Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk A Guide to the Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk Records MG 13

A Guide to the Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk Records MG 13


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ODU Community Collections

3000 Perry Library
4427 Hampton Blvd.
Norfolk, VA 23529
Business Number: 757-683-5350
libspecialcollections@odu.edu
URL: https://www.odu.edu/library/special-collections

Doug Wright; Sonia Yaco (Revised 2010); Mel Frizzell (Revised 2013)

Repository
ODU Community Collections
Identification
MG 13
Title
Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk Records 1891-1978, undated Date acquired: 01/13/1977
URL:
https://archivesguides.lib.odu.edu/repositories/5/resources/40
Quantity
24.60 Linear Feet
Quantity
39 Hollinger Documents Cases; Seven Hollinger Oversized Boxes; and several oversized posters boxes
Creator
Florence Crittenton Home (Norfolk, Va.)
Language
English
Abstract
Established in 1894 to respond to the needs of unwed mothers and their children. Contains the institutional records of the home during their eighty years service to Norfolk. Includes histories, business and financial records, studies, reports, memorials, testimonials, correspondence, scrapbooks, and newspapers clippings.

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to researchers with two exceptions. Boxes 5-12a are permanently closed to the researcher because they contain sensitive employee and personnel records. Secondly, delivery room registers are closed to all patrons except those mentioned in the records because they are health records. Please note that the last names of all mothers and children born at Florence Crittenton Home have been redacted from the records.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Source of Acquisition

Florence Crittenton Board, Louauna S. Byrd, President

Method of Acquisition

Gift. Accession #A77-3

Biographical or Historical Information

The Florence Crittenton Association of America (FCAA) began in New York City in 1883. Mr. Charles Nelson Crittenton was a wealthy wholesale druggist whose four-year-old daughter, Florence, died in 1882. Six months later, on April 19, 1883, he opened the Florence Night Mission at 29 Bleeker Street as a memorial to her. Intended initially to help the prostitutes of that city escape from that lifestyle, its scope was gradually enlarged to include other women needing help. The name was changed to The Florence Crittenton Mission, and Congress gave its approval when, by a special act in 1893, it passed its articles of incorporation.

The Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk was certainly among the earliest ones found in this country. In 1891, Mrs. R. H. Jones, the president of the Virginia Women's Christian Temperance Union befriended one unwed mother in Norfolk. This action, in turn, was followed by the establishment of a little two-room house in the Huntersville area, which was later closed when a five-room area was located in the Brambleton area of the city. These two homes were both known as "The White Anchorage."

At the 1893 National W.C.T.U. Conference in Denver, the Norfolk Chapter gave a report of its work and Mr. Crittenton was so impressed that he contributed one thousand dollars to aid their effort. As a result, the name of the Home was changed to Florence Crittenton and it was incorporated as such in Virginia in 1894.

Largely because of Mr. Crittenton's strenuous efforts in support of this new service, many Crittenton Homes were soon opened throughout the country. At first, these homes were also designed as "Rescue Homes" but the scope of services, particularly after World War I, gradually shifted to caring for unwed mothers and their children. The only exception to this was the Barrett Home in New York City, which was a residential treatment center for adolescent girls.

The highwater mark of the National Crittenton Program came during the 1960's when there were more than seventy maternity homes, the Barrett Home, and a non-residential service for unwed mothers in Lowell, Massachusetts. Though changing social patterns, customs, and laws led to a gradual decline in the total number of homes during the 1970's, thirty-five homes, including one in Lynchburg, Virginia, remained in operation as late as 1978.

For various reasons, the National Crittenton organization found it necessary to operate as two separate but cooperative agencies. The first, known as The National Florence Crittenton Mission, is primarily concerned with all financial matters affecting the individual homes and the national organization. The Mission coordinates the various levels of its work through "The Central Extension Committee" which derives its members from the Mission's ranks and from each of the participating homes. This committee had as its initial task the establishment of the Florence Crittenton Association of America, an agency with the tasks of consultation, setting of standards, doing research for the member agencies, and developing relationships with similar organizations.

In this structure, the member homes operated as cooperative but autonomous entities who, apart from certain qualification standards and financial matters, generally charted their own direction.

While the National Association is staffed by professional social workers and is responsible for coordinating the activities of the various homes, the Mission administers an endowment left by Mr. Crittenton and expanded by Dr. Robert South Barrett, long time president of the Mission. This Mission also pays the largest share of the Association's expenses and keeps in reserve an amount to help the individual homes in building and alteration projects. Any requests for such funds, which were received by the Association, were passed directly to the Mission, whose president is a member of the Association's Executive Board.

Mr. Crittenton died in 1911 and was succeeded as President of the Mission by Dr. Kate Waller Barrett; upon her death in 1925, her son, Dr. Robert South Barrett became president; and he, in turn, was succeeded by his son, Rear Admiral (Ret) John P. Barrett.

In a brief ceremony on June 1, 1977, Mrs. John A. Byrd, President of the Florence Crittenton Board, turned over the deed to the Crittenton property to Old Dominion University. A resolution from that Board was read by Board member Mrs. Irving Salsbury, and a plaque recognizing the gift was unveiled by Mrs. James A. Howard; Mrs. Byrd; Dr. Charles O. Burgess, Vice President for Academic Affairs at ODU; and Mercer Davis, President of the ODU Educational Foundation.

In expressing the University's appreciation for the Crittenton Board's generosity, Dr. Burgess said "Like the Crittenton Home, Old Dominion University is committed to serving the needs of the area - of this region. ODU's School of Continuing Studies will be located here, allowing continued growth in its programs that are already serving more than 20,000 persons each year in noncredit and off-campus credit programs."

The subsequent 80-year history of the Norfolk Home was a rich and varied effort to meet the needs of unwed mothers and their children. The following is a brief chronology of the home:

1891: Founding of "The White Anchorage"

1893: The National Convention of W.C.T.U where Mr. Crittenton donated $1,000.00 to the Norfolk effort. Name changed to the "Florence Crittenton Home"

1894: Charter obtained in April

1897: Mr. Crittenton visited Norfolk Home

1899: Obstetrical ward added

1909: Clara E. Marshall began working at the Norfolk Home

1911: Day Nursery for working class children established

1920: Norfolk Home moved to 52nd Street ("Beth—Haven") and Norfolk Day Nursery began to operate independently

1923: Became member agency of Norfolk Community Fund

May 31, 1940: Clara E. Marshall died

August 1941: Velma Mauk employed as new Superintendent (Here after designated Executive Director)

1945-59: Home consisted of two older houses connected by arcade. There were living facilities for 24 residents and all babies were delivered on the premises.

1950-54: West building condemned; a new and larger house built for residents; staff continued to use remaining old house. The obstetrical ward at the home was closed and new arrangements made with Norfolk General Hospital.

1954: Velma Mauk retired; Genrose Gehri employed as new Executive Director

1955-59: Staff increased and professionalized;  new dietary program established; new fee schedule introduced

1960-64: Nursery Closed; accredited school established in June 1963; registered nurse employed full-time

February 26, 1964: Mrs. Chesley Lamb employed as Executive Director

March 1, 1964: Miss Genrose Gehri retired as Executive Director

October 10, 1965: Mrs. Chesley Lamb resigned, for personal reasons, as Executive Director; Miss Genrose Gehri returned as Temporary Executive Director.

February 1, 1966: Mrs. Elizabeth Collins, ACSW, employed as Executive Director

August 1, 1970: Mrs. Elizabeth Collins, ACSW, retired as Executive Director; Mr. Joseph Charon employed as Executive Director

March 24, 1971: Name of Home changed to Florence Crittenton Services, Inc.

October 1, 1971: Mr. Joseph Charon resigned, for personal reasons, as Executive Director

October 19, 1971: Mr. Gerald Rosenmeier employed as temporary Executive Director

December 15, 1971: New aspect of program initiated as limited intake of non-pregnant girls begun

March 1, 1972: Mr. Milton Susco employed as Executive Director

July 3, 1973: On the eve of closing, Mr. Milton Susco left as Executive Director

December 31, 1973: Florence Crittenton Services, Inc. ceased operation

January 1, 1974: Property rented to Tidewater Regional Detention Facilities to be used as Group Home for Girls

January 22, 1975: Florence Crittenton Board of Directors placed on inactive status

March 19, 1975: Florence Crittenton Services resigned from FCAA

September 17, 1975: Florence Crittenton Services merged with Tidewater Children's Foundation

November 17, 1976: Florence Crittenton Services rescinded merger with Tidewater Children's Foundation

January 6, 1977: Security of the Norfolk Crittenton Home transferred to ODU Records of the Florence Crittenton Services partially transferred to ODU Archives.

September 2007: Norfolk Crittenton Home which housed the Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography-Old Dominion University, was demolished to make way for waterfront homes.

Note written by Special Collections Staff

Scope and Contents

The records of the Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk contains the institutional records of the home during their eighty years service to Norfolk. Included in the collection are histories, business and financial records, studies, reports, memorials, testimonials, correspondence, scrapbooks, and newspapers clippings. Delivery room registers of mother and chld are also included but are restricted to only those described in the records (mother or child). The last name of both mother and child are redacted.

Arrangement Note

The collection is divided into eighteen series: Series I: History, General; Series II: History, Financial; Series III: History, Payroll; Series IV: Admissions and Procedures; Series V: Studies and Reports; Series VI: State Licensing Procedure; Series VII: Office Procedures; Series VIII: Records of the President; Series IX: Records of the Treasurer; Series X: Records of the Board; Series XI: Committees and Supporting Agencies; Series XII: Grants and Consultant Services; Series XIII: Memorials and Testimonials; Series XIV: Closing of the Home; Series XV: Correspondence; Series XVI: Miscellaneous; Series XVII: Scrapbooks and Photographs; and Series XVIII: Memorabilia.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Container List

Series I
Series I: History, General
1891-1974, undated
Scope and Contents

This series contains information about the history of the Florence Crittenton Home national chapter as well as the Norfolk chapter. The records include appeals, guest books, manuals, and bylaws.

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Series II
Series II: History, Financial
1893-1972
Scope and Contents

This series contains financial records of the Florence Crittenton Home including cash books, annual financial reports, and debts owed to and by the home.

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Series III
Series III: History, Payroll
circa 1959-1970, undated
Scope and Contents

This series includes payroll information for the home including personnel practices statement, job descriptions and personnel records. Boxes 5-11 are closed to researchers as they contain sensitive employee and personnel records.

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Series IV
Series IV: Admissions and Procedures
1893-1973, undated
Scope and Contents

This series includes records related to admissions and procedures at the Florence Crittenton Home. Some of these records include delivery room registers, house rules, handbooks, and population records. The delivery room registers are restricted to individuals named in the registers.

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Series V
Series V: Studies and Reports
1925-1973, undated
Scope and Contents

This series consists of records regarding the Florence Crittenton Home and topics relating to out of wedlock childbirth and child care.

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Series VI
Series VI: State Licensing Procedure
1961-1972
Scope and Contents

This series contains information regarding state licensing procedures including applications, childcare and maternity laws, and staff background information.

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Series VII
Series VII: Office Procedures
circa 1958-1972, undated
Scope and Contents

This series consists of records regarding various administrative procedures of the Florence Crittenton Home.

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Series VIII
Series VIII: Records of the President
1897-1977
Scope and Contents

This series includes annual reports, executive committee minutes, and superintendent reports of the Florence Crittenton Home President.

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Series IX
Series IX: Records of the Treasurer
1951-1976, undated
Scope and Contents

This series contains the records of the Treasurer of the Florence Crittenton Home including reports, ledgers, account information, and pass books.

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Series X
Series X: Records of the Board
1894, 1913-1977, undated
Scope and Contents

This series contains the records of the Florence Crittenton Home Board including minutes, rosters, and other board material.

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Series XI
Series XI: Committees and Supporting Agencies
1923-1974, undated
Scope and Contents

This series contains records of committees and supporting agencies of the Florence Crittenton Home. Some of the committees in the series include building committees, the United Communities Fund, Personal Needs Committee, and the House Committee.

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Series XII
Series XII: Grants and Consultant Services
Scope and Contents

This series contains information about the Law Enforcement Administration of Virginia grant and group child care consultant services.

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Series XIII
Series XIII: Memorials and Testimonials
1923-1968
Scope and Contents

This series contains memorials and testimonials regarding those greatly involved with the Florence Crittenton Home including Clara E. Marshall, Odessa L. Frazier, and Dr. Robert South Barrett.

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Series XIV
Series XIV: Closing of the Home
1973-1977, undated
Scope and Contents

This series contains records detailing the closing of the home and its sale to Old Dominion University.

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Series XV
Series XV: Correspondence
1908-1978
Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence to and from the Florence Crittenton Home. Some of the topics covered include the transfer of records to Old Dominion University, policies, house and grounds, former clients, and correspondence with the national Florence Crittenton Home Association.

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Series XVI
Series XVI: Miscellaneous
1936-1977, undated
Scope and Contents

This series contains newspaper articles related to the Florence Crittenton Home and records belonging to Pearl E. "Bea" Steinhilber.

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Series XVII
Series XVII: Scrapbooks and Photographs
1920-1967, undated
Scope and Contents

This series consists of scrapbooks and photographs relating to the Florence Crittenton Home.

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Series XVIII
Series XVIII: Memorabilia
1926, undated
Scope and Contents

This series consists of oversized material relating to the Florence Crittenton Home, which includes a poster-sized cover page of the November 1926 Community Fund Pictorial News.

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