Charlotte E. Senechalle papers, 1950-2001, bulk 1950-1990

This collection is open for research use.

All rights owned by the donor, including copyright, were deeded to Chicago Historical Society. Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Materials were a gift of Charlotte E. Senechalle (accession # 2000.0170).

Charlotte E. Senechalle papers (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

Correspondence, board meeting minutes, research files, newspaper clippings, reports, observation notes, and other papers of Charlotte E. Senechalle, primarily relating to her work with school improvement and the conditions of the Cook County Department of Corrections. Included are materials regarding Senechalle's work with the Citizens Schools Committee, such as meeting minutes (1988-1991), financial records, and observer reports regarding the Chicago Board of Education (1971-1976). Topics include school integration and desegregation. Also present are Senechalle's teaching materials, correspondence, and other records for her course on "Practical Politics" taught at the YMCA Community College for the Citizens Information Service of Illinois (1960s). Materials regarding Senechalle's work with Church Women United (1990s) and League of Women Voters (1960s) are also included as well as research and notes on criminal justice, penal systems, and prison conditions in Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois.

Charlotte E. Senechalle was active in several Chicago social service and social justice organizations, including Church Women United, the League of Women Voters, and the Citizens Information Service of Illinois. She served on the board (1955) and as president (1960-1962) of the League of Women Voters of Chicago and as president of the Cook County Council of the League of Women Voters (1962-1964). Senechalle also served on the board of Citizens Schools Committees (1965-1990).

• Names
  • Senechalle, Charlotte--1904-2001--Archives
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Board of Education
  • Citizen Information Service of Metropolitan Chicago
  • Citizens Schools Committee (Chicago, Ill.
  • Church Women United in Greater Chicago
  • Cook County (Ill.)--Department of Corrections
  • Illinois Court Watching Project
  • League of Women Voters of Chicago
• Subject
  • Citizens' advisory committees in education--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Educational accountability--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Jails--Illinois--20th century
  • Prisons--Illinois--20th century
  • School integration--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • School management and organization--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Schools--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Women--Political activity--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Women volunteers in social service--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
• Geographic Coverage
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Politics and government--20th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Race relations--20th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century

The collection is arranged in eight series.

Series 1. Biographical files, 1958-1991 (box 1)

Series 1 contains biographies, photographs, newspaper clippings, and other biographical materials of Charlotte Senechalle. Also present is a transcript of a speech Senechalle gave while president of the League of Women Voters (1961) as well as issues of Voter, the League of Women Voters newsletter (1960-1962).

Series 2. Citizens School Committee (CSC) materials, 1960-1996 (box 1-2)

Series 2 contains notes, publications, correspondence, minutes, financial statements, policies, historical information, memorandums, newspaper articles and clippings, and other records pertaining to the Citizens School Committee, of which Senechalle was a board member. Materials primarily relate to school reform. Also present are Senechalle's observer reports on the activities and meetings of the Chicago Board of Education (1971-1976).

Series 3. Chicago Board of Education materials, 1970-1996 (box 2)

Series 3 consists of correspondence, press releases, memorandums, reports, procedural guidelines, reference materials, newspaper clippings, and other materials regarding the Chicago Board of Education. Topics include education, membership, students' rights, and discipline.

Series 4. League of Women Voters (LWV) materials, 1954-2000 (box 2-5)

Series 4 contains clippings, notes, policies, correspondence, newsletters, financial reports, reference materials, and other records of the League of Women Voters (LWV). Materials pertain to the history of LWV and workshops offered by LWV. Also present are reference materials regarding housing, and urban planning, land use, flood control, and the environment. Included are LWV annual meeting programs (1962, 1964) and observer reports on Cook County Corrections board meetings (1989-1996). Reference material and briefings related to the Cook County Department of Corrections are also present, addressing topics such as jail overcrowding, alternatives to incarceration, the female offender, sentencing laws, bail and release, court reform, and criminal justice. Also included is a reference book on local governmental units and agencies in Chicago prepared by the League of Women Voters and published by the Citizen Information Service (1954).

Series 5. Church Women United materials, 1962-1999 (box 5-6)

Series 5 contains publications, clippings, notes, administrative forms, correspondence, minutes, policies, a membership directory, and other records of Church Women United. Also present is a brief history of the organization written by Senechalle.

Series 6. Citizens Information Service materials, 1950-1997 (box 6)

Series 6 consists of publications, notes, correspondence, clippings, and other materials regarding Senechalle's work with Citizens Information Service. Included are teaching materials for a "Practical Politics" course taught by Senechalle at YMCA Community College (1960s) as well as reference materials on politics, civil service, welfare reform, crime prevention, and the U.S. Constitution. Also present is a transcript of a speech given by Senechalle while president of the League of Women Voters (1961).

Series 7. Cook County materials, 1960-1997 (box 6-8)

Series 7 contains clippings, memorandums, administrative forms, statistics, legal records, public policies, and other materials regarding Cook County. Also present are reference materials on jail crowding, Cook County Circuit Court, food service, health care, vocational programs, work-release, half-way houses, the mentally ill inmate, the female offender, death penalty, and probation challenge. Senechalle's notes on her visits to Cook County jails and interviews with inmates are also included (1992-1996). A history on the Cook County Department of Corrections published by the League of Women Voters is also present (1977).

Series 8. Criminal Justice materials, 1960-1996 (box 8-9)

Series 8 contains newspapers clippings, correspondence, and other reference materials on criminal justice compiled by Senechalle. Topics include capital punishment, boot camp, corrections reform, judicial reform, Illinois Court Watching Project, gun control, juvenile justice, gangs, prisoner rights, and penal systems. Also present are reports of the League of Women Voters on community correctional centers and sentencing (1980-1985).