IV-12-0
Mennonite
Board of
Missions
Personnel
Files,
Introduction
Records,
1899-1993
54 Boxes (Large)
RESTRICTED
These
files consist
of individual personnel files of terminated voluntary
service workers, overseas missionaries,
I-W sponsors, service adventure
workers, and office workers. They contain a personnel application
form, a photograph of the individual, personal references, and
correspondence between Mennonite Board of Missions and the individual
concerning their application and work assignment.
Departmental History
These
personnel
files belonging to Voluntary Service has its roots in 1917
as the Mennonite Relief Commission for
War Sufferers, directed by the
Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. This commission came
to an end in 1926 and its work was taken over by the Mennonite Relief
Committee (MRC). The Voluntary Service Program began in 1943 and was
administered by the MRC. The MRC worked closely with the Mennonite
Central Committee (MCC) in relief work starting in WW II. Levi C.
Hartzler became the first full-time secretary of the MRC in 1948.
An I-W (military alternative service program) counseling service was
begun in 1952 with the implementation of the draft. In 1953, the
MRC was renamed the Mennonite Relief and Service Committee. In
1971, the MBMC changed to the Mennonite Board of Missions.
The
Voluntary
Service Personnel files were originally maintained within the
Mennonite Relief and Services Committee,
but within a few years, a
centralized filing system for personnel records was implemented and
seems to continue to the present. In 1952-54, the personnel files
were likely maintained by the Personnel director and Office Manager of
the Mennonite Relief and Services Committee, Dorsa Mishler. A Personnel
Committee formed in 1953. In 1955 - 59, Dorsa Mishler became the
Personnel secretary of the MBMC and there was no Personnel director for
the Voluntary Services. In 1960-67, there was a Voluntary Service
Personnel Secretary under the Personnel Committee. From 1968 to the
present there was no individual position responsible for the Voluntary
Service Personnel Files, but the Personnel Committee and MRSC continued
as before.
The
Overseas
Personnel files were maintained separately within the
Overseas MIssions committee, which began
in the 1890's, until the
reorganization of 2000-01 when the Human Resources department began
administering these files along with all other personnel files in the
Mennonite Board of Missions.
Administrative History
The first set of personnel files, dating from
1949-66, were deposited into the archives by Mennonite Board of
Missions in 1962-72. The next set of files, dating from 1962-72, were
deposited in 1983. A microfilming project of the first A-D files was
attempted in 1984, although the status of this project is uncertain.
The terminated personnel files dating from 1973-84, and organized by
year, were deposited on a regular basis from 1985-95 by Ethel Hoffman,
Services and Facilities Department.
The series list in this cover page for the detailed personnel files was
summarized by Dennis Stoesz, April 22, 1998. The Scope and
Content, and departmental history, and administrative information was
added by Serena Bracewell. August 2, 2004.
Series
Box
#
Inventory
Listing
IV-12-1
Voluntary Service
Files, 1949-66, A-Z Boxes 1-23
34 pages
Files, 1962-72, A-Z Boxes 24-33
26 pages
Files, 1973, A-Z
Boxes 33-34 4 pages
Files, 1974, A-Z
Boxes 34-35 4 pages
Files, 1975, A-Z
Boxes 35-36 3 pages
Files, 1976, A-Z
Boxes 36-37 3 pages
Files, 1977, A-Z
Boxes 37-38 3 pages
Files, 1978, A-Z
Boxes 38-39 3 pages
Files, 1979, A-Z
Box 39
3 pages
Files, 1980, A-Z
Box 40
3 pages
Files, 1981, A-Z
Boxes 41-42 2 pages
Files, 1982, A-Z
Box 42
2 pages
Files, 1983,
A-Z Box
43
2 pages
Files, 1984,
A-Z Box
44
2 pages
IV-12-2
Miscellaneous
2 pages
Files, 1904-50, (Transferred to IV-6-1)
Boxes 1-2
Files,
1944-60
Boxes 3-4
Files,
1935-65
Boxes 4-7
Files,
1958-65
Box 7
IV-12-3 Overseas
Files,1899-1984, A-Z Boxes
1-3 10 pages
IV-12-4 Combined
Files, 1992, A-Z
Box
1
3 pages
Files, 1993,
A-Z
Box
2
3 pages
August 2, 2004 / Posted of Web by Serena Bracewell
August 2, 2004 / Updated by Serena Bracewell
November 24,
2008 / Posted by Alex Lake
Mennonite
Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, Indiana
46526
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