Chinese Scholarship Committee records

The Chinese Scholarship Committee records house scattered financial and administrative records, as well as a nice body of correspondence from and about the Chinese students who directly benefitted from the fund. The collection, which dates from 1916-1988, documents the efforts of Bryn Mawr College to diversify its student body and to introduce its students to different cultures.

The collection is arranged into four series: "Administrative records, 1916-1988," "Financial records, 1916-1988," "General correspondence, 1916-1988" and "Margaret Wood Keith papers, 1916-1988."

In the "Administrative records" series, which dates from 1916 to 1988, researchers will find a robust (though incomplete) run of yearly Committee reports. Following, is a handful of files containing random bits of information about Committee administration, finances and history. Of note are the correspondence files directly related to student admission and fundraising, and student evaluations. Please review the folder list for additional details.

The second series, "Financial records," consists of three ledger books, which record the name, date and contribution amount of donors. Also included are a few bank statements, cancelled checks and check stubs and savings books. Of note are the files of correspondence and receipts, documenting donor activities and fundraising.

The third series, "General correspondence," is divided into two subseries: "Correspondence from Chinese students to program administrators" and "Correspondence with/about Chinese students." The letters, which are plentiful, report on student progress and financial need. There are Christmas cards, general greeting cards and handwritten and type-written letters.

The "Margaret Wood Keith papers" series consists almost entirely of correspondence. Included are ten folders of letters and notes regarding the Chinese Scholarship Committee. Prevalent authors include Beatrice MacGeorge, Mrs. Samuel Chew, Margaret Bailey Speer, Anne Vaux, and Bryn Mawr College presidents. These letters are frequently from Chinese students who have received scholarships or are administrative letters regarding finances and logistics of the scholarship program. The letters date from 1938 to 1985 and are arranged in chronological order.

Established in 1916, the Chinese Scholarship Committee gave one full scholarship annually to a young Chinese woman who would not have been able to obtain an education at home. The collection reveals the practical logistics of the scholarship, such as funding and administration, but it also reveals the more personal side of the program: the students' mastery of the English language, and the relationships formed between the students and Committee members. The collection would be of use to those studying international students in the early twentieth century, or the Chinese Scholarship Committee at Bryn Mawr College.