Abrahamsohn Christmas and Easter Committee Records UPC 503

Summary Information

Prepared by

Joseph-James Ahern

Preparation date

June 2011

Date [bulk]

Bulk, 1914-2005

Date [inclusive]

1909-2005

Extent

2.25 Cubic feet

PROVENANCE

The Abrahamsohn Christmas and Easter Committee Records was received in two donations. The first group of records was donated to the University Archives in June 2011 by Christine Hilke (Accession: 2011: 037); and the second group of records was donated in May 2012 by Doddie Barker (Accession: 2012: 024).

ARRANGEMENT

The Abrahamsohn Christmas and Easter Committee Records first accession of records are arranged by type of record, in chronological order. The second accession or records are organized by decade and arranged alphabetically.

HISTORICAL NOTE

The Abrahamsohn Christmas and Easter Committee was chartered in 1914 by the wives of physicians at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to support the staff and patients during the holiday seasons. The organization was named in honor of Oscar Abrahamsohn, a German immigrant who supported himself by teaching German to the University of Pennsylvania medical students. Abrahamsohn became a volunteer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and by the mid-1880s had begun his charitable work of decorating the children’s wards during Christmas and Easter. By 1906 the Board of Women Visitors had established the Abrahamsohn Christmas and Easter Committee as a sub-committee. The efforts of the Committee were supported through membership dues, annual appeals, and an annual charity ball; which went to providing holiday festivities to those at the Hospital at Christmas and Easter.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Abrahamsohn Christmas and Easter Committee Records document the activities of the volunteer organization from its founding in 1914 through to 2005. Records include membership lists, meeting minutes, treasurer’s reports, correspondence and photographs.

Inventory