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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
administration records, District V records, including GFWC Brookings and
Brookings Civic League, and campaign material for the creation of the
South Dakota Memorial Art Center.
Administration records
The Administration 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.
District V records
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, GFWC Brookings, and Brookings
Civic League.
The General 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.
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.
The
Brookings Civic League was organized on
April 12, 1912, when 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.
Memorial
Art Center campaign records
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.
ARRANGEMENT of the RECORDS
This collection is
arranged into three series: Administration records, District V records,
and Memorial Art Center campaign records.
Folders are
arranged in alphabetical order within each series.
SERIES 1: Administration records
Box 1.
|
Folder |
Description |
Dates |
|
1 |
Constitution and by-laws |
1969 |
|
2 |
Directory |
1971-1975 |
|
3 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1927
March |
|
4 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1936
September |
|
5 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1938
September |
|
6 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1939
September/October |
|
7 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1947
September-December |
|
8 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1948
September-December |
|
9 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1949
March-December |
|
10 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1949-1950 |
|
11 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1950 |
|
12 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1951 |
|
13 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1952 |
|
14 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1953 |
|
15 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1954 |
|
16 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1955 |
|
17 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1956
January-October |
|
18 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1957 |
|
19 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1958
January-June |
|
20 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1959
January-October |
|
21 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1960 |
|
22 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1961
March-December |
|
23 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1962
January-April |
|
24 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1965 |
|
25 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1966 |
|
26 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1967 |
|
27 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1968 |
|
28 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1969 |
|
29 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1970 |
|
30 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1971 |
|
31 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1972 |
|
32 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1973 |
|
33 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1974 |
|
34 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1975 |
|
35 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1976 |
|
36 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1977
June-December |
|
37 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1978
March-December |
|
38 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1979 |
|
39 |
Newsletter: The South Dakota Clubwoman |
1980
March/April |
|
40 |
Programs - Convention |
1951-1973 |
SERIES 2: District V records
General
Box 1.
|
Folder |
Description |
Dates |
|
41 |
Clippings |
1997, 2000 |
|
42 |
Club
reports: Andover, SD - Study Club |
1954-1989 |
|
43 |
Club
reports: Big Stone City, SD - Round Table Club |
1961-1970 |
|
44 |
Club
reports: Bradley, SD - Woman's Club |
1952-1953 |
|
45 |
Club
reports: Bristol, SD - Octavo Study Club |
1952-1989 |
|
46 |
Club
reports: Britton, SD - Study Club |
[n.d.] |
|
47 |
Club
reports: Brookings, SD - Civic League, Community Federated Women |
1962-1992 |
|
48 |
Club
reports: Clark, SD - Woman's Club |
1954-1989 |
|
49 |
Club
reports: Clear Lake, SD - Women's Federated Club |
1965-1989 |
|
50 |
Club
reports: De Smet, SD - Mothers Club; Women's Study Club |
1952-1989 |
|
51 |
Club
reports: Elkton, SD - Women's club |
1952-1989 |
|
52 |
Club
reports: Hecla, SD - Study Club |
1961-1989 |
|
53 |
Club
reports: Lake Preston, SD - Excelsior Club; Senior Civic
Improvement Club; Whitewood Willing Workers |
1952-1989 |
|
54 |
Club
reports: Milbank, SD - Centennial; Excelsior Study Club;
Heritage, Makocha Study Club; Progressive Study Club |
1952-1997 |
|
55 |
Club
reports: Pierpont, SD - Junior Civic League; Woman's Club |
1951-1952, [n.d.] |
|
56 |
Club
reports: Sisseton, SD - Zenith Club |
1968-1970 |
|
57 |
Club
reports: Watertown, SD - Booklover's Club; Community Club;
Dakota Study Club; Domestic Science Club; Elective Study Club;
Fortnightly Club |
1952-1972 |
|
58 |
Club
reports: Waubay, SD - Mother's Club; Tuesday Literary Club |
1953-1987 |
|
59 |
Constitution and by-laws |
1964-1999 |
|
60 |
Correspondence |
1952-1997 |
|
61 |
District I-VI club listings |
1976-1992 |
|
62 |
GFWC
of SD |
1994-1996 |
|
63 |
Membership plan |
1988 |
|
64 |
Membership workshop |
1991 |
|
65 |
Minutes, reports, programs |
1932-1939 |
|
66 |
Minutes, reports, programs |
1940-1949 |
|
67 |
Minutes, reports, programs |
1950-1959 |
|
68 |
Minutes, reports, programs |
1960-1969 |
|
69 |
Minutes, reports, programs |
1970-1979 |
|
70 |
Minutes, reports, programs |
1980-1989 |
|
71 |
Miscellaneous |
1949-1994 |
|
72 |
National GFWC information |
1990-1992 |
|
73 |
National GFWC information |
1994-1996 |
Brookings Civic League
Box 4.
|
Folder |
Description |
Dates |
|
1 |
Account book |
1953-1966 |
|
2 |
Minutes |
1912
April-1924 April |
|
3 |
Minutes |
1924
May-1931 December |
|
4 |
Minutes |
1932
January-1944 April |
|
5 |
Minutes |
1944
May-1964 May |
|
6 |
Minutes |
1964
September-1977 May |
|
7 |
Minutes |
1977
September-1987 March |
Box 5.
|
Description |
Dates |
|
Scrapbook |
1974 |
GFWC Brookings
Box 2.
|
Folder |
Description |
Dates |
|
1 |
FREE
Enterprise Program |
1987-1988 |
|
2 |
FREE
Enterprise Program scrapbook |
1988-1990 |
|
3 |
Manual |
[n.d.] |
|
4 |
Minutes |
1977-1990 |
|
5 |
Minutes |
1986-1987 |
|
6 |
Minutes |
1996-1997 |
|
7 |
Miscellaneous |
1979-2000 |
|
8 |
Mother of the Year |
1989 |
|
9 |
NOD
Entry |
1987 |
|
10 |
Photographs, slides |
1980-1981 |
|
11 |
Reports |
1977-1998 |
|
12 |
Reports |
1984-1986 |
|
13 |
Reports |
1986-1990 |
|
14 |
Reports |
1988-1990 |
|
15 |
Reports |
1990-1992 |
|
16 |
Scrapbook |
1976 |
|
17 |
Scrapbook |
1980-1982 |
|
18 |
Scrapbook |
1980-1984 |
|
19 |
Scrapbook |
1984-1986 |
Box 3.
|
Folder |
Description |
Dates |
|
1 |
Scrapbook |
1986-1987 |
|
2 |
Scrapbook |
1987 |
|
3 |
Scrapbook |
1988 |
|
4 |
Scrapbook |
1988-1989 |
|
5 |
Scrapbook |
1989-1990 |
|
6 |
Scrapbook |
1990-1991 |
|
7 |
Scrapbook |
1992-1994 |
|
8 |
Scrapbook |
1993-1994 |
|
9 |
Scrapbook |
1994-1995 |
|
10 |
Scrapbook |
1996-1997 |
|
11 |
Volunteer Service Bank |
1993 |
|
12 |
Volunteer Service Bank Community Improvement |
1992-1994 |
|
13 |
Youth Improvement Program |
1989-1990 |
Box 5.
|
Description |
Dates |
|
Flag: South Dakota |
[n.d.] |
|
Scrapbook |
1979-1980 |
|
Trophy: GFWC of South Dakota Leadership Award - GFWC Brookings |
1994-1996 |
SERIES 3: Memorial Art Center campaign records
Box 6.
|
Folder |
Description |
Dates |
|
1 |
Architectural rendering |
[n.d.] |
|
2 |
Articles of agreement |
1956-1965 |
|
3 |
Blueprints |
1968 |
|
4 |
Campaign plan for fund raising |
1958-1959 |
|
5 |
clippings |
1955-1972 |
|
6 |
Contract with Wells, Inc. |
1957-1959 |
|
7 |
Correspondence |
1941 |
|
8 |
Correspondence |
1950 |
|
9 |
Correspondence |
1951 |
|
10 |
Correspondence |
1952 |
|
11 |
Correspondence |
1953 |
|
12 |
Correspondence |
1954 |
|
13 |
Correspondence |
1955 |
|
14 |
Correspondence |
1956 |
|
15 |
Correspondence |
1957 |
|
16 |
Correspondence |
1958 |
|
17 |
Correspondence |
1959 |
|
18 |
Correspondence |
1960 |
|
19 |
Correspondence |
1961 |
|
20 |
Correspondence |
1962 |
|
21 |
Correspondence |
1963 |
|
22 |
Correspondence |
1964 |
|
23 |
Correspondence |
1965 |
|
24 |
Correspondence |
1966 |
|
25 |
Correspondence |
1967 |
|
26 |
Correspondence |
1968 |
|
27 |
Correspondence |
1969 |
|
28 |
Correspondence |
1970 |
|
29 |
Correspondence |
1971 |
|
30 |
Correspondence |
1972 |
|
31 |
Correspondence |
1973 |
|
32 |
Correspondence |
1974 |
|
33 |
Correspondence |
1975 |
|
34 |
Correspondence |
1976 |
|
35 |
Dedication |
1970 |
|
36 |
Financial - Club pledges/interest record |
1949-1968 |
|
37 |
Financial - Club pledges |
1950-1970 |
Box 7.
|
Folder |
Description |
Dates |
|
1 |
Financial - Deposit slips |
1960-1976 |
|
2 |
Financial - Funds: General, Memorial Arts |
1945-1958 |
|
3 |
Financial - Memorial Arts Center Fund |
1949-1959 |
|
4 |
Financial - Miscellaneous |
1966 |
|
5 |
Financial - Pledge book |
1956-1958 |
|
6 |
Financial - Pledges |
1955-1973 |
|
7 |
Financial - Receipt book |
1962-1965 |
|
8 |
Financial - Secretary report |
1954-1965 |
|
9 |
Financial - Savings book |
1958-1984 |
|
10 |
Financial - Statement |
1956-1968 |
|
11 |
Grant application |
1966-1968 |
|
12 |
History of Memorial Art Center movement |
1955-1978 |
|
13 |
Legislation |
1954-1975 |
|
14 |
Memorials |
1973-1978 |
|
15 |
Minutes |
1950-1959 |
|
16 |
Minutes |
1960-1969 |
|
17 |
Newsletter - South Dakota Memorial Art Center News |
1959-1971 |
|
18 |
Pamphlets |
1956-1973 |
|
19 |
Proposed location, objects of art, etc. |
1952-1966 |
|
20 |
Publicity |
1959-1969 |
|
21 |
Reports |
1949-1961 |
|
22 |
Research - Other museums, etc. |
1958-1967 |
|
23 |
South Dakota Memorial Art Center Guild by-laws |
1970-1971 |
|
24 |
Walter B. Cheever thesis: "A memorial art center for South
Dakota State College" (2 copies) |
1961 |
|
25 |
Writings |
[n.d.] |
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