Skip to main content

Boston Conservatory Business and Financial Offices collection, 1920s-2013

 Collection
Identifier: BCB-003

Scope and Contents

The collection primarily contains records related to real estate holdings purchased or rented by the Conservatory between the 1930s and 2010s, including mortgage records, property deeds and tax records, architectural designs and construction records, building/room photographs, and research files on Conservatory properties. The collection also contains documentation pertaining to rights to the institution’s name and the merger with the National Associated Studios of Music in the 1930s; some financial records such as loan agreements and exemption records; and a very small amount of documents pertaining to scholarships from the Office of Financial Aid.

Dates

  • Creation: 1920s-2013

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research by appointment. Advance notice is required for access because materials are stored offsite.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials from Berklee Archives are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Permission to examine materials, or to obtain copies, does not imply the right to publish, exhibit, or broadcast them, in whole or in part.

Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Visitors and researchers are solely responsible for determining the copyright status of any materials they may wish to use, making fair use determinations, investigating the owner(s) of the copyright and, where necessary, obtaining permission for the intended use. For additional information regarding copyright, fair use, and reproduction services, please consult our Access and Use Policies.

Administrative History

The Business and Financial Offices of the Boston Conservatory existed in various forms over the decades, and were responsible for the financial operations of the Conservatory, including real estate acquisition and maintenance and financial aid. In addition, the Conservatory President, most notably Albert Alphin (president 1933–1967) frequently brokered real estate purchases.

Extent

5 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Records related to real estate holdings purchased or rented by the Conservatory between the 1930s and 2010s, including mortgage records, architectural designs, and building photos. The collection also contains documentation pertaining to rights to the institution’s name and the merger with the National Associated Studios of Music in the 1930s, and some financial records such as loan agreements and exemption records.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into four series:

Series 1: Real Estate records, 1920s-2013; Series 2: Building Photographs, 1920-1980s and undated; Series 3: Financial records, 1927-1995; Series 4. Office of Financial Aid, 1996.

Custodial History

Most material in the collection was originally housed in the Albert Alphin Library, with the exception of some material maintained by the Office of the President. Materials were transferred to the archives circa 2016.

Acquisition History

This collection was assembled from material received from the President's office, Development office, and the Albert Alphin Library.

Related Materials

The Albert Alphin collection (BCB-015) contains additional information pertaining to building acquisitions, particularly 31 Hemenway.

Separated Materials

During 2023 reprocessing, several items originally part of the materials donated by the Development office, including documents pertaining to degree authorization, were reassigned to BCB-002 Academic Affairs. Copies of institutional by-laws and annual reports duplicated elsewhere in the repository were removed from this collection.

Processing Information

Processed by Brendan Higgins, May 2016-June 2017; prepared for ArchivesSpace by Ashley Gray and Thomas Wandborg, 2021. This collection was re-processed by Ashley Gray, Collections Archivist, May-June 2023; reprocessing activities included weeding, rehousing, and re-arrangement.

Title
Boston Conservatory Business and Financial Offices collection, 1920s-2013
Status
Under Revision
Author
Brendan Higgins (2017-12-12); prepared for ArchivesSpace by Ashley Gray and Thomas Wandborg, 2021; updated description by Ashley Gray, 2023
Date
2017; revised 2023
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2023-07-05: Collection description revised by Ashley Gray, Collections Archivist, to reflect collection re-processing and conform description to DACS.

Repository Details

Part of the Berklee Archives Repository

Contact:
Berklee
1140 Boylston St
Boston MA 02215 USA
617-747-8001