Juvenile Welfare Association Records
Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- Special Collections Unit at Harold Washington Library Center
- Title
- Juvenile Welfare Association Records
- Source
- Juvenile Welfare Association
- Creator
- Lyons, Bertha Gloria, 1896-1982
- Creator
- United States. Works Progress Administration (Ill.)
- Identifier
- spe.nhrc.jwa
- Size
- 9.5 Linear Feet in 19 boxes, including 7 photographs
- Dates
- 1898-1980
- Predominant Dates
- 1924-1950
- Abstract
- The collection includes the records of the Juvenile Welfare Association and materials on founder Bertha Lyons' Self-Development Course, including lessons, sheet music, recitations, or dramatic exercises. Documents also include scripts from the Adult Education Program created by Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1938-1939.
- Language
- English .
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by the Juvenile Welfare Association in 1990.
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Processing Information note
This collection was surveyed as part of the Black Metropolis Research Consortium's Survey Initiative on 2010 July 27 by Lisa Calahan and Andrew Steadham.
Preferred Citation
When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Juvenile Welfare Association Records [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library.
Historical
In 1921, Bertha G. Lyons founded the Juvenile Welfare Association (JWA). She remained its director for over half a century. It was incorporated in 1923 as a non-profit agency through the efforts of Victor Arnold, a judge of Chicago's Juvenile Court. The Association maintained that its mission was educational, not charitable. It sought to provide to orphans, homeless children or wards of the state free classes in self-development: music, dancing, dramatics, deportment, manners, speech, etiquette and social skills important in making a person successful. These classes were generally offered through institutions where the children were gathered, including the Chicago Home for the Friendless, the Morgan Park Home for Dependent Children, Marcy Center, St. Hedwig's Orphanage, Union Avenue Parish House and DePaul Settlement. The Association maintained an independent and non-sectarian status, offering its services to Protestant, Catholic and Jewish organizations. Financial support came from private donations of members.
The Association was investigated and audited by the Public Welfare Department of Illinois in 1922 and 1930, and periodically since then, and was always found to be accomplishing its stated purposes satisfactorily. The Association maintained offices at 77 W. Washington Street, Chicago, for many years and more recently moved to a suite at 220 S. State Street.
Biographical
Bertha Gloria Lyons (1896-1982) was born February 20, 1896, in New York City. At the age of two and a half, she was taken from the New York Foundling Hospital and placed in the home of William and Alice Lyons McCartney. The McCartneys later had six children of their own; Bertha was their only foster child. During her childhood, the McCartneys moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where William owned a wholesale candy and paper warehouse.
At the age of seventeen, Miss Lyons enrolled in the Waterloo [Iowa] Conservatory of Music, from which she graduated in 1914 with a certificate in Theory in Dramatic Art. She then attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where she took courses in educational theory and teacher education. After leaving Cedar Falls, she returned to Waterloo where she performed in local theatrical productions, gave private drama lessons, and edited a small entertainment newspaper, Amusement News. She also worked as a sales manager for an advertising firm in Waterloo, but left it to study with actor and director Elias Day. Later, during her study with actor Donald Robertson, she began to compile and develop a repertoire focusing on monologue and stage gesture technique.
In the late 1910s, Miss Lyons traveled with the Western Lyceum Bureau as a performer doing monologues and behind the scenes as a booking agent in Indiana, Michigan and Iowa. In 1919, at age 23, Lyons settled in Chicago and opened a studio to teach elocution, drama, and social and business deportment to both adults and children. Two years later, she founded the Juvenile Welfare Association and extended the services of her studio to children in custodial care. To support the work of the Association, she founded a magazine, The Children's Educator, in 1924. Its lifespan was short (only nine issues were produced in three years), but it earned its publisher a "Citizenship of the Year" award. When the Juvenile Welfare Association was incorporated in 1923, Lyons closed her studio and committed herself full-time to the Association.
Bertha Lyons retired from the Juvenile Welfare Association in the 1970s. She died in 1982.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the Juvenile Welfare Association's correspondence with several Chicago institutions for orphaned or otherwise needy children and the materials that comprise the Lyon's educational activities such as lessons, sheet music, recitations, or dramatic exercises. Other materials include several radio scripts produced by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the later 1930s.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in four series:
Series 1: Juvenile Welfare Association Records, circa 1910-1980, undated
Series 2: Bertha Lyons' Self-Development Course, 1894-1954
Series 3: Self-Development Course Recitations, undated
Series 4: Bertha Lyons' Personal Papers and Photographs, 1898-circa 1940, undated
Separated Materials
The collection included one title: The Complete Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Cambridge ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin; [1908?]. This volume was awarded to Bertha G. Lyons for "First Honors in Recitation" at an oral interpretation contest in Grand Rapids, Michigan about 1912. Special Collections call number: PS2251.238 1908
Conditions Governing Use
Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Indexed Terms
- Applied theater -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Children's literature--Moral and ethical aspects
- Personality development
- Social group work -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Social service -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Social skills in children--Study and teaching
- Women in charitable work -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Juvenile Welfare Association
Indexed Terms
- Lyons, Bertha Gloria, 1896-1982
- Community centers--Illinois--Chicago
- Social settlements--Illinois--Chicago
- Vocational education
- Youth centers--Illinois--Chicago
Inventory
Series 1 includes correspondence with a wide variety of Chicago charitable organizations, records of the JWA's fundraising activities and programs from performances at various institutions under JWA auspices. Additional contents include twenty-four radio scripts used in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Adult Education Program, 1938-1939 (Box 4, Folder 12 to Box 5, Folder 11). Their relation of the radio scripts to the association is unclear. The WPA "Those Adventurous Years" series was designed "to break down prejudices against adult education" by looking at the lives of those who achieved great learning after they became adults.
Copies of all nine issues of The Children's Educator are in this collection (Box 1, Folders 3-12). While the magazine purports to be a monthly publication, and each masthead states a copyright date of 1924, the later issues bear advertisements with dates of 1925, 1926 and 1927. In the absence of a printed date, 1924 is used.
Series 1 is arranged alphabetically by title or topic.
- Title
- Blank stationery
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Chicago Laboratory Theatre, brochure
- Dates
- circa 1920s
- Title
- Children's Educator, vol. 1, no. 1
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Children's Educator, vol. 1, no. 2
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Children's Educator, vol. 1, no. 3
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Children's Educator vol. 1, no. 4
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Children's Educator vol. 1, no. 5
- Dates
- [1925]
- Title
- Children's Educator, vol. 1, no. 6
- Dates
- [1926]
- Title
- Children's Educator, vol. 1, no. 7
- Dates
- [1927]
- Title
- Children's Educator, vol. 1, no. 8
- Dates
- [1927]
- Title
- Children's Educator, vol. 1, no. 9
- Dates
- [1927?]
- Title
- Children's Educator, manuscripts
- Dates
- circa 1924
- Title
- Christmas cards
- Dates
- 1974, 1980
- Title
- Clayton F. Summy Company, catalog of readings with music and melodrama
- Dates
- circa 1918
- Title
- Correspondence, Ada S. McKinley Community House
- Dates
- 1956
- Title
- Correspondence, Angel Guardian Orphanage
- Dates
- 1971
- Title
- Correspondence, Beacon Neighborhood House
- Dates
- 1954-1958
- Title
- Correspondence, Benton House
- Dates
- 1951
- Title
- Correspondence, Berger, Ernest M.
- Dates
- 1941
- Title
- Correspondence, Bohemian Old Peoples' Home and Orphan Asylum
- Dates
- 1935-1942, undated
- Title
- Correspondence, Catholic Social Center
- Dates
- 1932-1944
- Title
- Correspondence, Central Charity Bureau (Catholic)
- Dates
- 1925-1926
- Title
- Correspondence, Chase House
- Dates
- 1946-1948
- Title
- Correspondence, Chicago Boys Clubs
- Dates
- 1958-1978
- Title
- Correspondence, Chicago Home for the Friendless
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Correspondence, Chicago Orphan Asylum
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Correspondence, Chicago Printing Ink Manufacturers Association
- Dates
- 1974
- Title
- Correspondence, Daggett Studio Publications
- Dates
- 1929
- Title
- Correspondence, DePaul Settlement and Day Nursery
- Dates
- 1942-1949
- Title
- Correspondence, DePaul Settlement House
- Dates
- 1963-1971
- Title
- Correspondence, DuSable Community Center
- Title
- Correspondence, Erie Neighborhood House
- Dates
- 1965-1967
- Title
- Correspondence, excerpts compiled in praise of the Juvenile Welfare Association
- Dates
- 1963
- Title
- Correspondence, Firman House
- Dates
- 1956-1965
- Title
- Correspondence, Fourth Presbyterian Church
- Dates
- 1956
- Title
- Correspondence, Henry Booth House
- Dates
- 1963
- Title
- Correspondence, Hoover, Herbert (form letter)
- Dates
- 1948
- Title
- Correspondence, House of the Good Shepherd
- Dates
- 1953
- Title
- Correspondence, Illinois Protestant Children's Home
- Dates
- 1930-1956, 1961
- Title
- Correspondence, Interracial Organization for the Destruction of Race Hatred
- Dates
- 1946
- Title
- Correspondence, Juvenile Welfare Association (outgoing)
- Dates
- 1929-1986, undated
- Title
- Correspondence, Keller, Helen
- Dates
- 1960
- Title
- Correspondence, Laird Community House
- Dates
- 1952-1955
- Title
- Correspondence, Marcy Center
- Dates
- 1948-1951
- Title
- Correspondence, Marks Nathan Jewish Orphans Home
- Dates
- 1924-1947
- Title
- Correspondence, Marillac House
- Dates
- 1964-1980
- Title
- Correspondence, Marillac Seminary
- Dates
- 1936
- Title
- Correspondence, miscellaneous
- Dates
- 1924-1964, undated
- Title
- Correspondence, Mission of Our Lady of Mercy
- Dates
- 1924-1926
- Title
- Correspondence, Parkway Community House
- Dates
- 1951-1963
- Title
- Correspondence, Protestant Child Haven Association
- Dates
- 1933-1936, 1957-1959
- Title
- Correspondence, Protestant Children's Aid
- Dates
- 1929-1931
- Title
- Correspondence, St. Chrysostom's Church
- Dates
- 1944-1958
- Title
- Correspondence, St. Elizabeth High School
- Dates
- 1949-1956
- Title
- Correspondence, St. Hedwig Industrial School
- Dates
- 1948
- Title
- Correspondence, St. Michael Grade School
- Dates
- 1956-1958
- Title
- Correspondence, St. Patrick High School
- Dates
- 1930-1970
- Title
- Correspondence, St. Vincent's Infant Hospital
- Dates
- 1967-1969
- Title
- Correspondence, Sisters of Divine Charity
- Dates
- 1924-1926
- Title
- Correspondence, South Chicago Neighborhood House
- Dates
- 1956-1969
- Title
- Correspondence, Southside Community Committee
- Dates
- 1956
- Title
- Correspondence, Uhlich Orphan Home (Uhlich Evangelical Lutheran Orphan Asylum)
- Dates
- 1925-1944
- Title
- Correspondence, unidentified
- Dates
- 1975, undated
- Title
- Correspondence, Union Avenue Parish House
- Dates
- 1948
- Title
- Correspondence, United States Treasury Department
- Dates
- 1933
- Title
- Extracts from Musical Monologues, Lyon & Healy booklet
- Dates
- circa 1910
- Title
- Financial papers, miscellaneous
- Dates
- 1948, 1958
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1929-1930
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1931
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1932
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1933
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1934
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1935
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1936-1939
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1940-1944
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1947
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1949
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence
- Dates
- 1950-1959, 1962
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence, outgoing
- Dates
- 1929, 1940-1950
- Title
- Fundraising, correspondence, outgoing
- Dates
- 1951-1953, 1960
- Title
- Fundraising, detail work
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Fundraising, form letters
- Dates
- 1946-1955, undated
- Title
- Fundraising, running accounts of select donors
- Dates
- circa 1943-1966
- Title
- Fundraising, telephone solicitation scripts
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- George, Anna E. (Composer, piano teacher), stationery and recital programs
- Dates
- [1929-1931]
- Title
- Grace Hickox Studios, summer course brochure
- Dates
- circa 1920s
- Title
- Graphics, original artwork
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- History and purpose of Juvenile Welfare Association
- Dates
- 1945, undated
- Title
- Ideas for talks
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Juvenile Welfare Association Junior Member, information sheets
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Knowles, Almon B., "Some Thoughts on the Use of Radio in the Classroom"
- Dates
- 1939
- Title
- L' Hiver, Eleanore, publicity brochure
- Dates
- [1920s]
- Title
- Marks Nathan Jewish Home, annual reports
- Dates
- 1923, 1925, 1929
- Title
- Marks Nathan Jewish Home, dance program (conducted by JWA)
- Dates
- 1933 May
- Title
- Marks Nathan Jewish Home, Marks Nathan Times
- Dates
- 1937 September
- Title
- Marks Nathan Jewish Home, Testimonial Dinner for President Charles T. Herron
- Dates
- 1938 October 2
- Title
- Miscellaneous notes
- Dates
- 1972, 1983, undated
- Title
- Miscellaneous printed and typed materials
- Dates
- 1925-1938, undated
- Title
- O'Sullivan, Frank Dalton, "How to Make Sales by Telephone," typescript
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Other charities, notes
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Performance programs, DePaul Settlement Players
- Dates
- 1944-1948
- Title
- Performance programs, Kinsolving Musical Mornings (Blackstone Hotel)
- Dates
- 1922-1923
- Title
- Performance programs, Marcy Center
- Dates
- 1948
- Title
- Performance programs, Marion Vincent's School of Dancing
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Performance programs, Mildred Schooler students' musicale
- Dates
- 1924, 1926
- Title
- Performance programs, Morgan Park Home [orphanage?]
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Performance programs, Ruth Draper (Harris Theatre)
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Elizabeth High School
- Dates
- 1950
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Jadwiga's Orphanage
- Dates
- 1948
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Patrick Girls' High School/St. Patrick Academy
- Dates
- 1930-1942
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Patrick Girls' High School/St. Patrick Academy
- Dates
- 1943-1946
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Patrick Girls' High School/St. Patrick Academy
- Dates
- 1947-1950
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Patrick Girls' High School/St. Patrick Academy
- Dates
- 1951-1953
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Patrick Girls' High School/St. Patrick Academy
- Dates
- 1954-1957
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Patrick Girls' High School/St. Patrick Academy
- Dates
- 1959-1962
- Title
- Performance programs, St. Patrick Girls' High School/St. Patrick Academy
- Dates
- 1963, 1965-1968, undated
- Title
- Performance programs, The Theatre Club (5 programs)
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Report to Better Business Bureau
- Dates
- 1945 January
- Title
- Royden, Maude, flyer, Orchestra Hall address
- Dates
- circa 1920
- Title
- Saffir, Milton A. (b.1910), resume
- Dates
- circa 1943
- Title
- Supplies, correspondence, lists, ordering
- Dates
- 1941-1945
- Title
- Thanksgiving letter
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Twenty-fifth anniversary, card
- Dates
- 1948
- Title
- Uhlich Orphan Home, programs and publicity
- Dates
- 1933-1935, undated
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Across the River" Series, script no. 1:"1832 ‒ The Ferry"
- Dates
- 1939 March 22
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Across the River" Series, script no. 2: "1833 ‒ Sauganash Tavern"
- Dates
- 1939 March 29
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Across the River" Series, script no. 3:"1849 ‒ The Desplaines Flood"
- Dates
- 1939 April 5
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Across the River" Series, script no. 4: The Rush Street Bridge"
- Dates
- 1939 April 12
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Better Americans" Series, script no. 1: "A Business Letter"
- Dates
- 1939 January 12
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Better Americans" Series, script no. 4: "Pa Drives a Car"
- Dates
- 1939 February 9
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 1: "Steve Kowalsky"
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 2:"Eddie Gordon"
- Dates
- 1938 December 13
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 4 [no. 3]: "Lawrence Grey"
- Dates
- [1938] December 12
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 4: "Sir Fowler"
- Dates
- 1939 January 3
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 5: "George Novak and his Chicago Madonna"
- Dates
- 1939 January 3
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 6: "Saved by a Handkerchief"
- Dates
- 1939 January 10
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 7: "Abroad at Home"
- Dates
- 1939 January 17
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 14: "Margery's Room"
- Dates
- 1939 March 8
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 18: "Decorating by the Secretary Inc."
- Dates
- 1939 April 5
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "It Pays to Learn" Series, script no. 19: "Art for Paul's Sake"
- Dates
- 1939 April 12
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Those Adventurous Year" Series, script #1: [Colonel John Stevens]
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Those Adventurous Year" Series, script no. 3: "Minna Moscherosch Schmidt"
- Dates
- 1939 February 21
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Those Adventurous Year" Series, script no. 7: "Edmund Cartwright"
- Dates
- 1939 March 21
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Those Adventurous Year" Series, script no. 8: "Mary Schroeder"
- Dates
- 1939 March 28
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Those Adventurous Year" Series, script no. 9: "George Stephenson"
- Dates
- 1939 April 4
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, "Those Adventurous Year" Series, script no. 10: "John James Audubon"
- Dates
- 1939 April 11
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, miscellaneous, Radio Workshop script, "West Point and Benedict Arnold"
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- WPA Adult Education Program, miscellaneous, "The Story of Santa Claus"
- Dates
- undated
Series 2 contains the lessons offered by the Juvenile Welfare Association. The entire curricular package was referred as the Self-Development Course, and the curriculum outline is in Box 5, Folder 12. The lessons are arranged in alphabetical order, (Box 5, Folder 22 to Box 7, Folder 59). The lesson titles reference positive personality traits (e.g. accuracy, carefulness, cheerfulness, punctuality and reliability); difficulties to be surmounted (e.g. arguing, doubt, fear, pessimism); and information these creator(s) presumed an educated person should know such as lists of well-known books or operas. A major component of the Self-Development Course was "Charm" lessons. A number of the self-development lessons were grouped together by Miss Lyons under the heading "Lessons on Character." This heading has not been maintained in the cataloging as nearly all the lessons seem to refer to some aspect of character and it was unclear what Lyons' criteria were for separating some lessons by this distinction. All lessons are therefore interfiled.
Following the lessons themselves are materials apparently used by Lyons in constructing these lessons (Box 8, Folder 1 to Box 10, Folder 12). The Series also includes play scripts and short stories along with twenty-five pieces of popular sheet music and curricula from purveyors of self-help systems. Alma Archer's course, "The Secrets of Smartness" (Box 8, Folders 1-9), may be the basis for Lyons' course on "Chic." Lessons 3 and 4 of the Margery Wilson Institute's curriculum reappear very little modified in Lyons' Self-Development lessons.
Series 1 is arranged alphabetically by topic.
- Title
- Character aspects, pack of 52 cards
- Dates
- 1919
- Title
- Curriculum (incomplete) [See also: Folder 15]
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Introductory lecture, "What Self-development Will Do for You"
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lesson index and outline [See also: Folder 12]
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lesson 1
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Accuracy
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Acting
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Action
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Adaptation
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Ambition
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Appearance
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Arguing
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Attention
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Belief and Faith in Self
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Best-known Opera List
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Bragging
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Bridge Lessons
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Business (see also: Work)
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Cabbages or Gold?
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Carefulness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Character Molding, ideas
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Character Molding (curriculum list)
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 1
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 2
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 3
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 4
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 5
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 6
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 7
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 8
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 9
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm, lesson 10
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons – Charm, parts, I, II, and III
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Charm questionnaire for students
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Cheerfulness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Chic, introduction and lesson 1: Grooming the Body
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Chic, lesson 2: First Impressions
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Clearness of Thought and Expression
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Compromise
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Concentration
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Confidence
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Consideration of Others
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Constructive Thought
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Contentment
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Contradictions and Interruptions
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Conversation, lessons 1-4 and miscellaneous
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Cooperation
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Cosmic Consciousness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Courage
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Courtesy
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Criticism
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Criticism
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Decision
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Details
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Diligence
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Doing as Essential as Feeling
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Doubt and Fear
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Dramatic Art and Technique
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Dress
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Duty
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Enthusiasm
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Ethics
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Etiquette for Personal Calling Cards
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Famous Painters List
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Fifteen Minute Memory Course
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Fifty of the World's Famous Painters
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Friendship
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Gossip
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Grammar and vocabulary lists
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Health and Cleanliness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Home
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Honesty
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Honesty/Perseverance/Neatness, student quiz
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Fascinate Men
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Talk With Charm, lesson 1
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Talk With Charm, lesson 2
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Talk With Charm, lesson 3
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Talk With Charm, lesson 4
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Talk With Charm, lesson 5
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Talk With Charm, lesson 6
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - How to Talk With Charm, lesson 7
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Imagination
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Initiative
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Introductions
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Letter Writing
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Mannerisms
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Manners
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Memory
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Mental Alertness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Moral maxims
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Mythology, list of gods
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Naturalness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Obedience
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Observation
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - One Hundred Best Books (Sir John Lubbock's list)
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Opportunity
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Originality
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Overcoming Obstacles
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Perseverance
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Personality and Common Sense
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Pessimism and Optimism
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Planning and Concentration of Effort
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Poise
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Posture
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Pronunciation
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Psychology
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Public Speaking
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Punctuality
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Reason
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Reliability
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Self-confidence
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Sensitiveness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Silent Reminders
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Social Advancement
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Study
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Success
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Suggestions
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Table Manners
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Tact
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Team Work
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Telephone Calling
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Thoroughness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Thoughtfulness
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Thrift
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Types of Humanity
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Vocational Guidance
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Women Dealing with Men
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons - Work and Business
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 3 and 4
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 5 and 6
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 7 and 8
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 9 and 10
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 11 and 12
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 13 and 14
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 15 and 16
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 17 and 18
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Archer, Alma, The Secrets of Smartness (fashion and appearance), lessons 19 and 20
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - List, Irma, Bible Lessons, nos. 7, 10-61 (incomplete)
- Dates
- circa 1950s
- Title
- Lessons, outside - List, Irma, God's Message to You
- Dates
- circa 1950s
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Lyons, Bertha, notes taken at various lectures
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Margery Wilson Institute, lesson 1: Cosmic Consciousness
- Dates
- 1933
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Margery Wilson Institute, lesson 2: Enthusiasm
- Dates
- 1933
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Margery Wilson Institute, lesson 3: Men
- Dates
- 1933
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Margery Wilson Institute, lesson 4: The Unconscious Demand
- Dates
- 1933
- Title
- Lessons, outside - Margery Wilson Institute, lesson 5: The Art of Compromise
- Dates
- 1933
- Title
- Morris, Charles Dwight, correspondence
- Dates
- 1958-1962
- Title
- Morris, Charles Dwight, Creative Thinking Through Concentration, books 1-3
- Dates
- 1945
- Title
- Morris, Charles Dwight, Demonstration Through Mental Alchemy
- Dates
- 1942
- Title
- Morris, Charles Dwight, Momentous Revelations
- Dates
- 1942
- Title
- Morris, Charles Dwight, Success Attainment
- Dates
- 1942
- Title
- Music Scores - The Chilcoot Maiden (Eleanor Freer)
- Dates
- 1926
- Title
- Music Scores - A China Tragedy (R. S. Hichens, Clayton Thomas)
- Dates
- 1904
- Title
- Music Scores - Com-pren-a-voo? (N. A. Jennings, John L. Golden)
- Dates
- 1896
- Title
- Music Scores - Dawning (Abner Silver, Maceo Pinkard)
- Dates
- 1927
- Title
- Music Scores - Don't Be What You Ain't (Hobart, Royle and Hein)
- Dates
- 1921
- Title
- Music Scores - Hats (Lytton Cox)
- Dates
- 1921
- Title
- Music Scores - The Hours I Spent with You (Young and Lewis)
- Dates
- 1927
- Title
- Music Scores - It All Depends on You (DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson)
- Dates
- 1926
- Title
- Music Scores - I've Got the Mumps (Irene Franklin, Burt Green)
- Dates
- 1909
- Title
- Music Scores - Japanese Love Song (Clayton Thomas)
- Dates
- 1900
- Title
- Music Scores - Laff It Off (Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby)
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Music Scores - A Lesson with the Fan (Guy d'Hardelot)
- Dates
- 1898
- Title
- Music Scores - The Legend of the Piper (Eleanor Freer, Josephine Peabody)
- Dates
- 1922
- Title
- Music Scores - Massimillian the Court Jester (Elia Peattie, Eleanor Freer)
- Dates
- 1925
- Title
- Music Scores - Mindin' My Business (Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson)
- Dates
- 1923
- Title
- Music Scores - Miss Annabelle Lee (Sidney Clare, Lew Pollack)
- Dates
- 1927
- Title
- Music Scores - The Naughty Little Clock Song (Harry B. Smith, Reginald D Koven)
- Dates
- 1899
- Title
- Music Scores - The Song is Ended (Irving Berlin)
- Dates
- 1927
- Title
- Music Scores - Speak Up, Ike, an' 'spress Yo'se'f (Paul L. Dunbar, Henry S. Sawyer)
- Dates
- 1922
- Title
- Music Scores - Star Dust (Lytton Cox)
- Dates
- 1921
- Title
- Music Scores - The Story Book Ball (Billie Montgomery, George Perry)
- Dates
- 1917
- Title
- Music Scores - There Must be Somebody Else (Archie Gottler)
- Dates
- 1927
- Title
- Music Scores - The Tin Gee-gee (Fred Cape)
- Dates
- 1894
- Title
- Music Scores - To Victory (Just Rose)
- Dates
- 1934
- Title
- Music Scores - Together, We Two (Irving Berlin)
- Dates
- 1927
- Title
- Palmer Institute of Authorship, advertising brochures and mailings
- Dates
- 1946-1953, undated
- Title
- Palmer Institute of Authorship, correspondence
- Dates
- 1952-1953
- Title
- Palmer Institute of Authorship, fiction course, lessons 1-5
- Dates
- 1951-1952
- Title
- Play Scripts - "The Little Pink Lady"
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Play Scripts - "The Magic Star"
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Play Scripts - "Mary Cary" by Kate Langley Bosher (monologue)
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Play Scripts - "The Minuet"
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Play Scripts - "My Maid on the Bamboo Screen" by Grace and William Boldenburg
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Play Scripts - "Our First Performance"
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Play Scripts - unidentified
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Report of training
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Short story, "The Littlest Rebel" by Edward Peple
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Student essays on charm
- Dates
- 1923
- Title
- Student essays on self-development
- Dates
- 1924
- Title
- Student essays on self-development
- Dates
- 1928
- Title
- Student essays
- Dates
- 1954 May
- Title
- Whitaker, Claudine, Fundamentals of Divine Science, course
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Whitaker, Claudine, Laws of the Mind, course
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Whitaker, Claudine, lectures in Kimball Hall, Chicago
- Dates
- 1947-1950, undated
- Title
- Whitaker, Claudine, Steps in Demonstration, course
- Dates
- undated
Bertha Lyons began her career as a monologist with the Western Lyceum Bureau. She never lost sight of the relationship between speaking well and being successful in life. Part of the Self-Development Course was learning how to speak, and the best way to learn anything is by practice. The recitations include not only large collections of "Children's," "Dramatic" and "Humorous" readings, but also a host of ethnic dialects. The descriptions of the ethnic dialect recitations are as transcribed directly from the materials as used by Lyons.
Series 1 is arranged alphabetically by topic.
- Title
- Backwoods dialect, A-M
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Backwoods dialect, N-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, list
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, A
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, B
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, C
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, D
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, E
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, F
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, G
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, H
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, I
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, J
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, K
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, L
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, M
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, N
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, O
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, P
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, R
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, S
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, T-V
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Children's, W
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Christmas, A-G
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Christmas, H-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, lists
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, A
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, B
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, C
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, D
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, E
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, F
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, H
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, I-J
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, K
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, L
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, M
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, N
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, O
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, P
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, R
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, S
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, T
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, V
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dramatic, W
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Dutch dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Easter
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- English dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Excerpts
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- French dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- German dialect, A-K
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- German dialect, L-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Greek dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, lists
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, A
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, B
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, C
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, D
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, E
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, F
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, G
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, H
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, I
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, J
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, K
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, Lv
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, Ma-Mi
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, Mo-My
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, N
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, O
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, P
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, R
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, S
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, T
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, U-V
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, W
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Humorous, Y
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Irish dialect, A-K
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Irish dialect, L-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Italian dialect, A-H
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Italian dialect, I-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Jewish dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lincoln's birthday
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lists by dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Lists by holiday
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Miscellaneous dialogs
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Miscellaneous dialogs
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Miscellaneous monologues
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Miscellaneous monologues
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Miscellaneous short stories
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Musical readings, A-H
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Musical readings, I-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Negro dialect, A-H
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Negro dialect, I-M
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Negro dialect, N-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Scottish dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Swedish dialect
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Thanksgiving Day
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Toasts
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Voice readings, lists
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Voice readings, A-K
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Voice readings, L-Z
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Washington's Birthday
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Weddings
- Dates
- undated
Series 4 consists Bertha Lyons's diploma from the Ross Conservatory of Music at Waterloo, Iowa and a selection of photographs, including portraits of Lyons.
The photographs in Series 4 are arranged by chronologically following the document.
- Title
- Diploma, Ross Conservatory of Music, Waterloo, Iowa
- Dates
- 1914 June 19
- Title
- Bertha G. Lyons
- Dates
- 1898
- Title
- Bertha G. Lyons, with five children
- Dates
- 1898
- Title
- Bertha G. Lyons
- Dates
- circa 1906
- Title
- Bertha G. Lyons, graduation from Ross Conservatory of Music, Waterloo, Iowa
- Dates
- 1916
- Title
- Bertha G. Lyons, Waterloo, Iowa
- Dates
- circa 1916
- Title
- Juvenile Welfare Association, program (Girl Scout Troop 91?)
- Dates
- circa 1940
- Title
- Bertha G. Lyons
- Dates
- undated