MSS 729 Alfred L. Willson Children's Center Records

              MSS 729
. Alfred L. Willson Children's Center Records
3- 1/ 2 cubic f e e t
Preliminary inventory
Collection Synopsis
Provenance: The Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society acquired t h e Alfred L.
Willson Children's Center Records as a g i f t of the c e n t e r ,
through the auspices of board member Polly Lindemann, in
November 1980. Paula Williams prepared t h e preliminary inventory
i n December 1980.
Property r i g h t s : The Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society owns t h e property
r i g h t s t o t h i s c o l l e c t i o n .
Copyrights: The Alfred L. Willson Children's Center has dedicated
such copyrights as it possesses i n t h i s c o l l e c t i o n t o t h e p u b l i c .
Consideration of a l l other copyrights is the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the
author and publisher.
Access: This c o l l e c t i o n is open under the r u l e s and regulations
of the Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society.
C i t a t i o n : Researchers are requested to c i t e c o l l e c t i o n name,
c o l l e c t i o n number, and the Ohio H i s t o r i c a l Society i n a l l foot-note
and bibliographic references.
Organizational sketch: The Alfred L. Willson Children's Center
was founded on April 2 4 , 1934, by Alfred L. and Minnie B. Willson.
The c e n t e r was incorporated i n May 1935, to prevent and c o r r e c t
delinquency, dependence, and other conditions through the means
of " S c i e n t i f i c Prevention." This included psychological t e s t i n g ,
t u t o r i n g , counseling, medical and d e n t a l s e r v i c e s , c l o t h i n g ,
boarding home care, summer farm work, r e c r e a t i o n a l programs, and
summer camping. The center served school age c h i l d r e n of average
or above average i n t e l l i g e n c e who were r e f e r r e d by t h e i r own
f a m i l i e s , schools, f r i e n d s , the p o l i c e , and the c o u r t . Bertha
Fulton Reynolds directed the center f o r thirty- one y e a r s , from
i t s inception u n t i l h e r r e t i r e m e n t i n 1965. She ran the center
with an informal, family- like atmosphere; the s t a f f was small
and t h e program f l e x i b l e . Fees were charged according t o a b i l i t y
t o pay. The Alfred L. Willson Foundation provided m o s t of the
funds, with p r i v a t e donations coming from board members and friends.
In 1971, the Willson Foundation merged with the Columbus Foundation
to become the Willson Fund administered by the Columbus Foundation.
That same year the Willson Center became a f f i l i a t e d with the " 648
Board," and by 1974 was a " 648" c o n t r a c t agency.. The center moved
from north c e n t r a l Columbus i n 1977 and merged with the Hannah
N e i l Center f o r Children. The Willson Fund of the Columbus
Foundation supported the Alfred L. Willson Child Guidance Clinic
as an o u t p a t i e n t c l i n i c of t h e Hannah N e i l Center. The Willson
Center board a l s o founded the South East Mental Health Center with
OHIO BISTORICAL SOCIETY
1982 Vcima Avenue. Columbus. Ohio 43211- 2497 ph: 614.297.2300 in: 614,297,2411
www. ohiohistory. org