Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The Loyola Club World War I Scrapbook is a photocopy of material collected by St. Mary's Catholic Church. The donation and transfer of this material to the Center for Archival Collections on September 28, 2006 through the cooperation of members of the former Parish (now closed by the Diocese of Toledo).

No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The register was compiled by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in October 2006.

Agency History

As early as December 1917 the St. Mary's Catholic Church Loyola Club, a youth organization of the parish, established a committee devoted to boosting the morale of members of the congregation serving during World War I. Later designated the Loyola Club War Relief Commission it was "organized to back the soldier boys of St. Mary's Parish", as described by chairman George B. Schramm. In September of 1918, as stated in the St. Mary's Calendar newsletter, a letter was sent to every soldier of the parish, encouraging them to keep in contact with the War Relief Commission, letting them know of any needs they have or needs of their folks back home, in return members of the congregation were encouraged to write the servicemen to keep them in contact with home. A summary history of the War Relief Commission, as well as extracts of letters received from soldiers and an Honor Roll, was printed in the Victory Edition of the St. Mary's Calendar newsletter after the Armistice (included in the collection).

Scope and Content

The scrapbook of the St. Mary's Catholic Church Loyola Club consists of photocopies of pamphlets, newsletters, clippings, and correspondence related to the project of the Catholic youth club in Toledo to provide "a stream of cheerful communication, of practical comforts, of spiritual support..." to soldiers of the parish serving during World War I. Material includes initial organizational notices and clippings, copies of newspaper articles reporting on activities of soldiers from the parish, obituary notices of those who died in service (including a large number due to influenza) and letters from soldiers while in service.

Series Description

SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL

ALBUM
1917-1930
Scrapbook (photocopied) of correspondence, clippings, and pamphlets associated with the activities of the Loyola Club of St. Mary's Catholic Church in support of young men from the parish serving in the U.S. armed forces during World War I

Inventory

Box 1

1. Loyola Club World War I Scrapbook - printed material, Dec 1917-1930
2. Loyola Club World War I Scrapbook - correspondence, Jan-June 1918
3. Loyola Club World War I Scrapbook - correspondence, June-Aug 1918
4. Loyola Club World War I Scrapbook - correspondence, Sept-Oct 1918
5. Loyola Club World War I Scrapbook - correspondence, Nov 1918-Feb 1918

Manuscripts by Subject | MS 339 St. Mary Catholic Church | U.S. in Wartime