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Augustana College Women's League records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 226

Scope and Contents

The Augustana College Women's League records, 1917-1958 and undated, contains minutes, financial materials, newsletters, and scrapbook.

Two notebooks of handwritten meeting minutes (1917-1943 and 1946-1947) detail the plans and events of the organization. Musical and literary programs often followed the business portion of the meetings and performers and pieces are noted in the minutes. Information on committees, events, fundraising activities and campus happenings can be found in the minutes.

The financial records (1922-1925 and 1943-1953) provide supplementary information on the club. Fundraising efforts were tracked in the order book, and the treasury account book lists the receipts and expenditures for the club. A folder of paper receipts gives greater insight into the types of food and decorations purchased for club activities as well as the planning and preparation behind the activities.

Newsletters (1939-1940) from the National Association of Deans of Women and the Illinois Association of Women's Clubs provide a context from which to view the growth and development of the Women's League. The Illinois Association of Women's Clubs newsletter includes a report of activities at Augustana as well as at other colleges and universities in the state.

The Scrapbook (1944-1958) includes newpaper clippings, event programs, and a copy of the Women's League Constitution. The newsclippings provide a great deal of information about the activities of the league, particularly their annual Women's Week. Contemporary student opinions of the Women's League and its activities also become evident through these articles. The scrapbook pages, originally in a three-ring binder, have been removed and foldered.

Dates

  • Creation: 1917-1958 and undated

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from Augustana College Special Collections and the copyright holder.

Historical Note

The Augustana Woman's Club was founded 20 March 1917 by Florence Anderson, the originator and promoter of the "girls get together idea" (Minutes, 1917-1930, p. 9). Women enrolled in any Augustana College department were eligible to join. The constitution of the club was soon amended to include women faculty members and wives of the faculty. Many of the activities organized by the club were social in nature, while other activities were service-related. Often the group discussed an issue effecting women on campus and came to a consensus before approaching the administration with concerns. The records reflect Augustana women's Red Cross work during World War I and World War II, their growing involvement on campus and in national women's organizations, their interest in physical education, and the effect of the Great Depression on campus activities.

The group's name alternated between the Woman's Club and the Women's Club in the early years, perhaps depending on the secretary at the time. In May 1940 the club was reorganized as the Women's League and served as a coordinating body for all women's activities on campus.

Extent

0.4 Cubic Feet (/ 1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Augustana Woman's Club (later called the Women's League) was founded in 1917. Women enrolled in any Augustana College department were eligible to join. The constitution of the club was soon amended to include women faculty members and wives of the faculty. Many of the activities organized by the club were social in nature while other activities were service-related. Often the group discussed an issue effecting women on campus and came to a consensus before approaching the administration with concerns. The Augustana College Women's League records, 1917-1958 and undated, contains minutes, financial materials, newsletters, and a scrapbook.

Arrangement

Chronological.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Immediate source of acquisition unknown.

Related Materials

MSS 24 Augustana Women records

Processing Information

Processed by Jamie Nelson, 2001. Revised by Emily Hughes Dominick, 2006, and Atticus Garrison, February 2016.

Title
Augustana College Women's League records, 1917-1958 and undated.
Status
Completed
Author
Atticus Garrison
Date
February 2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Augustana College Special Collections Repository

Contact:
639 38th Street
Thomas Tredway Library
Rock Island Illinois 61201 United States