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

Introduction

The Oregon Business and Professional Women's Club collection gives an overall view of the organization's involvement in the community and their accomplishments, as a club concerned with creating opportunities and comradery among women in the business world. The materials span from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s and include proceedings from meetings, annual reports, membership information, information on special programs sponsored by the club and several scrapbooks documenting its accomplishments and special events.

The collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections in August 1985 by Daisy E. Takacs, a former President of the Oregon Business and Professional Women's Club. 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 Susan Irwin in July 1992.

Organization Sketch

The Business and Professional Women's Federation (BPW), a national organization, was established in 1919 to administer educational and research activities and to promote leadership and cooperation among professional women. The Oregon branch of the BPW was founded in 1959 and, as a local division of the national BPW has worked to promote these characteristics through its involvement in the Oregon, Ohio community by sponsoring scholarships for young women, involvement in Buckeye Girls' State, creating educational programs for members, and supporting the Oregon Branch Library. The club has also helped to promote business opportunities and education for young women through the Nike club, a program developed for high school girls interested in the professional world.

Scope and Content

The Oregon Business and Professional Women's Club collection consists of meeting proceedings, membership information, Treasurer's and annual reports, some subject files covering special programs, several scrapbooks and scrapbook materials, The Torch and Scroll newsletter, some programs and awards, and several photographs. The materials span from the late 1950s to the mid 1980s and give insight into the club's involvement in the Oregon, Ohio community.

The materials concerning the club's meetings include minutes, both handwritten and typed, which give general descriptions, the by-laws which outline the organizations purpose and some membership information from the later years of the club. Overall, these materials are very general.

The subject files offer a little more insight into the club's participation in events. The Civic Participation file briefly covers the year's events to take place, including involvement with the Oregon Day Parade, scholarships, and Buckeye Girls' State. The Nike Club file is a small collection in itself containing program schedules, membership information and meeting minutes. This club served as a young women's branch of the BPW by involving high school girls in the business and professional world. Another file included contains some miscellaneous information about the BPW, including a brief history and several newsletters.

The rest of the collection--scrapbooks, newsletters, printed materials, and photographs--give more information on special events. The scrapbooks include programs, photographs, correspondence, and newspaper clippings on the club's accomplishments, conventions, and involvement with the community. Many of the photographs are identified. Some of the materials are loose but in general the scrapbooks are well organized. The Torch and Scroll, the Oregon branch's own newsletter, though not complete, will give one a good idea of the events and programs the club was involved in. Unfortunately, they only cover the late 1970s and early 1980s.

This collection gives a good overview of what the Oregon Business and Professional women's Club was involved with from 1959 to 1984 and how they affected the community as well as helped prepare young and mature women for the professional world.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

BY-LAWS.
1973, 1974.
Arranged chronologically
This includes the 1973 revised articles which include information on objectives, policies, membership requirements, and duties of various officials and committees. Also included are the 1974 suggested revisions.

MINUTES--GENERAL.
1959-1981.
Arranged chronologically
These include brief descriptions of meeting proceedings, where they were held, motions made, reports given, etc. Some minutes are handwritten but most are typed, and some earlier minutes have been glued or taped into a ledger book. Also included are the agendas for the general meetings.

MINUTES--EXECUTIVE BOARD.
1974-1981.
Arranged chronologically
These minutes, like the general meeting minutes, briefly describe the proceedings at the meeting in which upcoming speakers, presentations, and meetings are discussed, as well as policies and procedures.

MEMBERSHIP RECORDS.
1976-1984.
Arranged chronologically
This series consists of lists of members, including their positions in the business world, titles of office within the organization, and their home addresses.

CORRESPONDENCE

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE.
1978-1982.
Arranged chronologically
The correspondence consists mostly of miscellaneous thank-you letters, invitations, memos, etc., from both inside and outside of the organization.

SUBJECT FILES

CIVIC PARTICIPATION FILE.
1967-1968.
No arrangement.
This file contains information on the club's involvement with the community, specifically their part in the Oregon Day Parade, their involvement with Buckeye Girls' State, the Oregon Branch Library, and a program on crime prevention. This file consists of half of a note book with some loose pages and two photographs from the Oregon Day Parade.

NIKE CLUB FILE.
1967-1968.
No arrangement.
The Nike Club is a high school girls program sponsored by the Business and Professioanl Women's Clubs. This file includes information on how to organize a Nike Club program, schedules of events, some correspondence, program materials, membership lists, program and scrapbook materials, meeting minutes, and several newsletters.

BPW FEDERATION INFORMATION FILE.
1976-1978, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
This file includes facats about the BPW foundation, a history of the Federation, some political materials on legislation supported by the Federation and several newsletters concerning the Ohio and national business woman.

REPORTS

ANNUAL REPORTS.
1959-1971.
Arranged chronologically
These give brief descriptions of each committee's development for the year and the organization's overall involvement over the year including events sponsored, donations made and proposed agendas.

TREASURER'S REPORTS.
1958-1968.
Arranged chronologically
These are contained in a ledger book and consist of monthly reports of the balance, receipts and disbursements of the organization's financial accounts.

BUDGETS.
1974-1982.
Arranged chronologically
These include proposed budgets and list the organization's possible income and expenses which include their dues, donations to other organizations, and program costs.

SCRAPBOOKS

SCRAPBOOKS.
1959-1962, 1959-(1983), 1962-1968, 1968-1970.
Arranged chronologically
These scrapbooks contain invitations, newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence, and programs covering special dinners, articles about the club's accomplishments, Business Women's Week in Oregon, special speakers, and conventions. Some materials are loose, three of the scrapbooks are bound, one being oversized.

GUESTBOOK.
May 14, 1966.
No arrangement.
This guestbook contains signatures of those present at this unidentified meeting held at the Sheraton-Cleveland Hotel. It lists their names and where they are from.

PRINTED MATERIALS

NEWSLETTERS--THE TORCH AND SCROLL.
1974-1977 (vol. 17-19), 1981-1984 (vol. 23-26).
Arranged chronologically
This is a fairly complete run within the years given, of the organization's Oregon branch newsletter, named after the federation's emblems. They include information on upcoming events, news of other branches, and special programs.

AWARDS AND CERTIFICATES.
1950-1982, n.d.
No arrangement.
These include certificates of recognition for members within the club of those given to the club. Some of these same types of awards and certificates can also be found in the scrapbooks.

PROGRAMS.
1961-1984.
Arranged chronologically
These include programs from special dinners and banquets including the club's 25th anniversary and the 1983-1984 installation of officers.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS

PHOTOGRAPHS AND NEGATIVES.
1960s.
No arrangement.
Most of the photographs are undated but some do have identifying comments. They include photos from a program on defensive driving, a luncheon meeting, from the state convention, international night (1964), etc. Negatives are also included for some color photographs.

Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. By-Laws, 1973, 1974
2. Minutes--General, 1959-1961
3. Minutes--General, 1968-1974
4. Minutes--General, 1974-1981
5. Minutes--Executive Board, 1974-1981
6. Meeting Agendas, 1981-1984
7. Membership information, 1976-1984

Box 2

Folders

1. Correspondence, 1978-1982, n.d.
2. Civic Participation File, 1967-1968
3. Nike Club File, 1967-1968
4. BPW Federation Information File, 1976-1978, n.d.
5. Annual Reports, 1959-1971
6. Treasurer's Reports, 1958-1968
7. Budgets (proposed), 1974-1982
8. Scrapbook, 1959-1962
9. Scrapbook, 1959-(1983)

Box 3

Folders

1. Scrapbook, 1968-1970
2. Guestbook, May 14, 1966
3. Newsletters, The Torch and Scroll, vol. 17-19, 1974-1977; vol. 23-26, 1981-1984
4. Awards and Certificates, 1980-1982, n.d.
5. Programs, 1961-1984
6. Photographs and Negatives, 1960s

Oversize Materials

1. Scrapbook, 1962-1968

Manuscripts by Subject | Business & Commerce | Women's Studies Collections