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

 Introduction

The collection from the Woman’s Club of Bowling Green dates from 1921 – 2001. Contained in the collection are the club’s annual program booklets which list club members, officers, standing committees, departments, by-laws, and program topics for their monthly meetings. Two scrap books from the club’s Garden Group are also included in the collection; these contain newspaper clippings, photographs and correspondence and encompass the years 1951-1952 and 1953-1954.

The collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections on August 14, 1981 by the Woman’s Club of Bowling Green through club member Dorothy Slagle, with additions in June and July 2007 by Joan Gordon. There are no restrictions on the research use of this collection and duplication is permitted for research purposes. The finding aid was completed by Kat Milbrodt in November 2006, with revisions in July 2007 and August 2009 by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts.

 Agency History

The Woman’s Club of Bowling Green was organized in May 1920 with the intent to bring together the women of Bowling Green and the surrounding areas for personal and community improvement. Along with monthly meetings, club members organized and sponsored cultural and intellectual events including concerts, book discussions, local theatre, lectures, study groups, and ran a dining room at the clubhouse. Within the first several years of federation, the Woman’s Club had helped establish a public play ground, municipal swimming pool and a recreation park in the city of Bowling Green. The women of the club also organized several specialized groups within the larger organization. One of the more active committees was the Garden Group who documented their activities in scrap books. The Woman’s Club of Bowling Green is still a viable organization and has remained active in the community and within in its parent organizations: The General Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Lakeside Federation of Women’s Clubs.

 Scope and Content

The collection of the Woman’s Club of Bowling Green contains material from 1921 – 2007. The bulk of the collection consists of annual program booklets, but also includes recent newsletters, a notebook of certificates of awards from 1982-2002, general scrapbooks from around 1984 through 1990 and two scrap books from the Woman’s Club Garden Group and a photograph of the Woman’s Club clubhouse.

The program booklets, while not very detailed, contain a variety of information. Each book contains a list of club officers and members, a list of club committees, displays the club constitution, and outlines a calendar of dates and presentation topics for club meetings. Program books from 1927-1939 also include an itemized treasure’s report. The collection of booklets is nearly complete from 1921-1967 but thereafter includes only two booklets from the 1970s, three from the 1980s and the 2000-2001 booklet.

The general scrapbooks with clippings and photographs document various Club activities for 1962-1963 and between 1984 and 1990. Two of the scrap books included in the collection pertain specifically to the Woman’s Club Garden Group for the years 1951-1952 and 1953-1954. These books are comprised primarily of newspaper articles describing the group’s activities, but also contain some photographs of club members, original poems, and correspondence to Mrs. L. B. Barnes, the president of the Garden Group from 1951-1954. Both books had been submitted to The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs for judging and both received special commendation.

A two-volume published history of the GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs from 1954-1994 has been separately cataloged into the general book collection.

 Series Description

SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL

SCRAPBOOKS
1951-1954, 1962-1963, 1984-1990
General scrapbooks with clippings and photographs documenting various Club activities between 1984 and 1990 and two scrap books from Woman’s Club Garden Group dating 1951 – 1952 and 1953 – 1954. Include newspaper articles, photographs, magazine clippings and other printed material documenting Garden Group activities. Oversize scrapbooks are wrapped

MISCELLANEOUS SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL
1952-1960
Arranged chronologically
Loose materials found in the 1951 - 1952 Garden Group scrapbook. Includes thank you letters to Mrs. L. B. Barnes and news-clippings.

PRINTED MATERIAL

ANNUAL PROGRAM BOOKLETS
1921 - 2001
Arranged chronologically
Annual schedule of monthly meetings, member roster, list of club officers, list of club committees, club constitution and a list of club members with their addresses.

NEWSLETTERS
2005-2007
Monthly newsletter with club activities, news notes, and lists of officers

CERTIFICATES
1982-2002
Notebook with certificates of awards recognizing the Bowling Green Woman's Club for its activities

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

PHOTOGRAPH
[193-?]
Photograph of seven women in front of dining room entrance to Woman's Club of Bowling Green clubhouse.

 Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Scrapbook – Woman’s Club of Bowling Green Garden Group, 1951-1952
2. Miscellaneous loose material from Garden Group scrapbook, 1952-1960
3. Scrapbook - General Women’s Club Activities, 1984-1985

Box 2

Folder

1. Scrapbook – General Women’s Club Activities, 1986-1987
2. Scrapbook – General Women’s Club Activities, 1987-1988

Box 3

Folder

1. Scrapbook – General Women’s Club Activities, 1989-1990
2. Scrapbook – General Women’s Club Activities, circa 1990

Box 4

Folder

1. Scrapbook – General Women’s Club Activities, 1981-1982
2. Scrapbook – General Women’s Club Activities, 1989-1990

Box 5

Folder

1. Annual Program Booklets, 1921-1930
2. Annual Program Booklets, 1930-1940
3. Annual Program Booklets, 1940-1950
4. Annual Program Booklets, 1950-1954, 1955-1957, 1958-1960
5. Annual Program Booklets, 1960-1963, 1965-1967
6. Annual Program Booklets, 1973-1974, 1978-1979, 1981-1983, 1984-1985, 2000-2001

Box 6

Folder

1. Newsletters, 2005-2007
2. Certificates, 1982-2002
3. Photograph – Woman’s Club of Bowling Green clubhouse, [193-?]

Wrapped

1. Scrapbook – Woman’s Club of Bowling Green Garden Group, 1953 –1954
2. Scrapbook - General Women’s Club Activities, 1986-1987
3. Scrapbook - Woman’s Club of Bowling Green, 1962-1963

Removals to General Collection

Frances Haas and Mary A Davis. History of the GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs, 1974-1994, v.4, Centennial ed.
Catalog Call Number: HQ1903.O3 H32 1994

Manuscripts by Subject | Women's Studies Collections