The records of the Wisconsin Consumers League are an artificial collection gathered from a number of donors. The resulting assemblage has many gaps, particularly in the early records, and papers concerning the league's educational activities are completely absent. The records are organized as general papers, an activity file, and miscellaneous papers relating to two local chapters.
GENERAL PAPERS are best for the period 1972-1976, and they include a history, minutes and agenda of the board of directors and annual meetings, publicity materials, speeches, lists, and financial reports. Also included is a copy of Mark Hucklebridge's “Chronology of Legislation Supported and Opposed by the Wisconsin Consumers League,“ the copyright to which is held by the Center for Consumer Affairs of the UW-Extension, Milwaukee. This document overcomes some of the gaps in the collection and includes several drafts of the league's bylaws, summaries of meetings, and lists of legislation. It also alludes to the existence of records and copies of the group's newsletter which are not part of the collection. The minutes are of both the monthly meetings of the board of directors and the annual general membership meetings, but only three items pre-date 1972. The correspondence is almost entirely incoming, fragmentary, and often routine. Nevertheless, these two sections provide the best record of the organization's activity. Good supplementary information is in the Wisconsin Consumer, the files of which (1970-1976) have been transferred to the Historical Society Library. Surprisingly the financial reports are relatively complete, consisting of annual reports for the period 1967-1976 and frequent monthly reports. The lists includes summaries of officers, committees, membership, and prospective members. Also present are samples of various forms and letters sent to members. Publicity materials include press releases and flyers, chiefly concerning the Wisconsin Consumer Act and the Patient's Bill of Rights, two pieces of legislation with which the league was vitally involved. The speeches file consists of addresses by president Eric G. Airiess and statements by two other members.
The ACTIVITY FILE, 1969-1975, though limited to only a few concerns of the 1970s, provides documentation of some depth. The files include numerous drafts of the Patient's Bill of Rights; reports, surveys, correspondence, and a copy of remarks by Martin J. Schreiber pertaining to a hazardous toy safety survey undertaken for the U.S. Product Safety Commission; and minutes, proposals, correspondence, and publicity for a consumer complaint service in Madison which was sponsored by the league. The slim CHAPTERS FILE, 1970, consists of bylaws and miscellaneous papers of the Madison and Dane County leagues. Limited runs of both groups' newsletters, Caveat Vendor and Consumer Communicator, have been transferred to the Historical Society Library.
