bMS 499

Women's Christian College, Madras, India. Records, 1914-1979

Summary Information:

  • Call Number: bMS 499
  • Title:  Women's Christian College, Madras, India, Records, 1914-1979
  • Repository: Harvard Divinity School Library, Harvard Divinity School,
  • 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
  • Quantity: 12 boxes

Administrative Information:

  • Preferred Citation:  Women's Christian College, Madras, India, Records, 1914-1979, bMS 499, Harvard Divinity School Library, Harvard Divinity School.
  • Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection.

Historical Information:

The Women's Christian College in Madras, India, an international and interdenominational missionary college, was established in 1915 through the united efforts of missionary societies in Britain, Canada, and the USA. (See related collection, bMS 497, St. Christopher's Training College, Madras, India.)

Brief Description:

College Council minutes and reports (1915-1977), Associate Board minutes (1915-1977), British Associate Board minutes (1914-1977), the Association minutes (1920-1977), financial records, correspondence (1929-1975), material on staff and school life, Christa Seva Vidhyalaya, Mount Holyoke-in-Madras committee, St. Christopher's Training School, blueprints, publications, and photographs.

Container List:

(Note: the collection number is bMS 499, the number after the slash is the box number, and the number in parentheses is the folder number.)

General Historical Material

  • bMS 499/1 (1) Information on the gift.
  • bMS 499/1 (2) "Proposal for a Women's Christian College in Madras" - T.H.P. Sailer.
  • bMS 499/1 (3) "The Christian College for Women, Madras, India."
  • bMS 499/1 (4) General historical documents.
  • bMS 499/1 (5) List of minutes of meetings of the various boards.
  • bMS 499/1 (6) American Associate Board: legal papers and correspondence regarding exemption from Federal Income Tax, 1951-1967.
  • bMS 499/1 (7) American Associate Board: legal papers relating to New York State and change of name of board, 1949-1951.
  • bMS 499/1 (8) American Section of the Governing Board. Certificates of Incorporation, 1932-1970.
  • bMS 499/1 (9) Certificate of Change of Name: American Section to Associate Board, 1950.
  • bMS 499/1 (10) By-Laws and Constitution.
  • bMS 499/1 (11) Rules and Regulations of the Women's Christian College.
  • bMS 499/1 (12) Board members - American Associate Board, 1946-1977 (incomplete).

The College Council

  • bMS 499/1 (13) College Council, Minutes 1915-1931.
  •      [The minutes for #22 (1924) and #27 (1926) and #27 (1927) and #31 (1928) are printed with the minutes of the Association.]
  • bMS 499/1 (14) College council, Minutes, 1932-1952.
  • bMS 499/1 (15) College Council, Minutes, 1953-1960.
  • bMS 499/2 (1) College Council, Minutes, 1961-1969.
  • bMS 499/2 (2) College Council, Minutes, 1970-1977.
  • bMS 499/2 (3) Reports of the Council, 1925-1926; 1927-1928.
  •      [Note: no reports available prior to 1925-1926 or between 1947-1961. And some other dates.]
  • bMS 499/2 (4) Reports of the Council, 1936-1937; 1937-1938; 1938-1939.
  • bMS 499/2 (5) Reports of the Council, 1939-1940; 1940-1941; 1941-1942; 1943-1944, 1945-1946.
  • bMS 499/3 (1) Reports of the Council, 1962-1963; 1963-1964; 1964-1965; 1965-1966.
  • bMS 499/3 (2) Reports of the Council, 1966-1967; 1967-1968; 1969-1970; 1970-1971.
  • bMS 499/3 (3) Reports of the Council, 1971-1972, 1972-1973 (2 parts); 1973-1974.

American Section of the Board of Governors/The Associate Board

  • bMS 499/3 (4) American Section, Minutes, 1915-1925.
  • bMS 499/3 (5) American Section, Minutes, 1926-1932.
  • bMS 499/3 (6) American Section of the Governing Board. Meeting of Incorporation, Minutes, May 28, 1932.
  • bMS 499/4 (1) American Section, Minutes, 1932-1943.
  • bMS 499/4 (2) American Section, Minutes, 1944-1949.
  • bMS 499/4 (3) American Section, Minutes, 1950-1955.
    • Name changed to Associate Board, 1950.
  • bMS 499/4 (4) Associate Board, Minutes, 1956-1959.
  • bMS 499/4 (5) Associate Board, Minutes, 1960-1966.
  • bMS 499/4 (6) Associate Board, Minutes, 1967-1972.
  • bMS 499/4 (7) Associate Board, Minutes, 1973-1977.
  •      [Note: in 1975 Board consolidates with St. Christopher's Board.]
  • bMS 499/4 (8) Board of Directors, Minutes, 1932-1950.
  • bMS 499/4 (9) Executive Committee, Minutes, 1924-1965.
  • bMS 499/4 (10) Finance Committee, Minutes, 1932, 1962-1975. (Includes some correspondence.)

British Section of the Board of Governors/British Associate Board

  • bMS 499/5 (1) British Section, Minutes, 1914-1932.
  • bMS 499/5 (2) British Section, Minutes, 1938-1950.
  • bMS 499/5 (3) British Associate Board, Minutes, 1951-1969. 
  • Note: name change to British Associate Board, 1950.
  • bMS 499/5 (4) British Associate Board, Minutes, 1971-1977.
  • bMS 499/5 (5) Annual Tea Party, July 2, 1979 (British friends); farewell to British Associate Board; henceforth, Friends of the WCC and St. Christopher's Training College.
  • bMS 499/5 (6) British Associate Board, Newsletter #2, 1968 - #7, 1977.

The Association

  • bMS 499/5 (7) The Association, Minutes, 1920-1948.
  • bMS 499/5 (8) The Association, Minutes, 1949-1977.

WCC, Financial Records

  • bMS 499/5 (9) Treasurer's papers relating to election of treasurer, 1939, 1947.
  • bMS 499/5 (10) Treasurer's reports and financial statements, 1930, 1947-1952.
  •      [Note: see also minutes of the Associate Board and the Finance Committee.]
  • bMS 499/5 (11) Treasurer's reports and financial statements, 1953-1955; 1971-1978.
  • bMS 499/5 (12) Beale, Elizabeth S.
  • bMS 499/5 (13) Blakely, Bertha - legacy.
  • bMS 499/5 (14) Cook, Frank Gaylord - legacy.
  • bMS 499/5 (15) Dining Room-Hostel Fund, 1959-1961.
  • bMS 499/6 (1) Ellis, Ruth - legacy.
  • bMS 499/6 (2) Emerson, Mabel E. - legacy.
  • bMS 499/6 (3) Haywood, Charlotte - legacy.
  • bMS 499/6 (4) Hull, Edna M. - legacy.
  • bMS 499/6 (5) Provident Fund Rules.

Correspondence, 1929-1975

  • bMS 499/6 (6) 1929.
  • bMS 499/6 (7) 1944.
  • bMS 499/6 (8) 1945.
  • bMS 499/6 (9) 1948.
  • bMS 499/6 (10) 1949.
  • bMS 499/6 (11) 1954.
  • bMS 499/6 (12) 1956.
  • bMS 499/6 (13) 1962.
  • bMS 499/6 (14) 1963.
  • bMS 499/6 (15) 1964.
  • bMS 499/6 (16) 1965.
  • bMS 499/6 (17) 1966.
  • bMS 499/6 (18) 1967.
  • bMS 499/6 (19) 1968.
  • bMS 499/6 (20) 1969.
  • bMS 499/6 (21) 1970.
  • bMS 499/6 (22) 1971.
  • bMS 499/6 (23) 1972.
  • bMS 499/6 (24) 1973.
  • bMS 499/6 (25) 1974.
  • bMS 499/6 (26) 1975.

School Life, Activities, Staff

  • bMS 499/6 (27) Alumnae activities and publications.
  • bMS 499/6 (28) The Chorus.
  • bMS 499/6 (29) Conditions of Service for permanent foreign members of the staff.
  • bMS 499/6 (30) George, Elizabeth.
  • bMS 499/6 (31) Home Science Department.
  • bMS 499/6 (32) McDougall Memorial Nursery School.
  • bMS 499/6 (33) Mason, Eleanor D.
  • bMS 499/6 (34) Mukerji, Renuka.
  • bMS 499/6 (35) Nutrition Department.
  • bMS 499/6 (36) "Our Work Camp."
  • bMS 499/6 (37) Prospectus, 1947, 1951-1952. Also, rules concerning admission.
  • bMS 499/6 (38) Rivett, Eleanor.
  • bMS 499/6 (39) Social and religious work of staff and students.
  • bMS 499/6 (40) Staff members (articles and newspaper clippings by and about the staff).
  • bMS 499/6 (41) "The Student Christian Movement."

Christa Seva Vidhyalaya

  • bMS 499/7 (1) CSV, Board of Management, Minutes, 1949-1966. (incomplete)
  • bMS 499/7 (2) Board of Management, Minutes, 1966-1975.
  • bMS 499/7 (3) CSV, The Association, Minutes, 1951-1976.
  • bMS 499/7 (4) CSV, British Committee, Minutes, 1949-1959. (incomplete)
  • bMS 499/7 (5) Letters: 1968, 1972.
  • bMS 499/7 (6) CSV printed material, 1952-1970.

Mount Holyoke-in-Madras Committee

  • bMS 499/7 (7) Mount Holyoke-in-Madras Committee. General file which includes guidelines for the committee, annual reports and minutes of meetings, financial material, luncheon and program (1969) for Eleanor Mason.
  • bMS 499/7 (8) Mount Holyoke-in-Madras Committee, folder one, 1946-1965. Includes flyers and fund raising publications.
  • bMS 499/7 (9) Mount Holyoke-in-Madras Committee, folder two, 1966-1977. Includes flyers, list of books sent to WCC, letters to alumnae and friends.

St. Christopher's Training College

  • bMS 499/7 (10) St. Christopher's. By-Laws, 1965, 1975. Includes report of Ad Hoc Committee to explore the options for the continuation of the Associate Board of St. Christopher's, 1974.
  • bMS 499/7 (11) College Council, Minutes: 1974, 1976, 1977.
  • bMS 499/7 (12) Report of the College Council: 1973-1974, 1974-1975, 1976-1977.
  • bMS 499/7 (13) The Association, Minutes: 1976, 1977.
  • bMS 499/7 (14) Financial Statements: 1975-1976, 1976-1977. Includes budget for 1977-1978.
  • bMS 499/8 (1) Brochure, March 1971: "St. Christopher's Training College."
  • bMS 499/8 (2) Letter from Principal (photocopy), 15 December 1977.
  • bMS 499/8 (3) Offero: 1923-1973 (Golden Jubilee Souvenir), 1975, 1977.

Women's Union Christian Colleges in the Orient

  • bMS 499/8 (4) Women's Union Christian Colleges in the Orient. Papers, 1923-1966. Includes report of the Building Fund Committee, December 1923.

Blueprints, WCC

  • bMS 499/8 (5) Blueprints of grounds, Women's Christian College.

Publications

  • bMS 499/8 (6) Notes on publications by Eleanor Mason, February 22, 1979.
  • bMS 499/8 (7) Alumnae Day Celebration (flyers), 1966, 1967.
  • bMS 499/8 (8) Calendar, WCC - 1964.
  • bMS 499/8 (9) College News, v. 1 (1947) - v. 5 (1952). (incomplete)
  • bMS 499/8 (10) College News, v. 6 (1952) - v. 11 (1958). (incomplete)
  • bMS 499/8 (11) "Eleanor Rivett: Missionary to India." 1948.
  • bMS 499/8 (12) Diamond Jubilee Celebration, 1975.
  • bMS 499/8 (13) Golden Jubilee, Souvenir. Includes Programme for Golden Jubilee Celebration (28 January 1966) and programme for Golden Jubilee Service (29 January 1966). See also entry under Sunflower.
  • bMS 499/8 (14) " Homemakers, teachers, political leaders..." (flyer) November 1957
  • bMS 499/8 (15) "Lord, Hear Our Prayer." Prayers used in the college chapel by our principals, 1915-1965.
  • bMS 499/8 (16) McDougall, Eleanor. "An Address ... Convocation of the Senate of the University of Madras, 6 August 1931."
  • bMS 499/8 (17) News Bulletin No. 1 (1943?)
  • bMS 499/8 (18) President's Letter's, 1959-1966. (Mrs. James Allen, 1959-1965; Mrs. Orrin F. Judd)
  • bMS 499/8 (19) Principal's Journal, 1915-1921. (incomplete)
  • bMS 499/9 (1) Principal's Journal, 1921-1929. (incomplete)
  • bMS 499/9 (2) Principal's Journal, 1939-1945. (incomplete)
  • bMS 499/9 (3) Principal's Journal, 1946-1954. 
  • bMS 499/9 (4) Principal's Journal, 1955-1971.
  • bMS 499/9 (5) Rivett, Eleanor. "Memory Plays a Tune." Recollections of India, 1907-1947.
  • bMS 499/9 (6) The Sunflower. Golden Jubilee, 1965-66.
  • bMS 499/9 (7) The Sunflower. Special number: Miss McDougall, principal, 1915-1938.
  • bMS 499/9 (8) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" (1917?)
  • bMS 499/9 (9) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" (!919)
  • bMS 499/9 (10) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" (1921)
  • bMS 499/9 (11) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India - 1915-1925."
  • bMS 499/9 (12) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India - 1915-1935."
  • bMS 499/10 (1) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1944.
  • bMS 499/10 (2) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - perhaps 1946 or late 1940's
  • bMS 499/10 (3) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1951 or 1952?
  • bMS 499/10 (4) "Women's Christian College, Madras" - 1953?
  • bMS 499/10 (5) "Women's Christian College, Madras" - 1960?
  • bMS 499/10 (6) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1960-61
  • bMS 499/10 (7) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - early 1960's
  • bMS 499/10 (8) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1963.
  • bMS 499/10 (9) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1965.
  • bMS 499/10 (10) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1967.
  • bMS 499/10 (11) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1970.
  • bMS 499/10 (12) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - 1972.
  • bMS 499/10 (13) "Women's Christian College, Madras, India" - after 1972.
  • bMS 499/10 (14) "Women's Christian College Union" - Handbook, 1976.

Miscellaneous

  • bMS 499/10 (15) The Church of South India. Includes Silver Jubilee number 1972 of The South India Churchman.
  • bMS 499/10 (16) Papers: Association of N.A. Cooperating Agencies of Overseas Women's Christian Colleges, 1955-1974.

Photographs of Women's Christian Colleges

  • bMS 499/11 (1) "Golden Jubilee"
  • bMS 499/11 (2) "Alumnae Days" 1964, 1966.
  • bMS 499/11 (3) Visitors to the college.
  • bMS 499/11 (4) "Occasions": Opening of Home Science Block, servant's dining hall, etc.; opening of Assembly Hall; Silver Anniversary of Opening of Home Science Course (1957); Dedication of library.
  • bMS 499/11 (5) Principals.
  • bMS 499/11 (6) Chapel. see also bMS 499/12 (11)
  • bMS 499/11 (7) "Exteriors and grounds" folder one.
  • bMS 499/11 (8) "Exteriors and grounds" folder two.
  • bMS 499/12 (1) "Interiors of buildings"
  • bMS 499/12 (2) "Staff and Large College Groups" CARE - some fragile
  • bMS 499/12 (3) "Students"
  • bMS 499/12 (4) "Activities, games, music, dramatics, etc."
  • bMS 499/12 (5) "Classroom activities, library, botany department etc."
  • bMS 499/12 (6) "Social work."
  • bMS 499/12 (7) "Social work."
  • bMS 499/12 (8) "Nutrition/Home Science and Nursery School"
  • bMS 499/12 (9) " McDougall Memorial Nursery School" (alumnae sponsored in slum area)
  • bMS 499/12 (10) "Sightseeing trips"
  • bMS 499/12 (11) Large photographs: 2 of students-staff (including Mason) at annual Indian dinner party (1955).

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