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

Introduction

The records of the Ohio College Association-Women's Physical Education Section date from 1920 to 1988. The history of this professional organization is reflected in the 3.5 linear feet of minutes, constitutions and bylaws, correspondence, membership lists, financial reports, subject files and biographies.

The records of the OCA-WPES were donated to the Center for Archival Collections in 1976, with additional files being donated as designated inactive by the organization, through the cooperation of Carol A. Thompson, president of OCA-WPES and Beverly Zanger, HPER professor at BGSU. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purpose of preservation and scholarly research. The register was prepared by Elaine Ezell in 1981, and updated by Ann Bowers in February 1992.

Agency History

The purpose of the Women's Physical Education Section of the Ohio College Association, according to the constitution, shall be "to promote cooperation among departments of physical education in colleges and universities in the state of Ohio, and to study common problems." In 1924, Mr. Boles of Wooster College, president of the men's division of the Ohio College Association, wrote to Lydia Clark at the Ohio State University and suggested that the women organize into a similar group. Thus the Ohio College Association-Women's Physical Education Section was organized in 1924-1925. Lydia Clark was president and a constitution was adopted.

Annual meetings were held in the spring from 1925 to 1934 with the exception of 1932, at which time the members were busy with the Mid-West Physical Education Association meetings being held in Columbus. In 1934, the group reorganized into a more compact group and changed the regular meeting date to the fall. The annual meetings are held at the various members' institutions.

Significant steps in its history include the establishment of the Invitational College Tennis Organization in 1957, Advisor to the Athletic Federation of Ohio College Women (AFOCW) Sports Section, and the establishment of the Ohio Association of Intercollegiate Sports for Women (OAISW) in 1972.

Scope and Content

The records of the Women's Physical Education Section of the Ohio College Association (OCA-WPES) cover the period from 1920 to 1988, with the bulk of the records dating from 1934 to 1988. The Executive Board minutes (1953-1968, 1970-1988) primarily pertain to the arrangements, topics and programs for the annual meetings. The Business Meeting minutes (1936, 1938-1940, 1944, 1947-1987) provide more detailed information on the topics covered at the annual meetings and the concerns of the organization in relation to athletics for women at both the public school and college levels in Ohio. Programs and files documenting the annual conferences (1937-1988) complete the material on the annual meetings.

Constitutions and bylaws (1934-1984) and membership lists (1935-1984) are arranged chronologically. Operating codes (1960-1983) outline the job descriptions and responsibilities for officers of the organization and the hostess schools.

President's correspondence and files (1966, 1970-1986) basically concern programs and attendance at various meetings. The split between the Ohio Commission on Intercollegiate Sports (OCIS) and the Ohio Association for Intercollegiate Sports for Women (OAISW) in 1971-1972 is well documented.

The financial picture of the organization is provided through the treasurer's reports (1935-1986) and the treasurer's correspondence (1968-1975). The 1974 treasurer's correspondence lists the women physical education faculty members of the universities in Ohio.

Biographies of many of the members were compiled in 1973 as part of the OCA-WPES 50th anniversary celebration. Other biographical references also are included. The collection contains files documenting the Athletic and Recreation Federation of Ohio College Women (changed to the Ohio College Women in Sport and Recreation in 1973). Convention programs and reports (1946-1976), financial records (1948-1974) and newsletters (1946-1973) comprise the bulk of this documentation. Articles and subject files regarding physical education and women (1920-1982), largely compiled by Ruth Helsel, physical education professor at Wittenberg University, complete this collection. These files illustrate educational curriculum for women in physical education, health and recreation.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES-EXECUTIVE BOARD
1953-1968, 1970-1988.
Arranged chronologically
Includes constitution changes, programs for annual meetings, various board actions.

MINUTES-BUSINESS MEETING
1936, 1938-1940, 1944, 1947-1966, 1968-1987.
Arranged chronologically
Includes proceedings of annual meetings, committee reports, financial reports and actions taken.

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
1934-1984.
Arranged chronologically
Includes articles establishing the name of the organization, purpose, membership criteria, officers, meetings, amendments, committees, dues, elections and quorum.

MEMBERSHIP RECORDS
1935-1984, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Includes lists of members noting the university with which they are affiliated.

OPERATING CODES
1960-1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1983.
Arranged chronologically
Includes code for hostess school, requirements for honorary membership, responsibilities of various committees and duties of officers.

POLICIES
1940-1977, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Includes policy guidelines for sports day, intramural athletics, extra-mural athletics and intercollegiate activities. Also includes questionnaires and athletic committee reports.

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE
1966, 1970-1986.
Arranged chronologically
Includes both incoming and outgoing correspondence involving inter-collegiate athletics for women, executive board meetings, programs, and nominations for honorary membership. Correspondence is mostly from and to the President.

CORRESPONDENCE-TREASURER
1968-1975, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Includes incoming and outgoing correspondence related to payment of expenses and membership fees. The 1974 correspondence includes lists of women physical education faculty members at various Ohio colleges.

SUBJECT FILES

ANNUAL CONFERENCES
1937-1988.
Arranged chronologically
Includes programs, evaluations and correspondence related to the conferences.

ARCHIVIST/ARCHIVES
1973-1979, 1981
Arranged chronologically
Includes guidelines for retention of materials, operating code for historian/archivist, deed of gift agreements and inventory.

ATHLETIC AND RECREATION FEDERATION OF OHIO COLLEGE WOMEN
(changed to Ohio College Women in Sport and Recreation in 1973)
1946-1976.
Arranged by series and within chronologically.
Includes constitutions, correspondence, financial reports, convention files, and newsletters.

BIOGRAPHIES
1973, 1982-1987, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Includes biographical forms completed by members at the time of the 50th anniversary.

RUTH HELSEL FILES
1920-1982.
Arranged by subject title and within chronologically.
Includes files comprised of notes, articles, reports pertaining to women's physical education, health and recreation issues.

REPORTS

AD HOC COMMITTEE ON STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTION
1971.
Arranged chronologically
Includes questionnaire with its results and incoming and outgoing correspondence related to changes in the structure of the organization and its constitution.

AD HOC EVALUATION COMMITTEE
1965.
Arranged chronologically
Includes purpose, evaluation and recommendations in regard to OCA-WPES.

TASK FORCE ON THE STRUCTURE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND ATHLETICS
1974.
Arranged chronologically
Includes policies and models developed from the study of the relationship between women's intercollegiate athletics and women's physical education programs for colleges and universities in Ohio.

TREASURER
1935-1986.
Arranged chronologically
Includes financial reports containing itemized receipts and expenditures and balances.

PRINTED MATERIAL

ASSOCIATION FOR INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FOR WOMEN
1971-1972.
Handbook of the Association.

MIDWEST ASSOCIATION FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF COLLEGE WOMEN
1968-1970, 1974.
Arranged chronologically
Includes annual report, newsletter and conference program.

NEWSLETTERS
1971-1988.
Arranged chronologically
Includes newsletters of the OCA-WPES which contain conference reports, meeting minutes and other pertinent news.

OHIO ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION
1939, 1969, 1971.
Arranged chronologically
Includes history of organization, conference program and bulletin

OHIO ASSOCIATION FOR INTERCOLLEGIATE SPORTS FOR WOMEN.
1985.
Newsletters, bylaws, affiliation list.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

PHOTOGRAPHS
n.d.
Includes photographs of OCA/WPES conference proceedings.

Inventory

Box 1

1. Minutes-Executive Board, 1953-1968, 1970-1975
2. Minutes-Executive Board, 1976-1988
3. Minutes-Business Meeting, 1936, 1938-1940, 1944, 1947-1965
4. Minutes-Business Meeting (minutes also in newsletter), 1966, 1968-1987
5. Constitution and bylaws, 1934-1984
6. Membership lists, 1935-1969 (scattered holdings)
7. Membership lists, 1970-1984, n.d.
8. Operating codes, 1960-1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1983
9. Policies, 1940-1977, n.d.

Box 2

1. Correspondence, December 1966, October 1970-December 1971
2. Correspondence, October-November 1972
3. Correspondence, February-November 1973
4. Correspondence, January-December 1974
5. Correspondence, January-December 1975
6. Correspondence, January-December 1976
7. Correspondence, January-November 1977
8. Correspondence, January 1978-December 1979
9. Correspondence, January 1980-December 1981
10. Correspondence, January 1982-December 1983
11. Correspondence, January 1984-October 1986
12. Correspondence-treasurer, March 1968-December 1975, n.d. (scattered holdings)

Box 3

1. Annual Conference, 1937-1972
2. Annual Conference, 1973, 1974
3. Annual Conference, 1975
4. Annual Conference, 1976
5. Annual Conference, 1977-1978
6. Annual Conference, 1979-1988
7. Newsletters, 1971-1977
8. Newsletters, 1978-1981
9. Newsletters, 1982-1984
10. Newsletters, 1985-1988

Box 4

1. Archives/Archivist, 1973-1979 (scattered holdings)
2. Certificates-blank, n.d.
3. Biographies, 1973
4. Biographies, 1973
5. Biographies, 1982-1987, n.d.
6. Necrology, 1973-1976
7. History of the organization, 1973-1975, 1981
8. OCIS and OAIAW split, 1969-1971
9. OCIS and OAIAW split, 1972
10. Treasurer's reports, 1935-1939, 1949-1951, 1954-1986
11. Ad Hoc Committee on Structure and Constitution, 1971
12. Ad Hoc Evaluation Committee, 1965
13. Task Force on the Structure of Physical Education and Athletics report, September 1974
14. Photographs-OCA/WPES conference, n.d.
15. Ohio Association for Intercollegiate Sports for Women, 1985
16. Ohio Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1939, 1969, 1971
17. Midwest Association for Physical Education of College Women, 1968-1970, 1974
18. Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Handbook, 1971-1972

Box 5

1. Constitution, 1950-1974 (scattered holdings)
2. Correspondence (mostly financial), 1950-1956, 1962, 1963, 1968-1974 (scattered holdings)
3. Report of State Advisor, 1964-1965
4. Convention programs, reports and files, 1946, 1952, 1954, 1955
5. Convention programs, reports and files, 1956
6. Convention programs, reports and files, 1957
7. Convention programs, reports and files, 1958
8. Convention programs, reports and files, 1959
9. Convention programs, reports and files, 1960
10. Convention programs, reports and files, 1961
11. Convention programs, reports and files, 1962

Box 6

1. Convention programs, reports and files, 1963
2. Convention programs, reports and files, 1964
3. Convention programs, reports and files, 1965
4. Convention programs, reports and files, 1966
5. Convention programs, reports and files, 1967
6. Convention programs, reports and files, 1968
7. Convention programs, reports and files, 1971, 1973, 1976
8. Treasurer's ledger/reports, 1948-1962
9. Newsletters, 1946, 1953-1957, 1963-1965, 1973
10. An Informative Guide for State Organizations of the Athletic Federation of College Women by Barbara Sprayberry, 1954

Box 7

1. Archery, 1930-1951, n.d.
2. Basketball and Volleyball, 1960-1961
3. Dance, 1939, 1949, n.d.
4. First Aid/Water Safety, 1948
5. Hockey, 1954, 1961, 1963, n.d.
6. Equestrians and horses, 1936, 1939 (includes photographs from Wittenberg and Ohio State)
7. Golf, 1966-1967, n.d.
8. Girls-Sports, 1932-1982, n.d. (scattered holdings)
9. Gymnastics and club exercises, 1924
10. Grading and credit practices in physical education (BGSU study), 1957
11. Health Education, 1928-1958, n.d. (scattered holdings)
12. Personal Hygiene, 1929-1930

Box 8

1. Physical Education/Fitness, 1920, 1934, 1943-1944, 1947
2. Physical Education/Fitness, 1950-1961, 1964, 1973, n.d.
3. Physical Fitness Institute (Wittenberg and Ohio State), February-March 1943
4. Posture, 1923, 1942, 1960, n.d.
5. "Whither Are We Bound: A Critical Study of the Woman Sport Movement" by Von Studienrat Walter Kuhn, 1928
6. A Comparative Study of The Motor Ability of Entering Freshwomen at Wittenberg University during the years 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1964, thesis by Patricia Winifred Tanner
7. Workshop on School Health Education, 1953
8. Green Meadows Conference Report Certification Standards for Health Education, Physical Education and Interscholastic Sports, 1965
9. Workshop Proceedings-The Extended Health Education Program for Ohio, September 7-12, 1947
10. A History of the Midwest Association for Physical Education of College Women, 1917-1957
11. The Life and Lights of the National Association for Physical Education of College Women (history and newsletter), 1962, December 1968
12. Report of First Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Delegate Assembly, held in November 1973
13. Photograph with Ruth Helsel, Akron Convention, n.d.

Manuscripts by Subject | Education Collections |  Women's Studies Collections