Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

 Introduction

The records of the Altrusa International Club of Monroe, Michigan were donated and transferred to the Center for Archival Collections on October 3, 2011, with the assistance of Debra Haines and Carolyn Cron. The records, dating from 1952 to 2007, with the bulk between 1975 and 2000, include minutes, yearbooks, newsletters, committee and subject files, and photographic material.

No restrictions exist on the research use of this collection and duplication is permitted for research purposes. The collection was arranged and described by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in November 2011 and updated in February 2012.

 Agency History

Altrusa International is an international association of professional women and men who volunteer their energies and expertise in projects dedicated to community betterment. Altrusa is also a community service organization that espouses volunteerism, service and fights for literacy and against AIDS. It is comprised of over 400 clubs located throughout the United States and in ten countries around the world. First organized in 1917, as a women’s service organization, over the years it has supported vocational training for women and graduate research for women in developing countries in addition to its long standing commitment to literacy.

Altrusa International of Monroe, Michigan, was first organized in July 1952 with 21 members, and received its charter on May 11, 1954, by which time the club had grown to 26. That early group represented such fields of employment as librarian, government, homemaker, hospital, furniture store, finance, food industry, banking, paper industry, banking, cosmology, nursing, hotels, real estate, and insurance.

Projects supported by the Monroe Altrusa over the years included such diverse activities as providing funds for orthodontic care for wards of the Probate Court, scholarships to Monroe Community College, supporting Safety Town programs and other safety initiatives such as fire safety, seatbelts and child-restraints, recreational initiatives including Altrusa Park, swimming pool funds and lights for athletic fields.

Altrusa of Monroe is still an active Club within Altrusa International, District Five.

 Scope and Content

The Altrusa of Monroe, Michigan collection is comprised largely of minutes, program yearbooks, membership listings, financial records, with some minor printed and photographic material.

The meeting minutes, some with agendas, primarily cover the period from 1974 through 1993. These include information on attendance, membership requests, correspondence received, finances, project activities, and announcements of committees and National Altrusa.

The series of financial reports consist of the monthly updates supplied by the Treasurer, largely between 1976 to 2007. The data can include basic information on receipts (from dues and fees), disbursements (for meetings and supplies), and balances in the operating accounts, and also the status of project accounts including disbursements for donations and project costs and receipts from sales of tickets or items sold (in the case of the afghan project).

The other printed material, such as the yearbooks, provide a directory to members as well as a calendar of events, with the newsletters providing more detailed descriptions of the club activities.

Although some categories, such as correspondence, are not well represented, in general the material can provide a well-rounded picture to the operation and activities of the Monroe Altrusa Club.

 Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES
1958-1965, 1970-1993
Arranged chronologically.
May include information on agendas, officers, members, programs, business conducted, correspondence, committee and financial reports; includes general meetings, board meetings and business meetings, although some minutes are missing with just agendas available

MEMBERSHIP PRINTOUTS
1986-2001
Printout summaries from District 5 with club membership summaries and alphabetic listing

CLUB OFFICER REPORTS
1989-1994
Arranged chronologically
Copies of listings of club officers and meeting information sent to District

MEMBERSHIP RECOMMENDATION SHEETS
1956-1969, 1986-1990, 1996
Application forms with personal data

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORIES/YEARBOOKS
1967-1969, 1972-1980, 1982-1994
Booklets with membership rosters, officer and committee assignments, the annual program for the year, and general Altrusa information

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE - GENERAL
1986-1989
General club correspondence

CORRESPONDENCE - EVELYN POPE
1992-1993
Correspondence during term as president, includes copies of letters sent to area firms inviting women to become members

SUBJECT FILES

PROJECTS
1975-1976, 1988-1989, 1995-1998
Arranged chronologically
Material related to contests and project planning and a project for Monroe-themed afghans sold by the club

COMMITTEE FILES
1990-1992
Descriptions of committee duties and program planning materials

TOLEDO ALTRUSA SUBJECT FILE
1970-1971
Material and applications related to sister club in Toledo, Ohio

MONROE ALTRUSA PROJECTS
1984
Timeline of Monroe Altrusa projects, donations and community activities from 1952 through 1984

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

FINANCIAL NOTEBOOK
1976-1987
Notebook maintained by Treasurer, with information on fund-raising projects, special accounts, budgets, and financial reports

FINANCIAL MONTHLY REPORTS
1977-1997, 1999-2007
Treasurer’s regular financial report sheets, with annual summaries; may also include budget information

PRINTED MATERIAL

CONFERENCE PROGRAMS
1989, 1990, 1992
Booklets from the 35th, 36th, and 38th, Altrusa District 5 conferences.

PROGRAMS
1992
Program from 38th annual Card Party, Oct 13, 1992

BROCHURES
1987
Informational brochure for the Monroe Altrusa, explaining the club and highlighting funds raised for community service projects

BLANK STATIONERY
n.d.
Envelopes and stationery with Monroe Altrusa imprint

NEWSLETTERS
1966-1976 (incomplete), 1979-1996, 1998-2000
Arranged chronologically.
Monthly newsletter of the Altrusa Club of Monroe, Michigan, under various titles including Newsletter, Altrusa News-View, Altru-Notes, Key Points, Accent on Altrusa, FYI Bulletin, and Altrusa Bulletin, including information on business meetings, service projects, personal interest stories, and news from District Five and Altrusa International.

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

NEWS CLIPPINGS
1952-2004
Arranged chronologically
Loose newspaper clippings about club activities and members

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS
n.d.
Various shots of club members, with identifications but not dated

 Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Meeting minutes, 1958-1964
2. Meeting minutes, 1965, 1970-1974
3. Meeting minutes, 1974-1976
4. Meeting minutes, May 1977-Nov 1981
5. Meeting minutes, Jan 1982-Nov 1984
6. Meeting minutes, Jan 1985-Nov 1987

Box 2

Folders

1. Meeting minutes, Jan 1988-May 1993
2. Board Meeting agendas, 1967-1968
3. President’s Report, June 25, 1968
4. Membership printouts, 1986-1990
5. Membership printouts, 1986-1990
6. Membership printouts, 1986-1990
7. Club officer report sheets, 1989-1994
8. Membership applications, rejections, and resignations, 1956-1969
9. Recommendations for membership, 1986-1991, 1996
10. Yearbooks/Directories, 1963, 1967-1969
11. Yearbooks/Directories, 1972-1980
12. Yearbooks/Directories, 1982-1990
13. Yearbooks/Directories, 1990-1995

Box 3

Folder

1. Correspondence – General, 1986-1991
2. Correspondence – Evelyn Pope, 1992-1993
3. Project planning materials, 1988-1989
4. Michigan Week essay contest, 1975
5. Craftsmanship Contest, 1976
6. Afghan sales project, 1995-1998
7. Monroe Altrusa project timeline, 1984
8. Program committee information, 1990-1992
9. Altrusa of Toledo subject file, 1970-1971
10. Financial notebook, 1976-1987
11. Treasurer’s report sheets, 1977-1987
12. Treasurer’s report sheets, 1981-1986
13. Treasurer’s report sheets, 1987-1990

Box 4

Folder

1. Treasurer’s report sheets, 1991-1996
2. Treasurer’s report sheets, 1997-1999
3. Treasurer’s report sheets, 2000-2004
4. Treasurer’s report sheets, 2005-2007
5. Project budgets and miscellaneous financial, 1987-1995
6. Tax information file, 1960-1964
7. Conference program booklets, 1989, 1990, 1992
8. Card Party program, Oct 13, 1992
9. Monroe Altrusa informational brochure, 1987
10. Altrusa newsletters (varying titles), Aug 1966-Oct 1976
11. Altru-Notes, nos. 56-124, 1979-1986

Box 5

Folder

1. Key Points, nos. 125-127, 1986-1986
2. Accent on Altrusa, no. 128-213, 1987-1996
3. FYI Bulletin/Altrusa Bulletin, 1998-2000
4. News-clippings, 1952-2004
5. Blank club stationery, n.d.
6. Photographs, n.d.

Manuscripts by Subject | Women's Studies Collections