Table of Contents
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Archives and Special Collections Finding Aids
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| Collection |
| Title: | Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing records |
| Dates: | 1916-2003 |
| Call Number: | M105 |
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Series:
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1. Administration, 1916-2003
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| Volume: | 11 cubic ft. |
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetical |
| 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. |
| 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:
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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. |
| 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. |
| 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:
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3. Artifacts, 1910s-1990s
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| Volume: | 3 cubic ft. |
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetical |
| 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. |
| 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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