© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated March 27, 2007)

  • Neufeld, Cornelius C., 1906-1977


    Retrieval numbers: Volume 1718-1719

    Title: Cornelius C. and Gertrude Neufeld Fonds
    Dates: 1907-1979 , predominant 1930-1979
    Extent: 48 cm of textual material
    Repository: Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives

    Historical note

    Cornelius Calvin Neufeld was born at Altona, Manitoba, on October 9, 1906. His parents were Elizabeth (Martens) and G. G. Neufeld; his father was a school inspector. Gertrude Hooge was born on January 7, 1905, at Bloomfield, Manitoba, to Johann and Gertrude Hooge. They were married on September 24, 1932, in Plum Coulee, Manitoba. Both C. C. and Gertrude attended the University of Manitoba, and Gertrude also attended Bethel College. Gertrude completed a Bachelor of Arts, and C. C. obtained a Bachelor of Science, a Masters of Science and a Bachelor of Education. C. C. began teaching at the Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna, but withdrew over disagreements about the English language. He then entered the public education system in Winnipeg, where he served as a science teacher and a principal for many years. Gertrude was also involved in education, teaching sewing and cooking classes for girls at Boys and Girls clubs. Both C. C. and Gertrude were charter members of the Bethel Mission, which became Bethel Mennonite Church, and provided important leadership to the congregation throughout the years. C. C. was the secretary of the committee for the First English Interdenominational Mennonite Church, whose activities eventually led to English becoming the dominant language at Bethel. He also served on the Bethel church council, as a deacon, and as Sunday School Superintendent. Gertrude taught Sunday School, worked with the Women in Mission, and provided an important ministry of hospitality. In addition to his work at Bethel, C. C. was also involved in a variety of community organizations, including the Crosstown Credit Union, CFAM, Investors in Education, the Canadian Mennonite Bible College, the Mennonite Historical Society, and the Bible Society, and he served on the finance board for the General Conference Mennonite Church. C. C. died after a brief illness on August 7, 1977. Gertrude died at Bethania Personal Care Home on February 3, 1993.

    Scope and content note

    This fonds contains materials concerning Bethel Mennonite Church, the wider church, their work in education, and personal matters. The Bethel Church materials consist primarily of minutes, reports and correspondence relating to various committees and church activities. From the wider church, there are materials from the Bible Society, the General Conference Mennonite Church, and the Mennonite World Conference. The education materials include teaching notes, aids and resources, administration materials, exams, and minutes from the Winnipeg Science Teachers Association and the Teachers' Science Club. Finally, the collection includes a variety of personal items including receipts, publications on home building and renovation, personal notebooks, artwork from their children, materials from the Credit Union and CFAM, travel resources and records, and correspondence.

    Index terms

    Creators

  • Neufeld, Cornelius C., 1906-1977
  • Neufeld, Gertrude, 1905-1993

    Adjunct descriptive data

    Finding aids

    Inventory file list available

    Notes

    Language

    English (95%) and German (5%)

    Arrangement

    Description completed by Joanne Moyer in February 2007.

    Restrictions on access

    None to access

    • Inventory File List

    Volume 1718
    1. University materials including exams, a convocation program, and a transcript, mostly from the University of Manitoba (1925-1933, 1955, 1976), and issues of The Modern Instructor (1944).
    2. Periodicals: Moody Bible Institute Monthly and The New Century Leader, 1936-1939.
    3. Church history teaching notes, possibly for Sunday School, handwritten in German, 1939.
    4. G. K. Braun Insurance: correspondence and receipts regarding car registration and insurance, 1979.
    5. Teaching: correspondence and resources, 195-.
    6. Articles about peace and reports and minutes from Charleswood and Bethel Mennonite Churches, 1964.
    7. Teaching aids from the Extension Service of the Manitoba Department of Agriculture for the Manitoba Boys and Girls Club concerning food and dress for girls, and other arts and crafts resources such as instructions for a Meccano set and for crocheting, 193-?.
    8. Booklets on filing systems, 1976.
    9. Home renovations publications and pictures from sewing patterns, 194-?.
    10. Travel information for Europe (1967) and western North America (1971-1972). Also contains the Mennonite World Conference Constitution and a booklet entitled, “Steps in Calling a Pastor.”
    11. Booklet: “Worlds Apart: The Popular Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1958.”
    12. Ledger containing school grading records, mostly empty, 19--.
    13. Science reports, after 1932.
    14. Teaching aids regarding women’s dress and pictures of a homestead, 19--.
    15. Reichmarks: 49 100,000 Reichmark notes, 1923.
    16. Notebook: Minneapolis Public Schools Personal Account Book of Gertrude Hooge, Bethel College, 19--.
    17. Credit Union: a report, correspondence, and a study unit for high school, 1959-1960.
    18. Southern Manitoba Broadcasting Co. Limited: reports and proposals, mostly regarding pension plans, 1958-1960.
    19. Travel information, including a map of Banff, a CAA Triptik, a map/pamphlet about Winnipeg, and the Expo ’67 Official Guide, 1965-1970.
    20. Miscellaneous items including blueprints of the Bethel Mission Mennonite Church on Stafford and Corydon (1955), a booklet entitled, “Who Am I?: The Poetry of Indian Children” (1969), a Sunday bulleting from Charleswood Mennonite church, probably from the opening service (1963), and teaching notes (1944).
    21. Teachers’ Science Club and Winnipeg Science Teachers’ Association: minutes, notes and financial records, 1934-1944.
    Volume 1719
    1. Miscellaneous materials including home building and decoration publications, education publications, and material related to church work, 1936-1964.
    2. Teacher rating forms, 1972-1973.
    3. Foods and Nutrition: course plan with clippings from various sources, 1930-1935.
    4. University of Manitoba: transcripts and applications, 1933-1937.
    5. Childhood artwork by Grace Neufeld, 1946-1947.
    6. Teaching: exercise book containing student grading records and teaching notes, 1952-1954.
    7. Mrs. C. C. Neufeld’s music notation book, 1934.
    8. Teaching: high school exams, student grading records, and rules for a speaking contest, 1953-1955.
    9. Minutes from the a meeting of the Leaders of the Food and Nutrition Class, a newspaper clipping about lace (1907), and receipts, 1935-1936.
    10. Scripts for high school theatre, 1929, 1942.
    11. Mennonite World Conference: materials from assemblies in Amsterdam (1967) and Goshen (1948), and articles in English and German.
    12. Bees: newspaper clippings and Department of Agriculture bulletins regarding bee keeping, 1930-1944. Also some exams from the University of Manitoba, 1933.
    13. “The Forward March of Surgery”: an article from The Canadian Magazine, 1933.
    14. General Conference Mennonite Church: materials from the 32nd Session in Freeman, South Dakota, 1950.
    15. Gardening: publications about strawberry disease and tree grafting, ca. 1930.
    16. Young People’s Study Club: rules of order and study notes, 19--.
    17. Term paper: “A Study of the Relationship that Exists between the Intelligence of High School Students…” by C. C. Neufeld, for his Bachelor of Education, 1952.
    18. Gertrude’s school science notebook, after 1915.
    19. Receipts and a Manitoba Department of Education exam, 1922-1941.
    20. Correspondence, 1928-1968.
    21. Commission on Overseas Missions and Women’s Missionary Association report, 1969-1970.
    22. Booklet: “The First Lessons in Sewing,” 19--.
    23. Publications: regarding teaching and home building, (1935, 1959-1960).
    24. Teaching aids concerning clothing, instructions for parent-teacher interactions, songs and pictures for small children, ca. 1942.
    25. Teaching aids concerning clothing, ca. 1934-1935.
    26. Bethel Mission Church: correspondence regarding Bethel, the First English Interdenominational Mennonite Church, and the Canadian Mennonite Bible College, and property assessments, 1943-1960.
    27. Bethel Mission Church: minutes, in part concerning the English Mennonite Church, 1942-1943.
    28. Bethel Mission Church: financial records, 1943.
    29. Bethel Mission Church: minutes of the Church Committee, 1944-1946.
    30. Bethel Mission Church: preliminary drawings of new building, 1954.
    31. Bethel Mission Church: financial records and Sunday School programs, 1945-1948.
    32. Bethel Mission Church: minutes of the trustees’ meeting, 1946.
    33. Bethel Mission Church: Sunday School record book, 1946-1947.
    34. Bethel Mission Church: minutes, reports, agendas, financial records, and correspondence regarding various committees, 1965-1969.
    35. Bethel Mission Church: constitution, minutes, directory, reports, bulletins, 194-, 1970-1978.
    36. Bethel Church and Camp Moose Lake: agenda, minutes, reports, financial records, correspondence and membership lists, 1952-1958.
    37. Bethel Church congregational history: manuscripts and excerpts written by various authors, 1965; and correspondence in German, 1943.
    38. Bethel and Charleswood Churches: proposals, minutes, financial records, constitutions, and several articles on church matters, 1958-1963.
    39. Teaching: teacher evaluations, school administration records, reports and correspondence, 1956-1967.