 City of Dayton proclamation for a “St. Joseph Home for Children Week.”
Subseries IG: Property – This subseries contains the original 1892 “Deed of Gift” for land on Demphile and St. Paul Streets and deeds, notes of sale, and land transactions from 1893 to 1933. Also contained in this subseries are property appraisals from 1994 to 1998, a facility assessment by the Capital Improvements Committee in July 2003, information concerning the building and dedication of a number of buildings.
Subseries IH: Reports and Assessments – This subseries contains a variety of reports about St. Joseph. Of particular note is the January 1967 “Report of Survey” conducted by the Child Welfare League of America and the “3-Year Longitudinal Evaluation and Assessment” conducted by Wright State University in1990 and 2000. Other reports include those conducted by MSW & Associates in 1981 and the Ohio Department of Public Welfare from 1978 to 1982.
Subseries II: Archdiocese of Cincinnati and Christ Child Society of Dayton – The Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Christ Child Society of Dayton were both actively involved in St. Joseph. This subseries contains communications of the Archdiocese from 1931 to 1974. It also contains activities of the Christ Child Society during the 1990s and early 2000s. Of particular is information on the Annual Red Wagon Luncheon and grants given to St. Joseph for summer programs, equipment, and several projects.
Subseries IJ: Memorabilia – Memorabilia included in this subseries include guest books, commemorative Christmas ornaments, Parish cards, children’s artwork, and Foundations for Hope Capital Campaign paperweight. Located in the oversize files are two CYO banners proclaiming football and basketball championships in the 1940s.
Series II: Financial – The financial records of St. Joseph are contained in six Hollinger boxes. The first two boxes contain the reports by auditors on the financial records of St. Joseph from 1938 to 2002. Unfortunately, some audits are missing including audits from 1962 to 1974 and from 1984 to 1987. There are also several reports from audit agencies on ways for St. Joseph to improve the internal control structure and administrative efficiency of the institution. Other audits included in this series are audits of the Ladies Auxiliary from 1946 to 1963.
A second major area of Series II is efforts to raise money by St. Joseph from 1942 to 2003. Included are files relating to the Direct Mail Campaign of the early 1980s and United Way allocation requests from 1981 to 2002. Of particular note are the extensive files on two major fund-raising campaigns of the 1990s and early 2000s – the Capital Campaign and the Budding Dreams campaign. Included in these files are donor notebooks, meetings, correspondence, special events, and other activities.
Series III: Publications and Other Printed Material – St. Joseph began publishing a newsletter in the early 1900s. These newsletters are an excellent source of information about activities and significant events in St. Joseph history. Included in this series are copies of the St. Joseph Sentinel from 1924 to 1935, the Hillside Echo from 1936 to 1993, the St. Joseph News from 1982 to 1993, and the St. Jos. Journal from 1991 to 1994. Also included in the series is a variety of recent newsletters including the Culley Hall Newsletter, Horizons, and New Beginnings. Additionally, the series contains a variety of brochures and pamphlets promoting St. Joseph programs and activities, primarily during the 1980s and 1990s. Of particular interest to some researchers may be a cookbook, Pearl of the Kitchen, A Careful Compilation of Tried and Approved Recipes, which was published in 1898 by the Ladies of St. Joseph Orphan Society.
Series IV: Scrapbooks and Photograph Albums – This series contains thirteen scrapbooks containing mostly newspaper clippings. The newspaper clippings are document Catholic Church and St. Joseph Orphan Society history from 1910 through 1976, with the bulk of clippings from the 1940s to the 1960s. Of particular interest is the scrapbook documenting the St. Joseph Orphan Society centennial in 1949.
The series also contains nine photographs albums documenting a variety of events at St. Joseph beginning in 1927 and ending in 1989. The albums include photographs of trustees and staff members, the Liberty House Girls Group Home, the annual St. Joseph Picnic, buildings being dedicated or torn down, and general St. Joseph special events. Of particular note is a scrapbook that includes photograph from the 1930s and 1940s that was created from the 140th Anniversary Alumni Day.
Series V: Photographs, Negatives and Slides – This is the largest of the six series in this collection spanning seventeen boxes and is divided into three subseries – Photographs, Negatives, and Slides.
Subseries VA: Photographs – The first five boxes in this subseries contain photographs documenting St. Joseph history, events, and children from 1890 to approximately 1969, with the majority of the photographs from the 1930s and 1940s. The photographs are grouped according to subject including trustees and staff, the St. Joseph Picnic, religious ceremonies and events, buildings and grounds, and children. Of particular interest are the photographs of children at St. Joseph, some of which are with siblings and/or parents. Many, but not all, photographs are labeled.
The remainder of the subseries VA photographs is from the 1980s and 1990s. The photographs primarily document children events such as parties, the St. Joseph Prom, recreational activities, field trips, summer programs, and some of the staff. Unfortunately, most of the photographs do not provide the names of people in the photographs or the date of the event/activity. Finally, at the end of the series, there are a large number of photographs documenting “The Cottages” ground breaking ceremonies in the mid-1990s and the “Budding Dreams” campaign of the early 2000s.
Subseries VB: Negatives – This subseries is filed in two flat album boxes. Some of the negatives are labeled, but many are not.
Subseries VC: Slides – This subseries is filed in two flat album boxes. In the front of each album box is a guide to the slides in the subseries. The slides are of events that occurred from 1969 to 1987.
Series VI: Audiovisual Material – The final series in this collection is divided into three subseries.
Subseries VIA: Films, DVDs, and Reel-to-Reel Tapes – This subseries primarily contains 8mm and 16mm film from the 1940s and 1950s. The film documents activities at St. Joseph including the St. Joseph Picnic, celebrations, and other events. The films have been transferred and access copies are available for viewing. Of particular interest for researchers is the film of the 1949 Centennial Celebration, the Solemn Outdoor Mass of 1948, and a general compilation of events in 1946.
Subseries VIB: Cassette Tapes – This subseries contains ten tapes from the mid-1990s. The tapes document the March 16, 1995 Cottage Dedication, several radio advertisements, and several interviews with staff members. There are also two tapes that accompany at slide presentation.
Subseries VIC: Video Tapes – This subseries contains 72 video tapes. The tapes primarily document activities, programs, and events at St. Joseph during the 1990s. Most of the tapes are of news programs broadcast by Dayton-area TV stations. There are also several promotional tapes.
Dates
- Creation: 1849-2004
Creator
- St. Joseph Children's Treatment Center (Organization)
Language of Materials
Materials are primarily in English with occasional items in Old German Script, indicated at folder or item level.
Restrictions on Access
The majority of materials are open for research, however, a very few materials are restricted for privacy.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
History of St. Joseph's Orphan Society / Children's Treatment Center
In 1840, the St. Joseph Aid Society was organized among members of the Catholic community in Dayton, Ohio. Its purpose was to help poor, forsaken, and poverty stricken families. In 1849, a cholera epidemic caused the death of many fathers and mothers. The Society changed its name to the St. Joseph Orphan Society on August 5, 1849, and amended its purpose to provide for and educate orphans of members of the Society. An assessment of twenty cents per month to support children needing assistance was paid by the Society’s members. The children were placed in foster homes. A committee was appointed to present a constitution and, at its September 23, 1849 meeting, a constitution patterned after the St. Aloysius Orphan Society of Cincinnati was adopted. In 1857, the Orphan Society was formally incorporated according to Ohio law under the name German Roman Catholic St. Joseph Orphan Society.
In 1854, a committee was appointed by the Society to obtain ground on which to build an orphanage. The number of children needing care had increased and sufficient foster homes could not be found to house them. In 1865, 16.5 acres of land across the Miami River near the railroad bridge was purchased for $3,250. Additionally, on July 4, 1864 a new means of providing support for the orphanage was instituted. On this date, members of the St. Joseph Orphan Society and the Hiberians Benevolent Society marched to the fairgrounds for a grand picnic following a mass at Holy Trinity Church. The first “Kinderfest” raised $288.37 and began a tradition which continued until 1979 when the annual picnics were discontinued as a means of raising funds for St. Joseph.
The 1870s were marked by expansion and building of the first permanent orphanage to house a growing number of children. At first, only children whose father’s had been a member of the Society were cared for, but because of the community’s needs, this article of the constitution was disregarded and other needy Catholic children were supported. In 1872, the land purchased in 1865 was sold and 6.67 acres of land and building were purchased from Father Schiff of St. Mary’s Church. On May 22, 1873, the first St. Joseph Orphanage, a five-room frame building, was dedicated. The following year, the Orphan Society celebrated its 25th anniversary with a membership of 300 and a record of having taken care of 56 children since its founding. The orphanage soon outgrew its five-room cottage and plans were formulated to construct a building on the acreage. The cornerstone was laid July 25, 1875, and on December 19, 1875 the new three-story brick building was dedicated. The building did not have a furnace or running water. Stoves were used to heat the rooms and water was obtained from a pump in the front yard.
When the last superintendents resigned in 1891, the Orphan Society made the decision to apply to the Society of the Precious Blood for assistance. On March 16, 1891, four Sisters and one Brother from the order arrived at the orphanage. The Society of the Precious Blood would remain at the orphanage for the next 76 years. By the end of 1891, the number of children had increased and two more Sisters came to Dayton. The Sisters had a furnace and bathroom installed. They also open the third floor attic for bedrooms and had a chapel built. In 1898, the first addition was added to the home at a cost of $12,000. Additionally, a ladies auxiliary was organized “for advancement and improvement of the orphanage.”
Before the Sisters of the Precious Blood arrived, the children attended church and school at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Xenia Avenue. After the Sisters arrived, masses were offered in the newly constructed chapel and school classes began on April 1, 1891. Religion, English and German grammar, reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, United States history, and nature studies were taught by the Sisters. The boys were given training in farming and manual arts and the girls were trained in needlework, sewing and domestic duties.
In May 1905, a $25,000 addition, which housed the kitchen, bakery, laundry, and dining room, was completed. There were 89 children in the home. During the same year, the “Orphans Picnic” was opened to the public and the first mechanical rides were introduced to the Dayton area. Further significant events from 1900 to 1949 included: the 1919 fire that destroyed the upper story of the barn; the facing of the brick building with stone and the frame cottage becoming an infirmary in 1935; the Sisters’ living quarters being enlarged, a sun porch built, and the opening of the swimming pool in 1939; and the completion of a small log cabin as a recreation and party room for the children in 1944.
By the centennial celebration in 1949, attendance at the annual picnic had grown to 50,000 people which required the support of 1200 volunteers. For the centennial, many activities were panned including a May 30 Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving, which was attended by 4,000 people, the annual picnic on June 26, 1949, and the Alumni Homecoming Day held on Sunday, August 7, 1949.
During the 1950s, the number of “orphaned” children began to decline and services were extended to include neglected, dependent, and troubled Catholic children within Montgomery County. The new dormitory facility, completed in 1954, offered child care in a group setting for elementary school age children (6-16) with the plan that they would eventually return to their homes. Then, in 1958, as the population continued to decline, the Society amended its constitution permitting referral of children living outside Montgomery County. Services offered by St. Joseph emphasized the home-like atmosphere of the home, which allowed children to develop strengths to meet individual needs. The Sister who served as group mother had the responsibility for “molding habits of cleanliness, neatness, politeness, respect, responsibility, and the many other virtues which is the duty of parents to instill into their children.” The children attended school at St. Anthony’s. Friday nights were “allowance nights” and the first and third Sundays were visitation times with relatives. In 1957, there were 1025 Active and Life members of the St. Joseph Orphan Society and 866 Active and Life members of the Ladies Auxiliary.
The number of children referred continued to decline in spite of the dedication of the Society. In 1961, the Child Welfare League of America surveyed the community to determine what child care services were most needed in the community. The League’s report suggested expansion of services to care for troubled children with a program offering education, group therapy and activities, family contact, and individual treatment.
In 1967, Sisters of St. Francis replaced the Sisters of the Precious Blood as care givers and teachers. St. Joseph again had school on campus. The Administrative wing of the building was completed in 1970 and included quarters for the Sisters on the second floor. In March 1972, James H. O’Hara was appointed as the first Executive Director of the St. Joseph Home for Children. Troubled children of all faiths were accepted for placement and the five Sisters of St. Francis served as teachers and child care workers implementing treatment emphasizing positive behavior. The seventies were also marked by the expansion of services to include adolescent boys and girls. A group home for boys was opened in 1973 in Dayton View and Liberty House, a group home for girls in the former convent at St. Christopher’s in Vandalia, opened in 1976. Both were later phased out due to administrative difficulties.
L. William Streisel came to St. Joseph as Executive Director in 1978. During his administration, the Sisters of St. Francis left and were replaced by lay staff in the school and the dormitories. St. Joseph also began accepting placements of children from all faiths throughout the 88 counties of Ohio. The picnic held in June 1979 was the last of the annual fundraisers. Problems arose with the cancellation of rides and a ruling by the Postmaster that raffle tickets could no longer be mailed to donors caused a significant decrease in proceeds and attendance.
In 1981, the Anchorage group home for adolescent boys was opened in Centerville. In the same year, St. Joseph completed the transition from a Catholic orphanage to a non-denominational treatment center and installed a new Executive Director, Richard Clair. In 1982, St. Joseph changed its name to the St. Joseph Residential Treatment and Child Care Center. The name was later shortened to St. Joseph Children’s Treatment Center. At this point, St. Joseph offered four programs: Residential Treatment, Day Treatment, Group homes for adolescent boys and girls, and Special Treatment Foster Homes. The children in residential treatment lived in the dormitory building constructed in 1954.
The 1990s was marked by a major fundraising campaign known as the “Capital Campaign.” From the funds raised, a number of residential cottages were open in 1995 and in 1997. The Executive Director at this point was David Emenhiser. Programs offered by St. Joseph included: Residential Treatment, Special Treatment homes, the Anchorage Group home for adolescent boys, Day Treatment programs, the Alternative to School program, the Early Childhood Intervention program, the Family Preservation program, and the Adoption Save program. Children being helped ranged from 400 to 600 children per day.
The early 2000s saw one last fundraising campaign, “Budding Dreams,” which occurred from 2001 to 2004. Finally, in 2003 a decision was made to close the St. Joseph Children’s Treatment Center. St. Joseph closed on January 31, 2004. The grounds where the orphanage stood are now operated by The Glen at St. Joseph. The Glen offers single mothers and their children a safe, positive place to live, as well as numerous services to help mother become better providers for their families.
Extent
40 linear feet
Abstract
Established in 1849, the German Roman Catholic St. Joseph Orphan Society of Dayton, Ohio, was a subscription society that placed the children of deceased or indigent members in Catholic foster homes. The institution changed its mission, bylaws, and name numerous times but continued as a child-caring institution run by a Board of Trustees and in Dayton, Ohio, later known as the St. Joseph Children's Treatment Center. The collection spans a period beginning in 1849 and ending January 31, 2004 when the St. Joseph Children's Treatment Center closed and was superseded by a new organization known as "The Glen at St. Joseph." The collection consists of admission and dismissal records, Board of Trustee minutes, some administrative files, scrapbooks, publications, photographs, film, and audio recordings of the St. Joseph Orphan Society and its follow-on organizations.
Statement of Arrangement
The collection is arranged into six series.
- Series I: Administrative
- Series II: Financial
- Series III: Publications and Other Printed Material
- Series IV: Scrapbooks and Photograph Albums
- Series V: Photographs, Negatives and Slides
- Series VI: Audiovisual Material
Technical Requirements
Audio and video formats require playback equipment and/or digitization for access.
Acquisition Information
The St. Joseph Orphan Society/Children's Treatment Center Records were deposited in Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries, on September 5, 1997 by the St. Joseph Children's Treatment Center, Dayton, Ohio.
Separated Material
Six optical discs from the donor were separated to the E-Archives for preservation management. Original film was digitized and then placed in cold storage for long term preservation.
Processing Information
Processed by John Armstrong, July 2007 - January 2008.
Subject
- St. Joseph Orphan Society (Dayton, Ohio) -- History (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the St. Joseph Orphan Society Children's Treatment Center Records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by John Armstrong, January 2008
- Date
- 2015
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Revision Statements
- 2/12/2015: Added information about digitization of film and cold storage.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
Wright State University Libraries
Special Collections and Archives
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy
Dayton OH 45435-0001 USA
937-775-2092
library-archives@wright.edu
