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Archives and Special Collections
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Archives and Special Collections Finding Aids |
Printable Finding Aid. Back to Browsing Version. |
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| Collection Overview | |||||||||
| Title: | Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing records | ||||||||
| Dates: | 1916-2003 | ||||||||
| Location: | 63/2-3, 73/4, FF3/D3, Art File 19, 22 | ||||||||
| Call Number: | M105 | ||||||||
| Volume: | 17.25 cubic ft. (32 boxes) | ||||||||
| Scope and Content Note: | The records document the formation, operations, programs, financial health, and publicity efforts of the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing between its establishment in 1916 and closure in 2003. Records include board meeting minutes, annual reports, committee reports, educational brochures and booklets, budgets and financial reports, a nearly complete run of the newsletter "The Guilder", scrapbooks, photographs, and moving images. Of special interest are historical artifacts used by the hard of hearing, including hearing aids, ear trumpets, and speaking tubes. | ||||||||
| Historical Abstract: | Until its closure in 2003, the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing (BGHH) was the largest nonprofit organization in New England dedicated to serving the needs of people with hearing impairment. Founded in 1916 as the Speechreader's Guild of Boston by Mildred Kennedy, Anna L. Staples, and Clara M. Ziegler, BGHH initially provided educational and recreational services out of rented rooms in Jefferson Hall in Trinity Court, Copley Square. As membership grew, BGHH purchased a larger facility at 339 Commonwealth Ave. in 1921. BGHH relocated again to 283 Commonwealth Ave. in 1937 and 1505 Commonwealth Ave. in Brighton in 1999. BGHH provided lipreading classes for children and adults, conducted hearing tests, and held various events to raise awareness for the hard of hearing. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: | Organized into 3 series: 1. Administration; 2. Audio-Visual and Visual Materials; 3. Artifacts | ||||||||
| Subjects and Contributors: |
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| Restrictions: | The collection is unrestricted. | ||||||||
| Processor: | Finding aid prepared by Michelle Light, Lloyd Williams, Jeanine Rees, and John Fienberg, November 2004 | ||||||||
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Historical Note |
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Until its closure in 2003, the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing (BGHH) was the largest nonprofit organization in New England dedicated to serving the needs of people with hearing impairment. It provided a range of services, including preventive, diagnostic, rehabilitative, educational, and counseling services to people of all ages who were hard of hearing, late deafened, deaf, or at risk for developing hearing loss. Originally called the Speechreader's Guild of Boston, BGHH was founded in January 1916 by three women, Mildred Kennedy, Anna L. Staples, and Clara M. Ziegler, who worked as teachers at the Mueller-Walle School of Lipreading in the Pierce Building, Copley Square, Boston. There were 52 hard of hearing charter members; initially, only the hard of hearing could be active members and vote. At first, BGHH taught lip reading and served as a social group for hard of hearing members. By 1917, however, it began to help with the war effort; members made surgical dressings for the Red Cross and knitted for the Navy League. When membership increased by 50% in the first year, BGHH rented rooms in Jefferson Hall, in Trinity Court, Copley Square in November 1916. The rooms were kept open daily so members could use them for rest, reading, social events, and lip reading practice. On March 31, 1920, BGHH was incorporated. On December 4, 1920, thanks to an anonymous benefactor, BGHH was able to rent an entire house at 339 Commonwealth Ave. BGHH rented out seven bedrooms to visitors, many of whom came to Boston to study at one of the three local lip reading schools, and offered tea and community suppers in the dining rooms. By 1922, the membership had grown to 493, and members participated in 12 committees, including a Men's Division, Educational Exchange, Entertainment, Hospitality, Publications, and Recreation. Eleven teachers volunteered to teach lip reading, and in 1922-1923, 1066 students were enrolled in lip reading classes. In 1923, a social worker was hired, and BGHH began to work with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, the Women's Educational and Industrial Union, and the Massachusetts Division of Vocational Education, among others. With more private donations, the Guild was also able to purchase a building 339 Commonwealth in 1923. In 1925, BGHH decided to began publishing the newsletter "The Guilder." It initially began as a monthly publication, but later became a quarterly. Between 1917 and 1925, "The Bulletin" updated members of the BGHH about recent activities of the group. "The Guilder" continued to be published until 1995, although it briefly restarted again in 2002. In 1926, BGHH began to advocate various technologies for testing and improving hearing. It purchased one of the first audiometers to test hearing. It also offered 10 electric hearing aids and many other non-electric varieties for demonstration. In the next year, it purchased a phono-audiometer for testing the hearing of school children and began demonstrating its usefulness in Boston-area schools. In 1929-1930, BGHH membership reached its peak at 583 members. Membership dwindled in succeeding years, while the number of people served remained fairly steady. In 1934, BGHH began a lasting partnership with the Boston Emergency Campaign, the forerunner of the United Community Services and United Way, and was one of the charter members of this group. One of the results of this partnership was the "Red Feather Campaign," an annual fund raiser to help those in the community that needed assistance. To reflect the variety of services it offered, it changed its name from the Speechreader's Guild to the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing in 1936. In 1937, the New Otological and Laryngological Society provided six otologists to offer hearing services for free or a nominal fee at the Guild. Due to the demand for BGHH services, BGHH sold the building at 339 Commonwealth Ave. and moved to larger quarters at 283 Commonwealth Ave. In the 1940s, BGHH started to offer classes in speech and auditory training. It also commenced charging for some of its services and classes. In the 1950s, BGHH emphasized services to children, replacing the rented rooms with space for treating children and starting a preschool for hard of hearing children. Also in the 1950s, BGHH established classes and evaluative services to help people better utilize their hearing aids. It also continued to expand its mission to teach the public about hearing loss. Beginning in 1960, BGHH operated a series of Mobile Audiological Testing Vehicles. The vehicles traveled throughout the Boston area to provide screening tests to people of all ages in schools, homes, and at local events. In the 1960s, BGHH also began to receive at least half of its funding from the United Way, a trend that continued to grow in subsequent decades. In 1961, BGHH started a recruitment program, traveling to colleges and universities in New England to advocate the need for more people to get involved in the study of hearing loss and to pursue degrees in audiology. In the 1970s, BGHH began to conduct a number of projects and studies to demonstrate the benefits of audiological services in schools, the dangers of noise in causing hearing loss, and the need for teachers for the hard of hearing. Among these were the Ears for Education program in Waltham schools in 1977, a study of hearing loss in vocational schools in 1983, Project Ear for the elderly in 1993, and a partnership with Iron Workers Local 7 in 1999. In 1983, BGHH began a partnership with The Self Help for the Hard of Hearing (SHHH), a national organization founded in 1979 by Howard E. "Rocky" Stone. Stone, who was the keynote speaker at the Guild Annual Meeting in 1981, began the group as a way for the hard of hearing to help themselves. BGHH provided space for the Greater Boston Chapter of SHHH's meetings. In 1999, BGHH sold 283 Commonwealth and moved to 1505 Commonwealth in Brighton. It moved in order to be more accessible to its clients and to reconnect with a local community. Upon relocating, BGHH became active in a number of local health programs in the Allston-Brighton area. Throughout the 1990s, BGHH ran an operating deficit, largely due to reduced funding from the United Way and competition from commercial providers. In 2003, the Board of Directors voted to cease offering services and turned over its resources and assets to the Audiology Department and Clinic at Northeastern University.
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| Chronology | |||||||||
| 1902 | Martha E. Bruhn opened first school of lip reading in Boston, Massachusetts. | ||||||||
| Jan. 1916 | First meeting of the Guild organized by Mildred Kennedy, Clara Ziegler, and Anna Staples; Mildred Kennedy elected president | ||||||||
| Mar. 1916 | Works on surgical dressings for the Red Cross | ||||||||
| Nov. 1916 | Rooms rented in Trinity Court, Copley Square, Boston, MA | ||||||||
| Feb. 1918 | Men's group forms | ||||||||
| Fall 1918 | Part-time secretary hired | ||||||||
| 1920 | The Exchange for Guild members began selling articles to raise funds | ||||||||
| Mar. 31, 1920 | Guild was incorporated | ||||||||
| Dec. 1920 | Rented building at 339 Commonwealth Ave. | ||||||||
| Oct. 1923 | First social worker hired | ||||||||
| Mar. 1924 | Building at 339 Commonwealth Ave. purchased | ||||||||
| 1924 | Began close affiliation with the Boston Council of Social Agencies | ||||||||
| 1925 | First issue of the Guilder published; Green Twigs, the youth group, was formed | ||||||||
| 1926 | Purchased 3-A Audiometer to test hearing; Friendship Committee formed to meet needs of shut-ins or sick members; loaned hearing aids for demonstration | ||||||||
| 1927 | Purchased the 4-A photo-audiometer to test hearing of school children | ||||||||
| 1928 | Sunday services inaugurated; Publicity Committee organized; Psychiatric social worker hired | ||||||||
| 1929 | Attendance at Guild activities reached 12,517 | ||||||||
| May 1931 | Staffing at Guild reorganized | ||||||||
| 1932 | Group audiophone purchased so that music, Sunday services, lectures, and business meetings could be better heard; first university extension class offered | ||||||||
| 1933 | Attendance at lipreading classes reached 1398 | ||||||||
| 1934 | Guild became active in the Boston Emergency Campaign, the forerunner of the United Community Services and the United Way; New England Lipreading Teachers' Association formed at meeting at Guild House | ||||||||
| 1935 | Guild's speaker's bureau formed | ||||||||
| Mar. 1936 | Name changed to the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing | ||||||||
| 1936 | Membership dwindled to 366, but services reached 11,589 people | ||||||||
| 1937 | Legislative Committee met at Guild house to study all laws and regulations for the hard of hearing and presented bill to the Massachusetts General Court | ||||||||
| 1937 | 339 Commonwealth Ave. sold and 283 Commonwealth Ave. purchased; the New Otological and Laryngological Society assigned six otologists to provide services for free or for a nominal fee | ||||||||
| 1941 | Fund started to help needy people purchase hearing aids; Guild began to supply war veterans with hearing aids | ||||||||
| 1945 | Free hearing tests offered during National Hearing Week are highly attended; speech class for children started; youth group became known as the Supper and Social Club | ||||||||
| Jan. 1948 | Auditory training classes for children and adults started | ||||||||
| Dec. 1948 | Began to charge fees for consultation services and lip reading and auditory training classes. | ||||||||
| 1950 | Guild eliminated rented rooms and used rooms for improving services for children | ||||||||
| Sep. 1950 | Hired full time speech therapist | ||||||||
| 1951 | Nursery school program for hard of hearing preschoolers established; Claire K. Kennedy started 30-year career as executive director | ||||||||
| Apr. 1953 | Bylaws changed to allow hearing persons serve on the Board of Directors | ||||||||
| Sep. 1953 | Red Cross honors Surgical Dressings Group | ||||||||
| 1957 | Nursery school discontinued; began recruitment program to encourage training of qualified teachers in lip reading and speech; began to offer free free-field testing and hearing aid evaluation | ||||||||
| 1958 | Better Hearing Month replaced Better Hearing Week | ||||||||
| 1959 | Began to offer free help sessions to ensure clients got maximum service from their hearing aids | ||||||||
| Mar. 1960 | Unveiled the Hearing Test-Mobile, a 20-foot trailer equipped for testing hearing; audiologist Alma Johnson (now Alma J. Powell) in charge of hearing tests | ||||||||
| 1960 | Began public education program about rehabilitative services; almost half of the operating budget came from the United Community Services | ||||||||
| 1965 | Offered lip reading instruction on television, Boston Channel 2. | ||||||||
| 1970 | Began program to give screening hearing tests to pre-school children at day care centers with the mobile unit | ||||||||
| 1971 | In response to the Noise Control Amendment to the Walsh-Healy Act (1969), the Guild began to train industrial personnel to conduct hearing tests in their companies | ||||||||
| 1972 | Began to teach volunteers how to teach lip reading in their home communities | ||||||||
| 1973 | Began to offer free 40-hour course for volunteers to teach lip reading in senior centers and nursing homes | ||||||||
| 1974 | Conducted workshops for industrial nurses and safety engineers on how to set up hearing conservation programs to meet federal requirements to protect workers hearing | ||||||||
| 1977 | Conducted the "Ears for Education" program, an educational audiology project to show how audiology services should be provided in schools | ||||||||
| 1978 | Conducted first study in Massachusetts about hearing loss in mental health patients | ||||||||
| Jan. 1983 | Greater Boston Chapter of Shhh (Self Help for Hard of Hearing) established and met monthly at the Guild | ||||||||
| 1983 | Took action against high levels of damaging noise in vocational schools | ||||||||
| 1990 | Board voted to liquidate capital to deal with operating deficit | ||||||||
| 1992 | Introduced Project EAR (Education, Access, and Respect) to test, educate, and empower elderly community members about hearing loss | ||||||||
| 1993 | Introduced specialized consumer premis telephone equipment distribution program | ||||||||
| 1995 | Began dispensing all types of hearing aids, assistive listening and alerting devises and systems; provided direct services to 10,756 people; 4,375 people received testing in mobile vehicle | ||||||||
| 1999 | Worked with the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents to conserve hearing for Iron Workers in Local 7 | ||||||||
| May 1999 | Sold 283 Commonwealth Ave. and moved to 1505 Commonwealth Ave. in Brighton, largely based on a desire to be in a neighborhood to reconnect with the local community | ||||||||
| Jan. 13, 2003 | Board of Directors voted to cease providing clinical services and affiliate resources and assets with the Audiology Department and Clinic at Northeastern University. | ||||||||
| May 2, 2003 | Guild stopped offering audiology services | ||||||||
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Series: |
1. Administration, 1916-2003 |
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| Volume: | 11 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetical |
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| Summary: |
Series 1. Administration documents the formation, development, and closure of BGHH. Events, services, initiatives, and challenges are thoroughly documented in the minutes of the Board of Trustees (boxes 1-2, 9-10); minutes of the annual meetings (boxes 1, 9); annual reports of the board (box 1), committees, and Executive Director (box 3); and BGHH newsletters, the "Bulletin" and "Guilder" (boxes 4-6). Yearly applications to the United Way for funding also detail BGHH activities, particularly between 1980 and 2003 (boxes 6-8, 11). Specific files on BGHH programs are scattered; however, the collection does include individual folders concerning the "Ears for Education" program, the hearing conservation program for iron workers, and the audiological screening program at mental health hospitals, among others. Publications produced as a result of programs are included in the Publications section, for example, "The Boston Guild's Guide for Industrial Arts Teachers for Prevention of Hearing Loss." Other publications include brochures about Guild services, recommended hearing products, and hearing safety. Founding documents (box 4), incorporation records (boxes 11, 16), and early by-laws (boxes 2, 10), coupled with early board minutes and annual reports, provide insight into the formal establishment of BGHH. Planning records (box 4) show BGHH redefining its services and programs in response to changing funding environments in the late 1980s through the 1990s. Real estate files (box 6, 11) document the purchase and sale of 339 Commonwealth Ave. and 283 Commonwealth Ave. and renovations to 283 Commonwealth Ave. Financial records cover most of BGHH's history and include tax returns, annual financial statements, budgets, and information about investments and other assets. Of special interest are numerous histories and timelines found in the "History" folder in box 4. Biographical information about and writings by BGHH founders and members can be found in the Subject Files. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| 1 | Accreditation: Professional Service Programs in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (2 folders) | 1983-1984, 1989, 2004 | |||||||
| 1 | American Federation of Organizations for the Hard of Hearing (2 folders) | n.d., 1925-1944 | |||||||
| 1, 9 | Annual Meetings (27 folders) | 1920-1999 | |||||||
| 1 | Annual Reports (19 folders) | 1917-1993 | |||||||
| 1 | Annual Statistical Reports | 1926-1948 | |||||||
| Board of Trustees | |||||||||
| 30-31 | Card Index to the Minutes | ca. 1916-1985 | |||||||
| 1-2, 9-10 | Minutes (82 folders) | 1920-2003 | |||||||
| 2 | Rosters | ||||||||
| 10 | Rules | ||||||||
| 2, 10 | By-laws and Mission Statements (3 folders) | 1924-2000 | |||||||
| 2 | By-laws: Proposed Revisions | 1938-1961 | |||||||
| Committees | |||||||||
| 2 | General | n.d., 1996, 2000 | |||||||
| 2 | Consulting Otologists (3 folders) | 1937-1987 | |||||||
| 2 | Entertainment | 1925-1926 | |||||||
| 2 | Founders Memorial Fund Scholarship | 1968 | |||||||
| 2 | Funds | 1925-1926 | |||||||
| 2 | House | 1925 | |||||||
| 2 | Nominating | 1939-1962 | |||||||
| 3 | Representative Body | 1932-1933 | |||||||
| 3 | Correspondence (3 folders) | 1966-2003 | |||||||
| 3 | Disclosure Forms | 2001-2003 | |||||||
| Events | |||||||||
| Anniversaries | |||||||||
| 3 | Quizzes | 1954-1956 | |||||||
| 3 | 50th | 1966 | |||||||
| 3 | 70th | 1986 | |||||||
| 3 | 80th | 1996 | |||||||
| 3 | 86th | 2002 | |||||||
| 3, 16 | Award Ceremonies | 1927, 1981-1995 | |||||||
| 3 | Benefit Tea and Sale | ca. 1951 | |||||||
| 3 | "A Celebration for Every Season" | 1989-1990 | |||||||
| 3 | Christmas Bazaar | 1954 | |||||||
| 3 | Flyers | 1968-2001 | |||||||
| 3 | Invitations | ca. 1975-2001 | |||||||
| 3 | Kennedy, Claire: Testimonial Dinner | 1981 | |||||||
| 3 | "To Hear" | n.d. | |||||||
| Executive Director | |||||||||
| 3 | Position Description and Needs | n.d. | |||||||
| 3 | Reports (3 folders) | 1961-2002 | |||||||
| Finances | |||||||||
| 3 | Audit Correspondence | 1968-1972 | |||||||
| 3 | Budgets | 1988-2002 | |||||||
| 3 | Corporate Resolutions | 1988-1996 | |||||||
| 3 | Fees for Services | n.d. | |||||||
| 3 | Fund Raising | 1992, 1997 | |||||||
| 3 | Greater Boston Charitable Trust | 1955-1972 | |||||||
| 3 | Hearing Equipment | 1939-1954 | |||||||
| 3 | Hyams, Godfrey M. Trust | 1938, 1968-1973 | |||||||
| 3 | Income and Appropriations | 1928-1931 | |||||||
| 3 | Investments | 1934-1950, 1985-1986, 2002 | |||||||
| 3 | Massachusetts Board of Assessors: Reports (2 folders) | 1926-1984 | |||||||
| 3 | Massachusetts Department of Public Charities: Annual Financial Reports (3 folders) | 1929-1954, 1999 | |||||||
| 3 | National Association of Hearing and Speech Agencies | 1946-1948, 1973 | |||||||
| 3-4 | Reports (16 folders) | 1929-2002 | |||||||
| 4 | Taxes (4 folders) | 1937-1993 | |||||||
| 11 | Treasury Reports (5 folders) | 1976-1984 | |||||||
| 4 | Wills and Bequests | 1954?, 1988-1989 | |||||||
| 4 | Founding Documents | 1916 | |||||||
| 4 | Histories | n.d., 1960-1981, 1996 | |||||||
| 11, 16 | Incorporation | 1920-1936 | |||||||
| 4 | Inventories | 1951-1955 | |||||||
| 4 | Licenses | 1984-1992 | |||||||
| 11, 16 | Members (2 folders) | n.d., 1920-1930 | |||||||
| 4 | Name Change | 1936 | |||||||
| 4 | Northeastern University: Negotiations | 2002 | |||||||
| 4 | Planning (3 folders) | 1983-2002 | |||||||
| 4 | Policies | 1984-1995 | |||||||
| Programs | |||||||||
| 4 | General | 1953-1954, 1989, 1996 | |||||||
| 4 | Acquired Deafness Workshop | 1997 | |||||||
| 4 | Assistive Listening Device Foundation | n.d. | |||||||
| 16 | Better Hearing and Speech Month (2 folders) | 1977-1996 | |||||||
| 4 | Communication Skills Training for Oral Deaf, Late-Deafened, Severely Hard of Hearing and Hard of Hearing People | 1997 | |||||||
| 4 | Coping Strategies for the Hard of Hearing | 1988 | |||||||
| 4 | Core Service Program | 2002 | |||||||
| 4 | "A Day at the Speech Readers Guild": Play | n.d. | |||||||
| 4 | Ears for Education | 1977 | |||||||
| 4 | Hearing and Mental Health Project: An Audiological Screening Program at the Metropolitan State Hospital | 1978 | |||||||
| 4 | Lip Reading Lessons | 1942 | |||||||
| 4 | Mobile Audiology | n.d, 1988 | |||||||
| 4 | Mobile Testing Unit (3 folders) | 1960-1971, 1985-1986, 1998 | |||||||
| 4 | "Model Study to Increase Iron Workers Voluntary Compliance with Hearing Conservation Program" | 1997-1998 | |||||||
| 4 | New England Baptist Hospital | n.d. | |||||||
| 4 | Occupational Safety and Health Training Education Program: Proposal | 1997 | |||||||
| 4 | "Recruitment of Personnel for Training in Hearing Rehabilitation": Final Report | 1963 | |||||||
| 4 | Scholarships | 1998 | |||||||
| 4 | "Studies of Facilities for the Hearing Handicapped" | 1956 | |||||||
| 4 | Sunday Services Booklet | n.d. | |||||||
| 4 | United States Veterans Administration Classes | 1946-1952 | |||||||
| Publications | |||||||||
| 4 | Assistive Listening Devices: Listings | 1993 | |||||||
| 4 | "The Boston Guild's Guide for Industrial Arts Teachers for Prevention of Hearing Loss" | 1988 | |||||||
| 4 | Brochures | n.d. | |||||||
| 4 | "Bulletin" (9 folders) | 1917-1925 | |||||||
| 4 | Fact Sheets | n.d. | |||||||
| 4-6 | "Guilder": Newsletter (71 folders) | 1926-1995, 2002 | |||||||
| 6 | "The Hard of Hearing School Child" | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | Hearing Aid Services: Booklet | 1942 | |||||||
| 6 | Hearing Test Mobile: Brochures | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | "Helps for Teachings of Pupils with Hearing Problems" | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | "How the Study of Speech Reading May Be Pursued by One Living at a Distance from School or Teacher" | 1918 | |||||||
| 6 | News and Calendar | 1998 | |||||||
| 11 | "Tips for Talking to the Hard of Hearing" (includes translations) (9 folders) | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | Training Course in Occupational Hearing Conservation | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | Websites | 2001-2003 | |||||||
| 6 | "When You Are Hearing Impaired": Proposal | 1983 | |||||||
| Public Relations | |||||||||
| 6 | Awards and Recognitions | 1960-2003 | |||||||
| 6 | Marketing Plan | 2001 | |||||||
| 6 | Membership Cards and Drive | n.d., 1986 | |||||||
| 6 | Press Releases | n.d. | |||||||
| 6, 16 | Seal | n.d. | |||||||
| Real Estate | |||||||||
| 6 | Appraisal Reports | 1997-1998 | |||||||
| 6 | Audiometric Testing Facilities | 1964-1967 | |||||||
| 6 | Consultant's Report on the Guild House (include photographs) | 1994, 1998 | |||||||
| 11 | Mortgages and Deeds | 1924-1965 | |||||||
| 6 | Plans | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | Property Tax Abatements | 1926-1941 | |||||||
| 6 | Relocation | 1989, 1998-1999 | |||||||
| 6 | Repairs and Alterations | 1954-1984 | |||||||
| 6 | Space Analysis | 1987 | |||||||
| 6 | Speeches and Talks | n.d.> | |||||||
| Subject Files | |||||||||
| 6 | Bell, Alexander Graham | n.d., 1980 | |||||||
| 6 | Bruhn, Martha E. | 1953 | |||||||
| 32 | Card Indices for Services | n.d. | |||||||
| 11 | Community Organizations | n.d. | |||||||
| 6, 16 | Federal and State Bills | 1957-1987 | |||||||
| 6 | Hearing Technology | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | Kennedy, Claire | 1982 | |||||||
| 6 | Kennedy, Mildred | ca. 1940-1957 | |||||||
| 6 | Lip Reading | 1938 | |||||||
| 11 | National Hearing Aid Centers: Lawsuit | 1972 | |||||||
| 11 | Non-Guild Brochures | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | Norris, Anne Chamberlin | 1948 | |||||||
| 6 | Powell, Alma J. | n.d., 1960-1962, 1995-1996 | |||||||
| 6 | Reprints (5 folders) | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | "Song of the Hearing Crusade" | 1943 | |||||||
| 6 | Staples, Anne L. | 1919 | |||||||
| 6 | Ziegler, Clara Meserve | n.d. | |||||||
| 6 | Staff | 1982-1996 | |||||||
| United Way | |||||||||
| 6-8, 11 | Allocation Requests and Reports (23 folders) | 1951-2003 | |||||||
| 8 | Capacity Building Grant | 2001-2002 | |||||||
| 8 | Community Investment Application | 2002 | |||||||
| 8 | Correspondence | 1985, 2001-2002 | |||||||
| 8 | Fall River | 1989 | |||||||
| 8 | Home Visit Outreach Program | 1984 | |||||||
| 8 | Site Visits | 1999-2002 | |||||||
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Series: |
2. Audio-Visual Materials, 1920-2002 (bulk 1960-1995) |
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| Volume: | 3.25 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Organized by media type, then either alphabetically by topic or chronologically by earliest date. |
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| Summary: |
Series 2 contains audio-visual materials, photographs, slides, negatives, and scrapbooks. The audio-visual material (boxes 25-26) document many BGHH programs and events held between 1973 and 1999. Most of this material has been captured on VHS videotape format, but other formats were used including 16-mm film, U-Matic videocassette, videotape reel, and reel-to-reel audiotape. Most of these items were titled and dated. Photographs (boxes 17-24) have been categorized according to five themes: buildings, equipment, events, people, and programs. The photographs document BGHH from 1920-2002. The buildings section concentrates on the properties owned on Commonwealth Ave. Other photographs of BGHH facilities may be found in the scrapbooks. Photographs of BGHH programs have been organized into four sections: classes, the Guild Mobile Testing Unit, plays and performances, and presentations. Photographs including people affiliated with BGHH have been organized into five categories. There are photographs of celebrities and noted personalities who had some connection with the organization. Included are photographs of Alexander Graham Bell, former United States presidents and first ladies including John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Pat Nixon, Massachusetts governors such as Michael Dukakis, senators and congressman, like Edward Kennedy, journalists, and Hollywood stars. The children section contains photographs of children helped by the BGHH. The founders and presidents section documents the members who were influential in establishing and leading the organization, including the three women who founded the group, Mildred Kennedy, Anna Staples, and Clara Ziegler. There are also photographs of Guild members and Guild parties, including long-time executive director Clare Kennedy. The series also contains numerous photographs of BGHH events between 1964 and 1996, with a bulk of photographs from the late 1970s and early 1990s. Some prominent events include the Board of Directors Meeting with former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop (1989) and actor Richard Dysart (1990), fund raisers, award ceremonies, and the 80th anniversary celebration of the BGHH (1996). For early photographs of BGHH facilities, people, and events, also consult the scrapbooks which provided detailed documentation of all aspects of the Guild, particularly between 1916 and 1953. BGHH members meticulously clipped mentions of Guild activities and members from newspapers and assembled them in the scrapbooks, alongside many photographs, brochures, event programs, invitations, and letters. The original order of the scrapbooks has been maintained; however, all newspaper clippings have been photocopied. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| Audio-Visual Materials | |||||||||
| Film Reels | |||||||||
| 25 | "Hearing: The Forgotten Sense" (2 copies) | 1981 | |||||||
| 25 | "S.O.S" | 1982 | |||||||
| 25 | Untitled | n.d. | |||||||
| 25 | "You and Your Ears" | 1987 | |||||||
| Audiotape | |||||||||
| 26 | "P.S.A." (4 reels) | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "So Much to Hear-Busy Box" | 1998 | |||||||
| U-Matic Videocassette | |||||||||
| 26 | "To Hear" (2 copies) | 1982 | |||||||
| Videotape Reel | |||||||||
| 26 | "Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing" | 1973 | |||||||
| VHS Cassettes (22 cassettes) | |||||||||
| 26 | "Annual Meeting, April 26, 1993" | 1993 | |||||||
| 26 | "Asservial Hearing, Part 1 & 3" | 1989 | |||||||
| 26 | "Asservial Hearing, Part 2 & 4" | 1989 | |||||||
| 26 | "Bob Gilmore: Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing" | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing Award Ceremony" | 1989 | |||||||
| 26 | "The Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing: A History of Caring - A Tradition of Support" (2 copies w/ transcript) | ca. 1990 | |||||||
| 26 | "Boston Guild Pls." | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "B.G.H.H.: Powell" | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "Braden's Talk" | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "Children of Migrant Workers Laurence Site" | 1991 | |||||||
| 26 | "Colonade: Dysart" | 1990 | |||||||
| 26 | "Enhanced 9-1-1: The Senior Years" | 1995 | |||||||
| 26 | "Future Planning" | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "Gala: Dr. Koop-Keynote Speaker" (2 copies) | 1989 | |||||||
| 26 | "Golden Forum-Hearing Loss" & "Good Day" | 1990 | |||||||
| 26 | "K. Donahue: AARP Mediators" | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "1990 Guild Annual Meeting: Dr. Joseph Rosenstein" | 1990 | |||||||
| 26 | "Robin Young Profiles-John Anderson Segment" | n.d. | |||||||
| 26 | "76th Annual Meeting Breakfast Program" | 1992 | |||||||
| 26 | Untitled | n.d. | |||||||
| Photographs, Slides, and Negatives | |||||||||
| Buildings | |||||||||
| 17 | 339 Commonwealth Ave. (2 folders) | ca. 1920-1937 | |||||||
| 17, Art File 22 | 283 Commonwealth Ave. (3 folders) | ca. 1960-2001 | |||||||
| 17 | Equipment (4 folders) | ca. 1950-1988 | |||||||
| Events | |||||||||
| 17-18 | Annual Meetings (7 folders) | 1964-1994 | |||||||
| 18 | Annual Walks | 1995-1996 | |||||||
| 18-19 | Board of Directors Meetings (6 folders) | 1988-1990 | |||||||
| 19 | Claire Kennedy Awards: Donna Sorkin Recipient | 1997 | |||||||
| 19 | Distinguished Service Award | 1985 | |||||||
| 19 | Eightieth Anniversary Celebration | 1996 | |||||||
| 19 | Guild Awards at Brandeis University | 1985 | |||||||
| 19 | Guild Fund Raiser at Sonesta Hotel | 1987 | |||||||
| 20 | Guild Scholarships (2 folders) | 1987, 1996 | |||||||
| 20 | Hearing Awareness Fair | 1984 | |||||||
| 20 | Holiday Fund Raiser | 1991 | |||||||
| 20 | John F. Kennedy Library Events (3 folders) | 1986 | |||||||
| 20 | Miss America Gala | 1995 | |||||||
| 20 | S.H.H.H. Meetings | 1988-1989 | |||||||
| 20 | Negatives (2 folders) | ca. 1960-2001 | |||||||
| People | |||||||||
| 21, 24 | Celebrities (3 folders) | 1959-1995 | |||||||
| 21 | Children (3 folders) | ca. 1950-1970 | |||||||
| 21, 24, FF3/D3, Art File 22 | Guild Founders and Presidents (7 folders) | ca. 1920-1970 | |||||||
| 21-22 | Guild Members and Friends (9 folders) | 1938-2001 | |||||||
| 23, 24 | Guild Parties and Functions (3 folders) | 1970-2002 | |||||||
| Programs | |||||||||
| 23 | Guild Classes | 1950-2002 | |||||||
| 23, 24 | Guild Mobile Testing Unit (4 folders) | 1968-2001 | |||||||
| 23 | Guild Plays and Performances | ca. 1930-1940 | |||||||
| 23 | Presentations | ca. 1980-1990 | |||||||
| 23 | "You and Your Hearing" : Presentation | ca. 1990-1995 | |||||||
| 12-15 | Scrapbooks (includes photographs) (34 folders) | 1916-2001 | |||||||
| 13,15 | Unsorted Newspaper Clippings (3 folders) | n.d. | |||||||
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Series: |
3. Artifacts, 1910s-1990s |
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| Volume: | 3 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetical |
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| Summary: |
Series 3. contains examples of hearing technology, such as hearing aids, hearing horns, and speaking tubes, and other memorabilia. BGHH promoted and collected several different types of hearing aids during its history. The earliest technologies promoted were horns and conversation tubes. These instruments were used by individuals who were hard of hearing prior to the improvements made in electric hearing aids and devices. The person would hold the horn up to their ear, which allowed them to hear with more clarity. The horns in this collection are of various styles, materials, and shapes. Conversation tubes were used in a similar manner with the main difference being a mouthpiece at the end of the tube. This enabled a hard of hearing person to have a conversation with someone and hear what the other person was saying. Some of the original battery powered electric hearing aids, while considered small when first introduced, are significantly larger than more recent electric hearing aids. Most of the hearing aids in this collection are small enough to fit into a pocket. Also included are devices designed to disguise hearing aids, such as eye glasses and necklaces. Memorabilia includes two trophy cups, a bowl and an elaborate gavel given to Guild co-founder Mildred Kennedy, a paperweight, and a banner. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| Hearing Aids | |||||||||
| 28 | Electric Hearing Aids (30 items) | ca. 1940-1970 | |||||||
| 27 | Hearing Horns and Conversation Tubes (9 items) | ca. 1910-1940 | |||||||
| Memorabilia | |||||||||
| 29 | Banner | ca. 1998 | |||||||
| 29 | Bowl (Mildred Kennedy) | 1926 | |||||||
| 29 | Buttons | n.d. | |||||||
| 29 | Gavel (Mildred Kennedy) | 1921 | |||||||
| 29 | Paperweight | ca. 1996 | |||||||
| RR, Art File 19, 22 | Signs | n.d. | |||||||
| 29 | Trophies (2 items) | 1936, 1941 | |||||||
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