By Julia (Maurer) Gregory
Toward the end of the Spring 2022 semester at Arcadia University, The Presser Foundation staff graciously extended an internship offer to me for the role of the Special Projects Intern for this summer. My time here has provided me with rewarding experiences like creating an archive from scratch.
As I came into the office at the beginning of June, Abby (Grants & Communications Manager) and Teresa (Executive Director) showed me the state of the historical files for the first time. There was a degree of organization, but some documents were damaged or stored in a manner that impaired the papers’ integrity. In hindsight, Abby and I discussed how interesting it would have been to take photos throughout the project to include in this blog post, but unfortunately, all I can provide is a photo of what I have completed! There were indeed ups and downs in creating the archive; some tasks were more engaging than others, but it was a great experience to give these documents a renewed life within the collection of The Presser Foundation.
When beginning this project, I took a few days to familiarize myself with Mr. Presser and the documents held within the collection. Dr. E. Douglas Bomberger’s article, commissioned by The Presser Foundation, on Theodore Presser was incredibly helpful in supporting my research. It led me to primary sources within the collection to enhance my understanding of Presser’s education, personal life, and career before the publication of The Etude in 1883.
After comfortably understanding the timeline of Mr. Presser’s life, I began the very cluttered process of organizing the archives. Historical documents overcame the desk at my cubicle as I sifted through them, trying to make sense of it all. Typically, a critical school of thought regarding archival practice recommends preserving the original order of documents. However, due to years of bureaucratic shifts and an incomplete collection (some of the objects relating to The Presser Foundation and Mr. Presser currently reside at Temple University’s Special Collections Research Center), the original order of the documents had been lost to history.
Instead, I approached it from a logical standpoint. There are a variety of ways to approach categorizing documents into what is known as a series or a unit of cataloging, and I organized papers primarily based on object type and scope of the content. For instance, all the objects in the catalog that are labeled PF2022.11 relate to the Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers. This series includes correspondence and financial records regarding purchasing postcards of the Presser Home, Postcards of the Presser Home, Newspaper Clippings, Informational Brochures, and Photographs, all of which I divided into files, a subunit of cataloging in the series.
It was a long and diligent process of cataloging the documents in The Presser Foundation collection. Steps in this process include:
- Physically sorting papers.
- Numbering documents.
- Inserting data into a spreadsheet.
- Scanning all documents and inputting them into a digital archive software.
Admittedly, the tedious scanning was not my favorite part of the project, but it will allow for remote access to documents to researchers and the public.
Once I cataloged the objects within the collection, it was time to tackle properly storing these documents. Since there are space limitations in the office, the collection resides within filing cabinets, away from potential damage from UV rays. I was tasked with purchasing archival materials to house the objects. Some of the purchases I made were acid-free, buffered oversized folders, acid-free buffered hanging folders, buffered, pH-neutral paper, document repair tape, and an archival spatula. These kinds of archival materials help preserve these objects by preventing acid staining, which can cause that yellow tint seen on many historical documents.
I spent about 5 weeks on the archival assignment, which explains why the process has occupied the bulk of my experience with The Presser Foundation. Based on my findings within the archive, I have also curated a virtual exhibition surrounding Theodore Presser’s tenacity and drive to further his mission toward musical education and philanthropy, which features objects like photographs of Mr. Presser, certificates that Mr. Presser received during his education, photographs of the Presser Home for Retired Music Teachers, etc…
In the final weeks of my internship with The Presser Foundation, I gave recommendations for an office move, created a guide for acquisition processes, and conducted research on best practices for onboarding Board and Committee members.
Working with The Presser Foundation this summer has been an enriching experience as I have bolstered my skills in collection-handling, project management, professional development, historical preservation, organization, time management, and leadership. It was truly a pleasure to spend my summer in Philadelphia and learn about philanthropy, especially as it pertains to my interests in art, culture, and early 20th-century Philadelphia!
