Center for Archival Collections

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

Introduction

The Navy Mothers, Toledo Club #180 collection documents the activities of this organization from its inception in 1941 through the late-1990s. The collection includes minutes, membership records, correspondence, printed materials, scrapbooks, photographs and artifacts largely documenting the Toledo Club, but also providing insight into the state and national organizations.

The collection was donated by Lucille Keeton, Rossford, Ohio, and Phyllis Anderson, Toledo, Ohio in May 2000. There are no restrictions on the scholarly use of the collection and duplication is permitted. The collection was arranged and described by Kim Brownlee, archival intern, in July 2002.

Agency History

The Navy Mother's Clubs of America was founded by Mrs. Emma Jones in 1930 in Harlington, Texas. The Toledo Chapter, Club #180, was organized in 1941, chartered in 1942, and began holding meetings at the Toledo Naval Armory. Originally, a woman was required to have a son in the Navy or Coast Guard in order to qualify for membership. Over the years, however, membership was opened to women who had sons or daughters in any branch of the service.

The official purpose of the club, as stated in the 1950 "Uniform Code of Local Club bylaws & Ritual," was:

"To promote a program of educational, welfare and social interest between the parents of Navy men and women and to extend benevolent relief to needy members, those dependent upon or related thereto, or to such other persons as to the Club may seem desirable." [And] "To encourage contentment, efficiency, patriotism and pride among the men and women serving in the United States Navy."

In practice, the club pursued such activities as recruiting WAVES (Women's Reserve of the Navy Reserve) and SPARS (Women's Reserve of the Coast Guard), participating in Memorial Day, Navy Day, and other patriotic observances, and supporting a Drill Team that performed at various ceremonies, events and conventions. The Mothers assembled care packages of personal items such as shaving supplies and shoeshine kits, sent birthday cards and scrapbooks to the sons of club members, mended clothing and entertained servicemen with picnics and dances. They also made layettes and held baby showers for sailors' wives. In later years, the Mothers' charitable activities included knitting blankets for the Veterans' Hospitals, collecting second-hand clothing for the Toledo Mental Health Center, and used eye glasses for the Sight Center, and making Christmas baskets for needy families.

In 1952 the Toledo Club hosted the National Convention, which was held at the Commodore Perry Hotel in downtown Toledo. In 1955, the various local clubs around the state met in Toledo and organized the state chapter, officially named the Ohio State Club #3. Mrs. Helen Stong, a member of the Toledo Club since the early 1940s, was instrumental in organizing the state chapter and was elected as State Commander. Mrs. Stong remained active in the club for many years and her work is well represented in this collection.

The Toledo Club remained active to some degree until around 1994. A majority of the work carried out in the later years was due to the efforts of Mrs. Lucille Keeton of Rossford, who served as Chaplain of the club. For further information on the history of the national organization, see The Origin, Formation and History of the Navy Mothers' Clubs of America, 1930-1943, written and published by the Navy Mothers' Club of America in 1943.

Scope and Content

This collection contains a wide variety of items, but is primarily composed of scrapbooks and photographs reflecting the activities of the Navy Mothers' Clubs of America, Toledo Club #180, its members and their families, and its Drill Team, from 1941 through the late 1990s. These scrapbooks overlap in chronology and although they provide good insight into the local club, the researcher should be aware that many of the photographs are unidentified. Also included are scattered minutes, membership records, correspondence, financial records and news clippings. There are materials relating to the club's official bylaws and procedures, and state conventions and rallies, and artifacts including a complete Drill Team uniform.

Although it primarily focuses on the local club, the collection does contain material documenting the origins, business and activities of the national organization, state chapters and the Northwest Ohio Past Commanders Club. This material is also scattered and consists of correspondence, minutes, reports and rosters of officers. Of particular interest is an incomplete run of the national organization's newsletter, "Navy Mothers' News," roughly covering the years 1951-1968 and 1986-1997.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1942-1960, March 1986-March 1994
Arranged chronologically
Includes minutes and a history of the Club. Also includes local club bylaws and ritual for 1946 and 1950.

NORTHWEST OHIO PAST COMMANDERS CLUB
1951-1991
Arranged chronologically
Includes minutes, papers documenting the organization and history of the Club, and an anniversary program.

OHIO STATE CLUB, #3
1949, 1952, 1955-61, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1985, 1997
Arranged chronologically
Includes minutes, papers documenting the organization and history of the Club, constitution and bylaws, welfare report, state convention files, and miscellaneous correspondence.

NAVY MOTHERS' CLUB OF AMERICA
1950-1952, 1954-1955, 1958-1960, 1962-1966
Arranged chronologically
Includes minutes from the national conventions of 1950, 1954, 1960, and 1966. Also includes incorporation papers, charter and bylaws, officers' handbook, public relations report, newsletter for Summer 1966, and papers and reports of Helen Stong, who held various state and national offices.

MEMBERSHIP RECORDS, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1945-1947, 1950-1957, 1959-1989, 1991-1994
Arranged chronologically
Includes handwritten membership records, printed rosters and membership application.

MEMBERSHIP RECORDS, OHIO STATE CLUB, #3
1954-1962, 1985-1986, 1993-1994
Arranged chronologically
Includes typewritten membership records. Note: 1985-86 and 1993-94 lists contain only names of officers and chairpersons.

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1954, 1962-1964, 1967, 1982, 1984-1991, 1993-1997, 1999
Arranged by subject and within chronologically
Includes incoming correspondence regarding the Club's charity work and donations, and both incoming and outgoing correspondence on various topics.

SUBJECT FILES

BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1944, 1966
Arranged chronologically
Includes news clipping regarding the Toledo Club's second anniversary and a program for the Club's third anniversary. (Note: both the news clipping and program are dated 1944). Also includes a news clipping about the Club's Silver (25th) Anniversary in 1966.

DRILL TEAM, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1944-1955, 1968
Arranged chronologically
Contains a chronology of the activities of the Drill Team, its rules and regulations, an officers and bylaws booklet, a notebook including the records of the team and the minutes of the September 19, 1968 meeting.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

FINANCIAL RECORDS, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1961-1978, 1987-1994
Arranged by format and chronologically
Includes two financial record books and one file of annual reports sent to the national organization.

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

SCRAPBOOKS, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1942-1973, 1985-1990
Arranged chronologically (Please note that much duplication and overlap occurs throughout the scrapbooks. Also there are two oversize scrapbooks which are located at the end of this series of boxes)
Includes 26 scrapbooks containing a wide variety of memorabilia including photographs, news clippings, souvenirs, obituaries, bylaws and ritual booklets, programs, greeting cards, certificates, songbooks, postcards and membership rosters, most of which document the activities of the Toledo Club, #180 and its Drill Team. The scrapbooks also document events in the lives of the Toledo Club's members and their families.

NEWS CLIPPINGS, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1944, 1946, 1963, 1965, 1970, 1976, 1981-92, 1994, n.d.
Arranged chronologically
These news clippings provide details on the activities of the Club, its members and their spouses.

ADDRESS BOOKS, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1960-1962, n.d.
Arranged by volume
Includes three address books. Book #1 contains a supplement to the 1960-1962 national bylaws and Book #3 includes addresses of the Drill Team members.

AUTOGRAPH/GUEST BOOKS, TOLEDO CLUB, #180
1952-1954, 1956-1974
Arranged by volume
Includes one autograph book and one guest book.

PRINTED MATERIALS

NAVY  MOTHERS' NEWS
1951-1968, 1986-1997 (not complete runs)
Arranged chronologically
Includes issues of the national newsletter.

PRINTED MATERIAL
1966, n.d.
Arranged by volume
Includes 1966 Supplement to the Historical Review, Our Record, And Yearbook, Out of Toledo Kitchens (cookbook), brochure on the Flag and books on parliamentary procedure.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

PHOTOGRAPHS
c. 1940s-1980s, n.d.
Arranged, if possible, by subject and chronologically
Includes identified photographs documenting state and national conventions and many unidentified photographs.

NEGATIVES
1957, 1958, 1962, n.d.
Arranged, if possible, by subject and chronologically
Includes negatives from the Northwest Ohio Past Commanders installation of officers, and establishment of a new club (1962), as well as the Michigan State Convention (1957) and the National Convention (1958). Also includes unidentified negatives.

ARTIFACTS

ARTIFACTS
1951, 1955, 1958, 1987, n.d.
Arranged in one box
Includes framed certificate, hat, trophy, ashtrays, notepads, pins, medallion, and a complete drill team uniform

Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Proceedings, Toledo Club #180, 1942-1960; Mar. 1986-Mar. 1994
2. Proceedings, Northwest Ohio Past Commanders Club, 1951-1991
3. Proceedings, Ohio State Club #3, 1949, 1952, 1955-1958
4. Proceedings, Ohio State Club #3, 1959-1961
5. Proceedings, Ohio State Club #3, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1985, 1997
6. Proceedings, Navy Mothers' Clubs of America, 1950-1952, 1954-1955, 1958-1960
7. Proceedings, Navy Mothers' Clubs of America, 1962-1966

Box 2

Folder

1. Membership Records, Toledo Club #180, 1945-1947, 1950-1957, 1959-1960
2. Membership Records and Membership Applications, Toledo Club #180, 1960-1989, 1991-1994
3. Membership Records, Ohio State Club #3, 1954-1962, 1985-1986, 1993-1994
4. Correspondence Regarding Charity Work and Donations, 1987-1988, 1990-1991, 1994-1997
5. Correspondence Regarding Various Topics, 1954, 1962-1964, 1967, 1982, 1984-1986, 1988-1989, 1991, 1993-1997, 1999
6. Birthday/Anniversary Celebrations, Toledo Club #180, 1944, 1966
7. Drill Team Records, Rules and Regulations, Officers and Bylaws, Booklet, Minutes for September 19, 1968, 1944-1955, 1968
8. Drill Team Notebook

Box 3

Folder

1. Financial Record Book, 1961-1976
2. Financial Record Book, 1970-1978
3. Annual Financial Reports, May 1987-April 1994
4. Newsclippings, 1944, 1946, 1963, 1965, 1970, 1976, 1981-1992, 1994
5. Newsclippings, n.d.
6. Address Book 1 (contains a supplement to the 1960-1962 National bylaws), n.d.
7. Address Book #2, n.d.
8. Address Book #3 (includes addresses of Drill Team members), n.d.

Box 4

Folder

1. Scrapbook, 1942-1944
2. Scrapbook (located in oversize box #7), 1943-1949
3. Scrapbook, 1944-1947
4. Scrapbook, 1944-1957
5. Scrapbook, 1946-?
6. Scrapbook, 1946-1947
7. Scrapbook, 1946-1963
8. Scrapbook, 1948-1949
9. Scrapbook, 1948-1967

Box 5

Folder

1. Scrapbook, ca.1950's
2. Scrapbook, 1950-1966
3. Scrapbook, 1950-1967
4. Scrapbook (located in oversize box #7), 1951-1955
5. Scrapbook, 1951-1959
6. Scrapbook, 1951-1968
7. Scrapbook (note: contains photograph of Emma Jones, Founder, Navy Mothers' Club of America, and documents in 15th National Convention held in Toledo, Ohio), 1952
8. Scrapbook, (note: documents the 15th National Convention held in Toledo, Ohio), 1952
9. Scrapbook (note: covers the Installation of Officers of Toledo Club #180), 1955
10. Scrapbook, 1956-1959

Box 6

Folder

1. Scrapbook, 1957
2. Scrapbook, 1958-1961
3. Scrapbook, 1959-1963
4. Scrapbook, 1959-1967
5. Scrapbook, 1960s and 1970s
6. Scrapbook, 1964-1973
7. Scrapbook (note: this scrapbook contains scattered photos from the 1940s & 1950s), 1985-1990
8. Autograph Book, 1952-1954
9. Guest Book, 1956-1974

Box 7

1. Scrapbook #2 (Gold Star Mothers' Record Book), 1943-1949
2. Scrapbook #13, 1951-1955

Box 8

Folder

1. Navy Mothers' News, 1951
2. Navy Mothers' News, 1953
3. Navy Mothers' News, 1954
4. Navy Mothers' News, 1955
5. Navy Mothers' News, 1956
6. Navy Mothers' News, 1957
7. Navy Mothers' News, 1958
8. Navy Mothers' News, 1959
9. Navy Mothers' News, 1960
10. Navy Mothers' News, 1961
11. Navy Mothers' News, 1962

Box 9

Folder

1. Navy Mothers' News, 1963
2. Navy Mothers' News, 1964
3. Navy Mothers' News, 1965
4. Navy Mothers' News, 1966
5. Navy Mothers' News, 1967
6. Navy Mothers' News, 1968
7. Navy Mothers' News, 1986
8. Navy Mothers' News, 1987
9. Navy Mothers' News, 1988
10. Navy Mothers' News, 1989
11. Navy Mothers' News, 1990
12. Navy Mothers' News, 1991
13. Navy Mothers' News, 1992
14. Navy Mothers' News, 1993
15. Navy Mothers' News, 1994
16. Navy Mothers' News, 1995
17. Navy Mothers' News, 1997

Box 10

Folder

1. Toledo Club #180 Cookbook: Out of Toledo Kitchens, n.d.
2. Miami Valley Club #107: Our Record & Yearbook, n.d.
3. Navy Mother' Clubs of America, Supplement to the Historical Review, 1966
4. Parliamentary Law at a Glance by E. C. Utter, 1949
5. Parliamentary Procedure at a Glance by O. Garfield Jones, 1933
6. Senior Manual for Group Leadership by O. Garfield Jones, 1934
7. Brochure: "Our National Flag: How to Display and Respect It", n.d.
   
   Photographs
   
8. Drill Team at Memorial Day Services, Madison Avenue docks and tugboat "Arkansas", 1947
9. National Convention, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1947
10. Installation of Officers, Toledo Club #180, 1949
11. Memorial Day Services at the Toledo Naval Armory, 1950
12. National Convention, Washington, DC, 1950
13. National Convention, Toledo, Ohio, 1952
14. National Convention, Los Angeles, California, 1954
15. Installation of Officers, Toledo Club #180, 1955
16. Michigan State Convention, 1957
17. Dinner Honoring Helen Stong, 1960
18. Party Honoring Naval Commander C. B. Taylor and Major Alfred I. Thomas at the Toledo Naval Armory, 1960
19. National Convention, Detroit, Michigan, 1960
20. Billy Clark, 1961
21. Ohio State Navy Mothers' Quilt, 1961
22. Installation of Officers, Toledo Club #180, 1963
23. National Convention, Dallas, Texas, 1964
24. John F. Kennedy Memorial, Dallas, Texas, [ca.1964]
25. Ohio State Convention, Dayton, Ohio, 1965
26. National Convention, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1966
27. Acapulco, New Mexico, n.d.

Box 11

Folder

1. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1940s]
2. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1940s]
3. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1950s]
4. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1950s]
5. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1960s]
6. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1960s]
7. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1970s]
8. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1970s]
9. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1970s]
10. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1980s]
11. Michigan State Convention Negatives, 1957
12. National Convention, Boston, Massachusetts Negatives, 1958
13. Installation of Officers, Northwest Ohio Past Commanders and Installation of New Club, Lima, Ohio Negatives, 1962
14. Unidentified Negatives, n.d.

Box 12

1. National Convention, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1947
2. Ohio State Convention, Akron, Ohio, 1948
3. National Convention, Los Angeles, California (3 photographs), 1954
4. Unidentified Photographs, [ca.1955]

Box 13

1. Certificate of Membership Granted to Toledo Club #180 from the Ohio State Club (framed), 1955
2. Drill Team Uniform (including 2 dresses, belt, shoes, cape, and hat), n.d.
3. Hat, Lou Diamond Unit, Marine Corps League Auxiliary, n.d.
4. Ashtray (white and blue ceramic) with anchor, n.d.
5. Ashtray (glass) with Ohio State Club #3 Insignia, n.d.
6. Trophy Presented to Toledo Club's Drill Team by the Dads of Foreign Service Veterans, 1951
7. Two American Red Cross Volunteer Pins, n.d.
8. Souvenir Medallion with bell, New Orleans, Mardi Gras (broken), n.d.
9. Notepad, Massachusetts Past Commanders Breakfast, 1958
10. Notepad Stamped "Mrs. Helen Stong, Ohio State Commander, Ohio State Navy Mothers' Club #3, 3135 Haughton Drive, Toledo 6, Ohio", n.d.
11. Postcard (blank) printed for Helen Stong, National Membership Chairman, n.d.
12. Paper Tag and Stamps, Navy Mothers' Clubs of America (blue sailor), n.d.
13. Metal Printer (?), Ohio Navy Mothers' State Convention, Fremont, Ohio, 1987

Manuscripts by Subject | U. S. in Wartime | Women's Studies Collections