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The Prospect Union/Educational Exchange of Greater Boston, Inc. Collection
Donated to The Cambridge Historical Commission by Dr. Earl Perry Lions, 1990
.5 linear feet
Prepared by H. Alice Dodds, 2008
Cambridge Historical Commission
831 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Description
The Prospect Union Educational Exchange Collection was donated to the Cambridge Historical Commission in 1990 by Dr. Earl Perry Lions, brother of Ms. Zelda Lions (Mrs. Jason Solomont), the long time Executive Director of the Exchange, after her death in 1988.
This collection gives an overview of the establishment in 1891 of the Prospect Union; its teaching services to the Cambridge working community; its evolution in 1923 from a teaching to an educational guidance center, known as the Prospect Union Educational Exchange, and; the complete change of its name in 1964 to the Educational Exchange of Greater Boston, Inc.
Between 1923 and 1988, this organization, despite its changing name, provided the same two essential services to the Greater Boston area: the counseling and guidance of individuals interested in taking day or evening adult education courses and the annual publication of “Educational Opportunities of Greater Boston,” which listed thousands of adult education courses.
The Educational Exchange terminated its activities in 1988, and its functions were absorbed by other Boston area organizations.
Series
Series I – Founders
The Reverend Robert Erskine Ely, a Congregational minister, and Francis Greenwood
Peabody, a Harvard Professor, founded the Prospect Union. It was hoped by
doing so to ameliorate the 19th century tensions between the Cambridge elite
and the ever growing immigrant population, and also to offset the organizing
power of labor unions. These materials include articles written by Reverend
Ely and Professor Peabody, photographs of the two men, and a photocopy of
a plaque done by Zelda Lions of the bust of Professor Peabody.
Series II – Zelda Lions (Mrs. Jason Solomont)
Ms. Lions worked at the Prospect Union Educational Exchange from 1923 to 1988,
sixty-five years of dedicated service. These materials contain brief biographical
information, her letter requesting a change of her title, certificates of
membership, and two articles of her authorship. Ms. Lions saw the organization
through multiple moves, supervised its ever changing staff and volunteers,
counseled thousands of prospective students, and each year prepared the “bible” of
the Boston area adult education world, “Educational Opportunities of
Greater Boston.” Michael Shinagel, President of the Educational Exchange
in the 1980s, wrote, “Zelda rightly regarded her publication as a service
to the city and all its residents.” It was upon the death of Ms. Lions
in 1988, at age 85, that the organization closed its doors.
Series III -- Annual Reports
Ms. Lions was the mainstay of the organization, and these annual report reflect
her personal flavor. Three or four marginally paid staff members and a team
of volunteers assisted, but she herself carried major responsibility for
the work. Simply prepared, these reports relate many stories of individuals
assisted, record information about the staff, volunteers, trustees, and others,
quote laudatory letters and comments received about the organization’s
work, and include annual financial statements.
Series IV – Clippings
These six clippings are spaced to tell the story of the Prospect Union Educational
Exchange from the 189l to 1965.
Series V – Photographs
The photographs of the founders, Reverend Ely and Professor Peabody, can be
found in
Series I. Of the seven large portraits included in this series, only three
are identified and all are undated. Twenty small photographs show unidentified
groups. None are dated. The only woman pictured may be Zelda Lions.
Series VI – Publications
Articles written by Reverend Ely and Professor Peabody are included in Series
I, and those by Zelda Lions in Series II. Of the four articles in this Series,
David Potter’s, “The Prospect Union: A Conservative Quest for
Social Justice,” written in 1962, gives a broad discussion of the organization’s
early counterparts and its social, historical and economic context.
Folder List
Series I – Founders
1. Ely, Robert Erskine, “The Prospect Union” c 1900
2. Ely, Robert Erskine, Photographs (2) 1945
3. Peabody, Francis Greenwood, Correspondence 1925
4. Peabody, Francis Greenwood, “The Prospect Union:
Its Past and Future” 1923
5. Peabody, Francis Greenwood, photocopy of bust 1934
6. Peabody, Francis Greenwood, photograph undated
Series II – Zelda Lions
7. Biographical materials undated, 2007,
2007, 2008
8. Certificates 1949, 1963
9. Letters of commendation 1936/37, 1983
10. Letter re job title undated
11. Photograph c 1930
12. Publication, “A Unique Social Agency” 1960
13. Publication, “The Prospect Union Educational Exchange” 1930
Series III – Annual Reprts
14. “Report for Annual Meeting” Jan. 17, 1958
15. “Report for The Annual Meeting” Jan. 22, 1961
16. “39th Annual Report” Jan. 18, 1963
17, “Report of The Annual Meeting” Jan. 22, 1965
Clippings – Series IV
18. Seven clippings
Photographs – Series V
19. Alport, Gordon W. undated
20. Einssfor, Rev. undated
21. Hieley, Rev. Augustus undated
22. Unidentified men, four undated
23. Small photographs of unidentified groups, twenty undated
Series VI --Publications
24. “The Prospect Union: 1891-1899” 1899
25, “Cambridge Vocational Counseling” undated
26. “Handbook of Settlements” (excerpt on the Prospect Union) 1911
27. “The Prospect Union: A Conservative Quest for
Social Justice,” Potts, David B. 1962
Objects Included in This Collection
1. Plaque of bust of Francis G. Peabody
by Zelda Lions, undated Located in CHC storage area
2. Plaque of bust of Professor James Ford
by Zelda Lions, undated Located in CHC storage area
Materials and Objects Missing from the Collection
The following items listed in the original inventory are now missing from the
collection.
1. Three returned checks
2. One letter (of two) from Zelda Lions re her job title
3. Three (of four) copies of a pamphlet, “Vocational Counseling”
4. Annual Report for 1954
5. Thirty-two page list of agencies compiled in 1976
6. 65th edition of “Educational Opportunities of Greater Boston”
7. Three photographs
George Bancroft
Walter F. Edwards
M. Lowell
The following objects listed in the original inventory are now missing from
the collection.
1. Framed letter from Governor Channing Cox
2. Map of Cambridge c1949
Related Materials
The materials related to this collection are available from several sources,
as listed below. They have been photocopied and included with the collection.
1.Widener Library, Harvard University, “Cambridge Magazine,” Cambridge.
Mass EducP 125.3
“The Prospect Union” Feb., 1986
“The Prospect Union” Feb., 1986
“The Prospect Union” Mar. 1896
“The Prospect Union” May, 1896
2. Article by Rev. Louis F. Berry, “The Prospect Union at Harvard” in Outlook Nov. 18, 1899
3. “The Boston Globe,” two electronic items 1983, 1988
4. “The Cambridge Chronicle,” clipping, photograph of
Prospect Union Hall undated
5. Sullivan, Charles, e-mail c2008