Name/Title
Upsala Foundation Women's Committee Meeting Minutes, 1944-1948.Entry/Object ID
2017.21.88Scope and Content
Upsala Foundation Women's Committee Meeting Minutes, 1944-1948.
Undated list of Women's Committee Members and Addresses.
Upsala Women's Committee Meeting Minutes, February 8, 1944.
First meeting of this group, held at home of Mrs. Bradford Ritter, report offered on stastus of house, how Pennslyvania Co. had acquired it, the damage done by fire, theft and vandalism and what it may take to restore house (built in 1795), adking price now $8300, officers elected, Mrs. Bradford Ritter-chairman, Mrs. A. J. Sailer-secretary, Mrs. Sidney Bailey Jr.-treasurer, plans discussed to start initial restoration, noted that easiest way to make money for this was parties, Upsala Foundation has 400 members and women's committee 40 members,thought perhaps city could help some, Germantown Businessmens Assoc. not interested, will meet once a month, original front door broken, will prepare folder on Upsala.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, April 11, 1944 (handwritten).
Penna Co. advised that a board of trustees be appointed so would be body responsible to do business with, $2000 due immediately to begin purchase process,decided monies raised by Women's Committee would all go to restoration of house, discussed having a benefit concert, accepted, pamphlets of Upsala distributed and meeting adjourned.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, May 9, 1944.
Mrs. Ritter presides, notes that trustees had been appointed, Mr. Schwartz of Germantown Symphony Orchestra agreed to give benefit concert probably at Germantown High School, Mrs. Linton Alberger will prepare a program for the concert, hope to sell 1000 tickets.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, May 23, 1944. (handwritten)
Miss Wister reports thath repair work is starting, first the chimneys are being redone, emphasizing concert will be good, will help save Upsala, and civic pride for Germantown as selling points, mailing list being prepared by committee, Germantown Friends School is preparing posters for concert, possible talk on house plants soon.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, June 5, 1944. (handwritten)
Noted that 75-80 patronesses on board, Mannheim Printing Co. had printed flyers, posters made by Miss Fellows' third class at Germantown Friends School, would like next meeting to be at Upsala.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, October 17, 1944. (all remaining meeting minutes in this folder are handwritten).
Concert successful with 421 people attending, letters of thanks to be sent to orchestra and those who helped with concert, questions about where to start spending money and possiblity of architect to say what should be done first, decided to give card party as benefit.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, November 21, 1944.
Report on card party of September 20 where $885.56 was cleared, cleaning house an issue especially because no water, children carried buckets into house for this, possible work on back building discussed, next onto staircase, 2 new doors, enclosing bath and new shutters, and heating system, definitely would need more money so planning talk on house plalnts as fund-raiser.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, January 9, 1945.
Repair estimates in process, finding caretakers to occupy building a priority, $50/month a suggested rent, plant talk to be given at Women's Club of Germantown with simple luncheon for fund-raiser, 100 plants will be available for sale at luncheon, Germantown Symphony Orchestra has offered to give a second benefit concert.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, February 20, 1945.
Settlement on Upsala had been completed on December 27, 1944, new furnace boiler has arrived, final plans made for talk and luncheon, members present stuffed envelopes for mailing.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, March 20, 1945.
Lecture and luncheon netted $405 with 226 people attending, difficult to obtain watchman for Upsala though caretaker situation seems to be taken care of, house not ready until May, some repairs discussed, benefit concert will be April 20 with Annette Marchand being soloist.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, April 3, 1945.
Miss Wister reports on progress of rebuilding Upsala with a few estimates for needed work, orchestra says they need a trombone player for the concert, members given names of people to be asked to be patronesses, advertising for concert discussed.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, May 29, 1945.
Plans for concert and advertising discussed, announced that antique show to be held in Square Club has offered to give proceeds to Upsala, they would like money to be used to fix a room so that next year can have their show at Upsala and funds would again go to Upsala.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, October 4, 1945.
Concert netted about $500, Red Cross had requested help from committee but decided that they could not at this time, no profits received from antique show though the Antique Dealers Association of Philadelphia and Vicinity did donate $50.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, November 20, 1945.
Treasurer reports $1232 in bank and women's committee has raised $2500 to date, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes installed as caretakers and doing nice job, grounds cleanup by Hinkel and McCoy cossting $150, planning tea for all members of Foundation for October 20 to be given in honor of Clarence Johnson, Women's Committe also invited to tea at Stenton Mansion on October 25.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, January 22, 1946.
Treasurer's report, Upsala now offering access Tuesday and Friday afternoon 3-5 pm for 10 cents, will send Mrs. Hughes to Community Council Dinner, discussion on possible card party to be given.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, February 26, 1946.
Treasurer's report shows balance of $817.68, report on conditions at Upsala given, card party to be done in May, hope to repair one of big rooms with profits, refreshments to be donated, a white elephant table to be set up.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, March 26, 1946.
Card party primary discussion, radio will be chanced off, white elephant table, Mrs. Woodruff donating sandwiches, furnace will be first purchase with profits and then on to restoring two big rooms.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, April 30, 1946.
Plans for card party most of discussion, permit obtained, equipment , chairs and tables etc ordered from Oakford Chair Company, chance books for radio have not been obtained, will ask Canada Dry Co. for gingerale to go with orange ice, Women's Exchange cookies good but very expensive, white elephant table ready, have secured 98 patronesses for party, Henry Ritter will order match covers with Upsala printed on them, women's committee will pay for weather stripping, small furnace that was put in not satisfactory, secretary Esther C. Sailer.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, January 14, 1947.
Balance in bank of $1124.90, committee has paid for windows at head of stairs, old bathroom blocked off, heating more satisfactory, kitchen floor repaired and insulated, will restore south parlor in honor of Dr. While, possibly will put in powoder room, Mrs. Bradford knows someone who has an original Upsala bed but would be expensive to obtain, Edna Philips has agreed to play music anytime but orchestra will not do benefit concert this year, secretary, Esther C. Sailer.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, February 14, 1947,
The male lavatory and women's powder room will have to wait until other projects completed, will purchase antique bed for $300, Mr. George Clarence Johnson gave talk on restoration of Upsala, though progress still need to work on outside, a roof will be needed soon, dormers must be replaced, walls across front and drives need attention, dining room fireplace needs repair, heating must be improved,, stone work necessary, etc, Mr. Johnson says could probably do most of renovations for $5000, discussed that a major Upsala fund drive needed, could be in conjunction with 150th anniversary of the house in 1948, a committee appointed to pursue this drive, E. C. Sailer, secretary.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, March 18, 1947.
Biggest problem still is a decent heating system, the D.A.R. would like to meet at Upsala and may agree to pay for restoration of a room, decided to get electricity finished before other projects, effort will be made to get school children interested in Upsala, committee for May 23 card party appointed, each member to get names of 10 patroneses for next meeting, E.C. Sailer, secretary.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, April 8, 1947.
Treasurer notes recent costs for repairs, Mrs. Ritter asks what should be chanced off at card party, discussion on patronesses, Germantown High School has honor society, and student association which may be interested in taking on Upsala as project, secretary, E. C. Sailer.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, April 22, 1947.
A Mr. Walter Johnson, an expert on old rooms says woodwork should be grained and walls pink as in original, only one like this in Philadelphia, electricity finished, card party discussed, Canada Dry cannot supply gingerale because of sugar shortage but another company will, a $25 gift certificate from Dorothy Bullitt and a Proctor toaster will be chanced off, A list of items provided by card party committee.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, May 13, 1947.
Antique clock offered by Mrs. Henry Ross, Mrs. Ritter reports that 583 people have made donations to Upsala since 1944, card party details nest discussed, only problem is no candy because of lack of sugar, 114 patronesses for card party 18 more than last year, gardener has done some work on outside, sellling shares in Upsala discussed, E. C. Sailer, secretary.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, June 10, 1947.
Final plans of the card party discussed, Mrs. Walton got 10% discount on ice cream, publicity for party excellent, Germantown Window Cleaners hired to do windows, work on room reported.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, September 10, 1947.
Card party made $1157.62 profit, thanks to Clarence Johnson for his work on restoring Upsala, light over front door needs fixing.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, November 18, 1947.
Discussion on success of the tea and thanks to those who helped, photographers have not yet returned their pictures, Germantown Historical Society loaned costumes and gave a cradle, letter read from third grade of Germantown Friends School thanking group for their visit to Upsala, south wall and wall where greenhouse was repaired, now working on repairing and painting shutters, decided to have rummage sale in spring before card party.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, February 17, 1948.
Balance of $700.23, purchased front door frame and hinges with front door, acquired engraving of Abraham Lincoln supposedly belonging to Dr. Johnson, shutter work completed next on to roof and dormers, will also get 9 doors and some wainscotting, rummage sale and card party dates set, secretary pro-tem, S. C. Zesinger.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, March 16, 1948.
Treasurer's report shows $620.29 balance. Plans for the rummaged sale discussed. Patronesses for card party assigned to members, new names to be presented, antique furniture from "Carlton" placed in garden, work on second floor to be completed by card party, Foundation buying furnace/boiler, S. C. Zesinger, secretary pro-tem.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, April 6, 1948.
First discussed cleaning up "no man's land" with some of Carlton furniture to be placed there, wainscotting to be done on second floor, nine original doors received with need to replace hinges, card party next discussion, committees for it selected: refreshments, door prizes, candy, chances, white elephant, Mrs. Liers placing advertisements in local papers, secretary Esther C. Sailer.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, May 11, 1948.
Mrs. Ritter reported that doors with new hinges hung on first floor, some wainscotting completed, furniture placed in garden, "no man's land" cleaned up, pictures will be taken of Upsala for May 30th Inquirer edition, hostesses needed for placement in various houses, furnace installed, noted 125 patronesses for card party, Women's Committee has raised $5134.44 from February 1944-April 1948, cannon ball dug up on Johnson St. to be given to Upsala, Esther C. Sailer, secretary.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, May 24, 1948.
Final details of rummage sale and card party discussed, three birthday cakes have been offered for Upsala birthday, positive responses to 'Upsala Speaks' notes, Upsala will be open June 5 , Germantown week , for visits, Esther C. Sailer, secretary.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, September 29, 1948.
Should clear about $1100 from card party, Mrs. Lier and Mrs. Alvarez thanked for their work on rummage sale and card party, $154.50 made on rummage sale, members encouraged to start saving items for next year's rummage sale, door from 'Carlton' will be hung in 'no man's land', an 1820 side board donated by Mrs. Elkinton, dormer windows need replacement but decided that committee should concentrate funds on inside renovations, Esther C. Sailer, secretary.
Women's Committee for Upsala Meeting Minutes, November 16, 1948.
150th Upsala birthday party to be held October 9 at Upsala, will have cake and tea, donations will be encouraged, assignments made for work at party, Mr. Johnson found a man in Willow Grove who will do dormers much cheaper so accepted his offer, Foundation is thinking of starting fund raising drive for Upsala, secretary, Esther C. Sailer.
Two miscellaneous pieces follow:
Upsala Women's Committee Meeting Minutes, February 16, 1994.
A note from Eleanor Pfingst indicated thanks to Outdoor Garden Club for Christmas decorations, Folkways tour a success, Marian Boyd has given $100 gift, purpose of meeting to plan activities and events for 1994-1995, trip to Winterthur, trip to Rockfeller Mansion in Tarrytown , N.Y., a lecture on dried flower arrangement by Helen Knauff, possible Fashion Show, visit to Swedish Museum to see art work of Fredrika Bremer, workshop by Wendy Valentine during Founders week, Joan Hill, secretary pro-tem.
A letter from Lila Greenwald to Eleanor Pfingst, March 25, 1994.
Letter just rehashes main points of February 16, 1994 meeting for Eleanor.Collection
UpsalaArchive Details
Date(s) of Creation
1944 - 1948Archive Items Details
Date(s) of Creation
1944 - 1948