MS – 245 Harrison Township Women’s Republican Club Records

Introduction

The records of the Harrison Township Women’s Republican Club were accessioned into the Wright State University Department of Archives and Special Collections in Spring 1992. Lucille Dedrick served as liaison between the University and the Club in this transaction. The records were donated by the Club’s officers, headed by Mrs. James (Joan) Meyer, President.

The records in this collection date from 1944 to 1992 and fill three Hollinger boxes. The collection is arranged into three series, as follows:

Series 1: Administrative Records

Series 2: Activities, Promotional Material, and Correspondence

Series 3: Membership Information

There are no restrictions on the use of this material.

Biographical Sketch

The Harrison Township Women’s Republican Club was organized February 22, 1944, with 30 charter members. Katherine Kennedy Brown (see MS-146) spoke at the group’s first meeting. The Club is part of the Ohio Federation of Republican Women and the National Federation of Republican Woman. The Club holds regular monthly meetings of the entire membership. The Executive Board (the Club’s officers) appoints standing committees and their chairmen.

The Club seeks to educate its membership and the public on governmental organization and issues facing the electorate. Programs at regular meetings dealt with such issues as legislative redistricting, economic development, and international concerns. The Club presents the Republican Party’s stand on public affairs and supports Republican candidates in elections.

The Club occasionally recruited poll workers to serve on election day. It organized annual card parties to raise money; some of the early card parties were county-wide affairs. The Club held annual Christmas luncheons and has sent representatives to state and national conventions of Republican women.

The Harrison Township Women’s Republican Club organized Dayton’s 35th Annual McKinley Day Dinner, held January 31, 1949. It arranged the Northern Montgomery County Republican Rally, which took place on October 28, 1968.

Scope and Content

The records within the Harrison Township Women’s Republican Club collection fall into three series: (1) Administrative Records; (2) Activities, Promotional Material, and Correspondence; and (3) Membership Information.

Series 1 contains the Minute Records of the Club from its founding in February 1944 to 1956 and from 1966 to 1975. Some of these Minute Records included Executive Committee meeting minutes and reports of various officers and committees. These are specified in the Box and Folder Listing. Series 1 also contains financial records for 1956-1966 and 1974-1988, and Executive Board minutes for the years 1966-1971. Presidents’ Files for 1966-1969, 1976, 1983-1984, and 1987-1991 are also included. They contain notes on Presidents’ Council meetings, business meeting agendas, miscellaneous correspondence, and other materials. The Club By-Laws completes this Series.

Series 2 contains information of the Club’s card parties for the years 1982-1986; Christmas party reservation lists for 1981-1983, 1985-1986, and 1989; materials relating to the Northern Montgomery County Republican Rally of October 1968; a partial list of Club presidents; miscellaneous correspondence; forms and promotional materials; and information of local interest, such as material received from local governmental units or the County Republican Party.

Series 3 includes Membership Information. Also contained in this Series are Membership Lists for 1969-1973, 1975-1979, 1980-1983, 1985, 1990, and 1992. Registration cards for memberships not renewed in 1973-1975, 1977, 1981, and 1983 are included. The Series also contains registration cards for 1984 active members; associate members; honorary members; and membership cards for the National Federation of Republican Women.

Most of the records in this collection are in good condition, although Minute Records for 1955 and 1956 have some water damage and portions of them are difficult to read.

The collection could be of value to those who wish to study Montgomery County political activity, particularly the role of women in politics. Katherine Kennedy Brown (see MS-146) was an honorary member of the Harrison Township Women’s Republican Club, so cross-referencing these materials with her papers can provide additional information relating to either collection.

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