Mailing Address:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Library
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424
Phone:
(843) 953-8016
Title: St. Philip Street "Rewisited" Reunion
Collection #: Mss 1001
Dates: 1920-1990
Size: 1.5 linear ft.
Biographical Note: The St. Philip Street "Rewisited" Reunion held in Charleston, S.C., was co-chaired by Faye Appel Rones and Barbara Berlinsky Stine. It drew former St. Philip Street residents who grew up during the 1930s and 1940s when the area contained a nucleus of Jewish families. Most of their parents were European Jews who had a hard time pronouncing "v's," hence the title. Over 300 people attended the reunion. The weekend was documented on video. A book about St. Philip Street containing photographs and anecdotes was also proposed (but never materialized).
Scope and Content Note: Material related to reunion of St. Philip Street Jewish community, March 2-4, 1990, Charleston, South Carolina.
Includes planning notes, reminiscences and correspondence, publicity materials, a video, photographs, prints of photographs, and photocopies of photographs.
The collection consists of reminiscences by St. Philip Street residents regarding life in the area during the 1930s-40s. Questionnaires containing biographical information about former residents are also available. Also notable is a group of photographs of residents, businesses, homes, etc., on St. Philip Street, ca. 1920-1950. Most are numbered and can be matched to a master list of identifications. Another group of photographs does not correspond to the list of identifications, although some are identified. Negatives exist for several photographs.
The collection also contains oversize photocopies of most original images. Event memorabilia is available including a videotape of the reunion that documents the religious services, dinner dance, and scenes of Charleston. Other material consists of planning documents, steering committee meeting notices, address lists, lists of people registered for the event, and publicity material. Miscellaneous materials include photocopies of Charleston city directories for King and St. Philip Streets (1920s-1940s).
Inventory:
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| I. | Planning documents related to organization of the St. Philip St. reunion held the weekend of March 2-4 1990 in Charleston, SC. | |||
| A. | Faye Appel Rones (key organizer) handwritten journal notes describing origin of reunion idea. |
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| B. | Memos to St. Philip St. "Rewisited" steering committee regarding time of next meeting and minutes of previous meetings. |
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| -May 23, 1989 | ||||
| -June 28, 1989 | ||||
| C. | Photocopies of several different mail fliers sent to former St. Philip St. residents to advertise reunion/gauge interest. Also contains handwritten drafts of fliers. |
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| D. | Handwritten planning notes regarding reunion events at KKBE, Sheraton and the Hampton Inn Riverview. |
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| E. | Several different drafts of a list of people registered to attend the reunion as of January 1990. |
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| F. | Address lists for former St. Philip St. residents who moved away from Charleston |
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| G. | List of reunion registrants staying at the Hampton Inn Riverview as of February 22, 1990; also contains contract for group rate. |
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| II. | Publicity material 1989-1990 related to St. Philip St. "Rewisited." | |||
| A. | Typed letter to Charles Kuralt of New York City?s Sunday Morning Show written by Fannie Rones asking that the reunion be advertised on the show; contains text for advertisement and reminiscences of former St. Philip St. residents from the 1930s and 1940s. |
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| B. | Photocopies of articles pertaining to St. Philip St. "Rewisited"; all printed in the Charleston Jewish Journal except one (noted below) |
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| -March 1989 | ||||
| -May 1989 | ||||
| -Sept.-Oct. 1989 (registration form) | ||||
| -December 1989 | ||||
| -March 2 1990 (mention of event printed in the Bulletin Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim) | ||||
| -March 1990 (article written immediately after event) | ||||
| -December 1991 (pertains to Charleston bench given to KKBE as a thank you for help with reunion.) | ||||
| III. | Correspondence | |||
| A. | Reminiscences of former St. Philip St. residents sent in for reunion; majority are handwritten and signed by author; most pertain to memories of life on St. Philip St. during the 1930s and 1940s. (written in 1989-1990) |
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| B. | Questionnaires sent to former St. Philip St. residents to gather information for a proposed book about the Jewish community on St. Philip Street; completed questionnaires contain individual biographical information and reminiscences of life on St. Philip Street during the 1930s and 1940s; questionnaires were sent out after the reunion (1990) and many have handwritten "thank you notes" to organizers and other reactions to the event. |
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| C. | Thank you notes sent to reunion organizer Fannie Rones after reunion (post March 1990) |
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| IV. | Registration forms of those who attended the St. Philip St. "Rewisited" reunion; arranged alphabetically by last name; some contain handwritten notes from registrants. | |||
| A. | A-B |
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| B. | C-G |
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| C. | H-K |
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| D. | L-R |
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| E. | S-Z |
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| V. | Photographs: original and print photographs that former St. Philip Street residents donated to be displayed at the reunion; all photographs are ca. 1920s-1950s and depict people, houses, businesses, etc. related to St. Philip Street and surrounding area; oversize photocopies exist of most original photographs; a master list of basic photo identifications (names, places) accompanies collection; some original and print photographs have negatives. | |||
| A. | Several drafts of master list of photograph identifications; final version was available at the reunion for participants to match photos to names. |
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| B. | Original and print photographs collected for St. Philip Street Reunion; stored in two envelopes; each photograph is numbered on the back; number corresponds to the master photo identification list; collection does not contain all 150 photographs listed; this folder contains #1-79 |
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| C. | Folder contains #80-150 |
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| D. | Photocopies of original photographs in folders 2 and 3; images in collection are checked off on master list of photo identifications contained in folder. |
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| E. | Seven envelopes of misc. (un-numbered) photographs and prints of St. Philip St. residents; all ca. 1930s-40s; some have been identified |
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| F. | Photocopies of misc. photo collages of St. Philip St. residents (ca. 1930s-40s) and of un-numbered photographs in folder 5. |
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| VI. | Memorabilia from/related to St. Philip St. "Rewisited" Reunion | |||
| A. | Order forms for prints of photographs displayed at the reunion; fliers announcing sale of the reunion video and book. |
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| B. | Special St. Philip St. copy of the News and Courier; front page | |||
| format with articles and reminiscences about life on life on St. Philip St. during the 1930s-40s; dated March 3, 1990; probably distributed at the reunion. |
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| C. | Videotape of the St. Philip St. "Rewisited" Reunion; early version. |
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| VII. | Misc. | |||
| A. | Copy of Arnold Prystowsky?s mother?s last will and testament 1934; handwritten on Daughter?s of Israel stationary (64. St. Philip St.) |
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| B. | Photocopies of Charleston City Directory, King Street, for years1925, 1930, 1935, 1940. |
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| C. | Photocopies of Charleston City Directory, St. Philip Street, for years 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940 |
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| D. | Souvenir folder from Club 181 in New York City that originally held photograph #101 |
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| E. | Resolution from City of Charleston designating 178 St. Philip Street an Historic Landmark, October 31, 1986 |
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