New York State War Council Office of Physical Fitness Supervisory and Assistance Correspondence with Schools and State and…

Organized into two subseries: Subseries 1, Deputy Director's Assistance Correspondence with Schools, 1943-1945, 1 cubic foot, is arranged by topic; Subseries 2, Director's Program Development Correspondence with State and Local War Council Agencies, 1942-1945, 0.6 cubic foot, is alphabetical by city or county war council.

This series contains correspondence detailing the supervision and assistance of the State Physical Fitness Program by the Office of Physical Fitness. Also found are instruction manuals, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, and reports.

Subseries 1, Deputy Director's Assistance Correspondence with Schools, 1943-1945: This subseries contains correspondence between the deputy director, Francis J. Moench, and school officials involved in the Physical Fitness Program. Much of the correspondence is routine requests for pamphlets, films, or information on the program's obstacle course. Some letters detail problems with gas rationing or program choice in some school districts and reveal Moench's attempts to assist with problems as part of his duties to facilitate the program. Also found in this subseries are: a small number of meeting minutes of the Office of Physical Fitness; instruction manuals for instructors of "women and girls"; instruction manuals for water sports, team sports, and track and field; some correspondence between Moench and local war councils; and form letters sent to local war councils and others participating in the Physical Fitness Program regarding topics such as manual availability or changes in training procedures.

Subseries 2, Director's Supervisory Correspondence with State and Local War Council Agencies, 1942-1945: This subseries contains correspondence between the director of the Office of Physical Fitness and organizations involved in the physical fitness program detailing the director's supervisory duties. Many letters notify the director of appointments made to local physical fitness leadership positions, while others seek advice or assistance in obtaining publications or other materials. A large number of files contain a copy of a letter from Director Hiram A. Jones to the local councils soliciting their opinions on the nature of the office's mission and its provision of services. Few responses to this letter are found in this series, though a small number of letters detailing problems with the overall program are found. Individual files may contain bulletins, reports, schedules, or newspaper clippings documenting local war councils' physical fitness activities.

Folder list is available at the repository.

This series was originally accessioned as box 203 and half of box 202 of old collection #77, accession -71.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.