FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, 1910-1928

Although the Charity Organization Society was founded in 1884, no unprinted documents survive before 1910. This collection consists of Annual Reports, Cash books, Ledgers, Subscriptions books and lists, and Vouchers for payment, the latter dating from 1910 to 1928.

The records in the collection begin with the Cash Book of 1910-1916, although the "Early History of the Charity Organization Society", a printed paper written by President James Neilson in 1914 and included in the General Files, gives earlier information. In addition, an early Annual Report of the Charity Organization Society can be found in the Sinclair New Jersey Collection.

Financial documentation increases in 1916, with the arrival of General Secretary Mary Oakley Hay. Hundreds of vouchers for payment survive, as do Journals, an alphabetized Subscription Book, Subscription Lists, and Annual Reports for 1917, 1919-20 and 1920-21.

The Cash books, the Journal and the Ledger all give running accounts of the expenses of operating the Charity Organization Society. The Cash Book of 1917-1922 also gives subscriptions as they come into the account. The Treasurer's Reports are yearly summaries intended for publication in the Annual Reports. The Vouchers are a wealth of information about the daily operation of the Society -to whom it gave aid and how, through their bills to and from local businesses.

The General Files, along with the "Early History", contain printed broadsides, copies of newspaper articles, and printed announcements which were moved to this collection from the New Jersey Vertical File. These files also include miscellaneous items which are listed in the Series Description in more detail.