Young Men's Christian Association Service Men's Center collection
Collection
Identifier: L226
Scope and Contents
This collection includes reports from Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Service Men's Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, ranging from 1965 to 1969, regarding center and its activities. There are also correspondence, notes, invoices, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and photographs concerning Veteran's Day celebrations.
Dates
- 1965-1969
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Administrative History
The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Service Men's Center at Indianapolis' Central Branch opened on November 11, 1965. The center was in the Central Branch, located at 310 North Illinois Street. During World War II, there were several centers around the city, but they all disbanded following the war's end. The Korean War brought back a need for a new center and the Indianapolis Service Men's Center Inc. was born. The organization was previously overseen by a board of directors through the United Fund.
After the center lost its spacious, four-storey building downtown at 111 North Capitol Avenue, a planning committee of YMCA and Fort Harrison officials took over operations and established the new location. The facility was no longer serving the large number of transient military personnel who needed a place to go when stranded in the city. Most of the servicemen using the new center were based at Fort Harrison, with a few visitors from the Bunker Hill Air Force Base (later Grissom) near Peru, Indiana.
A group of 35 young women served twice a month as voluntary hostesses called "Cadettes" at the center. Other groups of volunteers would provide refreshments for the lounge and to host servicemen during the holidays if they couldn't travel home. Transportation via bus was available for servicemen from Fort Harrison to the center and on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The organization provided servicemen with leisure time and social activities like dances, field trips, and other events such as Veteran's Day celebrations.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
"Little Glory for Soldiers in Peacetime: Service Center More Important Now." Indianapolis Star, October 10, 1955. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
"Move to 'Y' Proposed for Men's Service Center." Indianapolis Star, March 28, 1965. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
"Service Men's Center Finds Advantages at New Location." Indianapolis Star, December 12, 1965. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
"'Y' Center Plans Birthday Party." Indianapolis Star, November 3, 1970. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
After the center lost its spacious, four-storey building downtown at 111 North Capitol Avenue, a planning committee of YMCA and Fort Harrison officials took over operations and established the new location. The facility was no longer serving the large number of transient military personnel who needed a place to go when stranded in the city. Most of the servicemen using the new center were based at Fort Harrison, with a few visitors from the Bunker Hill Air Force Base (later Grissom) near Peru, Indiana.
A group of 35 young women served twice a month as voluntary hostesses called "Cadettes" at the center. Other groups of volunteers would provide refreshments for the lounge and to host servicemen during the holidays if they couldn't travel home. Transportation via bus was available for servicemen from Fort Harrison to the center and on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The organization provided servicemen with leisure time and social activities like dances, field trips, and other events such as Veteran's Day celebrations.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
"Little Glory for Soldiers in Peacetime: Service Center More Important Now." Indianapolis Star, October 10, 1955. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
"Move to 'Y' Proposed for Men's Service Center." Indianapolis Star, March 28, 1965. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
"Service Men's Center Finds Advantages at New Location." Indianapolis Star, December 12, 1965. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
"'Y' Center Plans Birthday Party." Indianapolis Star, November 3, 1970. Accessed August 27, 2024. ProQuest.
Extent
0.3 Cubic Feet (1 manuscript box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Janet Steinhoff on 1977.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2016/04/11 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid created 2016/04/11 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid revised 2024/08/27 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- Title
- Young Men's Christian Association Service Men's Center collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
