College Women's Club of Dayton Records
Scope and Content
The College Women’s Club of Dayton collection is composed mostly of organizational records documenting the formation and life of the Club dating from 1907 to the present. In addition to administrative records, there are several scrapbooks filled with pictures, newspaper articles, and other memorabilia.
Series I, Administrative and Organizational Management, consists of administrative and organizational records. Included in this series are club histories, meeting agendas and minutes, constitutional information, annual reports, and officer duties. Records encompass the years 1936 to 2016. The minutes for 1965-1966 are missing because they were lost in transit somewhere.
Series II, Financial Records, consists of financial records. Included in this series are treasurer’s reports, financial ledgers, tax information, and documentation of scholarship contributions. Records encompass the years 1907 to 2016.
Series III, Membership Activities, consists of various membership activity records. Included in this series are reports of the corresponding secretary, membership rosters, and committee reports. Span dates are 1915 to 2018.
Series IV, Study Groups, consists of records of small internal organizations called Study Groups. Each of these groups focused on a particular topic such as travel, theater, or interior decorating. Included in this series is documentation of each group’s organization and rules of governance as well as meeting minutes and other information pertaining to group activities. Also included are notes and programs from the club’s luncheons. Records encompass the years 1951 to 2016.
Series V, Publicity and Correspondence, consists of publicity for upcoming club events. In this series are newsletters, yearly programs, documentation of club events, correspondence, and information contained in press releases. Records encompass the years 1944 to 2016.
Series VI, Photographs, consists of two boxes of photographs depicting the June luncheon and special events from 1996 to 2012.
Series VII, Scrapbooks, consists of several scrapbooks which contain photographs, newspaper clippings, awards and other Club memorabilia. Materials in this series date from 1940 to 2006.
Series VIII, President Notebooks, consists of the President Notebooks. These notebooks are kept by the President for that year. Since the President changes each year the material kept in these notebooks will vary. Materials in this series date from 2008 to 2010.
Dates
- Creation: 1907-2018
Creator
- College Women's Club of Dayton (Organization)
Restrictions on Access
There are no restrictions on accessing materials in this collection.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
History of College Women's Club of Dayton Records
In 1950, the College Women's Club of Dayton prepared the history of their organization stating, "In 1906, a young woman who had graduated from college before coming to Dayton provided the inspiration needed to form the club. On a routine visit to the office of Dr. Gertrude Felker and Dr. Eleanora Everhard, she confided that she felt isolated and lonely. While few women of that day attended college, there was here a small group of Ohio State University graduates who met occasionally. At one of their gatherings the plight of this young woman was the topic of conversation. By March of 1907, primarily as a result of the efforts of Dr. Felker and Dr. Everhard, work was well underway to bring college educated women together for fellowship and further intellectual development. In April of that year, eighteen charter members adopted a constitution and elected Dr. Felker the first president." Thirty-eight women attended the first meeting of the College Women's Club of Dayton, including Katharine Wright, a graduate of Oberlin College and the sister of Dayton aviators, Wilbur and Orville Wright. Katharine would later serve as the club president in 1910.
The College Women's Club of Dayton was one of the four founding members of the Dayton Federation of Women. Members, encouraged to serve their community, distinguished themselves in the mid-1920s as the sponsors of a settlement house in the West Dayton Hungarian neighborhood, donated a surgical dressing unit during World War I, and made financial contributions to several local welfare causes, in addition to their on-going goal to foster an interest in higher education through a scholarship fund. Original members organized themselves into interest groups, called Study Groups, to promote more intimate friendships and to provide programs of specialized interest. Their topics covered the arts, drama, cooking, gardening, music, education, travel, government, and war prevention. Several of these groups continue today, adjusting their focus to meet the needs of their membership, including such topics as financial planning.
The CWC continues to meet monthly during the fall, winter, and spring months for the purpose of uniting "alumnae of institutions of higher learning, and to foster an interest in higher education." The club continues to promote higher education, offers continuing education through their study group experiences and activities, and encourages service to the community.
Extent
16.5 linear feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Established in 1907, the College Women's Club of Dayton (CWC) continues to meet monthly during the fall, winter, and spring months for the purpose of uniting "alumnae of institutions of higher learning, and to foster an interest in higher education." The club continues to promote higher education, offer continuing education through study groups, and encourage service to the community. The collection contains financial, administrative, and membership records.
Statement of Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 8 series:
- Series I: Administrative and Organizational Management, 1936-2016
- Series II: Financial Records, 1907-2016
- Series III: Membership Activities, 1915-2018
- Series IV: Study Groups, 1951-2016
- Series V: Publicity and Correspondence, 1944-2016
- Series VI: Photographs, 1996-2012
- Series VII: Scrapbooks, 1940-2006
- Series VIII: President Notebooks, 2008-2010
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated by long-time member Mary Jane Pesa to Wright State Special Collections and Archives in April 2002. Since then, the College Women's Club has added both new and historical materials to MS-315.
Accruals
Additions are received regularly.
Subject
- Dayton Federation of Women's Clubs (Organization)
- College Women's Club of Dayton -- Archives (Organization)
donor
- College Women's Club of Dayton (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the College Women's Club of Dayton Records (MS-315)
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Jessie Robinson and Mary Kay Mabe, 2003
- Date
- 2015
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2004: Additions processed by Timothy Binkley
- 2005: Additions processed by Sherri Derringer and Garret B. Kremer-Wright
- 2007: Additions processed by Rachel DeHart
- 2008: Additions processed by Sara Boteler
- 2009: Additions processed by Sara Boteler
- 2011: Additions processed by Patricia A. McEldowney
- 2012: Additions were added to the collection and the finding aid was re-formatted by Victoria Penno.
- 2021 July: Additions processed by Lisa Rickey, July 2021.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
Wright State University Libraries
Special Collections and Archives
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy
Dayton OH 45435-0001 USA
937-775-2092
library-archives@wright.edu
