University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

Cardijn Bookstore (Milwaukee, Wis.).

Records, 1944-1984.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 114

.8 cubic ft. (2 archives boxes)

ABSTRACT: Fragmentary records of a bookstore originally founded in 1949 as a semi-autonomous cooperative of the Cardijn Center (1949-1961), the headquarters of Catholic lay apostolic work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After the dissolution of the Cardijn Center in 1961 the bookstore continued to operate independently. The records relate both to the bookstore and to the social action center it was formed to serve. Included are by-laws, articles of association, and other organizational and legal records; miscellaneous correspondence of Father John Beix, founder of the center, and other administrators; financial records; files on various social action lectures, programs, and forums sponsored by the center; newsletters published by the center and the Milwaukee Young Christian Workers Federation, which was located at the center; advertisements and publicity; and photographs. Miscellaneous material concerns Father Beix and Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Young Christian Workers movement.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The Cardijn Bookstore records are a small, somewhat fragmented manuscript collection documenting the operations of the bookstore originally formed to serve a center of Catholic social action work. Along with the separately-catalogued Cardijn Center records, the collection gives a good picture of the center and its many programs. For the period prior to 1961 there is, however, a degree of overlap between the two collections, and researchers should be prepared to consult both.

The collection is arranged as Cardijn Center Files, Bookstore Files, Financial Records, and Miscellaneous Files.

The Cardijn Center Files includes by-laws, articles of association, information on the purposes of the center, and a small quantity of material concerning center meetings; program files include correspondence, circulars, topic lists, and class materials for the center's general social action forums and for its Social Studies programs; reports and miscellaneous correspondence of Father Beix and other center administrators; newsletters, brochures, clippings and publicity material; and the YCW Come Unity newsletter and miscellaneous information of the Milwaukee Young Christian Workers Federation. Of special note is the 1957 correspondence which invited Senator John F. Kennedy to speak at one of the center's forums.

The Bookstore Files include articles of association, by-laws, stock certificates, lists of directors, and legal materials; annual meeting reports; book lists, catalogs and advertising materials; and miscellaneous correspondence.

The Financial Records include documentation on both the center and bookstore. Included are monthly figures of center receipts and expenditures, financial reports, records of center pledges and donations, and some fund-raising material.

The Miscellaneous Files include correspondence, obituaries, and clippings concerning a celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the death of Father Beix; information on Cardinal Cardijn; and photographs. The photographs include portraits of Father Beix and views of the center, the bookstore, the bookmobile, and their employees and volunteers. Also included are two papal certificates presented to Father Beix and an architectural front elevation and crude rendering of a bookstore storefront renovation. Xerox copies of the photographs are filed with the papers, and the original prints are located in the sound and Visual Archives.

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY: The Cardijn Bookstore originated in 1949 as a semi-autonomous cooperative of the Cardijn Center, the headquarters of lay apostolic work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The center was founded by Father John Beix, a teacher at St. Francis Minor Seminary, and named in honor of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, who started the Jocist movement, better known as the Young Christian Workers (YCW), an international group of Catholic lay workers.

The Cardijn Center also housed the Milwaukee chapter of the YCW, as well as the bookstore. Originally located at 787 N. Water Street, the center and its affiliates moved to 1304 W. Wisconsin Ave. in 1958. Eventually, the center's work came to include the YCW; the Young Christian Students (YCS); the Christian Family Movement (CFM); and a program of Social Studies, an educational lecture series. Father Beix served as the center's spiritual leader until his death in March, 1952.

The Cardijn Bookstore, originally named the Cardijn Center Co-op Bookstore, was created in 1949 as a cooperative under Chapter 85 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Under the bookstore's articles of association, it was capitalized at $25,000 with the issuance of 5,000 shares of common stock. The primary purpose of the bookstore was to serve as an arm of the Cardijn Center "to implement and carry on the apostolate of Catholic Action through the dissemination of literature of every kind proper and consistent with the principles of Catholic Action."

The Cardijn Center dissolved in 1961. The bookstore continued as a cooperative until 1964; on January 1, 1965 it became incorporated as the Cardijn Bookstore, Inc. The bookstore was still in existence at the time this collection of records was organized and catalogued in 1988.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Cardijn Bookstore (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1944-1984. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 114. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. Golda Meir Library. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTIONS:

Cardijn Center (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1948-1961. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BR)

Young Christian Workers. Milwaukee Federation. Records, 1940-1964. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 99)

ACQUISITION: Presented by Florence A. Weinfurter of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin in 1985 (accession number M85-568).

PROCESSING: Processed in 1988 by J.A. Sinnott (FGH student).

The original photographs are housed in Wisconsin Historical Society's Visual and Sound Archives.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

Booksellers and bookselling--Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Records and correspondence.
Bookstores--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
Business records--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
Cooperative societies--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
Milwaukee (Wis.)--History--Sources.

MILWAUKEE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION 114	BOX	FOLDER
Bookstore, Advertising, 1959-1978	2	3
Bookstore, Articles of Association and Legal Material, 1950-1979	1	12
Bookstore, Catalogs and Booklists, 1951-1984	2	2
Bookstore, Correspondence, 1948-1981	2	1
Bookstore, Meeting Files, 1958-1961, 1979-1983	1	13
Cardijn Center, By-Laws and Meeting Material, 1948-1959	1	1
Cardijn Center, Correspondence and Reports, 1951-1960	1	6
Cardijn Center, General Social Action Programs and Forums, 1949-1960	1	2
Cardijn Center, Miscellaneous Files, 1944-1957, undated	1	10
Cardijn Center, Newsletter and Publicity, 1952-1960	1	7
Cardijn Center, Social Studies Programs, 1949-1960	1	3
Cardijn Center, Social Studies Programs, Kennedy Invitation, 1957	1	5
Cardijn Center, Social Studies Programs, Scrapbook, 1950-1958	1	4
Cardijn Center, Young Christian Workers, Come Unity Newsletter, 1956-1962	1	9
Cardijn Center, Young Christian Workers, Miscellaneous, ca. 1960-1966	1	8
Financial Records, Center Pledge and Donation Records, 1952-1959	2	5
Financial Records, Receipt and Expenditure Reports, 1949-1960	2	4
Miscellaneous, Cardinal Cardijn, ca. 1959-1971	2	7
Miscellaneous, Father Beix, 1952-1972	2	6
Miscellaneous, Photographs, Xerox Copies, undated	2	8