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

Introduction

The records of the Shakespeare Round Table of Bowling Green, Ohio consist of general material such as a copy of the constitution/bylaws, minutes, program yearbooks, clippings, photographs, and some literary productions in the form of reminiscences or histories produced by club members.

The records were initially collected by the Center for Archival Collections starting in 1981 as part of the Women's Studies Archives NEH grant project through the efforts of Jill Gates Smith, with ongoing additions of program yearbooks continuing over the years. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The register was prepared by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in May 2004, with revisions in 2007.

Agency History

Although they met informally as a study group in Bowling Green, Ohio beginning around 1904 or 1905, in the winter of 1905-1906 the ongoing organization known as the Shakespeare Round Table wrote its first constitution/bylaws and elected formal officers. According to the most recent printed history of the club by Naomi Greenfield, the earliest members of the group included women from many of the important families in Bowling Green at the time, such as Mrs. G.W. Munshower, Mrs. F.D. Halleck, Mrs. Fred Kimmons, Mrs. Dudley Avery, and Mrs. Belle Newton.

From the text of the 1968 constitution, largely unchanged over the years, active membership was limited to 20, with vacancies filled by secret ballot. Standing committees include an Executive Committee, Program Committee and a Library Committee. Monthly meetings are held from the first week in October through the end of April or May.

The meeting frequency and format evolved over the years, with some thanks to the early guidance of Mrs. Robert Morris of Toledo, a noted Shakespearean scholar in this area, who aided in program development. As the programs evolved they settled into a pattern of study of two plays a year, with examination of one act per meeting being the norm, although there was a lot of variety in the way topics were approached, as can be seen in the program yearbooks. Each member is fully expected to contribute to the work of the program by preparation of papers or conducting study of the work under discussion during the year. The Round Table continues to follow this format today.

In addition to their formal study of Shakespeare, the women of the Round Table were also actively involved in community betterment projects, particularly focused on the establishment of a Public Library for Bowling Green. Funds were raised through the sponsorship of plays, bake sales, socials, and teas, and other events were organized for which the admission fee was donation of a book. Working over the years with other community organizations, and with the support of the Sentinel-Tribune, the Round Table spearheaded the campaign efforts and in March of 1914 the Shakespeare Round Table rented two rooms on West Wooster in the Exchange Bank building that served as the first subscription library, evolving over the years into the Public Library. This collection continued to grow over the years thanks to the steady support of the club.

Scope and Content

This collection of material associated with the Shakespeare Round Table of Bowling Green, Ohio covers their programmatic material, with organizational and procedural records such as minutes, and limited correspondence, and financial records.

The most extensive series in this collection are the program yearbooks dating from 1911 that outline the course of study for the particular year and detail the assignments of topics and hostess for each meeting session, which complement the minutes from 1940 through 2000. Other examples of special program topics can also be found in the series of anniversary banquet programs, with scattered dates available starting in 1956 with the 50th anniversary dinner.

Other supporting material documents the activities of the club through news clippings, reminiscences written for the 40th, 50th and 60th anniversaries of the Round Table, a file related to the 100th anniversary, publications about Shakespeare written by Mrs. Robert Morris, a Shakespearean scholar and early supporter of the club activities, photographs from various events, and a history of the Round Table written in 2000 that makes extensive use of those procedural records in this collection.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

CONSTITUTION/BYLAWS
1968
Revised and amended version of constitution and bylaws, amended March 1968

MINUTES
October 1940-May 2000
Annual minutes

MEMBERSHIP LISTS
1980-1981, n.d.
Listing with information on founders of the Round Table, with a separate compiled listing of all members through the 1980-1981 year with active members at that time noted

SUBJECT/CASE FILES

PROGRAM YEARBOOKS
1911/12-1914/15, 1916/17, 1919/20-
Annual booklet outline of the course of study for the particular year, detailing the assignments of topics and hostess for each meeting session

BANQUET PROGRAMS
1956-2003 (scattered)
Booklets with menu and program presented at annual anniversary banquets

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT AND LEDGER
1925/26, 1928-1936
Financial records including report of the Foundation Fund

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

HISTORIES AND REMINISCENCES
1946, 1956, 1966, 1981, 2000
Typed reminiscences about early Round Table history, presented at anniversary banquets

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL

NEWSCLIPPINGS
1946-1988, n.d. (scattered)
Copies of articles appearing in the Sentinel-Tribune, Toledo Blade, and the BG News related to Round Table anniversaries, the Shakespeare tree on the BGSU campus, and general news items

ANNIVERSARY OBSERVANCE
2005-2006
100th Anniversary celebration file

PRINTED MATERIAL

BOOKLISTS
1955, 1964, 1967
Bibliography listing books in the Shakespeare Corner of the Bowling Green Public Library during the Round Table's 50th anniversary year, additions made in 1964, and a selected listing of books on Shakespeare at the BGSU Library

JOHN COOPER QUOTE
2000
News clipping and series of email and fax inquiries related to a quote by OSU football coach John Cooper misidentified as by Shakespeare

BOOKS
1912, n.d.
Books and plays by Mrs. Robert (Agnes) Morris about Shakespeare or related topics

BOOKS
2000
Compiled history of the Shakespeare Round Table, written by Naomi Greenfield

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS
1921, 1956, 1968, n.d.
Photographic prints or negatives of roundtable members at the home of member Mary Hissong, at various dinner events, and of the actors in costume at BGSU in a production of "Dark Lady of the Sonnets" directed by Rhea McCain at the time the first Shakespeare Tree was planted on campus

Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Constitutions, Customary Procedures and Practices, 1934-1992, 2005
2. Incorporation Papers, 1984-1994 (scattered dates)
3. Minutes, October 1940-May 1941
4. Minutes, October 1941-May 1942
5. Minutes, October 1942-May 1943
6. Minutes, October 1943-April 1944
7. Minutes, October 1944-May 1945
8. Minutes, October 1945-May 1946
9. Minutes, October 1946-May 1947
10. Minutes, October 1947-May 1948
11. Minutes, October 1948-April 1949
12. Minutes, October 1949-May 1950
13. Minutes, October 1950-May 1951
14. Minutes, October 1951-May 1952
15. Minutes, October 1952-May 1953
16. Minutes, October 1953-May 1954
17. Minutes, October 1954-May 1955
18. Minutes, October 1955-May 1956
19. Minutes, October 1956-May 1957
20. Minutes, October 1957-May 1958
21. Minutes, October 1958-May 1959
22. Minutes, October 1959-April 1960
23. Minutes, October 1960-April 1961
24. Minutes, October 1961-May 1962
25. Minutes, October 1962-May 1963
26. Minutes, October 1963-May 1964
27. Minutes, October 1964-April 1965
28. Minutes, October 1965-April 1966
29. Minutes, October 1966-April 1967
30. Minutes, October 1967-April 1968
31. Minutes, October 1968-April 1969
32. Minutes, October 1969-May 1970
33. Minutes, October 1970-May 1971
34. Minutes, October 1971-April 1972

Box 2
Folder

1. Minutes, October 1972-April 1973
2. Minutes, October 1973-March 1974
3. Minutes, October 1974-April 1975
4. Minutes, October 1975-April 1976
5. Minutes, October 1976-April 1977
6. Minutes, October 1977-April 1978
7. Minutes, October 1978-April 1979
8. Minutes, October 1979-April 1980
9. Minutes, October 1980-March 1981
10. Minutes, October 1981-May 1982
11. Minutes, October 1982-May 1983
12. Minutes, October 1983-April 1984
13. Minutes, October 1983-May 1985
14. Minutes, October 1985-May 1986
15. Minutes, October 1986-May 1987
16. Minutes, October 1987-May 1988
17. Minutes, October 1988-May 1989
18. Minutes, October 1989-April 1990
19. Minutes, October 1990-April 1991
20. Minutes, October 1991-April 1992
21. Minutes, October 1992-May 1993
22. Minutes, October 1993-May 1994
23. Minutes, October 1994-May 1995
24. Minutes, October 1995-May 1996
25. Minutes, October 1996-April 1997
26. Minutes, October 1997-April 1998
27. Minutes, October 1998-April 1999
28. Minutes, October 1999-May 2000

Box 3
Folder

1. Program Books (mising 1916/17, 1919/20), 1911-1940
2. Program Books (missing 1945/46), 1940-1960
3. Program Books, 1960-1980
4. Program Books, 1980-2000
5. Program Books, 2000-
6. Banquet Programs, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970,1971, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 2003, 2004

Box 4
Folder

1. Treasurer's financial report and Foundation Fund Ledger, 1925/26, 1928-1936
2. Membership correspondence, 1966-1994
3. Membership correspondence-estate of Helen Waugh, 1976
4. Membership-estate files of J. Robert and Gretchen Overman, 1940s-1960s, 1978-1979
5. Membership-files of Harriet Hayward, 1920s-1930s
6. Membership Lists, 1906-2006
7. Life Members, 1920s-1977
8. Christmas cards from Shakespeare Center/Friends of Shakespeare's Birthplace membership, 1969, 1971, 1976-1977
9. Library Committee, 1955-2003 (scattered dates)
10. List of Plays studied, 1911-2006
11. History of the Shakespeare Round Table by Naomi Greenfield, August 2000
12. Anniversary speeches/reminiscences, 1946, 1956, 1966, 1981
13. 100th Anniversary celebration file, 2005-2006
14. News articles about Shakespeare Round Table, 1946-1988 (scattered dates)
15. Historical notes and lists of founders' homes, n.d.
16. John Cooper quote, 2000
17. Shakespeare and the Bible, n.d.
18. Everyday With Shakespeare, compiled by Agnes L. Morris, 1912
19. One Act Plays written by Mrs. Robert Carlton Morris (3), n.d.
20. Programs/playbills, 1940, n.d.
21. Photographs/negatives

Manuscripts by Subject | Women's Studies Collections