Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs Records, 1896-2002
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Summary Information
Title: Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs Records
Inclusive Dates: 1896-2002

Creator:
  • Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs
Call Number: Wis Mss TU; Wis Mss FH; Audio 128A; Audio 144A; M2002-168

Quantity: 3.0 c.f. (7 archives boxes and 2 flat boxes) and 4 tape recordings; plus additions of 4.2 c.f.

Repository:
Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:
Records of the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs (WFWC), a state federation organized in 1896 whose purpose was to improve the general welfare of the state. Included are files created by Theodora Youmans, who served in various offices; administrative and financial records; a history of the organization; files of the Landmarks Committee; scrapbooks; and other materials documenting membership and activities of the organization and various committees. The tape recordings are of the 1956 program concerning the renovation of the first Wisconsin Supreme Court building at Belmont, and of the 1957 building dedication ceremonies held at Belmont.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-wis000tu
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Biography/History

The national General Federation of Women's Clubs was organized in 1890. It soon became apparent, however, that a closer parent organization would be advantageous, so state federations were created. In October 1896, by invitation of the Milwaukee Endowment Association, 105 delegates representing 63 clubs, met in the Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee, and formally organized the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs, which strove to improve the general welfare of the state. The club's activities included working to establish libraries throughout the state, improving laws affecting women and children, and improving educational facilities. The Federation also participated in a conservation program, an educational loan fund, nurses' scholarships, and other projects.

Arrangement of the Materials

This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into 2 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
Acquisition Information

Original Collection presented by the Landmarks Committee, July 1923; Mrs. John Karsten, Horicon, Wisconsin; Mrs. Ben Roderick; Mrs. G.M. Coke; Mrs. George W. Shores, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 13, 1959; and the Woman's Club of Madison, Madison, Wisconsin. Additions presented by General Federation of Women's Clubs-Wisconsin, Mequon, Wisconsin. Accession Number: M60-141, M60-199, M61-041, M62-059, M96-016, M99-075, M2002-168


Contents List
Wis Mss TU
Part 1 (Wis Mss TU, Wis Mss FH, Audio 128A, Audio 144A): Original Collection, 1899-1957
Physical Description: 3.0 c.f. (7 archives boxes and 2 flat boxes) and 4 tape recordings 
Scope and Content Note

This collection will afford the researcher a good deal of information concerning the Federation's activities during the first half of this century. This does not mean that it constitutes a complete collection of the WFWC records for this period. There are numerous gaps (both chronological and topical) in the material here. Nonetheless, this collection will give the researcher an excellent idea of the nature and scope of the Federation's activities, and the internal organization and operation of the Federation itself.

The collection is organized into eight groups of varying quantity. These are Series A: Mrs. Henry Youman's Correspondence; Series B: Minutes; Series C: General Reports; Series D: History; Series E: Audit Reports; Series F: Financial Reports; Series G: Landmarks Committee Records; and Series H: Tape Recordings. Series A-F are filed at call number Wis Mss TU; Series G is at Wis Mss FM; and Series H at Audio 128A and Audio 144A.
Box   1
Series: Series A: Mrs. Henry Youmans' Correspondence, 1899-1907
Physical Description: 1 folder 
Scope and Content Note: Arranged chronologically, this series consists of miscellaneous letters dealing with Federation business written to Mrs. Youmans while she was recording secretary and president of the WFWC and secretary of the General Federation.
Box   1
Series: Series B: Minutes of the Executive Board, Board of Directors, and the Annual Conventions of the WFWC, 1914-1954
Scope and Content Note: Arranged chronologically, these minutes of the legislative and executive branches of the Federation constitute an excellent historical record of the Federation's activities during forty significant years.
⇧
Series: Series C: General Reports
Scope and Content Note: This series contains the various department, division, and committee reports of the Federation. In addition, it also includes the officers' reports and the reports of the district organizations. These reports cover only the period from about the early 1930s to 1954, and represent only a few of the total number of reports for even this short period. It will, however, be of value to the researcher since it gives a good indication of the direction and scope of the Federation's activities, and reveals the manner in which the Federation is organized.
⇧
Box   2
American Home
Box   2
Art
Box   2
Budget
Box   2
Calls and Convention Reports
Box   2
Child Welfare
Box   2
Citizenship
Box   2
Club Institutes
Box   2
Community Service
Box   2
Conservation
Box   2
Council of International Clubs
Box   2
Crime Control and Prevention; Law Observance
Box   2
District First
Box   2
District Second
Box   2
District Third
Box   2
District Fourth and Fifth
Box   2
District Sixth
Box   2
District Seventh
Box   2
District Eighth
Box   2
District Ninth
Box   2
District Tenth
Box   3
Education
Box   3
Education - Epsilon Sigma Omicron
Box   3
Educational Loan Fund
Box   3
Endowment and Foundation Funds
Box   3
Federal Headquarters and Emblems
Box   3
Federation Extension
Box   3
Federation History
Box   3
Fine Arts
Box   3
Indian Affairs
Box   3
International Relations
Box   3
Junior Clubs
Box   3
Legislation
Box   3
Library
Box   3
Motion Pictures
Box   3
Music
Box   3
Nursing Scholarships
Box   3
Officers' Reports
Box   3
Policy
Box   3
Press and Publicity
Box   4
Printing
Box   4
Public Welfare and Public Health
Box   4
Radio and Television
Box   4
Better Radio Listening
Box   4
Reorganization
Box   4
Resolutions
Box   4
Revisions and Parliamentary Law
Box   4
Safety
Box   4
Speakers Bureau
Box   4
Treasurers' Reports
Box   4
UNESCO
Box   4
Urban-Rural Co-operation
Box   4
Veterans
Box   4
War Services
Box   4
Welfare-Geriatrics
Box   4
Wisconsin Clubwoman
Box   4
Business Manager
Box   4
Circulation Manager
Box   4
Wisconsin's Own Library
Box   4
Theodore Youmans Citizenship Award
Box   4
Youth Conservation
Box   4
Series: Series D: History of the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs
Scope and Content Note: This work represents a summary of the activities of the WFWC. It is a compilation of summaries for each Federation administration from 1896 to 1958.
⇧
Box   5
Series: Series E: Audit Reports, 1926-1953
Scope and Content Note: Arranged chronologically, these reports give an exact accounting of the yearly income and expenditures of the WFWC. This series is missing reports for the years 1930-1934 and 1943-1950.
⇧
Series: Series F: Financial Reports, circa 1900-1952
Scope and Content Note: Arranged chronologically, these volumes constitute a comprehensive record of the receipts and disbursements of the WFWC during this period.
⇧
Box   5
Volume   1
Member Club dues, 1900-1909
Box   6
Volume   2
Endowment Fund Account, 1911-1916
Box   5
Volume   3
Financial Records, 1911-1925
Receipts
Box   9
Volume   4
1921-1934
Box   6
Volume   5
1925-1931
Box   6
Volume   6
1931-1936
Box   7
Volume   7
1936-1941
Box   7
Volume   8
1941-1946
Box   7
Volume   9
1945-1949
Box   8
Volume   10
1949-1952
Disbursements
Box   8
Volume   11
l926-1936
Box   8
Volume   12
1936-1949
Wis Mss FH
Box   1-3
Series: Series G: Landmarks Committee Records, 1904-1922
Scope and Content Note: Addresses on historic sites and events delivered before the Women's Clubs of Wisconsin, newspaper clippings, and a collection of pictures of markers and statues commemorating Wisconsin historic spots collected by the Landmarks Committee of the State Federation of Women's Clubs.
⇧
Series: Series H: Tape Recordings
Scope and Content Note: On renovation of Wisconsin's first Supreme Court Building at Belmont, Wisconsin, sponsored by the Wisconsin State Federation of Women's Clubs.
⇧
128A/1-2
Program, [1956]
Note: Program arranged by Mrs. E.L. Kriel, Madison, Wisconsin, Citizenship Chairman of the State Federation.
144A/1-2
Dedication Ceremony, 1957 October 27
M2002-168
Part 2 (M2002-168): Additions, 1896-2002
Physical Description: 4.2 c.f. (2 record center cartons, 1 archives box, and 4 flat boxes) 
Scope and Content Note: Additions, including scrapbooks (1896-1965); committee, board, and convention minutes (1933-2002, incomplete); a handbook (1954-1956), directories, convention materials, membership report (1953), and Historical Committee materials; speeches and writings of Theodora Youmans; and the records of Wisconsin chairmen of two General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) committees and the Wisconsin Tercentennial Council of Women.
⇧
Minutes
Box   1
Folder   1
1933, 1950, 1951
Note: Incomplete
Box   1
Folder   2-7
1952 November-1968
Box   1
Folder   8-15
1970 May-1984 October
Box   1
Folder   16-19
1985 February-1990 May
Box   2
Folder   1-6
1990 May-1994 May
Box   2
Folder   7-8
1997 November-1998 May
Box   2
Folder   9-11
2000 May-2001 November
Box   2
Folder   12-13
2002 February, 2002 May
Box   2
Folder   14
“Handbook for Wisconsin Clubwomen , 1954-1956”
Box   2
Folder   15
Directories, 1909-1947
Note: Incomplete
Box   2
Folder   16-20
Annual conventions, 1897-1934
Note: Incomplete
Box   2
Folder   21
Membership report, 1953 December 10
Box   2
Folder   22
[Administrative histories]
Box   2
Folder   23
Youmans, Theodora--speeches and writings
Box   3
Folder   1
Historical Committee
Box   3
Folder   2
GFWC Industry Committee, 1941-1943
Note: Wisconsin chairman
Box   3
Folder   3
GFWC Department of American Citizenship
Note: Wisconsin chairman
Box   3
Folder   4
Wisconsin Tercentennial Council of Women, 1933-1935, 1944-1944
Box   3
Folder   5
Oleomargarine papers, 1942
Box   3
Folder   6
WFWC “Oldest Mother,” 1932
Box   3
Folder   7
Miscellany, 1930-1970
Scrapbooks
Box   4
1896-1922
Box   5
1922-1952
Box   6
1950-1961
Box   7
Folder   1
1924-1960
Box   7
Folder   2
1955-1965