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

Introduction

The records of the Altrusa International of Sandusky, Ohio, date from 1935 to 1981. The history of this social organization is reflected in the collection which consists of meeting minutes, club programs, printed material, news clippings, and photographs.

The records of the Altrusa International of Sandusky, Ohio, were donated to the Center for Archival Collections in March 1982 through the cooperation of Ann Bowers, curator of manuscripts for the CAC and Marjori Wollf, President of the Altrusa International of Sandusky, Ohio. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public. The collection was processed and the register drafted by Karen Snow, graduate assistant in history, in August 1982.

Agency History

The first Altrusa Club was organized in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 11, 1917. The year following, membership on a classified basis was adopted by the clubs then organized. The National Association of Altrusa Clubs was incorporated under the laws of the State of Indiana on August 21, 1917, with the four clubs then in existence participating--Nashville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Dayton, Ohio. On December 31, 1923, the old incorporation was dissolved and new Articles of Incorporation for the National Association of Altrusa Clubs were filed. The National Association of Altrusa Clubs was the first national organization of business and professional women, either classified or unclassified.

Altrusa Clubs are classified and selective membership clubs composed of women who hold executive positions in diversified businesses and professions, or who own and operate their own businesses, or are practicing a profession. The proportion of a club's membership which may come from any one field is limited to ten percent of its total membership, and only one representative of each particular occupation classification can hold membership at any given time in a local club. Membership is by invitation. Altrusa is nonpartisan in politics and non-sectarian in religion.

As stated in the Member's Manual, the purpose of the organization is (1) to afford a main channel through which executive business and professional women representing a wide variety of occupational fields but with similar civic and altruistic motivations can work together thereby making possible the promotion of their common interests, and more effective the contribution of their combined services to civic, national, and international understanding and betterment; and (2) to extend the field for friendships and contacts among professional women beyond the bounds of their own professional groups.

The following are stated as objectives of the club: (1) to encourage, promote, extend, and supervise Altrusa throughout the United States of America, Dominion of Canada, Mexico, and other countries that may be approved by the International Executive Committee, and to coordinate and generally direct the activities of member clubs; (2) to cultivate friendly relationships, promote mutual understanding, and foster the solidarity of women who are actively engaged in business and professions; (3) to encourage high ethical standards of business and professional conduct; (4) to give vocational information to and be of service to both young and mature women already engaged in or entering business fields; (5) to encourage participation in community and public affairs on a nonpartisan basis; (6) to promote educational and cultural training and improvement; and (7) to be informed on international affairs and promote mutual understanding between peoples of all nations.

Scope and Content

The records of the Altrusa International of Sandusky, Ohio, document the history of the social organization form 1935 to 1981. Predominately consisting of minutes, club programs, correspondence, news clippings, photographs, and printed material, the growth of the organization and its impact on the community can be successfully documented.

The organization minutes date from 1935 to 1979 and are therefore quite complete. These minutes document the time and place of meetings, issues discussed and voted on, elections held, civic projects undertaken, and charitable enterprises. These are complemented by Board Minutes which date from 1936 to 1941. Through an evaluation of these documents, one can learn the changing attitudes and purposes of the club as well as detect, to some degree, the opinion of local and national society and women as a whole.

Various other sources reflect the activities and attitudes of the Altrusa Club on the local, national, and even international level. For the local level, these include news clippings dating from 1930 to 1981 and the local _Newsletter_. They contain information on local members, projects, and charities. On a national and international level, the various convention programs, conference notes, and newsletters and printed materials can indicate the activities of the Altrusa International, Inc.

Completing the collection are various reports (budget, committee), club histories, membership lists, correspondence, and photographs which further aid in the compilation of information on the club.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

BOARD MINUTES
1936-1941.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of the minutes of the Altrusa Board.
Meetings including time and place of meeting, issues discussed, actions taken.

CHARTER
September 19, 1936.
Charter certifying that the Altrusa Club of Sandusky, Ohio, is an affiliating club of Altrusa International, Inc.

INITIATION PROCEDURE
1971, 1973, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
Includes procedure for initiating new members as well as a quiz to be given on club history, rules, and regulations.

MEMBERSHIP AND OFFICER LISTS
1945-1948, 1917-1967.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of names and titles of officers and committee members as well as lists of club member names, addresses, and phone numbers.

MINUTES
1935-1979.
Arranged chronologically
Includes time and place of meeting, issues discussed and voted on, elections held, civic projects undertaken, and charitable enterprises pursued.

REPORTS

BUDGET REPORT
1945-1948.
Arranged chronologically
Contains proposed budgets for the years concerned including estimated incomes and expenditures.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
1953-1974, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Includes reports from the various committees as well as information on the duties of many of the committees.

FOURTH DISTRICT EXTENSION REPORT
1951-1955.
Arranged chronologically
Includes reports from the various committees as well as information on the duties of many of the committees.

REPORT OF GOVERNOR
1964-1966.
Consists of one report of the Altrusa District governor concerning the accomplishments and problems of her two-year term.

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE
1951, 1953, 1968-1972, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of club correspondence, predominately incoming, given account of club projects undertaken and events attended.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

CLUB HISTORY
n.d.
Includes a history of the district organization and history of Altrusa International from 1927-1978.

SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

NEWS CLIPPINGS
1930-1981.
Arranged chronologically
Contains news clippings from various local papers covering club meetings, citations, members, civic projects, charitable enterprises, and special events.

PRINTED MATERIAL

ALTRUSA ANGLES
1964-1974, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of a club newsletter for the Altrusa District Five Clubs including information on members, activities, and conventions of the various clubs.

ALTRUSA DIGEST AND MEMBERSHIP MANUAL
1959, 1978.
Arranged chronologically
Includes a digest on club history, member clubs, and conferences, officers, honor roll, awards, and workshops. The membership manual contains club histories as well as information about becoming a member.

ALTRUSA DISTRICT FIVE SERVICE BULLETIN
1965-1974, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of a District Five newsletter containing information on upcoming events, calendars, changes in offices, and special news items.

ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT FIVE 15TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE PROGRAM/FILES
1968, 1969, 1979.
Arranged chronologically by conference date.
Contains schedule of events, seminar and workshop notes, and notices of special events from the conference.

ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE BULLETIN
1964-1973, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of an international publication of events, information on members, etc., for all district clubs.

ALTRUSA NEWSLETTER
1953, 1963-1975, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Contains newsletters, sometimes in the form of a letter with information on members and events of the Sandusky Altrusa Club.

ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMS
1960, 1975.
Arranged chronologically
Contains the programs for the Sandusky Altrusa Club's 25th and 40th anniversaries.

CLUB PROGRAMS
1942-1975, some gaps occur.
Arranged chronologically
Contains the yearly programs for the Sandusky Altrusa Club including program of events and awards given.

CONVENTION PROGRAMS
1947-1977, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Includes programs from various conventions held throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

DINNER PROGRAMS
1955-1967, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Contains programs from special club dinners including schedule of events and dinner menu.

EVALUATION FORMS
1963-1970, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Includes evaluation forms on the club as a whole as well as on committee performance. Some forms are completed while others are blank.

GOLDEN SANDS
July 1967.
Consists of a three-day publication written for a convention held at Bal Harbor, Florida.

THE OPEN CIRCUIT
July 1965.
Consists of a three-day publication written for a convention held at Dallas, Texas.

PAMPHLETS AND BROCHURES
n.d.
Consists of a variety of publications put out by the Altrusa International, Inc. Also includes programs for other clubs.

WORKSHOP AND SEMINAR NOTES
1963-1978, scattered.
Arranged chronologically
Includes notes and information on various workshops and seminars attended by and held by the Altrusa Club.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

PHOTOGRAPHS
1935-1965.
Contains photographs of various club functions many of which are unidentified.

Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Club charter, September 19, 1936
2. Membership and officer lists, 1945, 1948, 1917-1967
3. Board minutes, September 1936-April 1941
4. Minutes, November 1935-June 1936
5. Minutes, September 1936-June 1937
6. Minutes, September 1937-June 1938
7. Minutes, September 1938-August 1939
8. Minutes, September 1939-June 1940
9. Minutes, September 1940-June 1941
10. Minutes, September 1941-June 1943
11. Minutes, June 1943-June 1944
12. Minutes, September 1944-June 1945
13. Minutes, September 1945-May 1946
14. Minutes, August 1956-June 1958
15. Minutes, September 1958-June 1959

Box 2

Folders

1. Minutes, September 1961-June 1962
2. Minutes, June 1962-June 1963
3. Minutes, August 1963-June 1964
4. Minutes, August 1964-July 1965
5. Minutes, July 1965-June 1966
6. Minutes, June 1966-May 1967
7. Minutes, July 1967-July 1968
8. Minutes, September 1968-August 1969
9. Minutes, September 1969-July 1970
10. Minutes, August 1970-May 1972
11. Minutes, September 1972-June 1979

Box 3

Folders

1. Club programs, 1942/43, 1945/46-1947/48, 1949/50-1957/58
2. Club programs, 1959/60-1967/68
3. Club programs, 1969/70-1975/76
4. Convention programs, 1947, 1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1977
5. Anniversary programs, 1960, 1975
6. Dinner programs, 1955, 1965-1967
7. Altrusa International District Five 14th Annual Conference notes, 1968
8. Altrusa International District Five 15th Annual Conference notes, 1969
9. Altrusa International District Five 25th Annual Conference notes, 1979

Box 4

Folders

1. Budget reports, 1945-1948
2. Committee duties and activity reports, 1953-1974, scattered
3. Correspondence, 1951, 1953, 1968-1972, scattered
4. Altrusa International History, n.d.
5. Initiation procedure and quiz, 1965, 1971, 1973
6. Fourth District Extension Report, 1951-1955
7. Evaluation forms, 1963-1970, n.d., scattered
8. Workshop, seminar, and convention notes, 1963-1978, n.d., scattered
9. Report of Governor, 1964-1966
10. Pamphlets and brochures, n.d.
11. Altrusa District Five Service Bulletin, 1965-1974, scattered
12. Altrusa International Service Bulletin, 1964-1973, scattered
13. Altrusa Newsletter, 1953, 1963-1975, scattered
14. Altrusa Angles, 1964-1974, scattered
15. The Open Circuit, July 1965
16. Golden Sands, July 1967
17. Altrusa Digest and Membership Manual, 1959, 1978

Box 5

Folders

1. News clippings, 1930-1956
2. News clippings, 1961-1963
3. News clippings, 1964-1965
4. News clippings, 1966-1970
5. News clippings, 1970-1974
6. News clippings, 1974-1981
7. Photographs, 1935-1965

Manuscripts by Subject | Women's Studies Collections