Summary Information
Business and Professional Women's Club (La Crosse, Wis.) Records
1916-1998
- Business and Professional Women's Club (La Crosse, Wis.)
La Crosse Mss BK; PH La Crosse Mss BK
6.2 cubic feet (14 archives boxes and 2 flat boxes) and 22 photographs
UW-La Crosse Murphy Library / La Crosse Area Research Ctr. (Map)Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Records of a membership organization formed in La Crosse in 1916, and dedicated to elevating standards for women in business and the professions and working for social and economic legislation. The collection includes articles of incorporation, by-laws, histories, a constitution, membership records, correspondence, fragmentary committee and program records, financial materials, minutes, scrapbooks, annual directories, and photographs. Also included are similar records of the Coulee Region Business and Professional Women's Club; and scattered records of Coulee Region District 4 and its affiliate BPW clubs (Neillsville, Sparta, Tomah, and Vernon Area), the Wisconsin Federation, and the National Federation. Photographs include award and scholarship recipients, member participation in state and national conventions, officers, and group shots taken during the sixtieth anniversary.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-lx00bk ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The La Crosse Business and Professional Women's Club was organized as “The Business Women's Club” at a 1916 meeting at the La Crosse YWCA. Dr. Esther Ferrand was the first president. In 1920, the club joined the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs (although as a member of the Wisconsin Federation it later withdrew during a dues dispute and re-affiliated in 1925). Two years later the Wisconsin Federation was incorporated, and the La Crosse organization became an affiliate. At that time the La Crosse club had 73 members.
The concerns of Business and Professional Women's clubs include: establishment of ties among working women, promotion of legislative actions benefiting working women, participation in programs that address women's concerns and provide personal and professional development, achievement of career goals and proficiencies through improved skills, and provision of support to women as business and community leaders. The state and national federations provide local groups with instruction through workshops, and sponsor conferences and annual conventions to educate members and foster a spirit of unity and cooperation. The La Crosse club hosted annual state conventions in 1928, 1961, and 1989. The La Crosse BPW celebrated the 60th anniversary of its affiliation with the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs in 1980.
Also in 1980, the La Crosse club sponsored the Scenic Bluffs BPW Club in the Holmen-Onalaska area, and the Dairyland BPW Club in the Whitehall, Independence, and Blair areas. These new clubs joined the La Crosse, Sparta, Tomah, Neillsville, and Vernon Area clubs in the west central Wisconsin BPW district (District 4, Coulee Region District BPW). The Coulee Region BPW, chartered in 1981, also joined this district and continued as a part of BPW activities until 1992 when it merged with the La Crosse group.
Activities of the La Crosse BPW included a scholarship fund, begun in 1949 for local high school girls. In 1965, this annual award was named the “Dora Marshall Scholarship,” after a long-time BPW member. The La Crosse club also participated in the Business and Professional Women's Foundation, supported by the National Federation to provide financial assistance for education, and sponsored lectures, seminars, and conferences. Throughout its history, the La Crosse BPW has supported the cause of women's rights including the Equal Rights Amendment, child labor laws, and civil service reform.
Scope and Content Note
The records of the La Crosse Business and Professional Women's Club were received in installments and were organized in separate parts at three different times. Part 1 dates 1916-1998 and comprises Boxes 1-10. Boxes 11-15 contain Part 2, additions organized in 1997 which date 1974-1997. Part 3 was organized in 2000, is Box 16, and dates 1981-1998. The paragraphs below describe Part 1 only. The kinds of records they describe however are also found in Parts 2 and 3. In Parts 2 and 3, the folders are in a simple alphabetical order by title.
In part 1, the records of the club have been arranged into five groups: LA CROSSE BPW; COULEE REGION BPW; DISTRICT 4, COULEE REGION DISTRICT; WISCONSIN FEDERATION; and NATIONAL FEDERATION.
The LA CROSSE BPW RECORDS (1916-1998) include articles of incorporation, bylaws, an early history of the club written by Dora D. Marshall, and other scattered materials relating to the club's history and 60th anniversary. Board and regular meeting minutes, club newsletters, scrapbooks and newsclippings, awards and certificates, correspondence, scattered annual reports of the club president, occasional photographs, and fragmentary committee and program records are also included. The record book of the Business Women's Club of the YWCA forms a part of the series and includes meeting minutes, constitution, and member list. Other membership records include annual printed directories, attendance records, dues book, lists of members, and miscellaneous items. Handbooks, rules for initiation ceremonies, and meeting guidelines relate to club structure and procedures. Financial records consist of yearly proposed budgets, monthly and annual reports of the treasurer, and other financial documents. Committee materials relate to proposed legislation of benefit to working women, programs, and scholarships. Additional program and project materials are fragmentary and include some records relating to the Equal Rights Amendment and women's rights, the National Federation's Foundation program, National Career Business Women's Week, and Young Career Women. Also contained are materials concerning the merger of the La Crosse club with the Coulee Region group, and the hosting of the Wisconsin Federation in La Crosse in 1988.
Records of the COULEE REGION BPW (1981-1992) are similar to those of the La Crosse group and consist of awards and certificates, bylaws, correspondence, newsletters, annual reports of the president, general and program correspondence, club chartering, Board and regular meeting minutes, and lists of members. Financial records include annual budgets, monthly treasurer's reports, and miscellaneous materials. Committee records are scattered as are those relating to programs. In addition to monthly meeting programs, other initiatives the club was involved in included the La Crosse Choices Initiative Task Force, Project 2012 (to improve BPW national headquarters), scholarships, sensitive crimes, Woman of Achievement, Young Career Women, a women's health conference, and an annual YWCA Tribute to Outstanding Women.
DISTRICT 4, COULEE REGION DISTRICT (1948-1992) records are spotty and include some minutes of district meetings and materials related to officers and programs. The series also includes occasional reports and newsletters of regional clubs affiliated with District 4 such as those from Neillsville, Sparta, Tomah, and the Vernon area.
WISCONSIN FEDERATION (1937-1984) and NATIONAL FEDERATION (1947-1992) records are fragmentary and include materials primarily relating to the La Crosse club's involvement in meetings and conferences, and specific programs such as International Women's Year and a candlelight ceremony for International Night.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by the La Crosse Business and Professional Women's Club via Sally Oswalt, and unknown, 1981, 1996, 1998, and 2000. Accession Number: M81-316, M97-114, M2000-049, M2000-155
Originally processed by Bill Beaudreau and Menzi Behrnd-Klodt, November 1986; reprocessed with additions by Gayle Martinson, 1997; further additions processed by Jim Jonas, Amy Rommel, and Kyle Krause, 2000.
Contents List
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La Crosse Mss BK
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Series: Part 1, 1916-1998
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Subseries: La Crosse BPW
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Articles of incorporation and by-laws, 1921-1991
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Awards and certificates, 1946-1980
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Committees
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Legislative Committee, 1949-1979
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Program Committee, 1970-1979
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Scholarship Committee, 1949, 1975-1978
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Trees for Tomorrow scholarship, 1977-1978
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Box
1
Folder
7-8
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Correspondence, 1931-1992
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Directories
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Box
1
Folder
9-10
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Yearbooks, 1946-1981
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Directory, 1990
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Financial records
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Box
2
Folder
2
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Budgets, 1952-1992
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Box
2
Folder
3
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Financial materials, 1972-1991
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Box
2
Folder
4
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Treasurer's report book, 1921-1927
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Box
2
Folder
5-6
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Treasurer's reports, 1917-1950, 1976-1988
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Handbooks and brochures, 1957-1980
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Box
2
Folder
8
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History, 1919-1980
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Box
2
Folder
9
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“History and Reminiscences of the La Crosse Business & Professional Women's Club,” by Dora D. Marshall, circa 1922
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Box
2
Folder
10
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Initiation ceremonies and meeting guidelines, 1964-1978
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Membership records
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Box
2
Folder
11
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Attendance records, 1958-1976
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Dues, 1916-1927
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Box
3
Folder
2
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Membership lists, 1916-1978
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Box
3
Folder
3
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Membership materials, 1919, 1978-1991
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Box
3
Folder
4
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Merger with Coulee Region BPW, 1992
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Minutes
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Governing body
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Box
3
Folder
5-7
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Board of Directors' meetings, 1925-1959, 1962-1979
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Box
3
Folder
8
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Executive Committee minutes, 1987-1991
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Member meetings
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Box
3
Folder
9
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Business Women's Club of the YMCA record book, 1916-1922
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Box
4
Folder
1-6
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Regular meetings, 1922-1979, 1987-1992
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Newsletters
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Box
5
Folder
1
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Newsletters, 1940-1955
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Box
5
Folder
2-3
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River City Ramblings, 1974-1981
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Box
5
Folder
4-5
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Inside BPW, 1981-1991
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Box
5
Folder
6
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Officers, 1920-1991
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Photographs
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Box
5
Folder
7
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Photocopies, 1952-1980
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PH La Crosse Mss BK
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Originals, 1952-1980
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La Crosse Mss BK
Box
5
Folder
8
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President's reports, 1948-1990
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Programs
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Box
5
Folder
9
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1936-1992
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Box
5
Folder
10
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Equal Rights Amendment and Women's Rights, 1973-1980
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Box
5
Folder
11
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Foundation Program, 1971-1987
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Box
5
Folder
12
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National Business Women's Week, 1971, 1977-1978
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Box
6
Folder
1
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Young Career Women, 1976-1980
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Public relations
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Box
6
Folder
2
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News clippings, 1942-1980, undated
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Box
6
Folder
3
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Publicity and press releases, 1936-1980
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Scrapbooks
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Box
6
Folder
4-5
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1927-1940
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Box
6
Folder
6
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1947-1949
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Box
6
Folder
7-9
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1952-1956
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Box
7
Folder
1
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1965-1967
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Box
7
Folder
2
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Wisconsin Federation meeting in La Crosse, 1988-1989
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Subseries: Coulee Region BPW
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Box
7
Folder
3
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Awards and certificates, 1981-1985
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Box
7
Folder
4
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By-laws, 1981-1982
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Box
7
Folder
5
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Chartering, 1981
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Committees
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Box
7
Folder
6
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1982-1989
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Box
7
Folder
7
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Foundation Committee, 1981-1985
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Correspondence
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Box
7
Folder
8
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1982-1990
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Box
7
Folder
9
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Programs, 1981-1987
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Financial records
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Box
7
Folder
10
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Budgets, 1982-1991
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Box
7
Folder
11
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Financial materials, 1981-1989
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Box
7
Folder
12
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Treasurer's reports, 1981-1989
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Membership records
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Box
7
Folder
13
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Membership lists, 1982-1989
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Box
7
Folder
14
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Membership materials, 1982-1991
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Minutes
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Box
7
Folder
15
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Executive Board meetings, 1982-1991
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Box
7
Folder
16
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Regular meetings, 1981-1991
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Newsletters
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Box
7
Folder
17
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Newsletter, 1982-1984
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Box
8
Folder
1-2
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Update, 1984-1992
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Box
8
Folder
3
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Officers, 1982-1985
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Box
8
Folder
4
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President's file, 1982-1989
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Box
8
Folder
5
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President's reports, 1982-1989
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Programs
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Box
8
Folder
6
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1985-1991
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Box
8
Folder
7
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La Crosse Choices Initiative Task Force, 1989
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Box
8
Folder
8
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Project 2012 [fundraising to improve BPW national headquarters], 1985-1987
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Box
8
Folder
9
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Scholarships, 1983-1985, 1991
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Box
8
Folder
10
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Sensitive crimes, 1986
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Box
8
Folder
11
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Women of Achievement, 1985-1986
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Box
8
Folder
12
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Women's Health Conference, 1988
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Box
8
Folder
13
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Young Career Woman, 1986
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Box
8
Folder
14
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YWCA Tribute to Outstanding Women, 1983-1990
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Box
10
Folder
1
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Scrapbook, 1981-1985
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Subseries: District 4 - Coulee Region District
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Box
8
Folder
15
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Meeting minutes, 1948-1987
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Box
8
Folder
16
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Officers, 1977-1978, 1991
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Box
8
Folder
17
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Programs, 1966-1992
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Regional Clubs
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Box
8
Folder
18
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Miscellaneous District 4 Clubs, 1973-1989
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Box
8
Folder
19
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Neillsville BPW, 1973-1980
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Box
8
Folder
20
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Sparta BPW, 1973-1992
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Box
9
Folder
1
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Tomah BPW, 1967, 1973-1989
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Box
9
Folder
2
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Vernon Area BPW, 1977-1979
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Subseries: Wisconsin Federation
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Box
9
Folder
3
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General, 1937-1984
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Box
9
Folder
4
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International Women's Year, 1975
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Subseries: National Federation
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Box
9
Folder
5
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General, 1947, 1973-1992
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Box
9
Folder
6
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Candlelight ceremony for International Night observance, 1977
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Series: Part 2: Additions, 1974-1997
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Awards and certificates
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Box
11
Folder
1
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Awards, 1994-1996
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Box
11
Folder
2
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Award submissions, 1996-1997
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Box
11
Folder
3-4
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Tribute to Outstanding Women, 1994
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Box
11
Folder
5
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Board of Directors meetings, 1994-1995
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Box
11
Folder
6
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BPW Wisconsin Survival Kit, 1995-1996
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Box
11
Folder
7
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Brochures, 1993
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Box
11
Folder
8
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By-laws, 1994
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Commitees
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Box
11
Folder
9
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Scholarship Committee, 1993-1997
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Box
11
Folder
10
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Trees for Tomorrow scholarship, 1994
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Box
12
Folder
1
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Directories
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Financial records
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Box
12
Folder
2
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Budget, 1995
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Box
12
Folder
3
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Expenses, 1996-1997
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Meetings
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Box
12
Folder
4
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District meetings, 1994-1995
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Box
12
Folder
5
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Fall 1993 Board meeting
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Box
12
Folder
6
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Monthly meeting agendas, 1995
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Box
12
Folder
7
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Membership records
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Box
12
Folder
8
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Merger with Coulee Region BPW, 1992
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Minutes
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Box
12
Folder
9
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1992-1993
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Box
12
Folder
10
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1993-1994
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Box
12
Folder
11
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1994-1995
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Box
12
Folder
12
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Miscellaneous records
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Box
13
Folder
1
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National Board report to Wisconsin BPW, 1990
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Newsletters
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Box
13
Folder
2
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1991-1996
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The Leader
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Box
13
Folder
3
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1981-1991
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Box
13
Folder
4
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1992-1996
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Box
13
Folder
5
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Wisconsin Business Women, 1992-1995
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Officers
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Box
13
Folder
6
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Election of officers, 1996-1997
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Box
13
Folder
7
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Officers of committees, 1995-1996
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Box
13
Folder
8
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Organizational directory
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Box
13
Folder
9
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Policies and procedures
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Box
13
Folder
10
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President's addresses, 1994-1995
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Programs
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Box
14
Folder
1
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1993
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Box
14
Folder
2
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Foundation program, 1990, 1994, 1995
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Box
14
Folder
3
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Public relations, 1993
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Box
15
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Scrapbook
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Series: Part 3: Additions, 1981-1998
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Box
16
Folder
1
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Correspondence, 1991-1997
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Box
16
Folder
2
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Membership rosters, 1989-1998
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Minutes
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Box
16
Folder
3-5
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Monthly meetings, 1981-1996
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Box
16
Folder
6-9
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Executive Board meetings, 1982-1998
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Box
16
Folder
10
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Business meetings, 1988-1989
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