Archives

Our mission and goal of the Bethany Children’s Home Archives is to collect, identify, organize and preserve records and memories of this institution, in an accessible manner – easy to view and use.

Jennifer Koch
Development Alumni Relations Coordinator
Archivist
(610) 589-4501 ext 305
jkoch@bethanyhome.org

Carl Bloss
Archivist Emeritus

To help keep the Boehringer Education Center and Archives (BECA) available, we must charge a small fee for our services.  Entrance to the facility is always FREE.  Donations are greatly appreciated.

Research Services 
$25/hour

Can’t make it to our center? Interested in help with your research? We are happy to help you! For a pre-paid fee, we can investigate materials in our collections and respond to your historical or genealogical research request. We will provide photocopies of primary resources to assist you with your research.

In-house document retrieval services
$15 up to 10 copied pages. $.50 for each additional page.

Digital copy services
$10 up to 10 pages. $.50 for each additional page.

Boehringer Education Center & Archives Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday
1-4 p.m.

Must call ahead to get name on guest list.  Entry and exit are at the Welcome Center, parking available at the Center.

Please reach out to:

Jennifer M. Koch – Archivist
610-589-4501 ext. 305
or Jkoch@bethanyhome.org

Appointments outside of center hours are also available.

 

 

We are proud to announce our Legacy Brick Campaign!

Bethany Children’s Home is entering its 159th year, and so our campus has a rich history.

Become a permanent part of Bethany’s legacy with a personalized brick!

A path made of Legacy Bricks will add to the beauty of More Memorial Park, and will serve as a permanent reminder of those who have and continue to support the mission of Bethany.

“Many people and alumni returning to Bethany would like others to know of their affiliation. I wanted to recognize my brother, Bob, no longer with us, as the first and only elected Mayor of Bethany. I included myself as connected but only as the Archivist Emeritus. There are too few living memorials of us at Bethany.
  “I helped build the original More Memorial Park, wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow full of soil to be spread. We most often worked into the evening hours under Rev. Vandevere to grade the area and seed it. This was a “labor of love” that many helped with. So, too, is this campaign for the “Brick Walkway” where you have the chance to recognize someone from your family – forever! Why not create a brick of your choice!”
                                — Carl H. Bloss, Bethany Archivist Emeritus

There are a few ways you can get your LEGACY BRICK ordered and be sure to place your or your family’s message right here on the Bethany campus:

  1. Use this link to order directly on the website: Bethany Legacy Brick Campaign – Fundraising Brick
  2. Call me at 610.589.4501 ext. 305 and I will fill out the order form for you and take your credit card information or wait to receive your check in the mail.
  3. Download this form and mail it to us!

With so many ways to leave your legacy as a permanent part of the Bethany campus, make sure you jump on this today!  I cannot wait to see your brick designs and messages!

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at 610.589.4501 ext. 305 and I will be happy to assist you.                                 – Jennifer

Learn more about the bricks in the video below!

The above diagram shows the planned layout of the bricks.

Next Homers Breakfast:
To Be Announced

“A Raccoon Living at Bethany Children’s Home: The Tale of Buddy & Bob” is now available!

Order via Transaction (eservicepayments.com).  Signed by author.

It’s also available via Amazon.

 

 

Goals of the Archives Project

As mentioned above, our mission and goal of the Bethany Children’s Home Archives is to collect, identify, organize and preserve the historical records and memories of Bethany, in an accessible manner – easy to view and use. The Archives are organized and operated in a professional manner, following institutional archival guidelines. All records are available for use by other institutions, researchers, staff members, Alumnus and their families, current residents, and the public at large (based upon a Collections Management Policy).

In our case, the BETHANY CHILDREN’S HOME ARCHIVAL COLLECTION was created and compiled by and for Bethany. Also, it is held internally. However, it is not in singular locations nor fully identified. Within this context, we  need to consider the Archives as the historical records of the institution and the companion manuscripts (the historical papers of an individual or family member).

An inventory is an itemized list or catalog of the specific items within the archive. These are numbered and listed as they are entered into the collection. Since only sporadic listings were made of our original holdings, no records exist, so they will be created from scratch – as though they have just arrived in one big delivery. Faced with this jumbled mass of records with no basic documentation, we have grouped them together, creating natural but artificial groups.

Most of the holdings of the Bethany Archives belong to and have been in the custody of the institution, but most have not been properly stored or cared for. However, some have been stored while others were deposited in attics and basements. No one had been delegated the authority or responsible with these records. In conclusion, the records are being retrieved and moved to one location, to be identified, grouped, labeled and preserved.

Support the Archives Project

Our goal is to preserve and nurture the history and artifacts of Bethany Children’s Home. This year, our focus is on moving the historical files to new cabinets, digitizing records, and creating a living history through videos of Bethany.

Alumni are encouraged to contact the Office of Development at (610) 589-6828 to schedule a time for us to record your personal experiences at Bethany.

Bethany would like to find and negotiate the return of some of the older materials sold off during the auction of items from the Administration and Santee Buildings and the old schoolhouse.

Our orgainzation is consolidating the oldest records found on campus including financial records since the late 1800’s, the Alumni Records from Frick Cottage; and we are working to create an updated history of Bethany since the Ray Vandevere book.

We greatly appreciate any of the following in support of the Archives Project:

  1. Any photographs, artifacts, books, and documents related to Bethany
  2. Your written and financial support to Bethany Children’s Home for the Archives and the Archives Project.
  3. Donations of archival quality supplies. Please call for more information.
Enjoy a presentation by Archivist Emeritus Carl Bloss on Bethany’s history:

Alumni Day 2022

Get In Contact With Us

Mailing Address

Bethany Children's Home
P.O. Box 93
Womelsdorf, PA 19567

Contact Us

Phone: (610) 589-4501
Fax: (610) 589-5771
Email: info@bethanyhome.org
To make a referral to any of our group home programs, please email Bethany at bethanyreferral@ bethanyhome.org.

Learn how you can make an impact at Bethany!

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