Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

MS 585
Promise, Inc.
Records, 1937-1998, undated

Descriptive summary

creator:	Promise, Inc.
title:	Records
dates:	1937-1998, undated
extent:	7.38 linear feet (18 document boxes and 2 half-document boxes)
collection number:	MS 585
repository:	Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

Administrative information

access:	Open for research
publication rights:	Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation:	Promise, Inc., Records, MS 585, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Historical note

Promise, Inc. was incorporated as a non-profit non-denominational organization in May 1955 by Dr. Pak-Chue Chan and was disbanded in 1998. Dr. Chan (1895-1991) was a Physician at the Iowa State Student Health Service.

Promise, Inc. had four objectives: to provide modern medical facilities, to provide schools for the underprivileged, to create a self-sufficient agriculture program to feed the hungry, and to teach the Christian spirit.

Promise’s first clinic was located in the Philippines Islands in the 1950's. This clinic was not successful due to inability to acquire land in the Philippines, and due to political upheaval in the country. A new clinic was established in Hong Kong in 1967. This building contained medical facilities, an elementary school, and a church, and has been self-sufficient since 1988. Finally, a clinic was founded in Piste, Yucatan (Mexico) in 1974, containing an operating room, housing for nurses, maternity care, a nursery, a delivery room and a chapel.

Ronald C. "Cap" Bentley, after his retirement in 1965 from the Agricultural Extension Service at Iowa State University, established the offices of Promise, Inc. in Ames, Iowa. Bentley served as the Executive Director of Promise, Inc., and Director of Fund Raising.

Collection description

This collection contains administrative files, correspondence, minutes, reports, newspaper clippings, historical files, newsletters, project files, posters, writings, financial reports, audiotapes, photographs, black and white negatives, color negatives, maps, slides, films, and scrapbooks.

The bulk of these records document the work of Promise, Inc. in China, Mexico, and the Philippines, and there are also files containing information about the founder, Dr. Pak-Chue Chan and his books, The Marvelous Promises: The Miracle of a Chinese Doctor (1974) and "Whence Comes This Stranger" (unpublished).

Organization

This collection is organized into four series:

Series 1, Administrative Files
Series 2, Project Files
Series 3, Dr. Pak-Chue Chan Writings
Series 4, Oversize Materials

Description of series

Series 1	Administrative files	1945-1998, undated
extent:	7.14 linear feet (17 document boxes)
description:	Correspondence, minutes, reports, and news clippings are placed in chronological order. The collection also includes historical files, newsletters, and financial reports. Also, correspondence and files from Campus Chest at Iowa State University; affiliated chapters; applications for field service; mailings and contributions; and brochures, announcements and proposals. Photographs, negatives, slides, films, audio tapes, and a filmstrip are also included.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
1	1	Correspondence and by laws	1955-1980
1	2	Background of Promise, Inc.	1965-1969, undated
1	3	Legal documents	1963-1977, undated
1	4	Promise, Inc., time line	1961-1972
1	5	Administrative file	1955, undated
1	6	Administrative file	1956
1	7	Administrative file	1956
1	8	Administrative file	1957
1	9	Administrative file, January-August	1958
1	10	Administrative file, September-December	1958
1	11	Administrative file, January-September	1959
1	12	Administrative file, October-December	1959
1	13	Administrative file	1960
1	14	Administrative file	1961
1	15	Administrative file	1962
1	16	Administrative file	1963
1	17	Administrative file	1964
2	1	Administrative file, January-September	1965
2	2	Administrative file, October-December	1965
2	3	Administrative file, January-February	1966
2	4	Administrative file, February-April	1966
2	5	Administrative file, May-September	1966
2	6	Administrative file, September-December	1966
2	7	Administrative file, January-April	1967
2	8	Administrative file, May-July	1967
2	9	Administrative file, July-December	1967
2	10	Administrative file, January-April	1968
2	11	Administrative file, May-August	1968
2	12	Administrative file, September-December	1968
2	13	Administrative file, January-April	1969
2	14	Administrative file, April-August	1969
2	15	Administrative file, September-October	1969
3	1	Administrative file, October-December	1969
3	2	Administrative file, January-April	1970
3	3	Administrative file, April-July	1970
3	4	Administrative file, August-December	1970
3	5	Administrative file, January-April	1971
3	6	Administrative file, April-June	1971
3	7	Administrative file, June-December	1971
3	8	Administrative file, January-July	1972
3	9	Administrative file, August-December	1972
3	10	Administrative file, January-May	1973
3	11	Administrative file, May-October	1973
3	12	Administrative file, November-December	1973
4	1	Administrative file, January-April	1974
4	2	Administrative file, May-September	1974
4	3	Administrative file, October-December	1974
4	4	Administrative file, January-June	1975
4	5	Administrative file, July-December	1975
4	6	Administrative file	1976
4	7	Administrative file	1977
4	8	Administrative file, January-April	1978
4	9	Administrative file, May-July	1978
4	10	Administrative file, August-September	1978
4	11	Administrative file, October-December	1978
4	12	Administrative file, January-March	1979
5	1	Administrative file, April-June	1979
5	2	Administrative file, July-September	1979
5	3	Administrative file, October-December	1979
5	4	Administrative file, January-March	1980
5	5	Administrative file, April-May	1980
5	6	Administrative file, June-August	1980
5	7	Administrative file, September-November	1980
5	8	Administrative file, December	1980
5	9	Administrative file, January-February	1981
5	10	Administrative file, March-May	1981
5	11	Administrative file, June-September	1981
5	12	Administrative file, October-December	1981
6	1	Administrative file, January-May	1982
6	2	Administrative file, June-December	1982
6	3	Administrative file	1983
6	4	Administrative file	1984
6	5	Administrative file	1985
6	6	Administrative file	1986
6	7	Administrative file	1987
6	8	Administrative file	1988
6	9	Administrative file, January-September	1989
6	10	Administrative file, October-December	1989
6	11	Administrative file	1990
6	12	Administrative file	1991
7	1	Administrative file	1992
7	2	Administrative file	1993
7	3	Administrative file	1994
7	4	Administrative file	1995
7	5	Administrative file	1996
7	6	Administrative file	1997
7	7	Administrative file	1998
7	8	Newsletters	1956-1964
7	9	Newsletters	1956-1973
7	10	Newsletters	1974-1979
7	11	Newsletters	1980-1985
7	12	Newsletters	1986-1998
7	13	Annual financial statement	1955-1984
7	14	Finances	1970-1975
7	15	Finances	1975-1978
7	16	Finances	1979-1998
8	1	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1981
8	2	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1982
8	3	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1983
8	4	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1984
8	5	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1985
8	6	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1986
8	7	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1987
8	8	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1988
8	9	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1989
8	10	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1990
8	11	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1991
8	12	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1992
8	13	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1993
8	14	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish	1994
8	15	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish, 1995	1995
8	16	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish, 1996	1996
8	17	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish, 1997	1997
8	18	Monthly financial statements for Mexico, in Spanish, 1998	1998
9	1	Campus Chest at Iowa State University	1956-1982
9	2	Campus Chest at Iowa State University	1956-1982
9	3	Affiliate chapter: Richardson, Texas	1969-1972
9	4	Affiliate chapter: Fort Collins, Colorado	1965-1972
9	5	Affiliate chapter: Fort Collins, Colorado	1965-1972
9	6	Applications for field service	1967-1969, undated
9	7	Applications for field service	1970-1974
9	8	Old mailing and contributions lists	1963-1978
9	9	Old mailing and contributions lists	1979-1987
9	10	News clippings	1955-1986, undated
9	11	Clippings on philosophy of Promise, Inc. (left in order as found in scrapbook)	1955-1973, undated
9	12	Brochures, announcements, newspaper articles, proposals, and miscellaneous	undated
9	13	Brochures, announcements, newspaper articles, proposals, and miscellaneous	undated
10	1	Letter and photographs of trip to Hong Kong	undated
10	2	Miscellaneous photographs	undated
10	3	School children in Hong Kong	undated
10	4	Photographs of Asia	undated
10	5	Photographs of buildings in Hong Kong	undated
10	6	Photographs from Hong Kong	undated
10	7	Campus Chest at Iowa State University, photographs	undated
10	8	Photographs at the blind center, Miss Lo, Asia	undated
10	9	People and housing conditions in Hong Kong and Kowloon	undated
10	10	Visitors to Hong Kong	undated
10	11	Photographs of the new building in Hong Kong	undated
10	12	Photographs from Hong Kong	1962-1967, undated
10	13	Agriculture, fishing, and market photographs in Asia	1962-1967, undated
10	14	Photographs of school children and teenagers in Hong Kong	1965, 1968, undated
11	1	Photographs from Kawloon and Hong Kong	1963-1970, undated
11	2	Photographs of Christian services	1962-1970, undated
11	3	Photographs of visitors to Hong Kong	1971
11	4	Photographs of school children in Hong Kong	1968, 1971, undated
11	5	Photographs from Asia	1971-1974, undated
11	6	Photographs from Asia	1945-1981, undated
11	7	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, # 1	undated
11	8	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, # 1	undated
11	9	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, # 1	undated
11	10	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, # 1	undated
11	11	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, # 1	undated
11	12	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong	1953-1959
11	13	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, #2	1962-1970, undated
12	1	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, #2	1962-1970, undated
12	2	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, #2	1962-1970, undated
12	3	Scrapbook of Mexico	undated
12	4	Scrapbook of Mexico	undated
12	5	Scrapbook of Promise in Mexico, complied by Dr. and Mrs. Eggleton (negatives)	1982-1987, undated
12	6	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, #2	1962-1970, undated
12	7	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, #2	1962-1970, undated
12	8	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, #2	1962-1970, undated
12	9	Scrapbook of Promise in Hong Kong, #2	1962-1970, undated
12	10	Scrapbook, Promise, Inc., Piste Yucatan, Mexico	1981-1987, undated
12	11	Scrapbook, Promise, Inc., Piste Yucatan, Mexico	1981-1987, undated
13	1	"Family" photographs and trip photos	undated
13	2	Photographs of Mexico, miscellaneous	undated
13	3	Photograph of Promise building and people in Mexico	undated
13	4	Photographs of Promise Building in Mexico	undated
13	5	Photographs of ruins in Mexico	undated
13	6	Photographs and negatives of Mexico	undated
13	7	Photographs from Mexico	undated
13	8	Chan’s and Dings: Friends of Promise, overseas and in the USA	undated
13	9	Photographs from Mexico	undated
13	10	Part of a scrap book, Photographs from Mexico	undated
13	11	"Promesa" Clinic scrapbook of Mexico	undated
13	12	Photographs of clinic and patients	1975, undated
13	13	Photographs of working on the Promise building in Mexico	1979, undated
14	1	Photographs of people in Mexico	1975-1980, undated
14	2	Executive committee	1980
14	3	Photographs of clinic and patients	undated
14	4	Photographs of services in Mexico	1979, undated
14	5	Photographs and negatives from Mexico and Westfall, February	1981
14	6	Photographs in Mexico	1974
14	7	Photographs of Houg Isoug	1975
14	8	Photographs of Mexico	1982, undated
14	9	Scrapbook, Promise Clinic, Piste Yucatan, Mexico	undated
14	10	Slides	undated
14	11	Slides	undated
14	12	"Meridy and Tom’s family" slides	undated
15	1	Negatives of TMSC, Dinner-Country Club,	undated
15	2	Negatives of Prince fishermen, Red China boats, Chan with antibiotic, seeds, rooftop, hillside, airport, Los Angeles, home	undated
15	3	Promise Castle Peak, village tower, school and films, peak near Chan’s Kowloon buildings, British Agriculture and Fisheries Farm, Tow Temple, and Old Min.	undated
15	4	Negatives of friends and patients of our churches and clinic of Promise	undated
15	5	Negatives of burning of Idol 3	undated
15	6	Negatives of dedication of new building	undated
15	7	Negatives of corn by new building	undated
15	8	Negatives of Sunday morning service at Walled City (Prince)	undated
15	9	Negatives of TMSC, Bay Area, Kowloon, San and Farmer, Prince, buildings, chicken farm	undated
15	10	Negatives of Deaf and Dumb School, clinic, new buildings, Chan family, ivory carving, Blind Music School	undated
15	11	Negatives of countryside of Kowloon	undated
15	12	Negatives of Ding and family	undated
15	13	Negatives of children in new classroom	undated
15	14	Negatives of school and children	undated
15	15	Unidentified negatives	undated
15	16	Unidentified negatives	undated
15	17	Unidentified negatives	undated
16	1	Negatives of hillside shacks, twins, school children and new building, new - old clinic, pump	undated
16	2	Negatives from R. C. "Cap" Bentley	undated
16	3	Negatives of farm and Promise plan, corn, old village, temple and buildings, fishing village and family, Pok Wai Village - Mi Man	undated
16	4	Unidentified negatives	undated
16	5	Unidentified negatives	undated
16	6	Unidentified negatives	undated
16	7	Unidentified negatives	undated
16	8	Unidentified negatives (developed on March 3, 1989)	1989
16	9	"For sheets #1, #2, and #3" negatives	1966
16	10	Easter Service at sunrise negatives	1965
16	11	Corner Stone Lane Breeze Way, TMSC, Kawloon, negative	1966
16	12	R. C. "Cap" Bentley and clinic negatives	1967
16	13	Negatives of dedication of Kowloon Building	1967
16	14	Negatives of new building	1966, undated
16	15	Negatives of students and faculty at Kowloon summer school	1965
16	16	Negatives of ground breaking and new building, P. C. Chan	1966
17	1	Film information sheets	1956-1958, undated
17	2	Two reel to reel tapes recorded to help Pat Bliss with Chan’s life history: Reel I, side I, gives recent figures on the situation in Kowloon and discusses the Japanese occupation of Canton; Reel I, side II, tells of Chan’s early experiences with the Christian mission in his home community. Discusses Chan’s return to China after his medical training in the United States. Chan also tells of his escape from Canton War Lord in the early 1930s. Reel II, side III, return to United States after War World II and of his education experience; Reel II, side IV, is unidentified.	undated
17	3	Unidentified reel to reel tapes, one film strip R. C. "Cap" Bentley	undated
17	4	Reel to reel tapes: 1. Orion Samuelson interviews Dr. Jack Allen of Michigan State University about Farm Retailer Seminars (undated) 2. Promise, Inc., board meeting in Kowloon, May 1, 1997. P. C. Chan. 3. From P. C. Chan to Dr. Gail McChine, Iowa State University Hospital (undated) 4. From P. C. Chan to Mr. R. C. "Cap" Bentley, Promise, Inc., Ames, Iowa (undated)	1997, undated
17	5	Cassette tapes: 1. Pak-Chue Chan - "History of my family of by brothers and sisters, family life of China" (10 December 1972) 2. Pak-Chue Chan - "My Marriage" (10 December 1972) 3. Pak-Chue Chan - "Family history of the Chans" (11 December 1972) 4. Pak-Chue Chan - "Adventures in faith, experiences told" (12 December 1972) 5. Pak-Chue Chan - "Bibliography of Chan’s offspring" (13 December 1972) 6. Pak-Chue Chan - "Bibliography of Chan’s offspring" (13 December 1972) 7. "History of the Chan" (undated) 8. "Philosophy and thoughts of Clinic" (undated)	1972, undated

Description of series

Series 2	Project files	1958-1996, undated
extent:	0.21 linear feet (6 folders)
description:	Project files from Yucatan and Basak, Philippines, including: maps of buildings, meeting minutes, financial reports, photographs, and the degree of William Perez.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
18	1	Project files: In Yucatan (with E. A. Guaheich thru 1982)	1978-1982
18	2	Project files: In Yucatan (with E. A. Guaheich thru 1982)	1978-1982
18	3	Degrees of William Perez, M.D. of Yucatan	1996
18	4	Project files: Basak, Philippines Project	1958-1960
18	5	Project files: Basak, Philippines Project	1958-1960
18	6	Project files: Basak, Philippines Project, photographs	1958-1960

Description of series

Series 3	Dr. Pak Chue Chan Writings	1937-1992, undated
extent:	0.63 linear feet (1 document box and 1 half-document box)
description:	Background information about the founder of Promise, Inc., Dr. Pak Chue Chan. Memorabilia from the memorial services for Dr. and Mrs. Chan, and others involved in the organization. Dr. Chan’s book, The Marvelous Promises: The Miracle of a Chinese Christian Doctor, USA: Grace Foundation, Inc., 1974. Correspondence on the unpublished book, "Whence Comes this Stranger?" written by Dr. Chan.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
19	1	Information about founder, Dr. Pak Chue Chan, includes photographs	1961-1992, undated
19	11	Correspondence of Dr. Pak Chue Chan with J. Robert and Bertha Walker	1957-1980
19	12	Correspondence from J. Robert Walker family on Dr. Chan	1957-1996
19	2	Dr. Chan’s memorial service and obituary	1991
19	3	Memorial for Tsin Oi-Jen (Dr. Chan’s wife), and others involved in the organization	1968-1973, undated
19	4	Dr. Chan’s book, The Marvelous Promises: The Miracle of a Chinese Christian Doctor, USA: Grace Foundation, Inc.	1974
19	5	Correspondence on the unpublished book, "Whence Comes This Stranger?" written by Dr. Chan.	undated
19	6	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" first draft from 1937, chapters 1-5, part I	1937, undated
19	7	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" first draft from 1937, chapters 6-10, part I	1937, undated
19	8	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" first draft from 1937, chapters 9-11, part II	1937, undated
19	9	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" first draft from 1937, chapters 12-15, part II	1937, undated
19	10	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" second draft, ca. 1965-1975, chapters 1-4, part I	undated
20	1	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" second draft, ca. 1965-1975, chapters 5-8, part I	undated
20	2	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" second draft, ca. 1965-1975, chapters 9-11, part II,	undated
20	3	"Whence Comes This Stranger?" second draft, ca. 1965-1975, chapters 12-14, part II	undated

Description of series

Series 4	Oversize materials	1968-1979, undated
extent:	1 map case folder
description:	Posters, photographs, printer proofs, maps of countries, and site plans.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
Map Case	C406 D11	Promise kindergarten students, 1971	1971
Map Case	C406 D11	Clinica Promesa-Piste Yucatan poster with color photographs	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	"Sutherland" Nursing School poster with color photographs	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	"A Week Like This," files every bed in Clinica Promise poster with photographs	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	Poster with statistics for 1979	1979
Map Case	C406 D11	Poster with photographs of Promise, Inc. in Hong Kong	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	Poster with Promise Inc. school, new and old buildings photographs	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	1968 Promise Act/Highlights poster with photographs	1968
Map Case	C406 D11	Worship service at Promise Chapel in Kowloon and Clinic in temporary building at Tom Mei Sun Shen	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	Architect drawing of Clinic for Philippines	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	Map of the Philippines - pictorial map	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	Ground floor plan for Promise, Inc. Community Building, Tom Mei Sun Chuen, Kowloon N.T., Hong Kong	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	First floor plan for Promise Inc., Community Building, Tom Mei Sun Chuen, Kowloon N.T., Hong Kong	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	Article from Des Moines Sunday Register, May 11, 1975, 16E, "The Iowa - Yucatan Connection - it’s flourishing" along with 2 proofs	1975
Map Case	C406 D11	Proposed doctors/nurses quarters for Promise Inc. Clinic, Mexico	undated
Map Case	C406 D11	Printer proofs	undated