Summary Information
Woman's Christian Temperance Union (Evansville, Wis.) Records
1889-1964
- Woman's Christian Temperance Union (Evansville, Wis.)
Whitewater Mss AO; Whitewater Micro 8; Micro 699
0.8 c.f. (2 archives boxes) and 1 reel of microfilm (35mm)
UW-Whitewater Library / Whitewater Area Research Ctr. (Map)Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Records of the Evansville, Wisconsin, affiliate of the WCTU, an organization advocating total abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics. Records include minute books; a treasurer's book, 1930-1947; convention programs, 1953-1964; histories of temperance activities in Rock County; biographical materials about temperance leaders Frances Willard, Genesee Wesleyan, and Lillian Stevens; education and program materials, 1951-1964; materials from WCTU institutes; and a treasurer's book from the Rock County WCTU, 1889-1950. On microfilm are two scrapbooks, 1944-1946 and 1950-1951, and a few loose clippings pertaining to temperance and religious issues.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-whit00ao ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Evansville was affiliated with the Wisconsin and National WCTU and worked closely with other Rock County WCTU chapters. In addition to the Evansville WCTU, temperance organizations in Rock County included the Rock County WCTU and local chapters in Beloit, Clinton, Edgerton, Harmony, Janesville, Lima, and Milton. An important stimulus to the Rock County WCTU chapters was the legacy of Frances Willard, one of the founders of the national WCTU and its president from 1879 until her death in 1898. In 1846, Miss Willard moved to a farm south of Janesville with her family. In 1853, her father, Josiah Willard and neighbors built a schoolhouse for their children near Janesville. The Rock County WCTU purchased the schoolhouse in 1921 so that it might be preserved and “serve as an inspiration to all to live as exemplary Christian citizens.” After purchasing the property surrounding the schoolhouse and making necessary repairs, the building was dedicated on September 28, 1921. The schoolhouse was reconverted to a school and used temporarily by the Rock Valley school district during the early 1950's.
The date of establishment of the Evansville WCTU is unknown. The records cover the chapter from 1909 to 1964 when the organization's principal activities included group discussions of alcohol and narcotics-related issues and Bible study at monthly meetings, education and propaganda programs in schools and in cooperation with civic organizations, campaigns against liquor advertisements, some mission and relief work, and combined programs with other Rock County WCTU chapters. The monthly meetings were held in members' homes.
Scope and Content Note
The collection is organized in three categories: Corporate Records, Miscellaneous Records, and Ephemeral Materials. The Corporate Records consist primarily of minute books which contain minutes of monthly meetings and membership lists and attendance records for most years. The monthly meetings opened with devotions, followed by the presentation of special programs, usually a lecture or discussion of a temperance or religious issue. The minutes also include reports on educational and mission activities and discussions of contributions to charities and other financial matters. The minutes from May 1918 to February 1921 are missing. The treasurer's book lists monies received from dues and donations and monies paid for state dues, literature, donations and convention expenses.
Among the Miscellaneous Records are histories and biographical materials including an historical sketch of the Janesville WCTU, 1884-1910; a brief history of the WCTU magazine, the Union Signal; and a history of Janesville, information on acquisition of the Frances Willard schoolhouse, several biographical sketches of Frances Willard, and biographies of two other early temperance leaders, Genesee Wesleyan and Lillian Stevens. The materials on Institutes include notes from presentations about WCTU literature, curriculum and publicity programs, mimeographed materials from an Alcohol Studies Camp, and a notebook on the history and scriptures related to Thanksgiving. Most of the education and program materials are printed flyers and pamphlets from the national WCTU. The treasurer's book from the Rock County WCTU lists income and expenditures, including dues received from the Evansville WCTU.
The Ephemeral Materials include a scrapbook of clippings, 1944-1946, covering the following topics: deaths of important WCTU leaders, tobacco, marijuana, alcoholism, juvenile delinquency, advertising, gambling, legislation, editorials, and “the liquor problem around the world.” The scrapbook, 1950-1951, contains clippings pertaining to the Frances Willard schoolhouse, the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped, and President Lincoln's position on the liquor question. Most of the clippings pertain to regulation of the use of alcohol, marijuana, and narcotics. The ephemeral materials were microfilmed and the originals were not retained.
The scrapbooks and papers were compiled by the late Mrs. Minerva Olin, president of the Rock County WCTU, 1950-1954, and treasurer of the Wisconsin WCTU, 1962-1963.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by the estate of Mrs. Minerva Olin (via Mrs. R. L. Cornwell of Stoughton), Albany, Wisconsin, 1967. Accession Number: M67-241
Processed by Margaret Hedstrom, November 22, 1978.
Contents List
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Whitewater Mss AO
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Corporate Records
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Box
1
Folder
1-4
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Minute Books, 1909-1918, 1921-1956
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Treasurer's Book, 1930-1947
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Miscellaneous Records
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Convention Programs, 1953-1964
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Box
1
Folder
7
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Histories and Biographical Materials, undated
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Institutes, undated
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Box
2
Folder
2
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Education and Program Materials, 1951-1964, undated
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Box
2
Folder
3
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Rock County WCTU, Treasurer's Book, 1889-1950
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Whitewater Micro 8/Micro 699
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Ephemeral Materials
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Scrapbooks
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Reel
1
Frame
01
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1944-1946
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Reel
1
Frame
79
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1950-1951
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Reel
1
Frame
99
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Clippings, 1938, 1951, 1955-1963, undated
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