File

This file is composed of six scrapbooks and some loose records. The various documents in the file chronicle the three fundraising campaigns conducted by the Montreal branch of the Canadian Patriotic Fund (CPF) during the First World War. The first scrapbook focusses on the charitable organization's first campaign, conducted from September 14 to 18, 1914. The following three scrapbooks cover the second campaign, which took place from January 24 to 28, 1916. The final two scrapbooks document the last fundraising campaign, held September 14 to 16, 1917. Two of the three scrapbooks on the 1916 campaign are virtually identical, largely presenting the same documents in the same order.

These compilations are essentially organized the same way, and hold the same types of documents for each campaign. They are composed primarily of copies of the print fundraising materials. For example, there are subscription cards, deposit envelopes, promotional cards, instructions for the fundraising team leaders, and forms to report the amounts collected. The scrapbooks also contain sample letters, like reminders and thank-yous, receipts, communications aimed at team leaders and their team members, and sample letters for business owners to encourage them to promote the "One Day's Pay" program with their employees. In addition, there are other types of correspondence, menus, and administrative documents (lists of donors and their contact information, lists of fundraising team members and their contact information, lists of volunteers and paid employees, reports, statements of expenses, and instructions for stenographers and bank tellers). Documents from the 1917 campaign, which was conducted jointly with the Red Cross, are very similar, but most are headed by the joint designation "Montreal Patriotic Campaign."

The scrapbooks include many press clippings from English-language and French-language newspapers, such as The Montreal Daily Star, The Gazette, The Montreal Daily Mail, The Evening News, The Montreal Herald and The Daily Telegraph, Beck's Weekly, The McGill Daily, La Presse, Le Canada, Le Devoir and La Patrie. These clippings report on the three campaigns, describing the various forms of support they received, their organization, the make-up of the fundraising teams, the fundraising activities and events held, the daily evolution of the monies collected, and the primary donors. They illustrate the media coverage of the three campaigns and the public's reaction. There are also copies of the many advertisements published by the CPF. Several articles mention more controversial topics, such as questions about how the funds were administered and how the monies were distributed to soldiers' families. A few press clippings chronicle the activities pursued by the Montreal CPF branch after the war. Finally, the file includes some printed activity reports and publications.