Wynnefield Residents’ Association (Philadelphia, Pa.) Records

 

HISTORICAL NOTE

The Wynnefield Residents’ Association (WRA) is a non-profit community organization serving the Wynnefield area of West Philadelphia. The agency is governed by a board of directors comprised of diverse community residents, and has its own advisory council. Organized in 1957 the WRA was not incorporated until February 27, 1966. The association lobbies on behalf of its residents in such matters as housing, transportation, zoning, crime prevention, and block organizing.

Stanton W. Kratzok, Esq., founder of the WRA, recognized the need for a civic association with a nonpolitical foundation to put the proper pressure on government authorities and to maintain unity and pride in the neighborhood. The WRA was instrumental in the passage of ordinances in city council against panic selling; handled zoning ordianaces which kept Wynnefield a single family residential neighborhood, and prevented it from becoming commercial; and established numerous community programs including anti-drug rallies and seminars, distribution of bread baskets for the needy, summer camps, community watch groups, and the Wynnefield Day celebration. The organization also publishes the bi-monthly newsletter Focus.

ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT

The collection is arranged into seven series:

Series I. Administration (Boxes 1-2). Materials include annual reports, articles of incorporation, bylaws, constitution, and administrative correspondence of WRA. This series also contains files documenting the activities of the WRA Board of Directors and the various program committees. Major committees include Education, Membership and Zoning.

Series II: Financial (Boxes 3-5). Materials includes bank statements, ledgers, invoices and receipts, canceled checks and receipt books. Files documenting grant, fundraising and tax activities are also included in this series.

Series III. Activities (Boxes 6-13). This series documents the various programs and activities sponsored by or participated in by WRA. WRA programs permeated various areas of the Wynnefield community including education, housing, and health care. Projects of special interest include: the “Secure All Wynnefield Project”, which deals with crime and safety issues; WRA coordinated summer camp programs with various churches and schools, particularly St. Josephs’ University; and the establishment of the Wynnefield Cultural Center and Library. WRA also conducted various research projects including a 1970 socio-demographic study commissioned by the Board of Directors of Har-Zion Synagogue. The studies examine the demographic changes of the Wynnefield and Lower Merion Jewish communities during the 1940s and 1950s.

Series IV. Other Organizations (Box 14). This series consists of files kept by the NSC on various public and private agencies. Files are arranged alphabetically by organization name.

Series V. Publications (Boxes 15-16). This series consists of brochures, newsletters, books and magazines published by WRA including hard copies of Focus Newsletter and advertisement information. This series also includes materials published by other organizations which are arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series VI. Newsclippings (Box 17). Materials document media coverage of WRA activities and other subjects of interest pertaining to the Wynnefield community.

Series VII. Memorabilia (Box 17). This series consists of one folder of buttons and name tags from the Wynnefield Weekend celebration.

ACQUISITION INFORMATION

Materials deposited in April 1978 and June 1992. This inventory reflects a merger of materials originally received and recorded as accession, 743 and 336.


INVENTORY

SERIES I. ADMINISTRATION

BOX 1

1 Annual Reports 1979-1982
2 Articles of Incorporation 1968
3 Bylaws 1981-1982
4 Constitution of WRA amended 1969-1975
5 Constitution of WRA amended 1982
Board of Directors
6 Board Members Retreat 1982
7 Correspondence 1969, 1982
8 Executive Directors’ Reports 1982, 1985
9 Meeting Minutes 1969-1971, 1975
10 " 1982 -1985
11 Membership Lists 1971-1985
12 Questionnaires 1982-1983

Correspondence

13 General 1968-1969
14 “ 1970
15 “ 1971
16 “ 1972
17 “ 1973
18 “ 1974
19 “ 1975
20 “ 1976
21 “ 1977
22 “ 1978
23 “ 1979
24 “ 1980
25 “ 1981
26 “ 1984
27 “ 1985
28 “ No dates

Committees

29 Bar Tavern 1970
30 Budget 1984-1985
31 Clergy 1969-1971
32 Education 1973-1976, 1980-1981
33 Energy 1981
34 Executive 1971-1973
35 “ 1982-1985
36 Housing 1972-1981

Membership

37 Membership Meetings 1971
38 Membership List No dates
39 Membership Committee Misc. 1971-1976, 1982-1983
40 Nominating 1969-1975, 1979 -1980

BOX 2

1 Real Estate Practices 1968-1971
2 Recreation 1971

Zoning

3 Correspondence 1967
4 “ 1969
5 “ 1970
6 “ 1971-1974
7 “ 1981
8 “ 1982
9 “ 1983
10 “ 1984
11 “ 1985
12 Meeting Minutes 1969-1984
13 Miscellaneous 1968-1985
14 Miscellaneous 1969-1973, 1981
15 Meeting Minutes and Notes 1969-1970, 1985

Office Files

16 Forms(Blank) No dates
17 Mailing Labels No dates

Personnel

18 General 1969, 1977-1982
19 Time Sheets Summer Employment Program 1979
20 Tyrone Wright Personnel File (Restricted) 1976
21 Telephone Directories No dates
22 Telephone and Work Logs 1969-1970
23 “ 1970
24 “ 1971
25 “ 1972
26 “ No date

SERIES II. FINANCIAL

BOX 3

1 Bank Accounts Information 1982-1983
2 Bank Deposit Slips Jan.-May 1980
3 " " " June-Dec. 1980
4 " " " Jan.-May 1981
5 “ " “ June-Dec. 1981
6 “ " “ Feb.-June 1982
7 Bank Statements 1973
8 " " 1974
9 " " (with canceled checks) 1979-1980
10 " " 1980-1981
11 Bank Statements 1975
12 " " 1982-1983
13 Canceled Checks 1973
14-15 “ " 1974
16-17 “ " 1974-1975
18 Check Registers 1979-1980
19 Contract Agreements 1973, 1977,1982, 1987
20 Daily Receipts 1981
21 “ “ 1981-1982
22-24 “ “ 1982

BOX 4

1 “ " 1982-1983
2 “ " 1983
3 “ " No dates
4 Financial Statements 1982-1983
5 Fund Raising Activities 1967-1973
6 " " " 1976 -1983

Grants

7 City Planning Commission Proposal for Community, Block Grant Funding 1975
8 Proposal for General Funding Grant for WRA 1967-1970
9 Support Community Outreach Project (S.C.O.P.) 1983-1986
10 Youth Services Commission Grant 1978-1979
11 Insurance 1973
12 Invoices and Receipts 1950, 1963
13 “ " 1973 -1974
14 " " 1975-1978
15 " " 1979
16 “ " 1980
17-18 “ " 1981
19-20 “ " 1982
21 “ " 1983
22 “ " No dates

BOX 5

1 Ledgers Miscellaneous 1968-1979
2 “ " 1978 -1981
3 “ " 1981
4 Receipts Books 1974-1975, 1981- 1982
5 Requisitions for Equipment and Supplies 1976-1981

Taxes

6 General 1970-1979
7 “ 1981
8 Youth Services Fund 1975-1979
9 Treasurers and Secretary Reports 1979-1985
10 WRA Budgets 1970-1971, 1984- 1985
11 Unemployment Compensation 1978-1981
12 Miscellaneous Financial Materials 1973-1974
13 " “ " 1978-1982

SERIES III ACTIVITIES

BOX 6

1 Anti-Graffiti Campaign 1985
2 Award Certificates No dates
3 Back to Basics Service Program No dates
4 Bars in Wynnefield 1974-1975
5 Basketball Banquet 1972-1974
6 Basketball League 1977-1979
7 Block Notices 1974-1975
Block Club
8 Coordinating Committee 1982-1985
9 Miscellaneous 1970-1971
10 “ 1974-1976
11 “ 1981-1982
12 Cable TV 1978
13 Candidates Night 1977-1979
14 “ 1979
15 “ 1980-1981
16 “ 1982
17 Carousel House No dates
18 CETA Program 1977-1979
19-20 Century IV Neighborhood Festival 1982
21 Charter Defense Dinner 1978
22 Christmas Raffle 1982
23 City Line Median Barrier Project 1973
24 Clergy 1972-1979
25 Community Healthcare 1969-1979

BOX 7

1 Community Maintenance Programs 1967 -1969
2 “ ” “ 1970
3 “ " “ 1971
4 “ " “ 1972-1973
5 Discovering Wynnefield History Project 1977-1985
6 Drug Addition 1972

Education

7 Action Council for District 9 1969-1972

Beeber Junior High School

8 Alternative Program 1974-1976
9 Publications 1973-1975
10 Decentralization in Education 1969-1973
11 Gates High School Project 1969-1972
12 G.E.D. Classes 1975-1976

BOX 8

1 General School System Information 1969 -1971
2 Gompers School 1969-1971
3 Lamberton High School 1973
4-5 Langston Hughes Middle School 1969-1972
6 “ " “ " 1973-1974
7 Overbrook High School 1970-1972
8 “ " “ 1975-1977
9 St. Joseph’s University 1972-1980
10 “ " “ 1982-1985
11 School Board Properties 1975
12 School Budget Information 1967-1972
13 School District of Philadelphia 1977
14 School Building Petition for Langston Hughes and Gates High School No dates
15 Tutor Program 1972
16 William B. Mann School 1969-1974
17 Education, Miscellaneous 1967-1973
18 Emergency Relief to Ethiopia 1985
19 Energy Programs 1983
20 Food Coop 1972-1980
21 Free Library of Philadelphia 1977-1983
22 Gang Control 1968-1974
23 Girls’ Club 1973-1976
24 Gospelrama 1983
25 Housing Issues 1981-1982

BOX 9

1 Job Counseling 1972-1979
2 John C. Anderson Cultural Center 1984
3 Maps No dates
4 March for Excellence 1977
5 Mayors’ Summer Program 1984
6 Monte Carlo Night 1982
7 “ " “ 1984

Organizations/WRA Related

Wynnefield Cultural Center

8 Advisory Board 1977-1985
9 Annex Committee 1982-1985
10 Executive Committee 1984
11 Class Schedules 1970-1985
12 Correspondence 1975-1984
13 Equipment 1977
14 Faculty 1980-1981
15 Films 1976-1977
16 Friends of the Wynnefield Library 1987
17 Nursery Nook 1977-1980
18 Personnel 1971-1985
19 Publicity 1980

Youth Corporation

20 Miscellaneous 1973-1976
21-22 “ 1977-1978

BOX 10

1 Parent Family Center 1978-1979
2 Petitions, PA Liquor Control Board No dates
3 Phone Squad 1971
4 “ " 1984

Picnic in the Park

5 Business Donations 1978-1980
6 Raffle 1980-1981
7 Plant Sale 1983
8 Poetry Readings 1985
9 Police Activities 1971-1973
10 Pottery Class 1976-1983
11 Raffles 1973, 1978, 1980 1982
12 Rail Commuter Tunnel Project 1976-1977

Recreation

13 Miscellaneous 1970-1984
14 Recreation Permits 1982

Research

15 Correspondence 1970-1971
16 Papers 1970-1971, 1975, 1977
17 Report on Demographic Changes in Wynnefield and Lower Merion Jewish Communities 1970

Secure All Wynnefield Project

18 Activities to Combat Crime 1969-1975
19 Fiscal Forms 1973-1975
20 “ " 1975-1977
21 “ " 1977-1978
22 “ " 1978-1979
23 Grant Materials 1973
24 “ " “ 1976-1977
25 “ " “ 1977-1978
26 “ " “ 1979-1980

BOX 11

1 Invoice and Receipts 1980
2 Project Petitions Liquor License No date
3 Progress Reports 1977-1978
4 Project Research Study No dates
5 Tax Information 1980
6 Miscellaneous 1974-1977
Senior Citizen’s Club
7 Bylaws No dates
8 Membership Lists 1974-1985
9 Newsletter 1978-1980
10 Wynnefield Outreach Project 1973-1978
11-13 Miscellaneous 1975-1979
14 Senior Games 1985
15 Scholarship Award Program 1982-1984
16 Smile Contest 1977-1983
17-21 Steam Heat Project, Miscellaneous 1971-1973
22 Success Seminar 1979

BOX 12

Summer Camps

Camp Overbrook

1 Miscellaneous 1969-1973
2 “ 1979-1984
3 Saint Barbaras’ Day Camp 1978

Saint Joseph’s University

4-5 Attendance Roosters 1980
6 “ " 1982
7-9 Attendance Roosters 1983
10 “ " No dates
11 Registration Forms 1982
12 “ " 1983
13 “ " 1985
14-17 “ " 1986
18 Swimming Classes 1986
19 Miscellaneous 1976-1978
20 Summer Encampment Program 1981
21 Summer Camps, Miscellaneous Materials 1975-1984

BOX 13

1 Tenant Groups 1977-1981
2 Tennis 1976
3 Town Watch 1981-1983
4 Transportation 1981
5 Tree Planting Project 1977-1979
6 Turkey Raffle 1983
7 “ " 1984
8 Tutoring Program 1976-1978, 1980-1981
9 25th Anniversary Committee 1982

Vacant Lots

10 Publicker and Parkside 1969-1977
11 Ruby Street Play Lot 1972-1977
12 Wynne Bingo Parlour Controversy 1975-1978
13 Wynnefield Businessmen 1974-1975, 1980
14 Wynnefield Day 1982-1986
15 Wynnefield Job Bank/Labor Pool 1984
16 Wynnefield Library/Recreation Center 1983
17 Wynnefield Weekend Bazaar 1975
18 “ " “ 1976
19 “ " “ 1977
20 “ " “ 1978
21 “ " “ 1979
22 Wynnefield Weekend Bazaar, Miscellaneous 1975-1980
23 Youth Activities 1969, 1975-1980
24 “ " 1984 -1987
25 “ " No dates
26 Youth Employment Programs 1970, 1977-1980
27 “ " “ 1986-1987
28 Activities, Miscellaneous 1974-1985

SERIES IV. ORGANIZATIONS

BOX 14

1 American Red Cross 1978 -1981
2 Boy Scouts 1980-1981
City of Philadelphia
3 Department of Recreation 1976-1977
4 Office of Housing and Community Development 1981
5 Office of the City Represntatives Press Releases 1979, 1981
6 Philadelphia Police Department n.d.
7 Youth Services Coordinating Commission 1986
8 Citizen's Committee on Public Education 1973-1979
9 Citizen's Crime Commission of Philadelphia 1976-1978
10 Community Council for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Inc. 1981
11 Friends of the Free Library 1977-1981
12 Job Corps n.d.
13 The Parenting Institute 1983-1984
14 Parents Union for Public Schools 1976
15 Parkside Assoc. of Philadelphia Newsletter 1984
16 Philadelphia Center for Older People 1976, 1979
17 Philadelphia Council of Neighborhood Organizations 1979-1980
18 The Public Committee for the Humanities in Pennsylvania n.d.
19 Septa 1980-1981
20 West Philadelphia Youth Conseling Center 1978-1979
21 William Penn Foundation 1982

Wynnefield-City-Line Business Association

22 By Laws 23 Meeting, Minutes, and Agenda 1980
24 Membership n.d.
25 Miscellaneous Organizations 1977-1979

SERIES V. PUBLICATIONS

BOX 15

WRA Publications

1 Focus Newsletter (hardcopy) 1974-1976
2 " 1977-1981
3 WRA Newsletter (hardcopy) 1969-1972
4 " 1982-1986

Focus Newsletter Ads

5 “ " “ 1977
6 “ " “ Sept. 1978
7 “ " “ June 1979
8 “ " “ July-Aug. 1979
9 “ " “ Sept. 1979
10 “ " “ Oct. 1979
11 “ " “ Dec. 1979
12 “ " “ Jan. 1980
13 “ " “ Feb. 1980
14 “ " “ Mar. 1980
15 “ " “ Apr. 1980
16 " “ " May 1980
17 " “ " June 1980
18 " “ " July 1980
19 " “ " Sept. 1980
20 " “ " Oct. 1980
21 " “ " Nov. 1980
22 " “ " Dec. 1980
23 " “ " Jan.-Feb. 1981
24 " “ " Mar. 1981
25 " “ " Mar.-Apr. 1981
26 " “ " Apr. 1981
27 " “ " Apr. 1981
28 " “ " May 1981
29 " “ " June 1981
30 " “ " July-Aug. 1981
31 " “ " Sept. 1981
32 " “ " Oct. 1981
33 " “ " Nov. 1981
34 " “ " Dec. 1981
35 " “ " May 1981
36 " “ " Jan.-Feb. 1981
37 " “ " Jan.-Feb. 1982
38 " “ " Jun.-July 1982
39 Focus Newsletter Ads Contracts 1978-1979
40 Focus Newsletter Publishing Materials n.d.
41 Focus Newsletter Submitted Materials 1980-1984

BOX 16

Other Publications

1 Banking 1978
2 Census Information 1976-1979
3 Childcare 1981-1984
4 Education 1909, 1961, 1968- 1974
5 “ 1975-1981
6 “ n.d.

Helen Oakes

7 Newsletter 1970-1976
8 School by School Statistical Analysis Of the Philadelphia Public Schools 1976-1978
9 Housing 1977, 1987-1988
10 Senior Citizens 1971, 1986
11 Miscellaneous Publications 1969-1979
12 “ " 1981, 1983, 1985- 1990, n.d.

SERIES VI. NEWSCLIPPINGS

BOX 17

1 Frederick Bowers Case n.d.
2 Langston Hughes Middle School Site Construction 1970-1972
3 Proposed New High School at Conshonhocken and Monument Rd. 1969
4 Miscellaneous Subjects 1969
5 " 1970
6 " 1971
7 " 1972
8 " 1973
9 " 1974
10 " 1975
11 " 1976
12 " 1978
13 " 1979
14 " 1980
15 " 1981
16 “ n.d.

SERIES VII: MEMORABILIA

17 Buttons/Name Tags Wynnefield Weekend n.d.