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Lakeside For Children records

 Collection
Identifier: RH-A-4248

Scope and Contents

This collection contains documents, ledgers, and photographs from Lakeside for Children, a residential treatment center located in Kalamazoo Michigan.

The photos are a mixture of black and white and color; and show buildings on the campus as well as staff and children who lived at Lakeside.

The material covered in the ledgers includes financial information such as monthly expenses, case update information, etc.

Dates

  • Creation: 1920s to early 2000s

Creator

Biographical / Historical

Lakeside for Children was established as Lake Farm for Boys by William S. Dewing on September 30, 1907. By the spring of 1908, 55 acres of farmland were purchased on the shores of Whites Lake just south of downtown Kalamazoo. The population of boys on campus slowly grew after 1908 and by 1942 numbered 42 ranging in ages from 6 to 16. The average were orphans, but others that were abused and neglected, or those from poor families that could not care for them.

In 1877, William G. and Jane Tuttle Dewing (William S. Parents) opened the Children’s Home, later renamed Dewing Hall for Young Girls. Located in a building in the Vine Neighborhood it later merged with Lakeside in 1963

In October 2005, the organization took on the name Lakeside for Children. In 2007 the board narrowed the focus to just 12 to 18 year olds. At one time children were sent to schools in the Kalamazoo Public School System. Later classes were held on-site provided by KPS. In 2020 Lakeside closed permanently.

Extent

6.0 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Records are arranged by type: Series 1: Documents covering Boxes 1-4; Series 2: Ledgers covering Box 5; and Series 3: Photographs covering Box 6.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated to the Archives by Lakeside.

Physical Description

This collection is composed of 6.0 cubic feet of material from Lakeside for Children. The material ranges from documents, ledgers and photographs from Lakeside. The date range of the material is from the early 1920s to the early 2000s.

The documents range in size from letter to legal, they are a mix of handwritten and typewritten, all documents are legible. The documents range from legal documents, newsletters, correspondence, etc. The date range of the documents is from the 1920s to the 1990s.

The photographs range in a variety of sizes from 5”x3 to 11”x14”. Photos do not have an identifiable date range.

The ledgers range in size from 9”x7”x1.5” to 14”x11”x2”. There are several ledgers that have been shrink wrapped to ensure their protection and they have been placed in the box mentioned in the inventory.

Title
Lakeside For Children Records Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Stephanie Chapman
Date
2021-06-02
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490