Center for Archival Collections

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

 Introduction

The records of the Altrusa International Club of Lorain County, Ohio were donated and transferred to the Center for Archival Collections on April 24, 2004, with the assistance of Rita Deliman, with additions in February 2011. The records, dating from 1949 to 2010 include minutes, scrapbooks, yearbooks, newsletters, committee and award files, photographic material, and certificates.

No restrictions exist on the research use of this collection and duplication is permitted for research purposes. The collection was arranged and described by Ann Bowers in May 2004, and revised in February 2011 by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts.

 Agency History

Altrusa International is an international association of professional women and men who volunteer their energies and expertise in projects dedicated to community betterment. Altrusa is also a community service organization that espouses volunteerism, service and fights for literacy and against AIDS. It is comprised of over 400 clubs located throughout the United States and in ten countries around the world. First organized in 1917, as a women’s service organization, over the years it has supported vocational training for women and graduate research for women in developing countries in addition to its long standing commitment to literacy.

Altrusa International of Lorain County, was first organized with the initiation of nineteen members on January 5, 1949. The Club’s Charter was granted in April 1950. The Club quickly adopted several service projects including sponsoring the Junior Achievement Program in Lorain. Over time, the Club added to their list conducting clothing drives, supporting foreign exchange students, hosting the Inter-Club luncheon, conducting Job-Training Programs and organizing a Miss Junior Achievement contest. The Club also has produced a monthly newsletter, “Telstar” and program yearbooks. Throughout its history, the Club has won several Altrusa International awards for their programs and has been recognized by other groups in Lorain for their community service. Altrusa of Lorain County is still an active Club within Altrusa International, District Five.

Altrusa of Lorain County is still an active Club within Altrusa International, District Five.

 Scope and Content

The Altrusa of Lorain County collection is comprised largely of minutes, scrapbooks, newsletters and printed program yearbooks, with some supporting photographic material.

Only one volume of minutes is included which dates from December1949 (first organizational meeting) through June 1956. Minutes after this date are not included in the collection. The minutes provide information on officers, business conducted, correspondence read, treasurer’s reports and committee reports.

Four volumes of scrapbooks, dating from 1949 to1980 and 1988 to1999, provide more information on the Club’s programs and activities. The scrapbooks include news clippings, printed programs, and photographs. The Club’s newsletter, “Telstar” also lists information on officers, members and club activities. The newsletter is available from August 1971 to April 1973, November 1974, September 1977 to October 1978, and May 1980 to September 1986, with a few copies from 2009 to 2010. Printed program yearbooks provide information on Altrusa International, District Five, and the Lorain Chapter, specifically listing officers, members, committees, and programs. These yearbooks date from1968 to 1999, and 2009/10, with a few missing years.

Photographic material in the collection is scattered in nature, with many shots of club activity unidentified. However, there are photographs, a DVD, and a guestbook all documenting the Altrusa of Lorain’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2009.

The remainder of the collection includes files from the Ways and Means committee, 1956-1975; financial summary statements for 1994-1997 and 1999-2007, award nominations, 1978, 1988, 1996, 1997, 2009; membership information for scattered years between 1992-2006, Chapter history and anniversary programs, 1973-1974, 1999, 2009; and award certificates and proclamations, 1972-1999.

 Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES
December 1948-June 1956
Arranged chronologically.
Includes information on officers, members, programs, business conducted, correspondence, committee and financial reports.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
1992-2006
Copies of forms submitted for membership maintenance, including new members, deletions, dues, and updates of data. Some similar information can be found in the annual invoice Treasurer’s report. Scattered

CORRESPONDENCE

NOTES
2009
Congratulatory notes on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary celebration

SUBJECT FILES

AWARD NOMINATIONS
1978, 1988/89, 1996, 1997, 2008, 2009
Arranged chronologically
Includes nomination packets put together by the Lorain Chapter for District Five awards.

WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
1956-1975
Arranged chronologically
Includes lists, reports, financial statements for fundraising projects.

HANDBOOKS, MANUALS, GUIDES
1982, 2006, n.d.
General Altrusa handbook, and guide for initiation, orientation, installation ceremonies for local Altrusa chapters

SERVICE PROJECT FILES
2003-2010
Folders of loose material related to annual projects undertaken by the Lorain Altrusa chapter; includes notes, clippings, flyers, photographs, and printed material.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

CHAPTER HISTORY/ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMS
1973-1974, 1999
Includes two copies of a chapter history from 1949 to 1973, program books from the 25th and the 50th anniversary celebrations.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

FINANCIAL REPORTS
1994-1997, 1999-2007
Treasurer’s dues guide, financial reports, and small account record

PRINTED MATERIAL

AWARD CERTIFICATES AND RECOGNITIONS
1972, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999
Arranged chronologically
Includes recognitions by District Five, the Lorain County Commissioners and the Ohio House of Representatives.

BROCHURES
1990, 2009?, n.d.
Membership form brochure, Altrusa informational leaflet, and single card with recipe for “Revitalization punch”

NEWSLETTER-TELSTAR
August 1971-April 1973, November 1974, September 1977-October 1978, May 1980-September 1986, Fall 2009-Spring 2010
Arranged chronologically.
Monthly newsletter of the Altrusa Club of Lorain County which includes information on business meetings, service projects, personal interest stories, and news from District Five and Altrusa International.

YEARBOOKS
1968/69, 1971/72-1973/74, 1975/76-1977/78, 1979/80-1981/82, 1984/85-1985/86, 1988/89-1991/92, 1993/94, 1995/96-1997/99, 2009/2010
Arranged chronologically
Includes lists of officers, members and programs. Also includes information on District Five and Altrusa International.

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

SCRAPBOOKS
1949-1974, 1976-1980, 1988-1999
Arranged chronologically
Four volumes of scrapbooks which largely contain news-clippings, Program booklets, and photographs documenting the members and programs of Altrusa International of Lorain County.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS
1960s-2009
Various shots of club activity at conventions, service projects, and meetings, including photos documenting the Altrusa of Lorain’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2009

SLIDES
1971-1980
Altrusa activities at various events, most unidentified

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDINGS

DVD RECORDING
2009
Recording, “Stories, who tells, who listens : Altrusa’s 60th Anniversary Celebration” with interviews of members of Altrusa and other Lorain service clubs on the role of service organizations and volunteerism in the community

ARTIFACTS

GUESTBOOK
2009
Guestbook with signatures of those attending the Lorain Altrusa’s 60th Anniversary celebration

 Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Minute book, December 1948-June 1956
2. Membership information forms, 1992-2006
3. 60th Anniversary congratulatory notes, 2009
4. Award nominations, 1978, 1988/89, 1996, 1997, 2009
5. Ways and Means committee file, 1956-1975
6. Altrusa general handbook, n.d.
7. Altrusa guide for chapter initiations, etc., 1982
8. Service projects, 2003-2010
9. Chapter history and anniversary programs, 1973-1974, 1999

Box 2

Folder

1. Treasurer’s dues guide, 2006
2. Financial report sheets, 1999-2004
3. Financial report sheets, 2005-2007
4. Small account record, 1994-1997
5. Awards certificates and proclamations, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2008
6. Brochures, leaflets and recipe card, 1990, 2009, n.d.
7. Newsletter-Telstar, August 1971-April 1973
8. Newsletter-Telstar, November 1974, September 1977-October 1978, May-October 1980
9. Newsletter-Telstar, February 1981-January 1983
10. Newsletter-Telstar, March 1983-September 1986

Box 3

Folder

1. Newsletter-Telstar, Jan 2005-Spring 2010 (scattered)
2. Yearbooks, 1968/69, 1971/72-1973/74, 1975/76-1977/78, 1979/80-1981/82
3. Yearbooks, 1984/85, 1985/86, 1988/89-1991/92, 1993/94, 1995/96-1997/99
4. Yearbooks, 2009/2010

Manuscripts by Subject | Women's Studies Collections