Our History
What is now White-Williams Scholars was founded in 1800 as the Magdalen Society. Its mission of helping at-risk females persisted for over a century. After the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania became concerned with "the rehabilitation of delinquent girls," the Magdalen Society board voted in 1917 to adjust the mission "to provide direction and assistance to steer children away from trouble." The Society also adopted a new name: the White-Williams Foundation, after its first president, Episcopal Bishop William White, and a later president, Quaker merchant George Williams. (White-Williams Scholars is a private, independent 501(c)(3) organization and is not associated with any organization of a similar name.)
In 1917 White-Williams Scholars pioneered the concept of in-school counseling and hired the first counselors for public and parochial elementary and secondary schools. The organization initiated several other services—including vocational guidance and placement, nutritional instruction, and teacher training in social work—which were eventually absorbed by the schools. White-Williams Scholars' non-profit 501(c)(3) status was first established in 1949 and most recently renewed in 2002.
In 1994 we became known as White-Williams Scholars with a restated mission of "supporting high academic achievement among low-income Philadelphia public high school students in order to increase their opportunities for success in the future."
The organization serves over 1,400 students each year by providing them with monthly stipends, educational enrichment, and college preparation. To receive this support, students must maintain all A's and B's in their classes. Stipends help our Scholars stay focused on their studies and resist over-employment with part-time jobs. We also provide after-school programs of support and enrichment activities which require approximately 50 hours of commitment from our Scholars.
