The Family Service Association records are very extensive and are divided up into Historical Materials and Administrative Files. The Historical Materials include brief written histories, newspaper clippings, and two restricted Humane officer's logs 1907-1909; 1913-1914. "Restricted" means that patrons may not look at or use these logs without the written permission of the Family & Children's Center administrator. These logs identify local people in perhaps compromising situations.
The Administrative Files contain articles of incorporation and by-laws, annual reports to the Family Services Association of America (the national organization), board of directors' committee materials, financial information and meeting minutes (1881-1982); agency evaluations (1951, 1959, 1965), monthly statistical reports (1921-1972 with gaps), and other scattered administrative documents.
The meeting minutes (1881-1982) and statistical reports (1921-1949 some gaps; 1960-1972) really illuminate the work of the agency from the beginning as a chapter of the Humane Society to the merger of Family Services Association and La Crosse Home for Children in January 1983. The minutes also include annual reports that were printed for the membership's annual meeting held in November each year.
The records of the La Crosse Home for Children include an extensive set of board of directors' meeting minutes 1888-1982. Other materials which document the early period of this group include written histories, newspaper clippings, photographs, and a "log of inmates" from 1888-1915. This log recorded the comings and goings of residents to the La Crosse Home for Friendless Women and Children.
The La Crosse Home for Children records are arranged into three subseries: Historical Materials, Administrative Files, and Financial Records. The Historical Materials include written histories, newspaper clippings (ca. 1890-1977), a log of inmates (1888-1915), photographs of the Home, some staff and children, and taped interviews with Anita Flint Lenz, administrator, dating from 1971-1973. Aside from board minutes, the Administrative Files are severely lacking before the 1970s, although some important materials survive from the 1930s and 1940s, notably by-laws, some annual reports, and building documents. Other Administrative Files include board of directors' committee materials and meeting minutes (1888-1982), buildings and grounds improvements (includes group homes information, 1944-1983), evaluations of agency (1949; 1969-1977), lawn party preparations (1952-1981), licensing (1966-1981), and externally produced reports.
Finally, the Financial Records of the La Crosse Home for Children include audits; building fund (1968-1978) and other fund drives (1976); gifts, memorials and bequests (1969-1983); investments (1967-1978); a treasurer's cash book (1939-1945); treasurer's report, and miscellaneous documents that date generally from 1939-1945; 1967-1982. Some financial information is also recorded in the board minutes.
The third series is that of Family & Children's Center records which include Historical Materials, Administrative Files, Financial Records, and the Douglas Center. The Historical Materials include written histories, newspaper clippings, news releases, a journal kept in memory of an FCC Respite Care Worker, and photographs of the building, staff, board members, and events.
The Administrative Files are comprised of a Board of Directors' assessment (1987), committee materials (1982-1984), materials relating to fund raising campaigns (1984-1992), long range planning (1987-1991), merger documents (1980-1982, 1987), and board meeting minutes (1983-1985; 1986, Aug.-Nov.).
Financial records include fund raising (1983-1986) and gifts, memorials and bequests (1989-1990).
Finally, a smaller subseries is that of the Douglas Center, of Viroqua Wisconsin. These materials are comprised of correspondence (1987), a brief biographical sketch of Aashild Douglas (founder of the center), newspaper clippings (1982-1990), and photographs of the building, events, and staff (1987-1994).