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

Introduction

The records of the Williams County Homemakers' Council of Bryan, Ohio (1943-1982) were donated to the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, on April 21, 1982. The collection was transferred by Ann Bowers, Curator of Manuscripts, Center for Archival Collections, with the cooperation of the Williams County Homemakers' Council, Lyla Bly, President.

The records of this organization consist of minutes, financial records, and newsclippings. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public. The collection was processed and the register drafted by Lee N. McLaird, Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections in January 2007.

Agency History

During the 1930s, the office of the home demonstration agent was established to assist the County Agent in providing extension activities geared to the homemakers in the county. The William County Home Council (later called the Williams County Homemakers' Council) was organized in October 1943 with representation from each township. Meeting quarterly, they planned programs and activities for homemakers' and 4-H clubs, encouraging leadership and self-government. A small charge per club paid the expenses of the Council.

The duties of the Home Councilors included helping to secure project leaders for topics of interest to the local groups, chairing local meetings, maintaining mailing lists, and arranging special projects such as the Fair Committee, Women's Camp, and Farmers' Week and Institute. Programs for youth and adult clubs included such topics as nutrition, clothing, home furnishings, home and farm management, crops, livestock, and community affairs, with child development and family relations later additions. The home agent coordinated the activities of all the councils and clubs, brought in experts for lectures and demonstrations, lectured and demonstrated herself, gave radio and television presentations, spoke to various community groups, directed publicity, and judged contests and fairs.

Extension agents and clubs still are an active part of rural life in Williams County, and continue to be instrumental in keeping participants up-to-date in new products and methods used in housekeeping and farming.

Scope and Content

The activities of the Williams County Homemakers' Council are recorded in detail through the minutes, which cover a period of some forty years. The minutes are complete for this time period. Minutes include the date, time, and place of each meeting, the activities and program. The minute books also include a record of attendance and a treasurer's report listing council income and expenditures.

Other financial records and correspondence are represented by only a few items. The newsclippings date from as early as the late 1950s, but the bulk are from the late 1970s to early 1980s. These record some of the club's public programming.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

Minutes
1943-1981
Arranged chronologically
Includes date, time, and place of meeting, business conducted and program presented. Attendance and financial records may also be included.

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE
1960, n.d.
No arrangement
Includes one letter and an unrelated questionnaire dealing with the makeup of the membership and their interests.

FINANCIAL RECORDS

FINANCIAL RECORDS
1960, n.d.
No arrangement
Includes a five-year balance sheet and some notes regarding club expenditures and income. Other financial records are located in minute books.

SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL

NEWSCLIPPINGS
1958-1982 (scattered dates)
No arrangement
Includes clippings from the Bryan newspaper documenting the club's public programming.

Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Minutes, October 1943-March 1951
2. Minutes, September 1951-June 1961
3. Minutes, September 1961-February 1971
4. Minutes, September 1971-February 1981
5. Correspondence, 1960, n.d.
6. Financial records, 1960, n.d.
7. Newsclippings, 1958-1982 (scattered)

Manuscripts by Subject |  Women's Studies Collections