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Hist. Mss. 4-385
Mennonites
in Puerto Rico, 1943-1960, Slide
Collection - Tom Lehman
Mennonites
served in Puerto Rico under Civilian Public Service, 1943-47, at
Aibonito (CPS
Camp # 43) under Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, Pennsylvania,
and later under Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana, 1947-60,
and
beyond, when program was turned over to that board in 1947.
Slides
collected from 23 individuals and couples, scanned and posted on
Internet by Tom
Lehman, Elkhart, Indiana.
Lehman grew up in Puerto
Rico, where
his parents, John and Margaret Lehman served as missionaries. Earlier they had served in Ethiopia. Collection includes some slides from Ethiopia.
One can see selected slides on line
on the Internet the following site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tlehman/
Collection also includes original slides
(and documents) deposited into the archives by some of the 23
individuals and
couples, whose slides had been scanned by Lehman.
Slides
and Papers, 1943-60
12 Boxes (3 Gray,
9 Green)
Table of Contents
Scope and Content
Page
1
Series Listing
Page 2
Historical Sketch, Mennonites
in
Puerto Rico, 1935-89
Page 2
Administrative Information
Page
3
Inventory of Scanned Slides:
Organized Alphabetically
by Name of 23 Collections Page
4
Original Slide
Collections (Eight)
Page
7
Name and Subject Tracings (Archives
Card Catalog)
Page 10
Scope and Content
Here are excerpts from Tom Lehman's
description of this project, and the impact it has had - from his
unpublished article
"An Accidental Archivist," March 24, 2007.
"The
beginning
It started, as
most
things do, with my parents. During World
War 2, my father served in CPS. After
the war, he volunteered to serve with MCC in Ethiopia. Later, our family went to Puerto
Rico for two terms of service,
from 1952-56 and 1959-61.
Like many
mission
workers, my father had a camera and took pictures--in those days slides. ... Several
years ago I got the idea of scanning the slides and sharing them with
my nieces
and nephews--the next generation, who hadn't grown up seeing the slides. ... At first, things went according to
plan. I scanned my parents' slides, made
a CD with the slide images for each of the grandchildren, and mailed
them
off. Serendipitously I had learned of
Internet photo sharing sites, and decided to put some of the slides on
line. I set up a free account on Flickr
and uploaded perhaps 100 of the Ethiopia
and Puerto Rico slides.
That's when things started to happen. Lots of people were viewing the slides. I started getting emails from
people telling me how much they
appreciated the slides.
The impact
I
started putting
slides on line with the idea that they were interesting to look at, and
people
would enjoy seeing them. That's true, of
course, but not the whole story. I've
been convinced the slides are important historical documents. A
professor in
Puerto Rico who is writing an illustrated history of Puerto Rico wants to use some of the images. A Puerto Rican children's textbook publisher
is planning on using some of the images in a textbook being published
this
summer. The Puerto Rican archive to which I've given copies of the
images is
planning to publish a book based on the images.
The archive has assigned an archivist to
catalog the images and create a
database to facilitate their use by researchers. A Puerto Rican
professor has
told me he uses the images in his research and has alerted colleagues
to their
existence. These slides from the 1940s
and 1950s document a world and way of life in transition.
The old and new are both in evidence--often
on the same slide."
Source:
"An
Accidental Archivist," by Tom Lehman, March 24, 2007
Series
Listing
Scanned Slides Organized by Name of
23 Individual Collections
Slide #'s 0001 - 4722; #;s
10,000
- 12,478 Box 1
(Gray)
Index / Description of Slides(CD /
Hard copy)
Box 2-3 (Gray)
Individual Slide Collections
(Original slides)
Boxes 4-12
(Green)
Historical Sketch, Mennonites in Puerto Rico, 1935-89
Mennonites
began to serve in Puerto Rico in 1943
as a result of a larger medical,
social service, recreation, education and agricultural program begun by
the
Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration (PRRA). This program had been
established by the USA Relief Act of 1935.
Extensive redistribution of land and
construction of homes, schools and
medical dispensaries took place from 1935-42. When money was no longer
available to finance the programs, the PRRA made community center
property
available to the Brethren, Mennonites and Friends (Quakers).
The
Church of the Brethren began
work in 1942 at Castaner, and in 1943 invited Mennonite Central
Committee (MCC)
to provide medical and social service work in La Plata valley. This became known as
Civilian Public Service Camp #43, and the workers were conscientious
objectors
who were doing alternative service during World War II.
By 1944 the Mennonites had built a hospital
at La Plata,
and later a hospital opened at Aibonito (1957). In
1943 there were six MCC workers in Puerto Rico,
of which two had been sent through Mennonite
Board of Missions (MBM). In 1944 MCC
personnel had expanded to 42 persons, of which 17 had been sent through
MBM. In
1950, MCC transferred their administration to MBM’s Relief Committee.
The
Mennonite
Hospital
in Puerto Rico began in 1944 and by
1950 came under the long-time
administration of the Mennonite Board of Missions (MBM).
MBM had operated several hospitals
throughout
its history dating back to 1898, and from the 1940s-1980s, had its own
Health
and Welfare department. MBM continued
its operation of the Mennonite hospital in Puerto
Rico
at least through the 1960 and 1970s and maintained contact with the
hospital at
least until 1987.
The
Puerto Rico Mennonite
Conference began in 1955, and in 2001 was made up of 10 congregations. For example, the Iglesia Menonita Betania at
Pulguillas was organized in 1946 and the Iglesia Menonita La Plata
(earlier
Calvario) began in 1947.
Sources:
“La Plata”, “Puerto Rico”, “Puerto Rico Mennonite Church (MC)”, “Puerto
Rico
Reconstruction Administration (PRRA)”, Mennonite
Encyclopedia (1959); and Annual
Report, 1944, and Annual Report, 1945,
Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana].
Administrative
Information
These
digitally scanned slides were donated to the archives by Tom Lehman, South Bend, Indiana,
in 2007. Through Lehman's contact with
persons who served in Puerto Rico,
several
individuals also donated their original slides to the Archives - this
includes the
following slide collections: Carl Epp, H. Clair Amstutz, Clayton
Gingerich,
Paul Leatherman, John Brandeberry, Dr. Delbert V. Preheim, Paul Lauver
and
Robert L. Yoder. (Accession #7308, 3
Gray and 9 Green Boxes, November 30, 2007 / des).
Inventory
Box 1 (Gray)
Collections of Scanned Slides in Alphabetical
Order by Name of Person
Name
of collections is by name of individual or couple who took the slides -
total
of 23 collections
All
slides are of Puerto Rico, unless
otherwise
indicated.
Scanned
slides are numbered #0001 - 4722; #10,000 - 11,511
1/1 Introduction to
collection, and Tom
Lehman's project, including research on Mennonites in Puerto Rico,
1943-60.
1/2 Amstutz, H.
Clair and Florence
(Badertscher) (08). Served in Aibonito, Puerto Rico, in the Hospital, October 1944 -
August 1947, under Mennonite
Central Committee. CD #16-19.
Slides #1999-2400. Code:
hcaprc.
Original slides donated to the archives by
family. See Box #5 Green.
1/3 Birky, Luke and
Verna. Served in Puerto Rico, 1947-53 (03). CD #3-4.
Slides #223-604. Code:
lvbc
1/4 Brandeberry,
John (16). Served in La Plata, Puerto Rico, 1948-51. CD # 35-39.
Slides #10,515-10,882.
Code: jbprc. Original slides and some Puerto Rico
reports
and artifacts donated to archives by Julia Weaver, daughter, Denver, Colorado. See Box #8 (Green)
1/5 Collins, Ron
(06). Served in Puerto Rico, 1991-96. CD #10-11.
Slides #1349-1492, #1567-1610.
Code: rcprc
1/6 Driver, John and
Bonita (02). Served in Puerto Rico,
1945-48, and again
from 1951-65. CD #1 (CD #1 includes
Lehman's scanned slides, and CD is found Box 1, File 2).
Slides #143-222 Code:
jbdc
1/7 Epp, Carl (07). Served in Puerto Rico,
September 1943 - March 1946. CD
#15. Slides #1950-1998.
Code: ceprc.
Original slides donated to archives by Carl
Epp in 2007. See Box #4 Green
1/8 Gingerich,
Clayton (09). Served in La Plata,
Puerto Rico, July
1946 - January 1948. CD # 20-22.
Slides #2401-2480 (CD #1); #10,000 - 11,175
(CD #2-3). Code: cgprc.
Original slides donated to archives by
Clayton Gingerich in 2007. See Box #6
Green.
1/9 Gingrich, Paul
(12). Served in Ethiopia, ca. 1950s-60s. CD #12-14.
Ethiopia
Slides #1892-1949; #3592-3822. Code:
pgec
1/10 Good, Maynard (10). Served in La Plata,
Puerto Rico, June
1949 - January 1951. CD # 25.
Slides #2663-2779. Code:
mgprc
1/11 Greaser, Lawrence H.(04). Served in Puerto Rico,
January 1946 - January 1947, and gain 1953-65.
CD # 7. Slides
#746-803,
#892-951, #1329-1348. Code: lgprc
1/12 Hochstetler, Dean (21). Served in Puerto Rico, 1949-52.
CD # 44-48.
Slides #11,498 - 11,972; #12,134.
Code: dhprc.
1/13 Holsinger, Justus (13). Served in La Plata,
Puerto Rico July
1943 - April 1946, and again,
September 1948 - June 1952. CD # 23-24. Slides #2481-2662. Code:
jshprc
1/14 Hower, R. J. and Florence (05). Joyce
served in Puerto Rico, January 1946 - August 1947, and R. J. and Florence served
in Puerto
Rico, 1957-60. CD #8-9.
Slides #1092-1328. Code:
rjfhprc
1/15 Lauver, Paul (15). Served in La Plata, Puerto Rico, 1945-1957. CD# 31-34.
Slides #10,176-10,514. Code:
pllprc. Original slides donated to the
archives by Lauver in 2997. See Box #10
Green.
1/16 Leatherman, Paul (11). Served in La Plata,
Puerto Rico,
December 1945 - November
1948. CD # 26-28. Slides
#2979-3438. Code: plprc.
Original slides donated to archives by Paul
Leatherman in 2007. See Box #7
Green.
1/17 Lehman, Carl (14). Served in La Plata,
Puerto Rico,
September 1943 - December 1945. CD # 29.
Slides #3439-3496. Code:
clprc (Erwin Schrag's slides are also on
same CD)
1/18 Lehman, E.
(23). DVD
# 50. Slides #12,135-12,478.
Code: -__ [do not yet have spreadsheet for
description of these slides]
1/19 Lehman, John and Margaret
(01). Served in Puerto Rico, 1952-56
and again
1959-61. Served in Nazaret, Ethiopia,
July 1948 - July 1950. CD #1-2. CD#1 - Slides #001-142 (CD includes Driver
scanned slides). CD #2 - Ethiopia Slides
(scanned January - February 2006). Code:
jmlc
1/20 Mishler, Dorsa
(20).
Served in Nazaret, Ethiopia, 1946-48.
CD #5-6. Ethiopia
Slides #605-745. Ethiopia and CPS Slides
#804-891. Ethiopia Slides #1645-1710. Code: dmmc
1/21 Nachtigall, Wilbur (19). Served in La Plata,
Puerto Rico, June
1943 - July 1945, and at
Palo Hincado, 1949-54. CD # 40-41. Slides #10,883-10,976. Code:
wnprc.
Wsa at La Plata,
Puerto Rico, June
1943 - July 1947; and Palo Hincado, 1949-54.
1/22 Preheim, Delbert V., Dr.,
and Mary Ann (Goering)
Preheim, (17). Served in the Mennonite Hospital,
La Plata, Puerto Rico,
September 1943 - April 1946. Two slides
are from 1968, one which shows the original hospital (which was being
used as a
chicken hatchery in 1968), and the then current 1968 hospital. CD #
42-43. Slides #10,977-11,1107. Code: dpprc.
Original slides donated to archives by Omi Preheim Church
in 2007. See Box #9 Green
1/23 Schrag, Erwin (17). Served
in La Plata, Puerto
Rico,
July 1943 - February 1946. CD # 29-30. Slides #3496-3591. Code:
espr
(Carl Lehman's slides are also on same CD)
1/24 Widmer, Gladys.
Served in Puerto Rico, 1951-81.
Slides #4286-4722 (Introduction
is 4286-4289). Code: gwpr.
[CD of scanned slides not yet deposited into
archives] [Note: Original slides
are found in the Gladys Widmer Collection at the archives].
1/25 Yoder, Robert L (22). DVD # 49.
Slides #11,973 - 12,133.
Code:
ryprc. Puerto Rico,
early 1950s. Also original Puerto Rico slides (Pre-Accession #2007-085)
Box 2 (Gray)
2/1 "An Accidental
Archivist," by
Tom Lehman, March 24, 2007, 4 pages, unpublished report on the
beginning and
impact of this scanning project, 2006-07
Index / Description to Slides (CD / Hard
copy)
2/2 Index /
Description (CD) of Scanned
Slides on Excel Spreadsheet (on a CD) (as of September 8, 2007). Scanned Slides #0001 - 4722; #10,000 - 12,134
(arranged in numerical order)
2/3
Index / Description (Hard copy) of
Scanned Slides, #0001 - 3152 (does not include 3153-4722). Hard copy printed from Excel spreadsheet.
2/4
Index / Description (Hard copy) of
Scanned Slides #10,000 - 11,511 (does not include #11,512 - 12,134). Hard copy printed from Excel
spreadsheet.
Box 3 (Gray): [Room for additional
scanned CDs]
Original
Slide Collections (Eight)
Box 4 (Green)
Carl
Epp Slide Collection (07) - served
in Puerto Rico, Sept. 1943 - March
1946
Original
slides donated to archives by Carl Epp, Henderson, Nebraska,
in 2007. Additional 16 slides donated
November 16,
2007.
Slides
in Slide Box # 1:
Slides numbered #1950-1998.
Scanned
slides found on CD #15 as found in Box 1, File 7. Slides
#1950-1998. Code: ceprc
Slides
in Slides Box # 2:
16 slides
(includes description).
Box 5 (Green)
H.
Clair Amstutz Slide Collection (08)- served
in Puerto Rico, Oct. 1944 - Aug. 1947
Original
slides donated to archives by Mary Gilbert, a daughter, Goshen, Indiana,
in 2007.
Slides
in Wooden Box #1
Slides
in Wooden Box #2
Slides
in Wooden Box #3
Scanned
slides are found on CD #16-19, as found in Box 1, File 2.
Slides #1999-2400. Code:
hcaprc.
Box 6 (Green)
Clayton
Gingerich Slide Collection (09)-served
in Puerto Rico, July 1946-Jan 1948
Original
slides donated to archives by Clayton Gingerich, Kalona, Iowa,
in 2007.
Slides
in Slide Box #1
Slides
in Slide Box #2
Scanned
slides are found on CD # 20-22, as found in Box 1, File 8.
CD #20: Slides #2401-2480. CD #21-22: Slides #10,000 -
11,175. Code: cgprc.
Box 7 (Green)
Paul
Leatherman Slide Collection (11) -served
in Puerto Rico, Dec 1945-Nov 1948
Original
slides donated to archives by Paul Leatherman, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
in 2007.
Slides
in Slide Box #1
Scanned
slides are found on CD # 26-28, as found in Box 1, File 16. Slides #2979-3438. Code: plprc
Box 8 (Green)
John
Brandeberry Slide and Artifact Collection
(16)-served in Puerto Rico, 1948-1951
Original slides and artifacts donated to
archives by Julia Weaver, Denver,
Colorado,
in 2007.
Slides
include:
Slides
in Slide Box #1
Slides
in Slide Box #2
Slides
in Slide Box #3
Slides
in Slide Box #4
Slides
in Slide Box #5
Scanned
slides are found on CD # 35-39, as found in Box 1, File 4. Slides
#0,515-10,882. Code: jbprc
Documents
and Artifacts include:
Reports
on La Plata Mennonite Project, 1948-50 [See also Puerto Rico Mennonite
Conference Collection for full set]
Three
arm patches "Mennonite Central Committee" worn by MCC workers
Two
lapel pins showing the "Mennonite Central Committee logo" - pins used
by MCC workers
Box 9 (Green)
Dr.
Delbert V. and Mary Ann (Goering) Preheim
Slide Collection (17) - served in the Mennonite Hospital, La Plata,
Puerto
Rico, September 1943 - April 1946
Original slides donated to archives by Omi
Preheim Church, Billings
Heights, Montana, in 2007.
Slides
in Kodak Slide Carousel Box
#1
Slides
in Slide Box #2
Slides
in Slide Box #3
Includes
two slides are from 1968, one which shows the original hospital (which
was
being used as a chicken hatchery in 1968), and the then current 1968
hospital
Scanned
slides are found on CD # 35-39, as found in Box 1, File 22.
Slides #10,977-11,1107.
Code: dpprc
Box 10 (Green)
Paul
Lauver Slide Collection (15) -served
in Puerto Rico, 1945 - 1957
Original
slides donated to archives by Paul Lauver, Howe, Indiana,
in 2007.
Slides
in Slide Box #1
Scanned
slides are found on CD# 31-34, as found in Box 1, File 15. Slides
#10,176-10,514. Code: pllprc.
Boxes 11-12 (Green)
Robert
L. Yoder Slide Collection (22) -served
in Puerto Rico, 1950s
Original
slides donated to archives by Robert L. Yoder, Goshen, Indiana,
in 2007.
Box 11
(Green)
Slides
in Kodak Slide Carousel Box
#1: Puerto Rico
Unit Pictures
Box 12
(Green)
Slides
in Kodak Slide Carousel Box #2: Farm,
Sanitation, Hospital, Church work
Scanned
slides are found on DVD # 49, as found in Box 1, File 25.
Slides #11,973 - 12,133.
Code: ryprc
Name and Subject
Tracings
(As placed in
Archives Card Catalog)
Amstutz,
H. Clair and Florence
(Badertscher)
Birky,
Luke and Verna
Brandeberry,
John
Civilian Public
Service
Collins,
Ron
Driver,
John and Bonita
Epp,
Carl
Ethiopia
- Mennonites in
Gingerich,
Clayton
Gingrich,
Paul
Good,
Maynard
Greaser,
Lawrence H.
Hochstetler,
Dean
Holsinger,
Justus
Hower,
R. J. and Florence
Lauver,
Paul
Leatherman,
Paul
Lehman,
Carl
Lehman,
E.
Lehman,
John and Margaret
Lehman, Tom
Mennonite Board
of Missions
Mennonite Central
Committee
Mennonites in Puerto Rico
Mishler,
Dorsa
Nachtigall,
Wilbur
Preheim,
Delbert V., Dr., and Mary Ann (Goering) Preheim
Puerto
Rico - Mennonites in
Schrag,
Erwin
Widmer,
Gladys
Yoder,
Robert
L
June 10, 2008 /
Updated by Dennis Stoesz, and posted on Web
November 29, 2007
/ Inventory and Historical Sketch provided by Dennis
Stoesz
July 17, 2007 /
Preliminary inventory by Dennis Stoesz
File: "HM4-385
Puerto Rico Slides - Master.doc"
Mennonite Church USA
Archives-Goshen, 1700 S.
Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526
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