Center for Archival Collections

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

Introduction

The records of the Toledo Chapter, Ohio, of the American Society of Women Accountants date from 1947 to 1984. The history of this professional organization is reflected in the collection which consists of meeting minutes, presidents' notebook, treasurer's records, annual reports, tax statements, membership records, national roster, correspondence, secretary files, program committee files, chapter development records, scrapbooks, publicity files and bulletins.

The records of the American Society of Women Accountants, Toledo Branch, Ohio, were donated to the Center for Archival Collections on October 10, 1989, with the cooperation of Sally B. Yeager. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public. The collection was processed and the register drafted by Xiao-yang Jiang, a graduate intern in American Culture Studies, in November 1990.

Agency History

The first Certified Public Accountant's certificate was granted by the state of New York in 1896. In 1933, nine women certified public accountants met in Chicago to form the American Woman's Society of Certified Public Accountants. In an effort to increase the opportunities for women in accounting, the American Society of Women Accountants was formed in 1938 under the sponsorship of AWSCPA. The new organization, with a broader base for membership, could reach out to women in all branches of accounting - public, private, and governmental - as well as the auditors, controllers, women office managers, and teachers of accounting; all who performed the functions of accounting but often without recognition.

American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA) is organized on a chapter system, and as of 1980, there are 108 active chapters located throughout the United States. The Society also offers membership-at-large to persons residing in an area having no chapter. Membership exceeds 5,500 and, since 1974, has been open to men.

The Toledo Chapter was initiated by fifteen members in 1947. They accepted the by-laws of the National Society and drafted their constitution. The purpose of the Chapter, following the by-laws, was to advance the interest of women in all fields of accounting. Within the Toledo Chapter, there gradually developed seven standing committees: award, bulletin, by-laws, chapter development, finance, publicity, and program. These committees were very active promoting the interests of women in the fields of accounting during the 1970s. By 1983, however, the Toledo Chapter disbanded.

Scope and Content

The records of the American Society of Women Accountants, Toledo Branch, Ohio, documents the history of the professional organization from 1947 to 1984. The collection largely consists of minutes, president's notebooks, treasurer's records, membership records, committee files, news clippings, photographs, and bulletins.

The board meeting minutes date from 1954 to 1974. These minutes document the time and place of meetings, issues discussed, and actions taken. These minutes, although incomplete, are complemented by regular meeting minutes which date from 1954 to 1966; and by the president's notebooks dating from 1972 to 1980. Through a study of the documents, one can learn the changing attitudes and purposes of the Society as well as detect, to some degree, the opinion of the local and national Society about women as professional accountants.

Various other sources reflect the activities and attitudes of the American Society of Women Accountants. The programs initiated by the committees reveal the progress and development of accounting as a profession for females, which emerged during and after WWII. News clippings dating from 1947 to 1970 and bulletins also illustrate the advancement of the organization.

The Toledo Chapter kept close touch with the national Society as well as other chapters in the neighboring states. As a result, the collection contains correspondence and other records which reflect the activities of these other chapters as well as the national Society.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

BOARD MEETINGS
1954-1970, 1973-1974.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of the minutes of the ASWA Toledo Chapter Board, including time and place of meetings, issues discussed, decisions made.

REGULAR MEETINGS
1954-1966
Arranged chronologically
Consists of the minutes of Toledo Chapter regular meetings. Includes readings of correspondence, reports, action taken.

CHAPTER PRESIDENTS' MEETINGS
May 23, 1954
Contains regional reports on research, chapter development, legislation, publicity, education, bulletin; attendance records; and, an essay entitled, "Womanagement."

PRESIDENT'S NOTEBOOK
1972-1980.
Arranged chronologically
Includes reports to the president from committees and correspondence with the national ASWA.

ANNUAL REPORTS
1972-1978.
Arranged chronologically
Includes reports from the committees and financial conditions.

OFFICERS FILES

TREASURER'S RECORDS
1947-1979.
Arranged chronologically
Consists of financial statements.

TAX STATEMENTS
1953-1975
Arranged chronologically
Includes annual tax reports.

MEMBERSHIP RECORDS
1947-1964, 1968-1974, 1977-1979
Arranged chronologically
Contains membership financial reports, dues, and national rosters.

CORRESPONDENCE
1954-1957, 1971-1972, 1974-1975
Arranged chronologically
Includes letters of recommendation for membership; meeting notices; and letters to committee chairs.

SECRETARY FILE
1956-1962, 1972-1973, 1977-1978
Arranged chronologically
Contains certification of meetings and minutes.

COMMITTEE FILES

PROGRAM COMMITTEE FILES
1958-1965, 1976, 1977.
Consists of program planning

AWARD COMMITTEE
1973
Includes explanation of award rules.

YEARBOOK COMMITTEE
1973-1974.
Includes explanations of yearbook committee's duty.

MANUAL OF PROCEDURE
1949, 1950, 1952, 1968, 1973
Contains procedures for all committees and officers.

CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT
1973-1984
Arranged chronologically
Consists of plans for chapter development.

SCRAPBOOKS

CLIPPINGS AND SCRAPBOOKS
1947-1970.
Arranged chronologically
Contains news clippings from various local papers covering the chapter's beginning, its activities, dinners, membership and special events.

PRINTED MATERIAL

PUBLICITY
1954-1977.
Arranged chronologically
Includes newspaper announcements, autobiography of speakers at the Toledo Chapter, and other committee activities.

BULLETINS
1970-1983
Arranged chronologically
Contains "Mirrorscope" and a few bulletins of other chapters.

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE FILE
1972-1978
Arranged chronologically
Includes plans and procedures of public relations programs.

Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Board Meeting, July 1954-December 1956
2. Board Meeting, January 1957-December 1958
3. Board Meeting, January 1959-December 1961
4. Board Meeting, January 1962-June 1965
5. Board Meeting, August 1965-July 1966
6. Board Meeting, July 1967-June 1970
7. Board Meeting, July 1973-June 1974
8. Regular Meetings, September 1954-December 1956
9. Regular Meetings, January 1957-December 1958
10. Regular Meetings, January 1959-December 1961
11. Regular Meetings, January 1962-May 1965
12. Regular Meetings, June 1965-June 1966
13. Chapter Presidents' Meeting, May 23, 1954
14. President's Messages, 1972-1973
15. President's File, 1 of 2, 1972-1973
16. President's File, 2 of 2, 1972-1973
17. President's Notebook, 1 of 2, 1973-1974
18. President's Notebook, 2 of 2, 1973-1974
19. President's Notebook, 1 of 3, 1974-1975
20. President's Notebook, 2 of 3, 1974-1975
21. President's Notebook, 3 of 3, 1974-1975
22. President's Notebook, 1 of 3, 1975-1976
23. President's Notebook, 2 of 3, 1975-1976
24. President's Notebook, 3 of 3, 1975-1976
25. President's Notebook, 1 of 3, 1976-1977
26. President's Notebook, 2 of 3, 1976-1977
27. President's Notebook, 3 of 3, 1976-1977
28. President's Notebook, 1 of 3, 1977-1978
29. President's Notebook, 2 of 3, 1977-1978
30. President's Notebook, 3 of 3, 1977-1978
31. President's Notebook (ASWA Roster), March 1974

Box 2

Folders

1. President's Notebook, 1 of 3, 1979-1980
2. President's Notebook, 2 of 3, 1979-1980
3. President's Notebook, 3 of 3, 1979-1980
4. Annual Report, 1972-1973, 1974-1975
5. Annual Report, 1975-1976
6. Annual Report, 1977-1978
7. Treasurer's Records, 1947-1952, 1954-1955
8. Treasurer's Records, 1955-1956
9. Treasurer's Records, 1956-1958
10. Treasurer's Records, 1958-1960
11. Treasurer's Records, 1960-1961
12. Treasurer's Records, 1962
13. Treasurer's Records, 1963
14. Treasurer's Records, 1964-1966
15. Treasurer's Records, 1966-1967
16. Treasurer's Records, 1967-1970
17. Treasurer's Records, June 1971-June 1972
18. Treasurer's Records, June 1970-June 1973
19. Treasurer's Records, June 1973-June 1974
20. Treasurer's Records, June 1974-June 1975
21. Treasurer's Records, June 1976-June 1977
22. Treasurer's Records, June 1977-June 1978
23. Treasurer's Records, June 1978-June 1979
24. Tax Statements, 1953-1975
25. Financial Reports: Membership, 1947-1950
26. Financial Reports: Membership, 1951-1954

Box 3

Folders

1. Membership records, 1953-1954
2. Membership records, 1 of 2, 1955-1962
3. Membership records, 2 of 2, 1955-1962
4. Membership records, 1963-1964
5. Membership records, 1968-1974
6. Membership records, 1977-1979
7. National roster, 1972
8. National roster, 1979
9. Correspondence, 1954-1957
10. Correspondence, 1971-1972
11. Correspondence, 1974-1975
12. Secretary File, 1956-1962
13. Secretary File, 1972-1973
14. Secretary File, 1977
15. Secretary File, 1978
16. Program Committee File, 1958-1960
17. Program Committee File, 1961-1963
18. Program Committee File, 1964-1965
19. Program Committee File, 1976-1977
20. Award Committee, 1973
21. Yearbook Committee, 1973-1974
22. Manual of Procedure, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1968
23. Manual of Procedure, 1973
24. Chapter Development, 1973-1978
25. Chapter Development, 1979-1980
26. Chapter Development, 1980-1984

Box 4

Folders

1. Scrapbook, 1947-1952
2. Scrapbook, 1947-1974 (scattered)
3. Clippings and Publication, 1947-1970
4. Clippings and Publication, 1947-1970
5. Publicity, 1954-1955
6. Publicity, 1956-1957
7. Publicity, 1957-1958
8. Publicity, 1959-1961
9. Publicity, 1961-1964
10. Publicity, 1964-1965
11. Publicity Manual, 1966
12. Publicity, 1965-1966
13. Publicity, 1967-1968
14. Publicity, 1970-1971
15. Publicity, 1972-1973
16. Publicity, 1974-1975
17. Publicity, 1975-1976
18. Publicity, 1976-1977
19. Bulletins, 1970-1973
20. Bulletins, 1 of 3, 1978-1979
21. Bulletins, 2 of 3, 1978-1979
22. Bulletins, 3 of 3, 1978-1979
23. Bulletins, 1980-1981
24. Bulletins, 1981-1983
25. Publicity Committee File, 1972-1978

Manuscripts by Subject | Women's Studies Collections