Title: League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay Records
Inclusive Dates: 1929-1995

Creator:

• League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay (Wis.)

Call Number: Green Bay Mss 101; Disc 179A

Quantity: 4.6 c.f. (7 archives boxes and 2 record center cartons) and 3 disc recordings

Repository:

Housed at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Green Bay Cofrin Library / Green Bay Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Records of a Green Bay area civic group primarily for women, involved in studying local community and political issues, influencing political decision-making, and encouraging voter participation. Included are general records such as minutes of board of directors meetings, monthly bulletins, by-laws and revisions, convention programs and minutes, correspondence, treasurer's reports, budgets, finance drive materials, the LWV fiftieth anniversary booklet and chapter history, membership handbooks and directories, reports to the state and national LWV, publications, and scrapbooks of newsclippings. Local study issues illustrate societal and political concerns of the Green Bay League, and include correspondence, notes, state and national position papers, clippings, reports, and other research material on the following topics: air pollution, Brown County library service, city-county budgets, county assessor, education, environmental quality issues, the Equal Rights Amendment, fair housing, foreign trade, hunger, I-43 and I-57 highways, juveniles, land use, local government, mass transit, public health, Brown County Sheriff's Department, reapportionment, school board election process, school budgets, solid waste, water quality, and welfare. The disc recordings are a 1950 radio program on the League, broadcast on WBAY, Green Bay, and a national LWV program “Congressional Strings on the Public Purse.”

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-gb0101

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The Green Bay League of Women Voters (LWV) officially was organized in 1932 after three years of activity by local members-at-large of the Wisconsin LWV. As a chapter of the Wisconsin LWV and affiliate of the national LWV, the Green Bay League was organized to promote voter awareness and participation in government, particularly among newly- enfranchised women voters. Over the years, the League as a whole has become active in lobbying and persuasion on the local, state, and national levels. Each chapter chooses from among a number of study topics suggested by the national and state organizations; each chapter studies these “continuing responsibilities,” reaches a group consensus on the topic, and then takes “action” in the form of writing letters and testifying at legislative hearings, at the time designated by national and state leadership. Many of the study topics involve broad local welfare categories: education and school systems; public health; natural resource conservation; voter education and registration; equal rights; and local, county, and state government.

During its early years, Green Bay League members mainly studied city, town, and county government, and social and child welfare. Members took part in 1930's campaigns to get out the vote and in lobbying city politicians after the Green Bay City Council passed a resolution in 1939 barring married women from city employment. Beginning in 1943, the League studied the conditions of the county jails where juveniles were confined, and the feasibility of establishing a county-wide detention home. In 1947 their efforts finally were successful. During the early 1950's, the League worked to reorganize the Brown County Sheriff's Department and to employ the sheriff on a salary basis rather than an outmoded fee basis. Once again, the LWV studied the issue, presented facts and proposals for change to the County Board, and ultimately persuaded a majority of the Board to take the League position. Over the years, other issues studied and promoted by Green Bay League members included air pollution, drinking water fluoridation, reapportionment, establishment of a county executive office, health services, a county library, juvenile delinquency, education, hunger in Brown County, public transportation, foreign trade, the Equal Rights Amendment, environmental issues, and voter education.

The Green Bay League produced a national leader in member Ruth Clusen. Mrs. Clusen joined the Green Bay League in 1952, and almost immediately was chosen to serve on the board of directors. Until 1978 she served continuously as a local, state, or national board member. Mrs. Clusen was president of the Green Bay LWV from 1957-1959; state LWV president, 1962-1966; national director and Environmental Quality Chair, 1966; national vice-president, 1972; national Public Relations chair, 1973; and national president, 1975.

In October 1937, the Green Bay League hosted its first state LWV convention at the Hotel Northland, followed by other conventions in 1944, 1948, 1968, and 1977. In 1965 the Green Bay and De Pere Leagues merged. Over the years, the group has had several name changes including:

• Green Bay League of Women Voters, 1929-1945
• League of Women Voters of Brown County, 1946-1951
• League of Women Voters of Green Bay-Brown County, 1951-1957
• League of Women Voters of Green Bay and League of Women Voters of De Pere, 1957-1965
• Green Bay-De Pere Area League of Women Voters, 1965-1970
• League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay, 1970-

In 1979 the Green Bay League celebrated its 50th anniversary. For the occasion, the league researched and published a historical booklet, under the guidance of member Marion Gould.

The records have been arranged into two series: General Records and Local Study Issues. Most date from the 1940's, although there are some correspondence and clippings from earlier years. There are a few gaps in the records from the 1950's.

General Records illustrate the organizational structure and activities of the Green Bay League through minutes and agenda of regular and special board of directors' meetings; monthly bulletins to members; a few issues and copies of Forward, the state LWV bulletin, in which Green Bay LWV activities and members are mentioned, apparently gathered for use in writing the Green Bay history; by-laws; minutes and reports of annual county conventions and meetings; and records of the 1948 and 1977 state conventions held in Green Bay. The correspondence and clippings file primarily consists of clippings of local League activities, with a few letters. This file, which appears to have been kept by the Green Bay president, is by no means a comprehensive record of League work. A small file of similar materials is present for the De Pere League. Financial records are also sparse; consisting only of form letters, clippings, and other papers used in conducting finance drives. To celebrate its 50th anniversary in 1979, the Green Bay League formed a history committee to research and write a booklet. There are a few committee minutes and papers in the collection, together with the completed booklet and several drafts, notes, and reference materials gathered by committee chair Marion Gould.

Other general League records include annual membership booklets, with lists of officers, dating from 1941 to 1972, with many gaps; a statement of the League's non-partisanship policy; lists of officers, chairmen, and board members; Green Bay LWV publications; detailed annual reports to the state and national LWV; monthly reports to the state LWV, dating from 1937, with many gaps; scripts for two skits; and radio scripts for public service messages. Nine scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings on general Green Bay League activities, 1946-1969; and on LWV work concerning air pollution, county government, and redistricting. The disc recordings include “League of Women Voters,” broadcast on radio station WBAY, Green Bay, October 14, 1950 (2 discs, 78 rpm); and “Congressional Strings on the Public Purse,” presented by the League of Women Voters of the United States, with Mr. John G. Lee, Dr. George Galloway, and Miss Susan Burr (1 disc, 33 1/3 rpm).

Among the Green Bay Local Study Issues were many suggested or authorized by the state and national organizations, as well as several of particularly local interest. However, the issues studied most recently by the Green Bay League reflect increasing concern with state and national topics. The files generally contain near-print “study materials” sent out by the state and national LWV to direct the activity of the local League; local studies, reports, and clippings collected by local members; letters and LWV policy statements used to inform and persuade local and state legislators; and occasionally, reports of the results of League lobbying. Local study issues included: air pollution, city-county budgets, county government, county public and mental health, establishment of a countywide assessor position, education and unified school districts, the Electoral College, environmental quality, the Equal Rights Amendment, fair housing, foreign trade, hunger, construction of the I-43 and I-57 highways, juveniles and social services, land use, Brown County library service, mass transit, metropolitan government, “proposals for the reorganization of the Brown County Sheriff Department,” reapportionment, the school board election process, the school budget, solid waste management, voters service, water pollution and water quality, and welfare in Brown County.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay, Green Bay, Wisconsin, 1981, 1987, and 1997. Accession Number: M81-606, M87-418, and M97-259

Processing Information

Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt, 1986 and Donna Sereda, 1997.

	Series: General Records
	Board of Directors Minutes and Agenda
Box   1 Folder   1-4	1951 July-1954 December; 1963 April-1978 April
Box   9 Folder   1	1978 April-1979 November
Box   9 Folder   2	1980 January -1981 September
Box   9 Folder   3	1983-1984
Box   9 Folder   4	1985-1986
Box   9 Folder   5	1987-1988 June
Box   9 Folder   6	1989 April-1990 December
Box   9 Folder   7	1991-1992
Box   9 Folder   8	1993 January-1995 March
	Bulletins
Box   1 Folder   5-8	1948-1957, October 1963-1973
Box   2 Folder   1-2	1974-1979
Box   9 Folder   9	1980 January-1983 March
Box   9 Folder   10	1983 April-1985 November
Box   9 Folder   11	1986-1989
Box   9 Folder   12	1990-1995 (incomplete)
Box   2 Folder   3	Forward (State LWV Bulletin), 1929-1953, 1962
Box   2 Folder   4	By-laws
Box   9 Folder   13	By-laws, continued
	Conventions and Meetings
	Annual County Conventions and Meetings
Box   2 Folder   5	Minutes, 1964-1972, 1975
Box   9 Folder   14	1966-1969
Box   9 Folder   15	Annual meetings, 1973-1974, 1976-1985
Box   9 Folder   16	Annual meetings, 1986-1995
Box   2 Folder   6-7	Reports, 1948-1949, 1951-1954, 1956, 1959-1980
	State Conventions Held in Green Bay
Box   2 Folder   8	Program, Minutes, May 18-19, 1948
Box   2 Folder   9	Convention Kit, Correspondence, Clipping, Registration Statistics, May 13-14, 1977
Box   9 Folder   17	Program, 1987
	Correspondence and Clipping File
Box   2 Folder   10	1929 June-1946
Box   3 Folder   1-5	1947-1981
Box   9 Folder   18	1987-1993
Box   3 Folder   6	De Pere League Chronology and Clippings, 1957-1965
Box   9 Folder   19	Everymember Handbook, undated
	Financial Records
Box   3 Folder   7	Finance Drives-Form Letters, Clippings, Programs, 1948-1978
Box   9 Folder   20	Budgets and finance drives, 1992-1995
Box   9 Folder   21	Ledger, 1982-1993
Box   9 Folder   22	Treasurer's reports, 1984-1988
	History
Box   7 Folder   1	“See What We've Done!” , 1970
Box   7 Folder   2	Fiftieth Anniversary Booklet, 1979; Other papers, Clippings
Box   7 Folder   3	Early Draft of Anniversary Booklet
Box   7 Folder   4	Second Draft of Anniversary Booklet
Box   7 Folder   5	Third Draft of Anniversary Booklet
Box   7 Folder   6	Final Draft of Anniversary Booklet
Box   7 Folder   7	Materials Gathered for History, 1979-1980, 1983
Box   7 Folder   8	Notes for Chapter History
Box   7 Folder   9	History Committee Minutes and Papers, 1979-1980
	Annual Membership Books
Box   3 Folder   8	1941-1943, 1946-1947, 1948-1953, 1955-1961, 1963-1965, 1968-1972
Box   4 Folder   1	1966-1967, 1972-1981
Box   9 Folder   23	Membership directory, 1981-1995
Box   4 Folder   2	Non-Partisanship Policy Statement, 1973
	Officers, Chairmen, and Board Members Lists (early years)
Box   4 Folder   3	Pre-1981
Box   9 Folder   24	1979-1980, 1985-1989, 1993-1995
Box   4 Folder   4	LWV Publications on Brown County, Green Bay, De Pere, and Allouez
Box   9 Folder   25	Publication: “Metropolitan Green Bay,” 1967
	Reports
Box   4 Folder   5	Annual Reports to State and National, 1965-1976
Box   4 Folder   6	Monthly Reports to State, November 1937-March 1948, 1953-1955
	Radio
Box   4 Folder   7	Scripts, 1947-1953
Disc 179A No   1-2	“League of Women Voters,” Radio Station WBAY, Green Bay, October 14, 1950 (78 rpm)
No   3	“Congressional Strings on the Public Purse,” presented by the LWV of the United States, Mrs. John G. Lee, Dr. George Galloway, Miss Susan Burr (33 1/3 rpm)
Green Bay Mss 101	Scrapbooks
	General
Box   8	1946-1949
Box   8	Scrapbook Kept by Mildred Smith, 1948
Box   8	1949-1955
Box   8	1960-1962
Box   8	1966-1969
	Air Pollution
Box   8	1945-1957
Box   8	1960-1961
Box   8	County Government, 1959-1960
Box   8	Redistricting, 1961-1962
Box   9 Folder   26	Training materials
Box   4 Folder   8	“Votes for Women” (Skit), by Margaret K. Icks and Josephine B. Lenfestey, 1959
Box   7 Folder   10	“One Hundred Years a-Growing” (Skit), 1948
	Series: Local Study Issues	⇧
Box   9 Folder   28	Administration of Justice, 1974
Box   9 Folder   27	Agriculture, 1987
Box   4 Folder   9	Air Pollution, 1960-1961
Box   9 Folder   29	Brown County Library Services, 1963-1969
Box   9 Folder   30	City-County Budget, 1982
Box   4 Folder   10	County Government, 1960-1975
Box   5 Folder   1	County Public Health and Mental Health, 1963-1975
Box   5 Folder   2	Countywide Assessor, 1967-1975
Box   5 Folder   3	Education and Unified School Districts, 1970-1976
Box   5 Folder   4	Education-School Survey, 1971-1972
Box   5 Folder   5	Electoral College, 1968-1971
Box   5 Folder   6	Environmental Quality, 1970-1975
Box   5 Folder   7	Equal Rights Amendment, 1978
Box   6 Folder   1	Fair Housing, 1968-1970
Box   6 Folder   2	Foreign Trade, including 1973 Foreign Trade Survey by League of Women Voters
Box   6 Folder   3	Hunger in Brown County, 1971
Box   6 Folder   4	I-43 and I-57 Highways, 1972-1973
Box   6 Folder   5	Juveniles and Social Services, 1966-1971
Box   6 Folder   6	Land Use, 1973-1977
Box   9 Folder   31	Low-Level Radioactive Waste, 1983
Box   6 Folder   7	Mass Transit, 1971-1974
Box   6 Folder   8	Metropolitan Government, 1965
Box   9 Folder   32	National Security, 1985
Box   9 Folder   34	Promote Peace, 1985
Box   7 Folder   11	Proposals for the Reorganization of the Brown County Sheriff Department, LWV, 1952
Box   6 Folder   10	Reapportionment, 1952-1954
Box   9 Folder   35	School Board Election Process, 1990
Box   9 Folder   36	School Budget Analysis, 1983
Box   9 Folder   37	Social Policy, 1989-1992
Box   6 Folder   11	Solid Waste Management, 1972-1975
Box   9 Folder   33	Teen Pregnancy, 1985
Box   9 Folder   38	Teen Pregnancy, 1992
Box   9 Folder   39	Vocational Technical and Adult Education Study, 1983
Box   6 Folder   12	Voters Service-History
Box   6 Folder   13	Water Pollution and Water Quality, 1960-1973
Box   6 Folder   14	Welfare in Brown County, 1972-1975
Box   6 Folder   9	Miscellaneous, 1940-1941, undated
Box   9 Folder   40-47	Miscellaneous projects and programs, 1985-1995