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Everett Society records
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Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The Everett Society, known for its patriotism and anti-slavery sentiments, was founded by students February 27th, 1858, in response to the exclusivity of the existing literary societies, including the Haverford Athenaeum. There were 15 original members, and the Everett Society quickly grew in membership. Activities of the club included declamations, orations, and debates. Additionally, the Everett Society encouraged its members to produce original compositions and essays. Many of these original compositions and essays were published in The Bud, the Everett Society's private manuscript paper, which was published between 1858 and 1887, amounting to 29 volumes. Beginning in 1859, just one year after the clubs founding, the Everett Society began to offer prizes for the best original essay and poems, which created completion and generated interests in membership. In 1866, the Society founded the Everett Library that held a large collection of current literature which was eventually housed in the Haverford College library.
In 1889, the Everett Society merged with the Haverford Athenaeum to form the Everett-Athenaeum Society in an effort to increase student interest and membership, although attendance unfortunately did not increase.
The Everett Society records are arranged in seven series. The first series is the Constitution and By-Laws series, which includes one very large and detailed volume as well as five smaller and more condensed editions. The second series is the Meeting Minutes series, with eight volumes of minutes recorded by the Everett Society's secretary between the years 1858 and 1893. The third series, Administrative Records, contains a detailed membership roster spanning the years 1858 to 1892, a register of the Everett Library, and various reports from the Officers of the Everett Society, from the years 1860 to 1882, with an absence of records between 1871 and 1882. The fourth series, Financial Records, contains four account books, one treasurer's book which includes various bills and orders, and a small selection of payment receipts; this series spans the years 1859 to 1887. The fifth series, The Bud, contains all volumes of the Everett Society's private literary journal from the year 1858 to 1884. The sixth series, Events and Addresses, contains a Contests and Prizes folder with various advertisements and programs for scholarly contests with awards from the Everett Society, and an Invitations and Programs folder with publications regarding celebrations such as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Everett Society and scholarly events such as the readings presented by Everett Society members; this series also includes three copies of one full length essay read by Henry T. Coates. The final series, Miscellaneous, contains a variety of items related to the Everett Society, including an unbound copy of an essay written on the Everett Library, correspondence from alumni, and other miscellaneous documents.
Series 1. Constitution and By-Laws, 1858, 1885
Series 2. Meeting Minutes, 1858-1893
Series 3. Administrative Records, 1858-1892
Series 4. Financial Records, 1859-1887
Series 5. The Bud, 1858-1884
Series 6. Events and Addresses, 1883-1939
Series 7. Miscellaneous, 1821, 1863, 1896, 1993, undated
Acquisition unknown.
Processed by Natalia Gutierrez-Jones; completed February, 2016.
Organization
- Haverford College. Everett Society
- Haverford College
- Haverford College -- History -- 19th century
- Haverford College -- Students
Subject
- Publisher
- Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- Natalia Gutierrez-Jones
- Finding Aid Date
- February, 2016
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open to research use.
- Use Restrictions
-
Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Collection Inventory
5 copies
3 copies
A thirty page essay by Michael S. Freeman with information regarding the history of the Everett Society's library.