This collection is composed of materials from two Philadelphia mutual savings banks which date from the first half of the nineteenth century. The collection has been divided into two series: Philadelphia Saving Fund Society (PSFS) and Western Savings Fund Society (WSFS). A significant part of the collection consists of photographs of bank buildings represented by traditional styles and in later years by contemporary suburban sites. The American banking industry has usually conducted business in formal bank buildings. The styles of these buildings have changed with passing fashions of architectural taste. This collection provides a good visual record of these developments.

Philadelphia Saving Fund Society (PSFS) is organized into ten subseries: Early buildings; PSFS building; Branches; Advertising and promotion; School Bank Program; Thrift Poster Contests; Employees; Events/social activities; Oral history; and Music.

Early buildings subseries includes images of the first six offices in Philadelphia. The photographs are mostly exteriors and void of people. There are some reproductions of historical paintings and engravings. The 7th and Walnut Streets office includes interiors and is the most well documented. The images date from the early 1800s through the 1960s.

PSFS building subseries consists of images of the area before and during construction in 1931. The construction photographs show the demolition of buildings and excavation. The completed structure is extensively photographed and includes both interior and exterior views. There are a series of photographs taken by Richard T. Dooner in 1932, however, these exist mainly as negatives with prints of select images. The original negatives were badly degraded and received conservation treatment in 2009. Copy negatives were made at this time and the negatives were digitized. These digital copies are online in Hagely’s Digital Archives with some additional images from this subseries. There are oversize matted photographic prints which are signed by Richard T. Dooner. There is also an audio tape tour of the building with architect Norman Rice which was recorded in 1983.

Branches subseries contains photographs of city and suburban branches in the greater Philadelphia area. Most of the images show bank exteriors. The photographs of the city branches primarily date from 1924, the suburban branch photographs date from the 1960s and 1970s.

Advertising and promotion subseries consists of publicity photographs, print advertisements, posters, booklets, and signs. The photographs include community projects such as blood drives and marathons, receptions, school visits, anniversaries, awards, and exhibits. There are bank giveaways such as calendars, cash wrappers, rulers, and coin savers. There are a few radio advertisements and branch informational videos.

School Bank Program subseries is largely made up of a scrapbook of group portraits of school children during their visits to the PSFS building. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by the name of the school and dates from the 1950s.. There are few images of a bank exercise taking place at various schools in 1924 and 1959.

Thrift Poster Contests subseries contains photographs of poster entries from 1950 through 1981 (not a complete run). There are also six posters that won the contest in 1952.

Employees subseries is made up of portraits of founders, officers, presidents, board of managers, and employees. There are photographs of employees at work, including security guards. There is one audio cassette tape of dictation in 1982 by Todd Clark, chairman. A few video cassettes of meetings, announcements, and training videos. The founders, officers, and presidents portraits date from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The employee photographs date from 1920s through 1964.

Events/social activities subseries includes photographs of PSFS Quarter Century Club Dinners from 1954 to 1985, sports team group portraits, and various social events such as picnics and outings. There are audio cassette tapes of the 1984, 1985, and 1986 shareholders meeting. There is a video of the first annual employee meeting and a retirement party.

Oral history subseries consists of audio recordings with fifteen PSFS employees. The interviews were conducted between 1981 and 1983. The interviewees discuss career paths, relationships between tellers and managers, panics of the 1930s, mortgage experience, training employees, savings banking, mechanics of bookkeeping, senior management in 1934, the PSFS building, commercial mortgages during the depression, PSFS mission and structure, the School Bank program, and marketing. Music subseries is phonographic records of classical music owned by PSFS. There is one wax cylinder.

In the Western Savings Fund Society (WSFS) has been organized into eight subseries: WSFS building; City branches; Suburban branches; Presidents and board of managers; Employees; Social activities; Advertising and promotion; and Oral history.

WSFS building subseries depicts the company’s earliest banks on 1000 Walnut Street and Broad and Chestnut. A majority of the images are of the Broad and Chestnut location which includes exteriors and interiors. There are nineteenth century engravings and photographs from 1949 through the 1960s.

City branches subseries contains photographs of over twenty branches in Philadelphia. Primarily exteriors. There are two very short films of branch openings. The images mostly date from the 1950s and 1960s.

Suburban branches subseries contains photographs of exteriors of banks in the greater Philadelphia area. Most images are devoid of people and date from the 1950s and 1960s.

Presidents and board of managers contains portraits of company presidents and members of the board in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Board of Managers' portraits are preserved on cabinet cards which are in excellent condition.

Employees subseries depicts employees at work, as well as employee individual and group portraits. Many individuals are identified in the photographs. There are a small number of images from staff members weddings. The images date from the 1940s through the 1970s.

Social activities subseries includes photographs of the Annual Dinner Dance from 1949 to 1968, the Men’s Dinner and the Ladies Annual Party from 1950 to 1968. There are group portraits of the chess club, bowling team, and baseball team. Snapshots of employees at various events like baseball games, dances, and parties. There are also images from retirements, 25 year Club Dinners, and 50 Year Service Awards. These images date from the 1940s through the 1960s.

Advertising and promotion contains print advertisements, radio spots, and television commercials and public service announcements. There are images of community outreach programs, events, the school bank program, and exhibits. Temporary bank exhibits were also chronicled. Western had an extensive rotating exhibition schedule which was documented frequently. These materials date from the 1940s through the 1970s.

Oral history subseries contains one interview with P. Blair Lee, the president of WSFS. The interview was recorded in 1982.