Summary Information
Madison Civics Club Records
1916-2011
Mss 277; Audio 1819A; M2011-054; M2012-001
2.0 cubic feet (5 archives boxes); plus additions of 4.6 cubic feet and 1 tape recording
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Records of the Madison Civics Club, a women's organization founded in 1912 which holds lunch meetings to discuss state and local issues. The collection documents the club's structure and activities through its articles of incorporation and by-laws, correspondence, minutes, luncheon meeting records, reports by presidents and secretaries, financial records, membership records, activity records, records of the Public Affairs Committee, scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00277 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The Madison Civics Club is a women's organization concerned with discussing city and state problems at luncheon meetings. After the failure of the campaign for woman suffrage in 1912, the need to organize women for the purpose of discussing topics and problems of public interest became apparent to a small group of Madison, Wisconsin women. According to the last surviving founding member, Mrs. Richard H. Lloyd Jones, these “Madison women had gravitated toward each other because of like-mindedness and general congeniality...to oppose some of the wrongs of society that we consider most pressing. Women's suffrage was our prominent project.”
The initial impetus was provided by the Mmes. W.G. Bleyer (considered “the moving spirit” by a later member), Edna Chynoweth, Richard Lloyd Jones, Charles McCarthy, and Miss Mary (“Bonnie”) Orvis. Meeting at the home of Mrs. Chynoweth, this group decided to follow a format similar to that of the then-existing Men's Saturday Lunch Club, namely, a social luncheon followed by a discussion of a current topic or problem of civic or state interest. Although this organizational meeting took place in the early winter of 1912, it was not until September 1913 that the Club had its first meeting. Each of the founders asked three others who had developed a civic conscience to join them, making a group of 20. Each of these 20 then invited 3 or 4 others, so that 75 women were present at the first meeting.
A certain exclusivity surrounded the Club. Mrs. Richard Lloyd Jones, in her letter to the Club, July 31, 1962, wrote that
We had established a new aristocracy in Madison. Small but choice. In almost no time waiting lists grew so lengthy we had to loosen up. But outstanding ability and civic concern had to come first among the candidates. And those closed membership lists!!! Sororities are not so dumb after all. In no time we were renting space in the old Women's Building on Gilman Street....The lunch menu grew out of all original intentions. Rival politicians clamored to be heard by the Club. We grew strong and influential and nobody was more amazed than we humble originators.
Until 1924, all meetings were held at the Women's Building, and the average attendance was 235. In 1924, the luncheons were moved to the Loraine Hotel, and the Civics Club became a “listening club.” Membership grew until the average attendance was over 450. In 1943 the meetings were discontinued due to the difficulties caused by the war in obtaining food and locating a meeting place. In 1950 the Club was reactivated.
Around 1940 some of the members felt that the purpose of the Club was being defeated, because local affairs were no longer brought to the attention of the members. That year Mrs. Harrison Garner became the first Local Affairs Committee Chairman. (This committee is now known as the Public Affairs Committee.) A report on civic affairs has been presented to the Club at each meeting since that time.
The files of the Public Affairs Committee do not contain names of committee members nor subjects of reports before 1952-1953. It was apparently the practice originally to have all members work on reports, which were delivered at Club meetings by the committee chairman. At the close of the 1956-1957 season, Chairwoman Helen M. Patterson noted that this was the first year that each member prepared and presented a topic by herself.
On September 30, 1960, the Madison Civics Club was incorporated as a non-stock, non-profit organization for the stated purposes of discussing topics and problems of public interest and considering ideas for the benefit of the community. The by-laws designate the Club's activities as arranging and presenting cultural and educational programs for its members at luncheon meetings. The Board of Directors, known as Executive Committee, consists of ten members who are chosen each year by the outgoing Committee. An attempt is made at choosing an Executive Committee representative of various other city organizations. The Committee also aims at alternating between presidents representing city and university interests.
Membership in the Club is limited to 475 women and is not transferable. Vacancies are filled from a waiting list. There are 2 classes of members: 1.) The Executive Committee who are Class A and voting members; and 2.) Class B members who are non-voting members.
The major officers of the Club include a chairman, secretary, treasurer, hostess, public affairs chairman, and publicity chairman, each elected annually by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee determines dues which are sufficient to pay for the members' luncheons, gratuities, and programs.
Arrangement of the Materials
This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into 4 major parts. These materials have not been physically interfiled and researchers might need to consult more than one part to locate similar materials.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Original Collection presented by the Club via Mrs. Fannie Taylor, Mrs. Richard Ela, and Mrs. Gerald A. Bartell, Madison, Wisconsin, 1969-1973; Additions presented by Mrs. Webster L. Smith, Mrs. Richard McGary, Helen Zawacki, Mrs. Bruce Beilfuss, J.E. Kelsey, Gene Field Riley, Bette Kurtenacker, Annetta Rosser, Mrs. C.B. Reeves, Mrs. Annetta Rosser, Mrs. Lois Dick, Peggy Sherry, Alma Baron, Dorothy Smith, Mary Evert, Dolores Kanner, Louise Scott, Irene Ilgen, Karen Zilavy, Margo Lindl, Mary M. Evert, Lisa Smith, Margo Lindl and Carol Kiemel, Madison, Wisconsin. Accession Number: M69-099, M69-202, M70-108, M73-345, M74-234, M75-210, M76-134, M77-506, M78-104, M79-017, M80-057, M80-203, M81-277, M81-436, M81-560, M82-269, M84-185, M85-322, M85-335, M86-284, M87-311, M88-100, M88-239, M89-088, M90-119, M90-135, M91-103, M93-099, M94-233, M95-077, M99-023, M2000-097, M2004-113, M2011-054, M2012-001
Original Collection processed by Claire Altschuler (archives intern) and Joanne Hohler, November 6, 1973.
Contents List
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Mss 277
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Part 1 (Mss 277): Original Collection, 1916-19732.0 cubic feet (5 archives boxes) The Records of the Madison Civics Club consist of the Articles of incorporation and by-laws, Correspondence, Minutes of Board of Directors' meetings, Minutes, Luncheon Meeting Records, Reports by Presidents and Secretaries, Financial Records, Membership Records, Records of Activities, Public Affairs Committee Records, and Scrapbooks. The Articles of incorporation and the by-laws are dated September 30, 1960. The by-laws delineate the purpose of the Club, the officers and their duties, the types of members, and the determination of dues and meetings. The Correspondence concerns luncheon reservations, the atmosphere of Madison at the time of the Club's founding, the earliest beginnings of the Club, and the possibility of the publishing the Club's history in the Wisconsin Magazine of History. Arranged chronologically, the correspondence runs from June 1951 to February 1963. The Board of Directors' file lists Board members and includes minutes of the Board's meeting, 1958-1965. In a small notebook, the Minutes list members of the Executive Committee, the speaker, the subject of each meeting, and the actions taken by the Club. They are arranged chronologically from 1917 to 1968. The Luncheon Meeting Records (1916-1966) list the attendance at each luncheon, the cost, the speaker and his or her subject, and the members of the Executive Committee for each season. “Meetings (1916)” is prefaced by an anonymously written history of the Club's origin. The “President's Book (1950-1958)” lists the chairmen from 1913 to 1970, the Club officers, those sitting at the speaker's table, an annual financial report, and members of the Public Affairs Committee. An example of the invitations sent to honor guest is included among these chronologically arranged records which cover the years 1916 to 1943 and 1950 to 1958. Also included is a list of committee chairmen from 1958 to 1973. Reports by Presidents and Secretaries cover the proceedings of Club meetings from 1935 to 1939 and 1951 to 1953, in chronological order. The 1935-1936 report by President Mrs. E. Eugene Neff lists the general procedures of the president's activities, and the 1937-1938 secretary's report by Mrs. Oscar Rennebohm gives a detailed outline of the secretary's work. Falling between the years 1934 and 1964 are the chronologically arranged Financial Records, which include receipts and disbursements, annual reports, treasurers' notes, paid bills, deposit slips, cancelled checks, checkstubs, and bank statements. The Membership and Dues Records are comprised of notebooks and lists chronologically noting the members, the payment of dues, the Executive Committee members, the Club officers, and the waiting lists from 1934 to 1967. Among the Activities Records is the December 13, 1919 report of the Club's Committee to investigate the Socialized Court, which sought information on the court's administration of mothers' pensions, juvenile delinquency, and domestic relations in order to make recommendations. Luncheon notebooks from 1939 to 1961 chronologically list the menu, attendance, and those sitting at the speaker's table, and for some dates, the speaker and his subject. With these notebooks is a list of the program speakers and their subjects from 1916 to 1973. The records of the 50th Anniversary Program, held November 13, 1962, include correspondence, comments by Ann Birge on the Club's history with suggestions for a skit, the program, a speech, the cast and script of a play, memoranda, and photographs. There are also reading lists the Club received from the Madison Public Library from 1964 to 1969. The Records of the Public Affairs Committee span the years 1953 to 1973 and include minutes, newspaper clippings, its history prior to 1956 and a summary of its reports (1956-1973), reports presented by the Committee, and specific activities undertaken during 1954-1956 (“Litterbug” campaign, auditorium campaign, and volunteer service). Arrangement is chronological within each folder. The Scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, notices of meetings, photographs, correspondence, and memoranda of Club actions for the years 1919-1931 and 1937-1960.
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Articles of incorporation and by-laws
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Correspondence, 1951-1963, undated
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Board of Directors, lists, minutes, 1958-1965
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Minutes, 1917-1968
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Record of luncheon meetings
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Box
1
Folder
5
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1916-1943, 1962
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Box
1
Folder
6
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“President's Book,” 1950-1958
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Committee chairmen, 1958-1973
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Box
1
Folder
7
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“Old Record Book,” 1953-1958
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Box
5
Folder
1-5
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Luncheon reservations, 1961-1966
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Box
1
Folder
8
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Reports by Presidents and Secretaries, 1935-1939, 1951-1953
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Financial
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Receipts and disbursements, 1934-1964
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Annual reports, 1943-1964
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Box
2
Folder
2
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Treasurer's reports and notes, 1960-1963 May
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Box
2
Folder
3
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Paid bills, 1962-1965
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Box
2
Folder
4
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Deposit slips, 1961-1964
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Box
2
Folder
5
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Cancelled checks, 1961-1964
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Box
2
Folder
6
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Check stubs, 1955 February-1964 May
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Bank statements, 1961 May-1964 January
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Membership and dues
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Box
2
Folder
8
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1937-1965
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Membership list, 1934-1942
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Box
3
Folder
2
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“Waiting List,” circa 1938-1951
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Box
3
Folder
3
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Membership and waiting lists, 1934-1967
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Box
3
Folder
4
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“Civics Club Count 623,” 1964 September 25
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Box
3
Folder
5
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“Civics Club Count 625,” 1966 October 7
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Activities
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Box
3
Folder
6
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Report of Committee to Investigate the Socialized Court, 1919 December 13
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Box
3
Folder
7
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Luncheon notebooks, 1939-1961
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Box
3
Folder
8
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50th Anniversary program, 1962
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Box
3
Folder
9
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Reading lists, 1964-1969
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Public Affairs Committee
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Box
4
Folder
1
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Minutes, clippings, 1956-1969
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Box
4
Folder
2
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History “Prior to 1956 and Summary of Reports, 1956-1973”
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Activities, 1954-1956
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Box
4
Folder
3-1
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Litterbug
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Box
4
Folder
3-2
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Auditorium
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Box
4
Folder
3-3
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Volunteer Service
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Box
4
Folder
3-4
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Miscellaneous
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Reports
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Box
4
Folder
4
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1953-1959
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Box
4
Folder
5
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1960-1964
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Box
4
Folder
6
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1965-1970
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Box
4
Folder
7
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1971-1973
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Scrapbooks
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Box
4
Folder
8
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1916-1919
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Box
5
Folder
6
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1920-1931
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Box
5
Folder
7
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1937-1960
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M88-239
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Part 2 (Audio 1819A): Addition, 1987
1 tape recording
: Audio 1819A consists of comments by former chairmen (recorded June 10, 1987).
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M2011-054
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Part 3 (M2011-054): Additions, 1951-2009
1.8 cubic feet (5 archives boxes)
: Additions, 1951-2009, consisting primarily of Public Affairs reports. Other materials include membership lists, waiting lists, financial reports, newspaper clippings, chairman's reports, and notebooks.
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Programming
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Introduction
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Box
1
Folder
2-9
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Public Affairs reports, 1953-2003
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Box
2
Folder
1-3
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Public Affairs reports, 1994-2009
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Box
2
Folder
4-6
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Madisonian articles from Wisconsin State Journal, 1956-1974
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Box
2
Folder
7-9
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Honored guests information, 1977-1978
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Box
3
Folder
1-3
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Speaker's table cards, 1964-1979
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Box
3
Folder
3-4
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Meeting comments
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Box
3
Folder
5
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Scrapbook, 1983-1984
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Business records
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Box
4
Folder
1
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Board reports, 1990-1991
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Box
4
Folder
2-4
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Chairman's notebooks, 1958-1990
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Box
4
Folder
5-6
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Chairman's reports, 1976-1988
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Box
4
Folder
7
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Communication with members, 1990-1991
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Box
4
Folder
8
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Correspondence, 1990-1991
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Membership list and waiting list
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Box
4
Folder
9-10
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1951, 1956
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Box
4
Folder
11
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with program information, 1977
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Box
4
Folder
12-13
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1981-1983
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Box
4
Folder
14-15
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Minutes, 1971-1980, 1990-1991
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Box
5
Folder
1-5
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Reports, 1980-1989
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Box
5
Folder
6
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Treasurer's reports, 1971-1976
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M2012-001
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Part 4 (M2012-001): Additions, 1970-2011
2.8 cubic feet (2 records center cartons and 2 archives boxes)
: Additions, 1970-2009, consisting primarily of minutes and chair notebooks. The minutes also contain financial and other reports, correspondence, membership information and other materials. The chair notebooks focus on the Club's speakers for the season and introductory remarks but some also contain information that overlaps with the minutes and secretary's notebooks. Photographs of the speakers and newspaper clippings of their appearances are found throughout.
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Box
1
Folder
1-3
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By-laws and histories
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Brochures, 1988-2004
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Box
1
Folder
5-25
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Minutes, 1970-2003
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Box
2
Folder
1-8
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Minutes, 2002-2009
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Box
2
Folder
9-18
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Chair notebooks, 1983-1999
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Box
3
Folder
1-5
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Chair notebooks, 1998-2001
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Box
4
Folder
1-3
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Chair notebooks, 2001-2003
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Box
4
Folder
4
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Guest speakers, 2011
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