Constitution, Ladies' Aid Society, 1932

The history of the First United Methodist Church, DeKalb (1855-1978), is partially documented in this collection. Although the annual reports (1942-1958), quarterly reports (1892-1961), official board minutes (1883-1957), and financial records (1864-1920) provide the most comprehensive information on the development and policies of the organization, they are incomplete. Some of the historical gaps are filled by the general correspondence (1883-1961) and the correspondence of Pastors Allan Billman and Paul Benedict (1931-1951). Of special note is the correspondence dealing with the organization’s efforts to remove socialistic trends from the church and Methodist literature (1950’s). Historical information also is available in church newsletters (1943-1978) and service programs (1898-1975). These materials indicate the variety of church projects, business transactions, and religious practices of the congregation. Historical information on DeKalb and life in general in 1908 can be found among the Cornerstone Material located in Box 3. Postcards, photographs and newspapers are included in the cornerstone material. The church’s service groups are well documented in the collection and the records are of exceptional quality for research in church/community relations. The records, including minutes, programs, annual reports, yearbooks, and treasurer’s records, indicate the breadth and scope of each society’s activities. In contrast, the Sunday School is not completely documented. Although there are minutes and secretary’s reports for the school (1899-1965), the major subseries of this record series consists of class books and rosters (1868-1958). Researchers should note that the collection contains a wealth of information on the Rock River Conference. Programs and minutes of the annual meetings (1862-1960) provide an overall view of this organization’s history. In addition, minutes of the Centennial Camp-Meeting Association (1876-1903) and Epworth Grove Camp Grounds’ treasurer’s reports (1910) are helpful for documenting the recreational facet of the conference.