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Albert Benedict Wolfe Collection of
Early 20th Century Materials on Population Control
A Guide and Inventory
Spec.rare.cms.313


Guide Compiled by Laura Smith


INTRODUCTION

Albert Benedict Wolfe was born in Arlington, Illinois on August 23, 1876. Educated at Harvard, he received his Ph.D. in 1905. His first book, published in 1906, reflects his sociological interests, and perhaps personal experience: The Lodging House Problem in Boston. He was on the faculty of Oberlin College teaching economics and sociology from 1907-1914, at the University of Texas from 1914-1923, and then at The Ohio State University from 1923-1946. During the summer months he taught economics and/or sociology for a number of universities around the country. In 1956 he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Ohio State. After retiring from OSU Wolfe continued to live in Columbus, Ohio until his death in 1967.

Attacked for his liberal thinking in 1920 while in Texas, Wolfe wrote a book on radicalism: Conservatism, Radicalism, and Scientific Method: an Essay on Social Attitudes(1923). Documents related to the charges against Wolfe may be found in the Lauch McLaurin papers in The University of Texas at Austin Tarlton Law Library. Judge McLaurin was a Professor of Law at the university.

Later, in 1935, Wolfe and two colleagues representing the AAUP visited the University of Pittsburgh to investigate the dismissal of the historian, Ralph E. Turner. In their report they found that Chancellor John Gabbert Bowman had forced the resignations of 53 professors based upon their liberal attitudes (reported in Time magazine, Mar. 4, 1935).

Letters written by Albert Wolfe to the economist Frank Albert Fetter are available in the Fetter Mss. collection at the Lilly Library.

Documentation regarding Dr. Wolfe's time at The Ohio State University may be requested from the University Archives. The collection in Rare Books and Manuscripts consists of materials from a variety of organizations that advocated population control and education for family planning in the 1920s and 30s. Examples include The Population Association of America, the Voluntary Parenthood League, the American Birth Control League, and the Neo-Malthusian and Birth Control Conference. This interest in population issues may also be found in Wolfe's 1929 book, The Population Problem Since the World War: a Survey of Literature and Research.

Lisa Iacobellis
Assistant Curator, Rare Books & Manuscripts


Overview of the Collection:

Repository:Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
Identification:Spec.rare.cms.313
Creator:Albert Benedict Wolfe
Title:Albert Benedict Wolfe Collection of Early 20th Century Materials on Population Control
Dates:1916-1936
Quantity:1 document box, 15 folders
Description:materials from organizations advocating population control and education for family planning


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Box 1

Folders 1-16
  1. Individual Letters to Professor A.B. Wolfe

    • Letter from Frederick Osborn to A.B. Wolfe, August 14, 1935. Envelope included.
      • Osborn requested opinion of A.B. Wolfe on the subject of a Eugenics Program.
    • Postcard, addressed to Professor A. B. Wolfe at the Ohio State University, postmarked April 1, 1924. Sent by Mary Ware Dennett, Director.
      • Contains information on the upcoming joint hearing of the Cummins-Vaile Bill in Congress on April 8th.
    • Letter from Norman E. Himes to Professor Wolfe, August 16, 1929.
      • Personal letter. Mentions enclosure of pamphlet not included in collection.


  2. The Population Association of America

    • Letter, sent from Frank Lorimer to Members of the Population Association of America, January 30, 1936.
      • Discusses the administration changes which will take effect when Frank Lorimer, Secretary of the Population Association will serve on a special Committee on Population Problems for the National Resources Committee. Also mentions the official distribution of Population and Studies in Differential Fertility in Sweden by Edin and Hutchinson by the Population Association of America.
    • Letter, sent from Frank Lorimer to Members of the Population Association of America, October 27, 1934.
      • Letter regarding the information -pamphlets, books, miscellaneous literature- available at cost to the members.
    • Program, The First Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, April 22-23, 1932.
    • Minutes of the Third Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, May 11, 1934.
      • Topics covered in the meeting include: financial report, benefits of membership, nominations, divorce/marriage rates, universal registration, centralization with other groups (such as the Council Population Policy), political action and policy forming, and issues concerning funding and support.
    • Population Association of America Memorandum to Members, January 29, 1935.
      • Update on association such as an upcoming conference in the spring, work on the Review of Current Research, the distribution of materials, and current research of possible "special interest."
    • Population Association of America Membership List, July 20, 1935.
    • Draft of Constitution of Population Association of America, with some editing marks.
    • Letter addressed to the members of Program Committee from Frank Lorimer, March 4, 1935.
      • Tentative program for conference on May 2-4, 1935.
    • Memorandum to Fellows of the Population Association of America
      • Revised draft of proposed Constitution. Dated April, 1932.
    • Persons Requested to Attend Second Conference on Population Association list
    • Letter from Frank Lorimer, January 26, 1935.
      • Details of upcoming meeting and issues for the Board of Directors of the Population Association to be held on February 14.


  3. The Population Association of America

    • Presidential Address
      • "By Professor Henry Pratt Fairchild of New York University, President of the Population Association of America, 1931-1935, Conference on Population Studies in Relation to Social Planning, Hotel Willard, Washington, D.C., May 2, 1936."
    • Congressional Report, January 1-May 1, 1926 by Anne Kennedy
      • List of 42 Senators and their views on the birth control amendment
    • Letter from Elizabeth Gurley Flynn to "Friend," November 24, 1924
    • Letter advocating the cause of Carlo Tresca, convicted for an advertisement of a book on birth control on November 23, 1923. Attached sheet with reprinted material concerning the matter.


  4. The Voluntary Parenthood League

    • Program card for The Annual Meeting of the Voluntary Parenthood League, Inc.
      • Held at the house of Mr. Adolph Lewisohn. Addresses given by Mrs. Helen Hoy Greeley and Mrs. Mary Ware Dennett.
    • Signed letter from Florentine Scholle Sutro, Chairman of The Emergency Conference for the Voluntary Parenthood League, Inc. to "League Member," October 2, 1924.
      • Letter asking for monetary contribution for the raising of $10,000 to continue the success of the Cummins-Vaile Bill.
    • Letter from Myra Plaut Gallert, President of the Voluntary Parenthood League, April 13, 1926.
      • Request for monetary contribution and enclosed financial sheet indicating the financial position of the League.
    • Letter from Myra Plaut Gallert, President of the Voluntary Parenthood League, May 27, 1926.
      • Request for monetary contribution to go towards the publishing of "Laws Affecting Birth Control" by Mary Ware Dennett. Also includes an update on the support for the Cummins-Vaile Bill by the California Conference of Social Work.
    • Letter from Myra P. Gallert, President of the Voluntary Parenthood League, December 2, 1925.
      • Response to Mrs. Sanger's "Newsletter" distributed by the American Birth Control League.
    • Letter from Myra Plaut Gallert, President of the Voluntary Parenthood League, November, 1925.
      • Letter discussing the foundation and mission of the Voluntary Parenthood League.
    • Annual Report of the Voluntary Parenthood League, Inc. 1924-1925.


  5. The University of Chicago Department of Political Economy

    • Letter to Professor Albert Benedict Wolfe from William H. Kiekhofer and L.C. Marshall, appointees of the American Economic Association for the Committee on the Teaching of Economics, dated March 23, 1922.
      • Kiekhofer and Marshall requested the opinion of Wolfe on two subjects: the purpose of social studies in secondary education and the contribution of economics in secondary education.


  6. New York University Graduate School

    • Letter to Professor Wolfe from Henry Pratt Fairchild, February 24, 1933.
      • Business concerning the Population Association including dues owed and possible research Professor Wolfe may wish to contribute.
    • Letter to Professor Wolfe from Henry Pratt Fairchild, April 27, 1931.
        • Information concerning the attendance of Professor Wolfe at the Population Association Conference to be held on May 7th.
    • Letter to Professor Wolfe from Henry Pratt Fairchild, April 28, 1931.
      • Response to Professor Wolfe's reaction on the Constitution and By-Laws of the Population Association.
    • Letter to Professor Wolfe from Henry Pratt Fairchild, April 12, 1931.
      • Letter indicating the formation of a Population Association of America on December 15, 1930 and the concerns which motivated the creation of the organization.
    • Letter to Professor Wolfe from Henry Pratt Fairchild, June 20, 1933.
      • Follow-up letter to a letter sent containing the minutes of the Population Association. Fairchild requested advice from Wolfe on a "project" proposed by Mrs. F. Robertson Jones.


  7. International Neo-Malthusian Birth Control Conference

    • Medicine's Responsibilities in the Birth Control Movement by Dr. Wm. Allen Pusey
      • "Paper Given at the Sixth International Neo-Malthusian and Birth Control Conference, March 25th to 31st, 1925."
    • Sixth International Neo-Malthusian and Birth Control Conference Program
      • March 25th to 31st, 1925, New York City, Headquarters Hotel McAlpin
    • Information concerning the fifth International Neo-Malthusian and Birth Control Congress.


  8. American Birth Control League

    • Envelope addressed to Professor A.B. Wolfe from the American Birth Control League, postmarked March 23, 1922.
    • Envelope addressed to Professor A.B. Wolfe from the American Birth Control League, postmarked March 29, 1922.
    • Booklet, What We Stand For: Principles and Aims of the American Birth Control League, Inc.
    • Booklet, What We Stand For: Principles and Aims of the American Birth Control League, Inc.
    • Leaflet No. 3 War and Birth Control distributed by the American Birth Control League, Inc.
    • Envelope addressed to Professor A.B. Wolfe
      • Invitation to a "Pioneer's Dinner" by the American Birth Control League at the Hotel McAlpin with RSVP card and tentative program.
    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from the Organization Secretary of the American Birth Control League, dated March 9, 1922.
      • Request to send Wolfe as a delegate to the International Birth Control Congress.
    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from Margaret Sanger, December 10, 1924.
      • Explains her interest in the Carlo Tresca case and asks that Wolfe send his support to the Attorney General, if he deems it necessary.
    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from Anne Kennedy, Executive Secretary of the American Birth Control League, March 29, 1922.
      • Request for papers for the International Congress on Birth Control under the English Malthusian League.
    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from Anne Kennedy, Executive Secretary of the American Birth Control League, March 23, 1922.
      • Request that Professor Wolfe personally deliver a paper to the International Birth Control Congress.
    • Letter to Professor A. B. Wolfe from Margaret Sanger, August 31, 1925.
      • Sanger requested suggestions from Wolfe regarding the campaign of a federal amendment, which garnered support from various medical organizations including the Social Hygiene Association, the Maternal Health Committee of New York City, the American Gynecological Society, and the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the American Medical Association at Atlantic City.
    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from Margaret Sanger.
      • Update regarding the Clinical Research Department of the American Birth Control League.
    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from Anne Kennedy, January 20, 1926.
      • Letter asking for campaign support of the members of the American Birth Control League.
    • Letter from Margaret Sanger.
      • Includes an enclosed copy of revisions to Section 211 of the United States Penal Code.
    • Letter from Margaret Sanger, December 15, 1925.
      • Invitation to a luncheon with the Board of Directors on January 12th.
    • American Birth Control League, Inc. Newsletter, October 25, 1925.
    • List of Medical Groups and Associations inviting Dr. James F. Cooper.
    • American Birth Control League, Inc. Newsletter


  9. Pamphlets

    • Roosevelt, Theodore. "Raise More and Better Children." Boston Sunday Herald. 7 Oct., 1917.
    • "Why Our Great-Grandchildren Are Likely to Starve to Death." Chicago Herald-Examiner. 26 April, 1925.
    • Selected List of Books on Birth Control, Sex, and Social Hygiene.


  10. The First American Birth Control Conference

    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from Margaret Sanger, October 5, 1921
      • Request that Wolfe present a paper that he delivered to the Eugenics Congress and issues of population at a conference in New York City from November 11-13th.


  11. Middle Western States Birth Control Conference

    • Letter to Professor A.B. Wolfe from Margaret Sanger, October 25, 1923.
      • Enclosed programme for the Middle Western States Birth Control Conference.


  12. Booklet

    • The Tyranny of English Wives by a Sufferer, London.


  13. Newspaper Articles

    • "Unmarried Women Less Curious on Sex Matters, but More Frank." The World. 7 April 1923.
    • "Son of Darwin Would Control Births by Law." The World. 9 May 1926.
    • "The Question of Birth Control." The Chicago Tribune. 17 November 1916.
    • "Surprises in an Investigation of Birth Control." Survey. 15 March 1925.
    • Broadsheet. "Proclamation-Publication-Population!"
    • List of Previous sentences of Birth Control Advocates.


  14. Research Notes

    • Outline of Research in the Field of Population
    • Clinical Research Notes, signed by Margaret Sanger and Director of Clinical Research


  15. Resource consulted in researching the collection

    • Wolfe, A.B. "Is There a Biological Law of Human Population Growth?." The Quarterly Journal of Economics. 41.2 (1927), 557-594.
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Page last revised: November 12, 2009

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