DescriptionThis collection of Whittier House Boy's Club membership cards records children's names, parent's names, places of birth, nationalities, family members, occupations, church affiliations, and addresses. This membership card belonged to 11-year-old German American, Robert Marsh. His father, Philly, was employed, while his mother, Margaret, stayed at home with him, his brother, and his sister. The Whittier House Social Settlement, the first settlement house in New Jersey, was established in Jersey City, N.J. (Hudson County) in 1894. Founded by Cornelia Foster Bradford, who would remain with the organization as headworker until 1926, Whittier House was based on the settlement house, Toynbee Hall, in England. Whittier House provided various recreational and educational programs, along with much needed social services, for the immigrant populations of Jersey City. Many of these successful services were used as models for large-scale social reform movements through the state. In 1935, the Whittier House was taken over by the Boys' Club of Jersey City.
