This collection of records of the La Crosse, Wisconsin, affiliate of the national Young Women's Christian Association is well documented through a variety of written documents and images. Probably the three most important materials that are lacking are the first board minute book (1903-1906); photographs that date before the 1940s; and written reports generated by staff. However, a complete set of board minutes from 1907-1987 and scrapbooks from 1922-1981 help to fill in most of these gaps.
The collection is a good source of women's history. Such a complete set of board minutes illuminate the issues these women felt were important. In the very early days, programs and publicity were aimed at women who worked in factories. These women made the most use of the facilities.
The collection series are arranged in the following manner: Historical Materials, Board of Directors Materials, Board OF Trustees Materials, Executive Files, Financial Materials, Buildings & Grounds Materials, and finally Y.W.C.A. Clubs.
The Historical Materials include general essays about the La Crosse Y.W.C.A. history, photographs, movie film (16 mm), some loose clippings, and scrapbooks, 1927-1981. Photographs are broken down into several subseries: board & staff, camp, clubs, conventions, events, facilities, and programs.
The Board of Directors Materials include constitution and by-laws (1910-1980); annual reports (1932-1937; 1957; 1964-1988); lists of board members and committee assignments; committee materials; minimal correspondence (1925-1935); and minutes (1907-1987). Minimal correspondence exists from the board, and more recent correspondence can be found under Executive Files--Correspondence. The board minutes from 1907-1987 are complete.
The committees are further subdivided and arranged alphabetically: action audit for change (1968-1981); adult (1972-1975); adult creative activities (1975-1980); all association (1974-1980); association nominating (1969-1980); bequests & endowments (1978-1980), camp (1923-1928; 1938; 1969-1974); executive (1943-1987); finance (1933-1935; 1969-1986); health education & industrial (1933-1938); health, physical education & recreation (H.P.E.R.) (1967-1981); H.P.E.R. aquatics subcommittee (1971-1983); house (1932-1937); long range planning (1975-1985); membership (1950-1986); outreach & special populations (1974-1982), personnel (1970-1987); pre-school (1973-1980); public relations (1971-1982); religious education (1932-1937); volunteer services (1970-1979); ways & means (1972-1981); World Mutual Service (1976); young adult & adult (1971); youth (was called Grade & Teen) (1971-1982); and finally miscellaneous (1933-1937; 1977-1987).
The Board of Trustees met, as a general rule, quarterly. These materials are limited to mainly minutes, 1944; 1959-1984 and are incomplete.
The Executive Files were kept by the Y.W.C.A. executive director. In the early days of the Y.W., she was called the general secretary. Fortunately some early reports written by the other program "secretaries" survive. These reports include the executive director's reports to the board (1932-1938) and the national office (1932-1935). Reports from the other program directors include the Girl Reserves department (1922-1933); physical education department (1922-1928; 1933-1938); religious education department (1907-1912; 1920-1928); and residence secretary (1933-1938).
More recent materials from program personnel are grouped alphabetically by program name: aquatics, H.P.E.R., New Horizons, pre-school, special events, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse health preceptor program, and miscellaneous.
The Financial Materials are rather scattered and there isn't a good record of the financial health or budgeting priorities of the organization. Budgets covering 1935 and 1966-1988 are the most complete summary of Y.W. finances. Other subseries include financial reports (1933-1934; 1936; 1947-1962; 1970-1971; 1980-1987), investment and savings reports (1974-1981), joint operating expenses (1981-1983), and United Way support summaries (1969-1981).
Buildings & Grounds Materials relate solely to the 1969 building and its 1976 addition at 1140 Main Street. Materials include joint Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. planning documents and minutes, architectural drawings, campaign fund drive records, and some documents relating to building operations. The subseries include architectural plans, building fund campaign materials, joint board and committee minutes, and rental property. Some materials, such as the joint operating committee, span up until 1989. Also materials of an independent joint task force from 1982-1983 can be found here.
The Y.W.C.A. Clubs in the early days were called interest groups. Sometimes the organizations would begin on their own and later affiliate with the Y.W.C.A. Others were started under the auspices of the Y.W.C.A. Records of clubs in this collection include Newcomers, Round Table, and the Y-Teens.
