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Eleanor J. Bader Papers

 Collection
Collection ID: MG 107

Scope and Contents

The collection documents the family and personal life, education, career, and community involvement of Eleanor J. Bader. Materials in the collection include personal, religious, and professional certificates, awards, and licenses; business and civic papers; conference materials; correspondence; photos; and memorabilia from her life and travels. The bulk of the collection covers Bader's career including her work with the Delaware Curative Workshop, the National Easter Seal Society, and the Social Security Administration. An oral history with Eleanor Bader can be found on the Old Dominion University Libraries Digital Collections website.

Dates

  • circa 1922-2013, undated
  • Other: Date acquired: 04/10/2010

Creator

Extent

16.40 Linear Feet

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.

Biographical or Historical Information

Eleanor Johanne Bader was born March 15, 1922, in Wilmington, Delaware. Ms. Bader graduated from the University of Delaware in December 1943 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education. She attended the Physical Therapy graduate program at the Graduate School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and was awarded a certificate in Physical Therapy in 1944. At that time, the University did not grant degrees in Physical Therapy.

Ms. Bader received her certification in physical therapy in 1946 from the American Registry of Physical Therapists. In October 1945, she joined the Delaware Curative Workshop in Wilmington, Delaware, as a founding member. The DCW was originally funded by the Junior League. Later it was funded in part by community donations under the Red Feather/Community Chest umbrella. The Red Feather and Community Chest organizations were founded in the late 19th century and were the forerunner of the United Way organizations. Ms. Bader was named Executive Director of the DCW in October 1950. She resigned from the Delaware Curative Workshop in 1962 to take a position as Program Consultant with the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults, now known as the Easter Seal Society, headquartered in Chicago. Ms. Bader relocated from Wilmington to Chicago to take this position. During her career with the Easter Seal organization, Ms. Bader held a number of positions, including Director, Care and Treatment Services, and Administrator for Programs. In 1971 Ms. Bader left the Easter Seal Society following reorganization.During her time with Social Security Administration, Ms. Bader held a number of positions, including Special Assistant to the Director, Bureau of Supplemental Security, Services Coordinator for Evaluation, and Acting Director, OIRPC. During her career with the SSA, Ms. Bader received several commendations, including the Associate Commissioner’s Citation, 1980, and the Commissioner’s Citation, 1978.In 1985, Ms. Bader moved to Virginia Beach. In retirement she had been a volunteer with the Cancer Care Foundation of Tidewater. She had been a board member of the Virginia Opera Guild, which included a term as President, the State Board of the Virginia Opera Association and the Virginia Opera Association Hampton Roads Board of Governors. Ms. Bader was also in the Virginia Symphony League. Eleanor Bader passed away on October 12, 2013 in her home in Virginia Beach.

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Chronicling the family and personal life, education, career, and community involvement of Eleanor J. Bader. Career includes work with the Delaware Curative Workshop, the National Easter Seal Society, and the Social Security Administration. Community involvment includes membership and volunteer work for the Virginia Opera, the Virginia Symphony, Cancer Care Foundation of Tidewater, WHRO, and many other professional and civic organizations in Virginia and Delaware. Materials in the collection include personal, religious, and professional certificates, awards, and licenses; business and civic papers; conference materials; correspondence; photos; and memorabilia from her life and travels.

Arrangement Note

The collection is organized into seven series: Series I: Personal and Family; Series II: Education; Series III: Career; Series IV: Organizations; Series V: Miscellaneous; Series VI: Multimedia; and Series VII: Oversize Materials, Memorabilia, and Artifacts.

Source of Acquisition

Eleanor J. Bader

Method of Acquisition

Gift. Accession #A2010-10

Accruals and Additions

A second accession was received in 2013.

Related Materials

Oral Histories in the Perry Library: Eleanor J. Bader

Processing Information

The finding aid was created by Mel Frizzell, Special Collections Assistant, from 2010-2011.

Title
A Guide to the Eleanor J. Bader Papers
Author
Mel Frizzell
Date
05/14/2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Revision Statements

  • 05/14/2013: The finding aid was revised in 2013 after an addition to the collection was received.

Repository Details

Part of the ODU Community Collections Repository

Contact:
3000 Perry Library
4427 Hampton Blvd.
Norfolk VA 23529 US
757-683-5350