American Association of University Women, Missouri Division, Records, 1925-1986 (C2734)

12.7 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

Records of the state division, including board and annual meeting minutes, officers' and committee correspondence, membership information, publicity files, legislative work, program and conference files, and local branch materials. Also includes materials from the Southwest Central Region of AAUW, the national organization, and the International Federation of University Women. See also collection C 3521.

DONOR INFORMATION

See information folder for accession information.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The Missouri State Division of the American Association of University Women was organized in 1921 by a convention of the existing branches in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, Springfield, Maryville, and Warrensburg. Mary Alice Parrish, sectional director of AAUW, organized and called the first state meeting, then served as the first division president.

During the first year state committees were started on education, legislation, international relations, and fellowships. The first division Bulletins were printed during 1925. Study groups in branches were first organized in 1931, and area conferences began during 1937. In the early 1950s, Chloe Millikan initiated a program procedure for AAUW fields of study which led to the current association structure adopted in 1963.

The Missouri state division initiated projects resulting in the passage of a state law requiring pre-schools (1920s), studied mental hospitals (1949-1953), and worked for and supported equal pay for equal work, the Equal Rights Amendment, the Economic Opportunity Act, and the Head Start program. In 1973 the division funded and organized "Missouri Women in the Arts" exhibits which were held throughout the state during 1974.

The Missouri division is part of the Southwest Central Region, which also includes Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. Division members have been actively involved in all areas of AAUW, including the region, the national association, and the International Federation of University Women.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The historian for the state division is responsible for collecting correspondence, newsletters, publicity materials, and the official minutes of board and annual meetings. These materials are provided by the division president, vice-presidents, and topic and project chairs who are elected and appointed to the state division board for two-year terms. Each branch sends the state historian monthly newsletters, publicity, and conference and study group news. The branch material is incorporated into the state division historical records.

The quantity and quality of materials varies with the terms of office. Emphasis in subject areas has shifted over the years and is reflected in the materials retained and presented to the historian.

Within this increment of papers major areas of interest and work focus on the changing roles of women within and beyond the family. Major efforts were made toward passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and attaining equity for women. Topics of conferences and study groups centered on new technology, women in the work place, reentry into the work force, obtaining credit, and ensuring quality child care and education.

Membership fluctuations and a tightening of regulations by the association led to the closing of several branches and the establishment of "satellites." These were groups with a membership too small to qualify for branch status which became affiliated with a larger group in their geographic vicinity. The minimum membership for a branch is fifteen registered members. Frequent polls of membership were made during this period to determine why membership was being lost and how to recruit new members. These studies indicated numerous changes in attitudes and perspectives, in interest areas, and in the problems of transportation and fixed income for older members.

The records are organized into fifteen series:

State Board meetings are held at approximately two-month intervals throughout the year. In July the state annual meeting and convention is held, and new board members take office. Other conferences, for special areas of study or interest or for training, are held in conjunction with a board meeting. Officers are elected for two-year terms, using the academic year. Biennial reports, written by the state president, are compiled from the board reports of officers and committee chairs.

This series contains correspondence, bylaws, policy statements, agendas, meeting minutes and reports for both board and annual meetings, conference materials, committee and chair reports to the board, and biennial reports.

The Membership series includes reports; records; correspondence; guidelines; instructions on orientation for new members, organization of new branches, and organization of satellites; publicity to attract new members; training for branch membership chairs; plays, skits, and games concerning membership; statistics; and studies on retention of members. Arrangement is chronological where possible, with each year subdivided by subject.

The Legislative Chair was charged with tracking proposed legislation and informing the membership about pertinent legislative issues requiring action from members. Such issues as education, equal rights, equity, peace initiatives, and disarmament were given special attention. Equal Rights Amendment work was handled by both the legislative chair and the women's chair. The information on ERA ratification efforts and Action for Equity has been filed with the general legislative materials. ERA ratification was a major project area for all levels of the AAUW.

The Women's Chair series includes material on subjects of special interest to women including sexism, International Women's Year, discrimination in the workplace and women's studies.

The first Community Issues Conference was held in July 1979. These annual conferences focused on the following topics: Today's Family, Woman Offender, Spouse Abuse, Child Abuse, Woman Alone, Single Parent, Evolving Woman, and Woman Alcoholic.

Study groups, special projects, lecture series, and conferences were organized around Topics supplied by member surveys and by the national organization. Topic areas packets sold by the association included extensive research and program guides for use at the branch or state level. This series contains those study packets, arranged in chronological order.

The Education series contains records of contributions to the AAUW Educational Center Building Fund, the Branch Centennial Fund, fellowships, and endowment funds. Two studies conducted by the Education Committee are included in this series, but the majority of educational studies and projects will be found in Topics, Legislative Chair, or other series.

The Public Information and Parliamentary Procedure series documents how publicity was used as a member recruitment technique and to maximize the influence of the organization on social, educational, and political issues. Included is material from the national organization on how to publicize local branches' activities and media kits. See also folders 900-941 and volumes 1 and 2.

The Branches series is organized in alphabetical order by branch name. Although primarily consisting of membership records, other types of materials found include newsletters, rosters, branch bylaws, correspondence, clippings, and publicity on branch members and branch activities and projects. These records detail the changes in local branch membership, projects undertaken, areas of interest, and age of members. Most of the material dates from 1975 to 1985.

The Publicity series is clippings from state newspapers provided to subscribers by the Missouri Press Service, Inc. There are also brochures, pamphlets, and programs from activities sponsored by the state division or local branches. Two volumes of clippings are located at the end of the collection. The Publications include division histories, membership directories, and the Bulletin.

The American Association of University Women is divided into regional sections for conferences and cooperative efforts. Missouri is a member of the Southwest Central Region (SWC). Other states in this region are Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The series includes histories, material from conferences and from other states in the region.

Included in the National AAUW series are the materials published by national AAUW for state and branch use in conforming to membership and organizational standards for meetings, conferences, bylaws, election of officers, program planning and implementation, study groups, community involvement, fellowships, and the relationship of branches to the state and national organizations. There is information on some of the national biennial conventions as well as miscellaneous items.

The International Federation of University Women series contains a few items pertaining to the programs of the federation. The Scrapbooks and Card File series are publicity clippings and the Joplin Branch Membership Records.

FOLDER LIST

State Board Series

f. 11925, Bylaws
f. 2-41957
f. 5-61959-1961, Biennial Report
f. 71961-1963, Biennial Report
f. 81965-1969
f. 9-121971
f. 131972
f. 14-211973. Includes bylaws, job descriptions, and biennial report for 1971-1973.
f. 22-271974
f. 28-401975
f. 41-541976
f. 55-711977
f. 72-881978
f. 89-1021979
f. 103-1141980
f. 115-1261981
f. 127-1351982
f. 136-1451983
f. 146-1551984
f. 156-1651985-1986

Membership Series

f. 166-169Undated material
f. 1701959-1961
f. 1711962-1970
f. 1721971
f. 1731971-1972
f. 1741972
f. 1751972-1973
f. 176-1781973
f. 179-1811974
f. 182-1881975
f. 189-1941976
f. 195-1981977
f. 199-2051978
f. 206-2101979
f. 211-2131980
f. 214-2181981
f. 219-2251982
f. 226-2401983
f. 241-2461984
f. 247-2511985
f. 252-2531986
f. 254-255Plays, Skits, and Games
f. 256-261Skills, Training, Retention of Members, and Installation Ceremony
f. 262-265New Branches and Guides, 1971-1980

Legislative Chair and ERA Series

f. 266-267Undated legislative materials
f. 2681971
f. 2691972
f. 270-2711973-1974
f. 272-2731975
f. 2741976
f. 275-2851977
f. 286-2951978
f. 296-3131979
f. 314-3291980
f. 330-3401981
f. 3411983-1984
f. 3421985-1986
f. 343-346Handbooks, ERA Handbooks, and Pamphlets

Women's Chair Series

f. 3471958 Leadership
f. 3481981 Handbook
f. 3491974 Festival
f. 3501975 Sexism
f. 351-3541977 Women's Year, Women as Agents of Change, and Title IX
f. 3551979-1981 Program Guide
f. 3561979 Volunteers in Education
f. 357-3581980 Discrimination and Women as Corporate Officers
f. 3591980-1981 Women's Studies
f. 360-3611981 Missouri Commission and Teleconference
f. 362-3641983 Empowering Women
f. 365-375Undated. Topics include power, women workers, job search and resumes, credit, and low-income living conditions.

Community Issues Conferences Series

f. 3761978
f. 377-3781979
f. 379-3811980
f. 3821981
f. 3831982

Topics Series

f. 3841975-1977 World Pluralism
f. 3851977 Domestic Violence
f. 386-3871978 Politics of Food
f. 3881976-c. 1980 International Relations
f. 389c. 1980 Elderly
f. 390-3911981-1983 Money Talks
f. 3921981-1983 Technology
f. 393-3941982-1983 Peace and National Security
f. 395-3971975-1976 History Project
f. 3981978-1980 "Pause in Missouri"
f. 399Women in Missouri

Education Series

f. 400Undated
f. 4011946-1947. Includes "The Position of the Teacher in Her Community."
f. 4021952
f. 4031954
f. 4041958
f. 4051959
f. 4061960
f. 4071961-1962
f. 4081971
f. 4091972
f. 410-4121972-1973
f. 413-4181973-1974
f. 419-4231974-1975
f. 424-4281975-1976
f. 429-4321976-1977
f. 433-4361977-1978
f. 4371979
f. 4381980-1981
f. 4391983-1984
f. 440Pamphlets

Public Information and Parliamentary Procedure Series

f. 441-443Publicity and Public Relations
f. 444Parliamentary Procedure Guidelines, 1975-1979.

Branches Series

f. 445-447Record of branch attendance and representation at area fall conferences, leadership conferences, and the annual state convention.
f. 448Andrew County
f. 449-452Atchison County
f. 453-454Aurora
f. 455-456Belton
f. 457-458Bethany
f. 459-462Blue Springs
f. 463-465Boonville
f. 466-469Branson
f. 470Braymer, Hamilton, Polo
f. 471-472Brookfield
f. 473Cameron
f. 474-476Canton
f. 477-480Cape Girardeau
f. 481Carroll County
f. 482-485Carthage
f. 486Chariton County
f. 487-489Chillicothe
f. 490Clinton
f. 491-502Columbia
f. 503-508Creve Coeur
f. 509-510Dunklin County
f. 511-512Eldon
f. 513-514El Dorado Springs
f. 515Excelsior Springs
f. 516-518Fayette
f. 519-536Ferguson-Florissant
f. 537-538Franklin County
f. 539-540Fulton
f. 541-547Gallatin
f. 548-551Hannibal
f. 552-553Harrisonville
f. 554-555Hickman Mills
f. 556-557Houston
f. 558-577Independence
f. 578-593Jackson
f. 594-598Jefferson City
f. 599-603Jefferson County
f. 604-636Joplin. See also the membership card file at the end of the collection.
f. 637-648Kansas City
f. 649-650Kirksville
f. 651-657Kirkwood-Webster Groves
f. 658-659Lafayette Area
f. 660-662Lebanon
f. 663-667Lee's Summit
f. 668-673Liberty
f. 674-675Louisiana
f. 676-677Macon County
f. 678-680Marceline
f. 681-683Marshall
f. 684-686Marshfield
f. 687-692Maryville
f. 693-717Moberly
f. 718-719Neosho
f. 720-732Nevada
f. 733-735North Kansas City
f. 736-738North Nodaway County
f. 739-740Oregon
f. 741-754Parkville
f. 755-756Poplar Bluff
f. 757-761Raytown
f. 762-766Richmond
f. 767-769Rolla
f. 770-775St. Charles
f. 776-777Ste. Genevieve
f. 778-781St. Joseph
f. 782-863St. Louis
f. 864-867Salem
f. 868-869Sedalia
f. 870-871Slater
f. 872-873Smithville
f. 874South St. Louis County
f. 875-880Springfield
f. 881-883Sullivan County
f. 884-886Trenton
f. 887Vandalia
f. 888Viburnam
f. 889-892Warrensburg
f. 893-895Waynesville
f. 896-899West St. Charles County

Publicity Series

f. 900-9011977
f. 902-9061978
f. 907-9191979
f. 920-9301980
f. 931-9381981
f. 9391982
f. 940-9411983
f. 942Undated. Includes miscellaneous clippings and pamphlets.
f. 943-945Missouri Women
f. 946Outstanding Women
f. 947Women Honored by AAUW
f. 948Women's Costume Show, Stephens College. The profits went toward the campaign for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Publications Series

f. 949Missouri State Division History, 1921-1946.
f. 950Missouri State Division History, 1946-1976.
f. 951-952Image Study. Divisional self-study to determine interest areas and membership trends.
f. 953-955Missouri State Division Scholarship List. Scholarships offered by colleges and universities, including two-year colleges.
f. 956Missouri State Division Education Services, 1976.
f. 957-977Membership Directories, 1961-1986
f. 9571961-1963
f. 9581974-1975
f. 9591975-1976
f. 960-9611977-1978
f. 962-9631978-1979
f. 964-9651979-1980
f. 966-9671980-1981
f. 968-9691981-1982
f. 970-9711982-1983
f. 972-9731983-1984
f. 974-9751984-1985
f. 976-9771985-1986
f. 978-1008Bulletin, 1955-1970
f. 9781955-1956
f. 9791956-1957
f. 9801957-1958
f. 9811958-1959
f. 9821959-1960
f. 9831960-1961
f. 9841961-1962
f. 9851962-1963
f. 9861963-1964
f. 9871964-1965
f. 9881965-1966
f. 9891966-1967
f. 9901967-1968
f. 9911968-1969
f. 9921969-1970
f. 9931970-1971
f. 9941971-1972
f. 9951972-1973
f. 9961973-1974
f. 9971974-1975
f. 9981975-1976
f. 9991976-1977
f. 10001977-1978
f. 10011978-1979
f. 10021979-1980
f. 10031980-1981
f. 10041981-1982
f. 10051982-1983
f. 10061983-1984
f. 10071984-1985
f. 10081985-1986

Southwest Central Region Series

f. 1009History, 1926-1966
f. 1010History, 1966-1976
f. 1011History, 1976-1986
f. 1012Miscellaneous Materials, 1975-1983
f. 1013-1015Conferences, 1974, 1976, 1986
f. 1016-1017Kansas
f. 1018Oklahoma
f. 1019Texas

National AAUW Series

f. 1020Charter and Bylaws, 1949, 1975
f. 1021Charter and Bylaws, 1977, 1979
f. 1022Charter and Bylaws, 1983, 1985
f. 1023Financial Guide, 1978
f. 10241939-1940
f. 10251940-1941
f. 10261941-1942
f. 10271946
f. 10281947
f. 10291948
f. 10301949
f. 10311970
f. 10321976
f. 10331977
f. 1034-1035Division Guide, 1982
f. 1036-1037Branch Guide, 1982
f. 1038-1039"How to Organize a Branch" and "How to Continue a Branch"
f. 1040Annual Reports Guide for Branches, 1985
f. 1041-1044Leader In Action, 1981-1983, and reports from the executive director and the president. Contains information on issues and projects with guidelines and suggestions for implementation.
f. 1045-1046Programs and Reports. For use in division and branch development of programs.
f. 1047Guide for branch membership chair
f. 1048-1050Membership booklet containing policy, categories, and rulings, 1979-1981, 1984-1985, and 1986-1987.
f. 1051Corporate Representatives. List of member institutions, 1975.
f. 1052AAUW history of fellowships awarded 1888-1929, with vitae of the fellows. Compiled and edited by Margaret E. Maltby, c. 1930.
f. 1053AAUW Graduate Fellowships and Awards for Women, 1961-1962.
f. 1054-1070Conventions
f. 1054-10561951 Biennial Convention, Atlantic City, New Jersey.
f. 1057-10601957 Biennial Convention, Boston, Massachusetts.
f. 1061-10671959 Biennial Convention, Kansas City, Missouri.
f. 10681965 Biennial Convention, Portland, Oregon.
f. 1069-10701979 Biennial Convention, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
f. 1071-1075Miscellaneous
f. 1071Insurance.
f. 1072Pamphlets and newsletters from other divisions.
f. 1073-1074Publicity. Pamphlets, brochures, letterhead, and logos authorized and produced by the national organization.
f. 1075AAUW/International Federation of University Women. List of foreign universities whose degrees are acceptable for AAUW membership.

International Federation of University Women Series

f. 1076International Relations, 1977. Information for use by the state division. Includes list of affiliates, priorities statement, "Minimum Targets for 1975-1980" from the world plan of action adopted by the world conference of the International Women's Year, and conference report from Stirling, Scotland.
f. 1077Miscellaneous pamphlets and brochures regarding policy, purpose, membership, and programs of IFUW.
f. 1078-1082Newsletters, 1955-1959, 1960-1964, 1966, 1977, and 1979-1983. Used in planning international relations topic sessions.

Scrapbooks and Card File Series

V. 1-2Publicity Clippings, 1963-1965. These scrapbooks have been microfilmed for preservation purposes. The photographs were removed and retained subsequent to filming.
Card File 1Joplin Branch Membership Records

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.

  • American Association of University Women, Missouri Division
  • American Association of University Women, Missouri Division Bulletin
  • American Association of University Women, Missouri Division, Board, 1979-1981
  • American Association of University Women, Missouri Division, Branches
  • American Association of University Women, Southwest Central Region
  • Assertiveness (Psychology)
  • Bilbo, Theodore G.
  • Bragdon, Helen D.
  • Breeze, Shirley
  • Equal Pay for equal work
  • Equal Rights Amendment
  • Family violence
  • Ganett, Toni
  • Goslin, Willard E. (1899- )
  • Hawkes, Anna L. Rose
  • International education
  • International Federation of University Women
  • International Relations
  • Lobbying & lobbyists
  • Missouri Equal Rights Amendment Coalition
  • Power (Social sciences)
  • Tackett, Natalie
  • Teasdale, Joseph P.
  • U.S. Intellectual life
  • White, Helen C.
  • Witt, Peg
  • Women, Employment
  • Women--Civil rights
  • Women--Education
  • Women--Political activity
  • Women--Social conditions
  • Women--Societies