The Episcopal Service for Youth was formed in 1911 as The Church Mission of Help (CMH). Its original purpose was to promote family life by assisting unwed mothers to remain with their families and make it possible for them to take care of their children for at least the first two years. The scope of its case work grew through the 1920s to include preventative care for at-risk children. By 1930, it had not only expanded its scope, but also added 13 more societies to its mission field.
The Episcopal Church continued to support CMH, but in the face of declining diocesan funding, the General Convention cut its appropriation by half in 1934. As a result, the bylaws of the organization were radically amended along with a substantial reduction in staff. In 1945, after much discussion, the name of the organization was changed to The Episcopal Service for Youth to better reflect its purpose and better appeal to the young people whom it served. In 1960, much of the society's work was assumed by the Department of Christian Social Relations. The Episcopal Service for Youth continued primarily as a scholarship organization until its dissolution in 1976.
Published
Much of these records date from the first fifty years of the Church Mission of Help (CMH), when its primary focus was on social services. These records include the annual file, containing documents related to the organization’s annual accomplishments; sub-committees and member agencies file; and the majority of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors minutes and reports, which are accompanied by associated documents such as the bylaws and constitution. Additionally, the general file contains documents related to conferences in which the CMH participated, as well as miscellaneous materials such as case worker evaluations, clippings, and correspondence related to Executive Secretary Edith Balmford (1950-1960).
The financial records from this period are concentrated towards the later decades, with most of them beginning in the 1940s. Notable exceptions include some ledgers, beginning in 1920; documents related to the Standing Committee on Trust Funds, also beginning in 1920; and documents related to scholarships and fellowships, spanning 1910 through 1972. The CMH’s final years are most heavily represented in the remaining financial records, including budgets, financial statements, correspondence, cash receipts, and income; however, there are also organizational histories from the late 1960s and Executive Committee and Board of Directors minutes and reports from 1960 through 1975.
Annual File, 1909-1961
Executive Committee and Board of Directors, Minutes and Reports, 1919-1975
Sub-Committees, Member Agencies, 1910-1960
General File, 1920-1973
Financial, 1910-1972
Artifacts and Scrapbooks, 1929-1946
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