The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis was founded in 1920, and incorporated under the laws of the State of Missouri in 1929, as an independent charitable non-profit organization. Our purpose is to encourage higher education by awarding long term, interest-free loans to qualified St. Louis area residents who need financial assistance for further study.
Loans from the Scholarship Foundation are available for college, professional and vocational training, graduate work, and study in the arts. Most students attend recognized schools or colleges in the St. Louis area, or the State Colleges in Missouri, or the University of Missouri. But many who are receiving tuition aid at schools beyond our immediate area are lent funds for travel, books, and other school related expenses.
During the 58 years of our existence, we have helped thousands of St. Louis area students gain an education. Today our graduates, who include teachers, doctors, lawyers, businessmen, nurses (both registered and practical), artists, musicians, and many others, are making a contribution to the cultural, educational and economic life of the community. More than 2 million dollars in loans has been granted to students and as our students complete their education and repay their obligation, the funds are used over and over again by succeeding generations of students.
Despite the large amount of federal aid offered to needy students, with increasing costs of education, and with almost universal recognition of the importance of higher education, these public funds are insufficient for the need. Most of the students we help must seek help from two or more sources. Our aid is often part of a "package" a student must put together. Consequently, the Scholarship Foundation must constantly seek new sources of financial support to meet the growing need. Our funds are provided by private supporters and by SCHOLARSHOP, a resale shop at 8719 Hoover Avenue operated by volunteers.
Last year over 350 applications for loans were received. Of these, we were able to accept 144 new students. Despite the fact that we use up our available funds each year, and even have to turn away some applicants, we feel that it is important to acquaint the schools with the facts about our Foundation, for we want to be assured that those students most in need of our help are advised of our loan program. Of course we must have assurance that the students can reasonably be expected to do satisfactory work in the field of their choice, and for this we rely on high school records and test scores, recommendations of counselors, and upon the professional vocational testing agency whose services we employ when indicated. But we also wish to make every effort to reach students with the greatest need. To this end, we have been sending notices to the high schools, to student newspapers, and the metropolitan press.
Our help is not limited to college or university students. We have helped a large number of students at the Junior College and schools of vocational training. while our emphasis has been on the student beginning his education, we have helped numerous men and women go back to school for further training.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
This collection is a continuation of a previous one, Collection number 83. The records in the addenda appear to be more complete than the original donation. The scholarship meeting minutes and those of the Board of Directors are complete for the years listed. The student correspondence from the 1940s also adds a great deal of information, especially about young men who were fighting in the World War, is particularly enlightening. Besides the aforementioned topics, however, the collection's material is incomplete and therefore not exceptionally informative. The annual reports for the few years which are listed are helpful
to document the Foundation's activities, but too few of these reports were donated with this collection. Information on the organization's goals and purpose can, however, be found here.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1
1. Scholarship Meeting Minutes, 1923-38
2. Decree of Incorporation, 1928
3. Correspondence, 1928, 1945, 1949, 1951-58
4. Scholarship Meeting Minutes, 1938-44
5. Board Meeting Minutes, 1943-48
6. Student Correspondence, 1943
7. Student Correspondence, 1944
8. Student Correspondence, 1945
9. Student Correspondence, 1946, nd
10. Board Meeting Minutes, 1960-64
11. Board Meeting Minutes, 1964-66
BOX 2
12. Loan and Donation Material, 1974-75, 1977
13. By-Laws, 1975, 1979
14. Future Planning Committee, 1976-77
15. Shop Letters, 1976-78
16. Interviewing Applicants, 1977
17. Remodelling Shop, 1977-78
18. Correspondence, 1978, 1980
19. "Dollars for Scholars" Citizens Scholarship Foundation, 1978
20. Fact Sheet/History, 1978
21. Other Sources of Financial Aid, 1978-80
22. Public Relations, 1978, nd
23. Scholarship Foundation Minutes, 1978-81, 1985
24. Annual Report, 1979
25. Board of Directors and Member Directory, 1979-81
26. UMSL Archives, 9/5/79
27. Estate Record for Virginia A. Irwin, 9/80
28. Newsletter, 1980
29. Annual Report, 1981
30. Annual Report, 1985
31. Newsletter, 1985
32. Information on Parliamentary Law and Procedure, nd
33. Stock Transfer Forms, nd
34. "Thank You" Form letters, nd
35. "Ways of Giving" nd
INDEX
"Dollars for Scholars," f. 19
Annual Reports, f. 24, 29-30
Board Meetings, f. 5, 10-11
By-Laws, f. 13
Citizens Scholarship Foundation, f. 19
Correspondence, f. 3, 6-9, 18
Decree of Incorporation, f. 2
Donations, f. 12
Future Planning Committee, f. 14
History, f. 20
Irwin, Virginia A., f. 27
Newsletters, f. 28, 31
Parliamentary Procedure, f.32
Scholarship Meetings, f. 1, 4
Scholarshop, f. 15, 17
Student Correspondence, f. 6-9
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
ONE UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu