Illinois Joint Committee for the Merit System in Civil Service Records, 1921-1939

  • IdentificationICU.SPCL.IJCFMS
  • TitleGuide to the Illinois Joint Committee for the Merit System in Civil Service Records1921-1939
  • PublisherUniversity of Chicago Library
  • Language
    • English
    • English.
  • Date1921-1939
  • Physical Description.5 linear ft. (1 box)
  • RepositorySpecial Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.
  • AbstractThe Illinois Joint Committee for the Merit System in the Civil Service was formed in 1932 as a steering committee for the effort to strengthen and improve the civil service requirements in Illinois. The Records contain correspondence, annual reports, minutes, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks of the Committee.

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When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Illinois Joint Committee for the Merit System in Civil Service. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

The Illinois Joint Committee for the Merit System in the Civil Service was formed in 1932 as a steering committee for the effort to strengthen and improve the civil service requirements in Illinois. In particular, the group centered its efforts on local and state legislation concerning the employment of Illinois public servants, including sanitary district workers, substitute teachers, park employees and rural health officials. This work was done in affiliation with thirty-four local groups, including the Illinois and Hyde Park League of Women Voters, the Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs, the Catholic Women's League, the Municipal Employees' Society, the Juvenile Protective Association and the Illinois Federation of Labor. After seven active years, the committee merged with the Civil Service Association of Illinois in 1939.

One of the organizers and the first chairman of the Joint Committee was Mary Kelborne Nelson, who maintained leadership throughout the 1930's. A consistent advocate for civil service reform, Nelson had lobbied for the defeat of an anti-civil service law (the Wheeler Bill) in 1921, and throughout the 1920's worked closely with the Chicago and Illinois Civil Service Reform Associations.

The Illinois Joint Committee for the Merit System in Civil Service records contain correspondence, annual reports, minutes, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks of the Committee.

The collection is divided into three series: Series I: Mary Kelborne Nelson Correspondence; Series II: Organization of Joint Committee and Affiliates; Series III: Committee Materials.

The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections:

  • Names
    • Nelson, Mary Kelborne
    • Illinois Joint Committee for the Merit system in the Civil Service
  • Subject
    • Civil service-Illinois
    • Civil service reform
    • Civil service reform-Illinois