MS-315 College Women's Club of Dayton, Ohio

Introduction

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, offers continuing education through their study group experiences activities encourages service to the community.   This collection was donated by long-time member Mary Jane Pesa to Wright State Special Collections and Archive in April 2002.  Since then, the College Women’s Club has added both new and historical materials to MS-315.  The collection occupies 11 linear feet of shelf space.

Series I – Administrative and Organizational Management

Series II – Financial Records

Series III – Membership Activities

Series IV – Study Groups

Series V – Publicity and Correspondence

Series VI - Scrapbooks

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Organizational Sketch

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, 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.

Scope and Content Note

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 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 1907 to 2004.

Series II 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 2005.

Series III consists of various membership activity records.  Included in this series are reports of the corresponding secretary, membership rosters, and committee reports.  Of major importance are the luncheon reports found in Box 13. The luncheons are the culmination of the year's activities for the club. Span dates are 1915 to 2005.

Series IV 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.  Records encompass the years 1959 to 2006.

Series V 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 are from 1944 to 2004.

Series VI consists of several scrapbooks which contain photographs, newspaper clippings, awards and other Club memorabilia.  The first scrapbook contains newspaper clippings beginning in 1940. The last scrapbook is labeled for the year 2000-2001.

 Note to researchers: The College Women’s Club of Dayton conducted their business meetings following the format of a school calendar, beginning their year in October and ending in June.  The end of their program year was in June, culminating with their annual June luncheon.  The consistency of the club record keeping varied, not always following the October to June format.  At one point, the club began to have overlapping executive board meetings, especially during periods of transition from one leadership committee to the one elected for the following year.  It is advisable to check both years of club minutes.  Collection processors decided to retain the monthly agendas.  At one point, club presidents began to script their leadership comment.  This gives interesting insight into the social nature of this organization.

Box and File Listing