Lancaster Day Care Center Records

Collection

Identifier: MS 079

Staff Only

Summary

This collection contains the administrative, financial, and publicity records of the Lancaster Day Care Center, a public, non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable child care and educational services to the children of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Strengths of the collection include comprehensive financial and administrative records, including lengthy runs of Board of Directors’ minutes, financial information, correspondence, and photographs. Additional strengths include runs of annual reports, newspaper clippings, and newsletters. Weaknesses include incomplete or short runs of several records series (such as annual statistics), and information documenting the early history of the organization. This information can be supplemented to some degree by consulting the histories of related Lancaster civic organizations. Overall, the collection provides unique, historical insight into the issues of child welfare, day care services, working parents, and civic voluntarism.

Dates

Creation: 1915-2018,
Creation: Majority of material found within 1935-1995

Creator

Moragne, Nina (donor., Person)
Lancaster Day Care Center (Organization)
Lancaster Day Nursery (Organization)
Lancaster Early Education Center (Organization)

Language of Material

All materials in English.

Restrictions on Access

Access unrestricted.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Photocopying and publication may be restricted by copyright. Permission to publish must be secured from the repository and copyright holder..

Biographical / Historical

Established in 1915 by a group of community civic leaders and volunteers, the Lancaster Day Nursery had its roots in the Lancaster Community Service Association (CSA). One of the primary goals of the CSA was to relieve poverty and reduce suffering among the city’s lower income residents. Designed to provide a safe and happy place for children of working parents, the Day Nursery began accepting financial assistance through the Community Chest (United Way) in 1922. Due to growing demand, the organization expanded its facility on South Queen Street in 1939 (and again in 1966), formally changing its name to the Lancaster Day Care Center in 1981. Throughout much of its history, responsibility for the Center’s operation and policies has rested with an Executive Director and elected Board of Directors. In 2015, to honor the organization’s 100th anniversary and to better reflect its commitment to quality early education, the organization’s name was changed to the Lancaster Early Education Center (LEEC). Currently, the LEEC provides high quality, affordable child care and educational experiences for children 8 weeks old to kindergarten.

Extent

3.5 Linear feet (9 boxes)

Additional Description

Arrangement

Collection: Materials are organized and arranged in series by administrative function and type of material such as correspondence, news clippings, and photographs. All materials are described to the folder level. Arranged and described to the folder-level.

Ownership and Custodial History

All materials were collected by the Lancaster Early Education Center between 1915 and 2015. They were deposited in the Archives and Special Collections of Franklin and Marshall in December 2018 and gifted to the College in January 2019.