Center for Archival Collections

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

Introduction

The records of the Toledo Humanist Society Collection date from 1943-1991. The collection includes minutes, correspondence, an executive director's report, financial records of the organization, and newspaper articles. Also included are subject files and printed materials such as pamphlets, newsletters, periodicals, and books relating to the Humanist movement.

The records were donated and transferred to the Center for Archival Collections on July 30, 1991, with the cooperation of Naomi Twining. There are no restrictions on the research use of this collection and duplication is permitted for purposes of preservation and scholarly research.

Agency History

The Toledo Humanist Society, founded in 1952 by Dr. Gardner Williams, was a chapter of the American Humanist Association. Dr. Gardner Williams at the time of the Chapter's organization was chairman of the Philosophy Department at the University of Toledo. The Toledo Society met monthly for informal talks and discussions. It ceased being a chapter of the AHA by 1990.

The American Humanist Association was founded in New York City about 1927. It incorporated in 1941 with headquarters in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Later it moved its central office to San Francisco and now it is located in Washington D.C. The Humanist movement is a world-wide effort that seeks, mainly through educational means, to offer a philosophy counter to prevalent orthodox religion. Although different chapters emphasize different aspects of Humanism, the American Humanist Association argues for a reliance on scientific proof, rational understanding, and logic to explain life experiences. As such, it argues that people are responsible for their own destiny and should seek to solve the problems of the world through scientific methods, not through devotion to religion. For more information about the AHA please refer to its web site at http://humanist.net

Scope and Content

The Toledo Humanist Society Collection contains the records of this organization and its founder, Gardner Williams, for the years 1926-1990, with the bulk of the documents dating from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. Although the printed materials provide much information on the purposes and interests of the Society, the research value of the collection is hampered by the lack of minutes and other administrative documentation which would provide more details on the Society's organization and development.

The various publications which comprise a large part of this collection do provide an excellent encapsulation of the Society's purpose, what "Humanism" means, and the activities of the American Humanist Association. Additionally, the newspaper articles also illuminate the Society's activities and evolution.

The subject files provide details on issues with which the Society was concerned. Arranged by topic, the subject files attest to the debates within the Society and the rest of the public over issues such as religion, taxes, and separation of church and state.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES
December 1958-March 1959, Nov.25, 1972
Arranged chronologically
Includes the location and date of the meetings, as well as a summary of the proceedings and business concluded. The November 1972 minutes are from the American Humanist Association

CORRESPONDENCE

HUMANIST SOCIETY CORRESPONDENCE
1943-1990, n.d. (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Includes letters, notes, and official letters exchanged between various members of the society, between the Toledo chapter and the national chapter, between prospective members and the organization

SUBJECT FILES

TOPICAL FILES
1948-1980s, n.d. (scattered)
Arranged by topic
Includes essays, articles, and announcements of conferences touching on a variety of topics of interest to the humanist movement

REPORTS

ANNUAL REPORTS
1965
Includes the report of the AHA Executive Director

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

FINANCIAL RECORDS
1955-1972, n.d. (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Includes account ledger, checkbook, receipts of the Toledo Society

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
1947-1990, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Includes articles on Humanism, Gardner Williams, copies of Civil Liberties newspaper

PRINTED MATERIALS

PAMPHLETS
1926-1970s, n.d. (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Includes pamphlets, fliers, brochures covering a variety of issues and topics of debate within the Humanist Society and the Humanism movement

NEWSLETTERS
1966-1974
Arranged by title of newsletter
Includes newsletters from the AHA with information on events and activities of The American Humanist Association and its various divisions

JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS
1948-1975
Arranged by title
Includes various periodicals dealing with, and devoted to Humanism and issues with which it is concerned

BOOKS
1946-1953
Arranged by title
Includes books dealing with the topic of Humanism and its implications for society. Also includes books written on topics of interest to Humanism, such as religion

Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Minutes, 1958-1959, Nov. 1972
2. Correspondence1943-1969 (scattered)
3. Correspondence, 1970
4. Correspondence, 1971-1972
5. Correspondence, 1973-1990 (scattered)
6. Correspondence, n.d.

Box 2

Folder

1. American Atheists, 1970-1980
2. Association for the Freedom to Die, 1980s
3. Congressional Record, 1970-1973
4. AHA Constitutional/Organizational information, 1960s-1970s
5. AHA Election Information, 1967-1972
6. Humanist Chapters, 1971
7. Humanist Communications/Committee for Open Media, 1971
8. Humanist Fund Raising Information, 1966-1967
9. Writings by Gardner Williams, 1948-1970 (scattered)
10. AHA positions, resolutions, issues, 1960s-1970s
11. Madalyn O'Hair, 1965, 1973
12. Rationalism, 1970-1972
13. Society of Separationists, 1970s
14. Unitarian Universalist Church, 1950s-1960s
15. United World Federation, 1968
16. World Constitution and Parliament Association, 1977

Box 3

Folder

1. AHA Executive Director's Report, 1965
2. Account Ledger and financial documents, 1955-1972, n.d.
3. Newspaper articles, 1947-1990
4. Pamphlets, 1926-1949 (scattered)
5. Pamphlets, 1950s

Box 4

Folder

1. Pamphlets, 1960s
2. Pamphlets, 1970s
3. Pamphlets, n.d.
4. AHA Newsletters-Free Mind, 1970-1974
5. AHA Newsletters-The Humanist Counselor, 1972-1974
6. AHA Newsletters-Humanist Student Union of North America, 1966-1967
7. AHA Newsletters, 1966-1967
8. AHA Newsletters-Newsletter of the Division of Humanist Involvement, 1969-1971

Box 5

Folder

1. Journals-The Humanist, 1962-1975
2. Journals-Religious Humanism, 1967-1974
3. Journals-Humanist World Digest, 1951-1970

Box 6

Folder

1. The Rationalist Annual, 1958-1962
2. Progressive World, Volume 14, Nos 1 and 2, 1960
3. Journal of Art, Science and Philosophy, August 1972-January 1973
4. International Humanism, Volume 1, No. 10; Volume 3, Nos. 1-3, 1964, 1968
5. The American Rationalist, 1972
6. The Ethical Outlook, Volume 42, No. 6, 1956
7. Tulane Studies in Philosophy, "Studies in Whitehead's Philosophy," Volume 10, and "Studies in Recent Philosophy," Volume 12, 1961, 1963
8. The Standard, 1953
9. Modern Review, Nov. 1947
10. The Modern Schoolman, Volume 26, No. 1, Nov. 1948
11. Three Unitarian Philosophies of Religion, by R. Lester Mondale, 1946
12. Perspectives in Philosophy, Dept. of Philosophy, Ohio State University, 1953
13. Man: Mind or Matter? by Charles Mayer, 1951

Manuscripts by Subject | Miscellaneous Collections