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Philadelphia Ethical Society records
The Philadelphia Ethical Society is a humanist congregation founded in 1885 by Samuel Burns Weston. The society is a founding member of the American Ethical Union. It promotes Ethical Humanism, which is both a religious and an educational movement. From its inception, the group has supported progres...
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| Corporate Author: | |
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| Collection: | Philadelphia Ethical Society Records |
| Collection Number: | 4141 |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to finding aid |
| Physical Description: |
20.8 Linear feet ; 47 boxes, 32 volumes, 2 flat files |
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| Access: |
Student records contain sensitive information and are closed to researchers for 75 years from the date of creation (exit from the scholarship program). Guest books contain detailed information and are closed to researchers for 75 years from the date of creation. Volume 6 is in very poor condition and is closed to researchers at this time. |
| Summary: |
The Philadelphia Ethical Society is a humanist congregation founded in 1885 by Samuel Burns Weston. The society is a founding member of the American Ethical Union. It promotes Ethical Humanism, which is both a religious and an educational movement. From its inception, the group has supported progressive causes and worked to improve the lives of disadvantaged people. The society established the Neighborhood Guild, Southwark Neighborhood House, Camp Linden, and the Rose Rappoport Long Memorial Scholarship. The Philadelphia Ethical Society continues to operate in the present day. The records document the Philadelphia Ethical Society’s philosophy, organization, and activities from its founding to the 21st century. The collection includes board minutes, correspondence, reports, financial and membership records, committee records, lectures, newsletters and other serials, student scholarship files, song books, invitations, clippings, photographs, and other materials. There are some materials from Ethical Humanist organizations in other cities and several boxes of the papers of Philadelphia Ethical Society founder Samuel Burns Weston.
The Philadelphia Ethical Society is a humanist congregation founded by Samuel Burns Weston in 1885 and is a founding member of the American Ethical Union. The society promotes Ethical Humanism, which is both a religious and an educational movement. The records document the Philadelphia Ethical Society’s philosophy, organization, and activities from its founding to the twenty-first century. The collection is divided into four series. Series 1, Administrative records (1884-2014, undated) includes board minutes, correspondence, reports, financial and membership records, committee records, lectures, and student scholarship files. There are some materials from Ethical Humanist organizations in other cities. Volume 6 is in very poor condition and cannot be serviced at this time. Guest books contain sensitive information and are closed to researchers for 75 years from the date of creation. Likewise, student scholarship files are closed to researchers for 75 years from the date of exit from the program. Series 2, Samuel Burns Weston (1832-1938, undated) contains several boxes of the papers and writings of Philadelphia Ethical Society founder Samuel Burns Weston (1855-1936). There are some family documents, clippings, and correspondence, but the bulk of the series consists of Weston’s writings, sermons and lectures. Series 3, Individuals (1880-2008, undated) contains the papers of society leaders, other staff members, and individuals with a relationship to the society. These include Felix Adler, W. Edwin Collier, Richard L. Kiniry, Lester Mondale, William A. Salter, Kenneth J. Smith, Horace Traubel, Morris Wolff, and others. The series also includes some unattributed writings. Series 4, Printed matter (1880-2000, undated) consists of Ethical Addresses, lectures, reprints, newsletters, song books, and miscellaneous books and printed materials. |