The papers of Helen C. Estabrook primarily document “The Order of the Pearls,” one of the student social organizations formed at Oberlin College during the 1920s. 

The primary document in the collection is a scrapbook compiled by Ms. Estabrook that contains information on “The Order of the Pearls” between 1923 and c. 1970.  A document in the collection provides the names of the thirty-five charter members and a brief description of the organization.  Also included are two copies of an article written about “The Pearls.” 

Filed with the collection are five letters and two receipts from Oberlin College thanking Helen Estabrook for her donations to the art library and illustrating her donations to her alma mater. 

The collection is modest in size (0.2 linear feet) and is divided into two series; materials relating to “The Order of the Pearls” and correspondence of Helen Estabrook (incoming).

Series 1.  Materials relating to “The Order of the Pearls,” 1923-c. 1970 (scrapbook, 1 folder, 0.175 l.f.)

The materials that relate to “The Order of the Pearls” are divided into two subseries.  Subseries 1 consists of a scrapbook, 1923-c. 1970, which was created by Helen Estabrook.  The scrapbook documents the history of the “Pearls” and contains the constitution, photographs, reunion information, birth and wedding announcements, and financial papers.  Subseries 2 consists of the charter member list and description of the organization during which time Helen was named the Secretary.  Also filed in Subseries 2 is an article from The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, featuring “The Order of the Pearls,” 6 May 1945.  There is a second copy of this article reprinted in the August 1945 Oberlin Alumni Magazine.

Series 2.  Correspondence of Helen Estabrook (Incoming), 1970 (1 folder, 0.025 l.f.)

Five thank you letters and two receipts addressed to Helen Estabrook regarding donations to Oberlin College are filed in this series.  Helen, on behalf of the Seniors of Talcott Hall of 1923, donated to the art library and the Clarence Ward Book Fund.  One letter contains a list of the books that were purchased with her donations. 

This collection was donated to the Oberlin College Archives by Helen C. Estabrook in 1973.