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Descriptive Summary
Creator:	Levi, Alexander, Dr.
Title:	The New Century Club
Dates:	1900-1982
Abstract:	On January 1, 1900, a group of lawyers and doctors gathered at a meeting called by Jacob J. Silverman to discuss the advantages of living in Boston with its many surrounding institutions of higher learning, and how they could increase their cultural knowledge. They also wanted to learn from each other the basic principals of their various professions. The members of the club eventually consisted of lawyers, optometrists, physicians, scientists, and members of a variety of other professions as well. This collection contains scrapbooks, photographs, news clippings and correspondence.
Languages:	The collection is in English.
Quantity:	1 linear foot (2 manuscript boxes, 1 oversized folder)
Identification:	I-95
Repository:	American Jewish Historical Society
Location:	Located at AJHS, Boston, MA.

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Historical Note¹

The New Century Club - Boston, MA

On January 1, 1900, a group of lawyers and doctors gathered at a meeting called by Jacob J. Silverman to discuss the advantages of living in Boston with its many surrounding institutions of higher learning, and how they could increase their cultural knowledge. They also wanted to learn from each other the basic principals of their various professions. The members of the club eventually consisted of lawyers, optometrists, physicians, scientists, and members of a variety of other professions as well. The club entertained its members and guests by hosting speakers and events: in particular, their Ladies' Night and Chanukah festivals were some of their most well-known and well-attended events.

For the celebration of their twenty-fifth anniversary, the club established loan funds at Harvard University, Tufts University, and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 1946, the club became the first to establish funds at Brandeis University. In 1948, the club invested in student aid funds to help worthy students in the Boston area. The funds came from a portion of the yearly dues and from donations made specifically to the fund. The trustees also helped students by recommending them to other sources of educational funds.

Chronology
1900	Club founded.
1925	25th Anniversary.
1925	Loan funds were established.
1946	Fund established at Brandeis University.
1948	Student Aid Fund established.
1950	50th Anniversary.

¹ Information for this historical note is from the following resources:
Material from the collection.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists primarily of documents concerning the governance of the New Century Club, and correspondence between the Club and its members. The collection also includes programs, flyers, and information about their various events, as well as newspaper articles concerning the club or its members. Also included are financial records from club activities and events.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into four series as follows:

• Series I: Governance, 1914-1969
• Series II: Financial Records, 1948-1963
• Series III: Correspondence, 1953-1968
• Series IV: General, 1900-1982

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: reference@ajhs.org

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Related Material

Albert Einstein Papers, P-287 (New York)

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); The New Century Club; I-95; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Acquisition Information

The collection was donated to AJHS in 1973 by Dr. Alexander A. Levi.

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Access Points

• Subject Names:

  • Harken, Dwight E., 1910-
  • Pearson, Drew, 1897-1969
  • Silver, Abba Hillel, 1893-1963

• Subject Topics:

  • Clubs--Massachusetts--Boston--History.
  • Scholarships

• Subject Places:

  • Boston (Mass.)

• Document Types:

  • Business Records
  • By-laws
  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Scrapbooks

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I: Governance, 1914-1969.
The Series is in English.
Box 1, Folders 1-4.
Scope and Content: This series consists of meeting minutes, membership applications, membership lists, and brief histories of the club, the constitution, by-laws, by-law revisions and amendments. The series also includes officer lists and nominations. In addition, recruitment and donation letters are also included.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Membership	1914-1969
1	2	Constitution	1926-1964
1	3	Executive Committee Minutes	1956-1963
1	4	Honorary Membership Committee	1963-1969

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Series II: Financial Records, 1948-1963.
The Series is in English.
Box 1, Folder 5.
Scope and Content: This series consists of scholarship applications, lists of loans granted, student aid fund reports, statements of cash receipts and disbursements, analysis of dinner costs, and letters regarding scholarships, loans and finances. Some of these items may be restricted.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	5	Loan and Grant Material (some items restricted)	1948-1963

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Series III: Correspondence, 1953-1968.
The Series is in English.
Box 1, Folders 6-12.
Scope and Content: This series consists of correspondence concerning the speakers Dr. Paul Mather, President of the University of Massachusetts; Drew Pearson, the author of The Famed Column; Semah Cecil Hyman, the Consul General of Israel in New York; Dr. Selman A. Wakeman, internationally noted scholar, teacher, investigator and Nobel Prize winner in Medicine and Physiology; Dr. Dwight E. Harken, world renowned cardiac surgeon; Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, the nationally known Rabbi, Zionist leader, and author of "Where Judaism Differed:' and Dr. Salo W. Brown, Professor Emeritus of Jewish History, Literature, and Institutions at Columbia University.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	6	Dr. Paul Mather	1953-1957
1	7	Drew Pearson	1956-1957
1	8	Semah Cecil Hyman	1956-1957
1	9	Dr. Selman A. Wakeman	1956-1957
1	10	Dr. Dwight E. Harken	1956-1957
1	11	Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver	1956-1957
1	12	Dr. Salo W. Baron	1967-1968

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Series IV: General, 1900-1982.
The Series is in English.
Box 2, Folders 1-5.
Scope and Content: This series consists of Anniversary materials, news articles, photographs or club members, programs for events and speakers, and a scrapbook.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	1	Anniversary Materials	1900-1950
2	2	News Articles and Photographs	1924-1981
2	3	Programs	1942-1982
2	4-5	Dr. Alexander Levi’s Scrapbook	1945-1958

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