Metropolitan Business College Records, 1910-1981

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Metropolitan Business College (Seattle, Wash.)
Title
Metropolitan Business College Records
Dates
1910-1981 (inclusive)
Quantity
8 boxes , (5 linear feet)
2 oversize scrapbooks
Collection Number
1991.25
Summary
Photographs, papers and scrapbooks related to the Metropolitan Business College in Seattle and the College's Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority for businesswomen.
Repository
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library

P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Metropolitan Business College began in 1889 as a small private business school called the Seattle Business College. The school was started by Josephine Hall and her husband in Seattle's Boston building, where it remained until 1891. Initially, the Seattle Business College taught only shorthand and typing, expanding its curriculum to include Bookkeeping, Accounting, Business Law, English and Mathematics after it was bought out by Acme Business College in 1894. Mrs. Hall sold her shares in the college to W.W. DeLong, who became the college president. The newly combined school was known as Seattle and Puget Sound College.

In 1915, the College became the property of the Metropolitan Building Company, moved into the White-Henry-Stuart building, and changed its name to the Metropolitan Business College. Florence G. Douglas, a sister of one of the company owners, served as president of the College until 1942. The College expanded under her tenure, adding fraternities and sororities, dormitories and a basketball team.

In 1941, the Metropolitan Building Company divested itself of the business college, which was then purchased by Herbert Phillips, who became president of the school. At that time, the school moved into the second floor of a new building at 414 Union Street at the corner of Fifth Avenue. During Phillips' tenure, the school expanded its curriculum to ten regular diploma courses. Phillips was President of the school for 34 years, till 1976 when the school was turned over to his stepson.

In late 1978, the Metropolitan Business College acquired the facilities of Auerswald Business University and moved all its classes to Auerswald's 1524 Fifth Ave. location. In 1986, Jana L. Cloward purchased the College and set out to modernize its equipment, curriculum and staff. The program expanded to comprise five diploma programs, in Accounting, Computer Application, Data Entry, Secretarial and Word Processing. The school's curriculum was designed to accommodate and provide training for its "Ability to Benefit" students--the approximately 80% of its student body who did not have a high school diploma. After operating for over a century at nine different locations under eight owners, the College closed in about 1990.

The Alpha Iota Sorority is an international honorary businesswomen's society. The Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority was installed at Metropolitan Business College on July 26, 1930.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection includes Metropolitan Business College catalogs, brochures and newsletters; administrative, legal and financial papers; and advertisements and other promotional materials such as albums. A few narratives provide a historical background of the College.

The photographs, dated circa 1910-1980, include images of students, faculty and staff at the School, usually in offices or classroom. Students are depicted in classes such as typing, stenotype and business machine class. Members of the Phi Theta Pi Fraternity and Alpha Iota Sorority are depicted at installations, banquets and conclaves.

The Alpha Iota Sorority Historian's Books and Scrapbooks document the activities of the club and its members over an academic year and include photographs, meeting minutes, announcements, clippings and ephemera.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Metropolitan Business College Records, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into four series: photographs, subdivided by photographer; textual materials; albums and other materials; and the records of the Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority

Location of Collection

14a.1.5-8 (boxes)

Location of Collection

VII.b.4 (panorama photo)

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated by Ludwig-Gray International (liquidators) in 1991.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Photographs , circa 1910-1980Return to Top

All photographs dated circa 1910-1980 unless a more specific date is given

Container(s) Description Dates
Photographs
Roger Dudley , Seattle (photographer)
Box
1
1-3: Students in typing class
1
4: College President Herbert Phillips talking to student
1
5: Three students talking in hallway
1
6-7: Man and woman seated at office desk
1
8: Students typing with two women seated in private office
1
9: Students and teacher seated in classroom
1
10-11: Students in typing class
1 circa 1935
1
13: Students in Accounting Department classroom
1
14: Students in typing class
1
15: Three women working behind Information desk in General Business Office
1 1930s
1
17: Three women in school office
1
18: Herbert Phillips, President MBC
circa 1948
1
19: Man seated at desk
1
20: Students and teacher in stenotype class
1
22: Students seated at tables writing, classroom in background
1
24: Five people in "Principal and Registrar" office
1
25-26: Students writing in classroom, instructor in front
1
27: College President Herbert Phillips talking to student
Photographs
Walter P. Miller, Seattle
Box
1
28: Students typing near two private offices
1
29: Students working in room near private offices
1
30: Students and teacher in stenotype class
1
31: Students typing near two private offices
1
32: Private office
1
33: Typing classroom
1
34: Classroom
1
35: Private office
1 circa 1930
1
37: Students reading in class
1
38: Four women behind Information desk in General Business Office
1
39: Students taking dictation from Mrs. Snyder
1927
1
40: Students in Accounting Department classroom
1
41: Students in typing class
1
42: Fourth Avenue between Union and University, showing White Building, 1338 Fourth Avenue
1920s
1
43: Banquet for Alpha Iota Sorority initiation of pledges and Phi Theta Pi Fraternity installation.
1
44: Women at banquet
folder:oversize
Map drawer
45: Large group outdoors (panorama)
Photographs
Roy M. Peak, Seattle (photographer)
Box
1 circa 1935
1
47: Men at banquet
1
48: Phi Theta Pi fraternity
box:oversize
4
49: Banquet at 8th annual convention of Alpha Iota Sorority
1938 July
Box
1
50: Mother-daughter banquet of Upsilon Chapter Alpha Iota Sorority
Other photographers
Box
1
51: Four portraits of instructors Edwin Hages, Ida Ann Rees and Frances J. Hastings
1
53a, 53b: Four women using "Metromatic" machine
1
54: Jeanne Hanover, winner of essay contest, includes clipping
1
56: Louis Beck, Bookkeeping and Accounting instructor
1 1910
1
58: Business machine class
1
59a-d: Individual studio portraits of four instructors
box:oversize
4
60: 8th annual convention, Alpha Iota Sorority in front of Seattle Art Museum
1938 July
Box
1
61: Casual group seated outdoors
1
62: Clarence Stone, C.P.A., instructor
1
63: Eighteen studio portraits, probably instructors
1
64: Snapshots, probably students and their families
circa 1970s
1
65: Two women and calculator
1
66: Three students at College entrance
1
67: Students working at business machines
1
68: Instructor and students in classroom
1
70: Instructor and three students with globe
1
71: Letterhead (film)
1
72: Miscellaneous films for printing (Letterheads, captions, images)
1
73: Eight instructors and student around table with Knapp College brochure.
Associated Photographic Service, Tacoma, WA (photographer)
1
74: Heman Hunt (?), Arden Farms Company
Bruno (photographer)
1
75: Four people at luncheon or dinner
George J. Carkonen (photographer)
1
76: Edith L Gaspard
Leonid Fink (photographer)
1
77: Mrs. Edna P. Kent, National Vice President, Alpha Iota Sorority
Leonid Fink (photographer)
1938
1
79: Students in typing clas
Forde Photographers (photographer)
1
80: Group of men (possibly students and faculty).
Grady (photographer)
1
81: Two men and women with typewriter in front of Christmas tree
Frank Jacobs (photographer)
1
82: Aerial view of Seattle business district with White-Henry Stuart building circled
Chas. Laidlaw (photographer)
1
83: Group of women, First Northwest Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
Linkletter Studio (photographer)
see Scrapbook 1932-36 for identifications
1933 July
box:oversize
4
84: Group of women, Second Northwest Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
Linkletter Studio (photographer)
see also Scrapbook 1932-36
1934 May
Box
1
85: Group of women, Third Northwest Conclave of Alpha Iota Sorority, YWCA Camp, Bainbridge Island
Linkletter Studio (photographer)
1935
1
86: Horrace Parrish
Nordlunds (?) Foto. Co. (photographer)
1
87: Doris Doolittle, of Ryan, Askren and Ryan
Ralston Studio (photographer)
1
129: Woman and student at office desk
1
130: Two women holding stuffed animals
1
131, 136: Four women using "Metromatic" (see also #53)
1
132: Students in typing class
1
133, 134, 138: Man seated at desk
1
135: Three people in hallway
1
137: Two students with typewriter

Textual Materials Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
88: Catalogs and brochures
1927-1987; undated
1
89: Metropolitan Business College newsletters
1927-1938; 1983-1986
1
89b: Metropolitan-Auerswald Business University newsletters
1979-1980
1
89c: Metropolitan Bulletin, bulletin of the Metropolitan Building Company
1927-1929
1
90: Registration agreements
1
91: Class schedule
1985
1
92: Certificates, mostly professional association memberships
1942-1981
1
93: Form letters
1942-1979
1
94: Letterheads, envelopes and typefaces
undated
1
95: Newspaper advertisements for Metropolitan Business College and other business colleges
1918-1982
1
96: Telephone directory ads for Metropolitan Business College
1979-1981
1
97: Financial information
1926-1978
1
98: Historical information, including historical narratives about the College, Boards of Directors listings, and clippings about President Herbert Phillips and his wife, Alma.
1942-1988
1
99: Leases and related correspondence
1952-1977
1
100: Equipment-bills and correspondence
1942-1979
1
101: Loans
1976-1981
1
102: Agreements on use of college premises for non-college courses
1975; 1979
1
104: Miscellaneous faculty related papers, including letter of resignation, contracts, and staff list
1963-1980
1
105: Stockholders [stock subscriptions, sales, meeting records]
1975
1
106: Permits
1972-1978
1
107: Floor plans
undated
1
108: Correspondence with and evaluations of other business schools
1939-1968
1
109: Manuals on practical skills
1932; 1947
1
110: Booklets on running a private commercial school
1935 December; 1948

Albums and Other Materials Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
2
115: Box of driving training course materials (includes filmstrips, slides and cassette tapes)
undated
2
115b: Pocket dictionary with embossed MBC cover
circa 1926
5
119: Album of clippings, brochures, promotional material, photographs
circa 1930
box:oversize
4
124: Poster for Metropolitan Business College
circa 1930
Box
5
125: Album of color photographs of people, possibly students and staff
2
139: Miscellaneous papers including attendance records and an exam
1932-1986
2
140: Scrapbook
Largely advertisement clippings, brochures and form letters
circa 1925
2
141: Promotional album
Brochures, clippings and photographs
circa 1930

Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Iota Sorority Return to Top

The Upsilon Chapter's Historian's Books are yearbooks documenting the activities of the club and its members over an academic year. They include formal and informal photographs of sorority members, meeting minutes, engagement and wedding announcements, and photographs, clippings and ephemera from regional and national trips and events.

Sorority scrapbooks tend to be more informal, including member's lists, newsletters, cards, clippings, snapshots and ephemera from various sorority events.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
7
1991.25.142: Historian's Book
1947-1948
8
1991.25.143: Historian's Book
1948-1949
3
1991.25.118: Historian's Book
1949-1950
6
1991.25.145: Historian's Book
1950-1951
1991.25.144a: Historian's Book
oversize
1951-1952
1991.25.144b: Historian's Book
oversize
1954-1955
Box
2
1991.25.111: History of Alpha Iota Sorority, Supplement II
1942 July -1946 May
2
1991.25.112: Receipt books
1947-1954
2
1991.25.113: Rosters and yearbooks
1947-1964
5
1991.25.120: Scrapbook
1930-1933
6
1991.25.127: Scrapbook
1932-1936
6
Loose photographs removed from 1932-1936 Scrapbook
1932-1936
6
1991.25.126: Scrapbook
1936-1938
5
1991.25.121: Scrapbook
1947
2
1991.25.114: Secretary's file, including membership records, financial statements and IRS tax returns
1947-1954
3
1991.25.117: Plaque of past presidents, Sigma Xi Chapter of Chi Rho International
undated
3
1991.25.116: Wood-bound volume of The Upsilon Echo, monthly newsletter of Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Iota, Volume 1, Nos. 1-10.
1947 May-1948 March

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Business schools--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Fraternities & sororities--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Universities & colleges--Washington (State)--Seattle

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographic prints

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Dudley, Roger (photographer)
    • Miller, Walter P. (photographer)
    • Peak, Roy M. (photographer)
    Corporate Names
    • Alpha Iota (Sorority). Upsilon Chapter (Metropolitan Business College) (creator)
    • Auerswald Business University (creator)