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COLLECTION SUMMARY
Title:
General
Federation of Women’s Clubs of South Dakota records
Dates:
1912-2000
(bulk 1940-1987)
Creator:
General Federation of Women's Clubs of South Dakota
Physical
Description:
7.0 linear feet—8 containers, 1257 photographs
Collection number:
MA
28
Language:
Collection
material in English.
Repository:
South
Dakota State University Archives, Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota
State University, Brookings, S.D.
Abstract:
Collection
is composed of administrative material, District V material, including
GFWC Brookings and Brookings Civic League, and campaign material for the
creation of the South Dakota Memorial Art Center.
ADMINISTRATIVE
INFORMATION
Provenance:
This collection was donated by various donors:
-
Kathy Apland of
the Brookings Civic League, 2000
-
Sally Hillner of
District V, 2000
-
Louise Schley of
District V, 2001
-
Lynne O’Neill of
GFWC of Brookings, 2002
-
South Dakota Art
Museum, transfer, 2002.
Access Restrictions:
This collection is open to research without restriction.
Items in this collection do
not circulate and may be used in-house only.
Copyright Status:
Copyright 2008 by South Dakota State University and SDSU Archives.
Please credit the SDSU Archives if you copy or reproduce material from
this finding aid.
It is the
responsibility of anyone reproducing material to determine the copyright
holders and obtain permission from them if necessary. Archives staff
will provide available copyright information on request. Please note
that most collections, especially those received before 1997, may not
have complete information on file. (Revised 15 SEP 2003)
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item]. General Federation of Women’s Clubs of
South Dakota records, MA 28, South Dakota State University Archives,
South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D.
Processing
Information:
This collection was processed by Crystal J. Gamradt on 5 February
2003 with revisions on July 8, 2008 (cjg).
SELECTED SEARCH TERMS
The following
terms have been used to index the description of this collection
in the subject guide.
They are grouped
by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by
occupation and listed alphabetically therein.
Subjects:
-
General Federation
of Women’s Clubs of South Dakota.
-
General Federation
of Women’s Clubs of South Dakota. District V.
-
General Federation
of Women’s Clubs.
-
South Dakota Art
Museum.
-
South Dakota
Federation of Women’s Clubs.
-
South Dakota
Memorial Art Center.
BACKGROUND NOTE
The General Federation
of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) was founded by Jane Cunningham Croley in 1868
when she began the Sorosis club of New York City. In 1889, she
initiated the founding of the Federation by bringing existing clubs
together to form a national, mutually supportive organization.
It was through the
efforts of Miss Clara D. Coe, founder of the Round Table Club of
Deadwood in 1887, that the Black Hills Federation of Women’s Clubs was
organized in Deadwood in 1897. This organization joined the General
Federation in 1898. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs chose Miss
Coe to serve as a Federation organizer for the State of South Dakota. A
meeting was called to order on December 8, 1899, at Deadwood and Clara
D. Coe was elected chairman of the session. This meeting was adjourned
to January 15, 1890, in the Old Syndicate Block in Deadwood, where the
South Dakota Federation of Women’s Clubs (now known as the General
Federation of Women’s Clubs of South Dakota or GFWC of SD) was
organized. The GFWC of SD joined the national GFWC on March 1, 1890.
The first annual meeting was held June 14-15, 1890, in Aberdeen and Mrs.
Winona Axtell Lyon of the Ladies History Club of Sioux Falls was elected
the first President. Thirteen member clubs were reported.
The purpose of this
organization is to bring into communication the various non-partisan,
non-political and non-sectarian women’s clubs and organizations in the
state of South Dakota, to compare methods of work, to insure unity of
action and to promote the improvement of moral, intellectual and social
conditions. Any women’s club or organization that met these criteria is
eligible to join GFWC of SD. The state of South Dakota is divided into
six Federation Districts.
Conventions are held
annually. This governing body of GFWC of SD consists of the elected
officers, the District Presidents, the Editor of the South Dakota
Clubwoman, the Historian-Custodian, the Director of Junior Clubs and
the Immediate Past President.
The Departments of
Work and Standing Committees are arranged to conform to those of the
GFWC as far as possible. These committees include the arts,
conservation, education, home life, international and public affairs.
SCOPE and CONTENTS
NOTE
This collection is
composed of administrative material, District V material, including GFWC
Brookings and Brookings Civic League, and campaign material for the
creation of the South Dakota Memorial Art Center.
The administrative
material is composed of directories, programs, a constitution and
by-laws and the South Dakota Clubwoman newsletters.
The District V records
consist of minutes, reports, programs, correspondence, clippings, and
photographs. Files for GFWC Brookings and the Brookings Civic League are
included with the sub-group.
The Memorial Art
Center Campaign material is composed of correspondence, minutes,
financial records, agreements, clippings, and architectural renderings
and blueprints.
ARRANGEMENT of the
RECORDS
This collection is
arranged into three series:
SERIES I:
Administration, 1927-1980
This series is
composed directories, programs, a constitution and by-laws and the South
Dakota Clubwoman newsletters. The South Dakota Clubwoman newsletters
make up the bulk of this series. Folders are arranged in alphabetical
order.
Box 1.
-
Constitution and by-laws, 1969
-
Directory, 1971-1975
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1927
March
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1936
September
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1938
September
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1939
September/October
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1947
September-December
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1948
September-December
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1949
March-December
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman,
1949-1950
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1950
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1951
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1952
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1953
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1954
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1955
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1956
January-October
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1957
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1958
January-June
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1959
January-October
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1960
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1961
March-December
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1962
January-April
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1965
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1966
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1967
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1968
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1969
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1970
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1971
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1972
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1973
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1974
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1975
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1976
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1977
June-December
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1978
March-December
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1979
-
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman, 1980
March/April
-
Programs—Convention, 1951-1973
SERIES II:
District V records, 1912-2000
The General Federation
of Women’s Clubs of South Dakota has divided the state into six
Federation Districts. District V includes the counties of Marshall,
Day, Clark, Kingsbury, Roberts, Grant, Codington, Hamlin, Deuel, and
Brookings.
Material in this
series is arranged into sub-series.
General
This sub-series is
composed of minutes, reports, programs, club reports, correspondence,
clippings, and constitutions and by-laws. The club reports are reports
sent to the District V president describing the clubs activities for the
year. These are arranged alphabetically by town with all clubs for a
town filed in one folder. The minutes, reports, and programs are filed
together and consist of minutes from board meeting of GFWC, District V
and deal mainly with preparations for annual meetings and conventions.
The reports are mainly reports from conventions and the programs are
from annual conventions.
Folders are
arranged into alphabetical order.
Box 1.
-
Clippings, 1997, 2000
-
Club reports: Andover, SD—Study Club,
1954-1989
-
Club reports: Big Stone City,
SD—Round Table Club, 1961-1970
-
Club reports: Bradley, SD—Woman's
Club, 1952-1953
-
Club reports: Bristol, SD—Octavo
Study Club, 1952-1989
-
Club reports: Britton, SD—Study Club,
[n.d.]
-
Club reports: Brookings, SD—Civic
League; Community Federated Women, 1962-1992
-
Club reports: Clark, SD—Woman's Club,
1954-1989
-
Club reports: Clear Lake, SD—Women's
Federated Club, 1965-1989
-
Club reports: De Smet, SD—Mother's
Club; Women's Study Club, 1952-1989
-
Club reports: Elkton, SD—Woman's
Club, 1952-1989
-
Club reports: Hecla, SD—Study Club,
1961-1989
-
Club reports: Lake Preston,
SD—Excelsior Club, Senior Civic Improvement Club;
Whitewood Willing Workers, 1952-1989
-
Club reports: Milbank, SD—Centennial;
Excelsior Study Club; Heritage; Makocha Study Club;
Progressive Study Club, 1952-1997
-
Club reports: Pierpont, SD—Junior
Civic League; Woman's Club, 1951-1952, [n.d.]
-
Club reports: Sisseton, SD—Zenith
Club, 1968-1970
-
Club reports: Watertown,
SD—Booklover's Club; Community Club; Dakota Study
Club; Domestic Science Club; Elective Study Club;
Fortnightly Club, 1952-1972
-
Club reports: Waubay, SD—Mother's
Club; Tuesday Literary Club, 1953-1987
-
Constitution and by-laws, 1964-1999
-
Correspondence, 1952-1997
-
District I-VI club listings,
1976-1992
-
GFWC of SD, 1994-1996
-
Membership Plan, 1988
-
Membership workshop, 1991
-
Minutes, reports, programs, 1932-1939
-
Minutes, reports, programs, 1940-1949
-
Minutes, reports, programs, 1950-1959
-
Minutes, reports, programs, 1960-1969
-
Minutes, reports, programs, 1970-1979
-
Minutes, reports, programs, 1980-1999
-
Miscellaneous, 1949-1994
-
National GFWC information, 1990-1992
-
National GFWC information, 1994-1996
GFWC Brookings
GFWC Brookings was
organized on March 24, 1977 as Community Federation Women. Community
Federated Women changed it’s name to GFWC Brookings in 1983 to be more
closely identified with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. The
club was first organized because its four charter members served as
representatives of Brookings County women’s organizations to the City
Federation of Women’s Clubs. GFCW has standing committees for each of
the six GFWC departments and several special committee appointments such
as Public Relations/ Communications, Legislation, Membership, Community
Improvement Program, Awards, University Week for Women, SD Clubwoman,
Historian and Brookings Youth Community Improvement Programs. GFWC
Brookings has been active in many programs including the Brookings Youth
Community Improvement Programs, Walking Challenge, and South Dakota
Public Broadcasting Telethon.
This sub-series is
composed of minutes, scrapbooks, reports, and photographs and slides.
Folders are arranged into alphabetical order.
Box 2.
-
FREE Enterprise Program, 1987-1988
-
FREE Enterprise Program scrapbook,
1988-1990
-
Manual, [n.d.]
-
Minutes, 1977-1990
-
Minutes, 1986-1987
-
Minutes, 1996-1997
-
Miscellaneous, 1979-2000
-
Mother of the Year, 1989
-
NOD Entry, 1987
-
Photographs, slides, 1980-1991
-
Reports, 1977-1998
-
Reports, 1984-1986
-
Reports, 1986-1990
-
Reports, 1988-1990
-
Reports, 1990-1992
-
Scrapbook, 1976
-
Scrapbook, 1980-1982
-
Scrapbook, 1980-1984
-
Scrapbook, 1984-1986
Box 3.
-
Scrapbook, 1986-1987
-
Scrapbook, 1987
-
Scrapbook, 1988
-
Scrapbook, 1988-1989
-
Scrapbook, 1989-1990
-
Scrapbook, 1990-1991
-
Scrapbook, 1992-1994
-
Scrapbook, 1993-1994
-
Scrapbook, 1994-1995
-
Scrapbook, 1996-1997
-
Volunteer Service Bank, 1993
-
Volunteer Service Bank Community
Improvement, 1992-1994
-
Youth Improvement Program, 1989-1990
Box 5.
-
Flag: South Dakota, [n.d.]
-
Trophy: GFWC of South Dakota Leadership Award—GFWC Brookings,
1994-1996
-
Scrapbook, 1979-1980
Brookings Civic League
On April 12, 1912,
forty women of Brookings met to organize a Civic League. Its purpose
was "the consideration and discussion of civic and community problems
with a view toward active participation in uplifting, improving and
beautifying the city of Brookings, and to cooperate as an auxiliary with
the Commercial Club in these matters." This club was organized largely
through the efforts of Dr. A. A. Harris, the president of the Commercial
Club and then Mayor of Brookings. The club went to work right away on
improvement issues in Brookings. Garbage collection was its first
milestone. The group arranged to have refuse cans placed at accessible
locations on Main Street of Brookings by July 1912.
In 1914, the Women's
Suffrage campaign was becoming an issue across the nation. The
Brookings Civic League affiliated itself with the South Dakota
Federation of Women's Clubs in February of that year to help in "the
progress of all things pertaining to the welfare of women."
World War I broke out
in Europe in 1916. By 1917, American men were called upon to serve
their country. The Civic League did their part by organizing the
Brookings Chapter of the American Red Cross. By 1919, many women's
clubs were active in Brookings, each doing its own work with no
cooperation between the groups. The Civic League called these clubs
together and organized a City Federation. All women's organizations in
the city of Brookings were eligible to join the City Federation,
provided they had an organizational constitution.
Over the years, the
Brookings Civic League has worked on many projects. In the 1920's, the
Civic League worked diligently on cleaning up the city of Brookings. An
anti-fly campaign was organized to alleviate the town of its persistent
fly problem and an Annual Clean Up Week was begun in 1922. Some other
projects include park beautification, tree conservation, bicycle safety,
a swimming pool, public health, and a school milk program. The League
sponsored the Farmers Ladies Lounge, a women's rest room that featured
an attendant. It also helped in locating and establishing the South
Dakota Art Museum on the South Dakota State University campus.
In recent years, the
city of Brookings has taken over city improvement issues. Because of
this, the Civic League has become less of a civic action group and more
social in nature. Today, the Brookings Civic League still meets on a
regular basis but with a new focus. Each year, the group sponsors a
Craft & Collectibles Fair and donates the funds to the South Dakota Art
Museum.
This sub-series is
composed mainly of minutes of the Brookings Civic League. The minutes
are dispersed throughout seven ledgers and include meeting minutes,
annual reports, treasurer's reports and some correspondence. Also
included are an account book and two scrapbooks from the 1970's. One of
the scrapbooks is historical in nature and consists of programs from
annual conventions of the General Federation of Women's Clubs of South
Dakota, clippings, and other memorabilia.
Box 4.
-
Account book, 1953-1966
-
Minutes, 1912 April-1924 April
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Minutes, 1924 May-1931 December
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Minutes, 1932 January-1944 April
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Minutes, 1944 May-1964 May
-
Minutes, 1964 September-1977 May
-
Minutes, 1977 September-1987 March
Box 5.
SERIES III: Memorial
Art Center campaign records, 1941-1984
The idea of an art
center for South Dakota originated with the South Dakota Federation of
Women’s Clubs when Mrs. Herbert Kenyon of Yankton was state president
(1947-1949). At the state convention in 1950, a resolution was approved
asking that a suitable building be erected, to be known as the South
Dakota Federation of Women’s Clubs Memorial Art Center.
For fifty years the
Federation had been influential in movements for the cultural
development of this members and the state in which they live. The women
had collected fine reproduction of painting, some originals, and art
objects to be circulated and used for study by clubs. This collection
was kept in Pierre in the home of Mrs. S.C. Polley, who, with several
others, was active in developing the work. The Free Library Commission
took over the storage when the collection became too large and had to be
moved, As interest grew in these art treasures, the need for
establishing a Memorial Art Center became apparent.
In December, 1948, the
Pierre Women’s Club presented a resolution to the official board asking
that the Federation sponsor the erection of a building, as “a memorial
to the determined women who pioneered the women’s club movement in the
state.” The resolution to establish such a memorial passed at the
convention in Rapid City in October 1950, and a fund for the purpose was
started.
To select a location,
cities and institutions were asked to extend an invitation to the
Federation. Five cities responded: Pierre, Huron, Spearfish,
Vermillion, and Brookings. It was announced in April, 1955, that
Brookings had been chosen as the site. The Regents of Education for
South Dakota approved the placing of the Memorial Art Center on the
State College campus on June 23, 1955. A fundraising campaign was
launched and was successful in raising nearly $350,000. A federal grant
of $166,666 was also obtained with the Federation contribution nearly
$55,000.
Construction began in
1969 on the South Dakota State University campus and the building was
dedicated in May 1970.
This series is
composed of correspondence, minutes, financial records, agreements,
clippings, and architectural renderings and blueprints. Folders are
arranged in alphabetical order.
Box 6.
-
Architectural rendering, [n.d.]
-
Articles of agreement, 1956-1965
-
Blueprints, 1968
-
Campaign plan for fund raising, 1958-1959
-
Clippings, 1955-1972
-
Contract with Wells, Inc., 1957-1959
-
Correspondence, 1941
-
Correspondence, 1950
-
Correspondence, 1951
-
Correspondence, 1952
-
Correspondence, 1953
-
Correspondence, 1954
-
Correspondence, 1955
-
Correspondence, 1956
-
Correspondence, 1957
-
Correspondence, 1958
-
Correspondence, 1959
-
Correspondence, 1960
-
Correspondence, 1961
-
Correspondence, 1962
-
Correspondence, 1963
-
Correspondence, 1964
-
Correspondence, 1965
-
Correspondence, 1966
-
Correspondence, 1967
-
Correspondence, 1968
-
Correspondence, 1969
-
Correspondence, 1970
-
Correspondence, 1971
-
Correspondence, 1972
-
Correspondence, 1973
-
Correspondence, 1974
-
Correspondence, 1975
-
Correspondence, 1976
-
Dedication, 1970
-
Financial—Club pledges/interest record,
1949-1968
-
Financial—Club pledges, 1950-1970
Box 7.
-
Financial—Deposit slips, 1960-1976
-
Financial—Funds: General, Memorial Arts,
1945-1958
-
Financial—Memorial Arts Center Fund,
1949-1959
-
Financial—Miscellaneous, 1966
-
Financial—Pledge book, 1956-1958
-
Financial—Pledges, 1955-1973
-
Financial—Receipt book, 1962-1965
-
Financial—Secretary report, 1954-1965
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Financial—Savings book, 1958-1984
-
Financial—Statement, 1956-1968
-
Grant application, 1966-1968
-
History of Memorial Art Center movement,
1955-1978
-
Legislation, 1954-1975
-
Memorials, 1973-1978
-
Minutes, 1950-1959
-
Minutes, 1960-1969
-
Newsletter: South Dakota Memorial Art Center
News, 1959-1971
-
Pamphlets, 1956-1973
-
Proposed location, objects of art, etc.,
1952-1966
-
Publicity, 1959-1969
-
Reports, 1949-1961
-
Research: Other museums, etc., 1958-1967
-
South Dakota Memorial Art Center Guild
by-laws, 1970-1971
-
Walter B. Cheever thesis: A memorial art
center for South Dakota State College (2 copies), 1961
-
Writings, [n.d.]
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