Missouri Federation of Republican Women, Records, 1969-1993 (C3918)

1 linear foot, 4 audio cassettes, 1 video cassette

INTRODUCTION

Minutes of the executive committee, board of directors, annual conventions, and committees of the Missouri Federation of Republican Women. The collection also includes committee reports, correspondence, by laws, financial statements, memos, newsletters, programs, and audio cassettes of speeches from the 1975 Republican National Convention. See also the Federated Republican Women's Club, Columbia, Missouri, Papers, collection 3525, for records and scrapbooks dating from 1934 to 1969.

DONOR INFORMATION

These records were donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri upon the recommendation of the executive committee and action by the board of directors of the Missouri Federation of Republican Women. The records were donated for the organization by Joanne Breckenridge on 15 May 1993 (SHS Accession No. 2964). On 27 July 1994, an addition (SHS Accession No. 3023) was received through LaRue Lemons.

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

Attempts were first made to organize the Missouri Federation of Republican Women in 1920. Little is known about this first effort beyond the names of representatives from St. Louis, Kansas City, Greene County, and Springfield. Again in 1930 and 1933 efforts were made to organize local clubs into a statewide federation. In July 1933 Mrs. Pearl Gerhig was elected the first president at a meeting held in Jefferson City.

The federation has an executive board which makes recommendations to the board of directors. The board then reports to the general, or annual, convention. Leadership is by elected officers, committee chairs, and district club presidents.

When the National Federation of Republican Women organized in 1938, Missouri joined with it. That affiliation continues with members from Missouri serving on national committees. In 1993 the federation asked Betty Arndt to make a video cassette detailing her involvement with the organization and her term as president in 1969. This video is part of the collection.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

While this organization was founded in the 1930s, this collection contains no information for the first thirty years. Collection 3525, Missouri Federation of Republican Women, 1934-1969, should be used together with this collection.

There is little correspondence concerning events or the practical operation of the organization. Politics, fund raising, education, and lobbying are the focus of the records. Within this collection the minutes, programs, and correspondence are limited for 1969. From 1970 through 1993 the materials grow in quantity and informational quality.

The collection is divided into five series:

The first three series contain minutes of meetings. The executive committee and the board of directors held meetings in February and June, coinciding with Lincoln Day programs and the annual convention. An additional executive committee meeting was held in the fall, around the time of the National Federation of Republican Women's convention.

Most of the information on organization activities is in the committee series. Committee reports were given at the executive, board, and annual meetings. These reports are in condensed form within the minutes.

The Executive Committee minutes, 1971-1993, contain brief statements of agenda items, actions, and recommendations to the board. There is also a 1971 history of the federation and lists of officers. The Board of Directors minutes, 1969-1993, are more detailed than the executive committee, but are still without discussion. Committee reports are briefly summarized. The Annual Convention minutes, 1969-1993, recap the information from the board of directors, executive committee, and the committee reports.

The Committee Reports, 1976-1992, include Lincoln Day programs, financial statements and by laws. Within this series is correspondence with the National Federation of Republican Women, newsletters, and memos from the Missouri state president. Reports are filed by year and meeting date with relevant correspondence interfiled. No committee reports were located for 1972-1975.

The Audiovisual series includes a video cassette of Missouri Federation Past President Betty Arndt (1969), produced in 1993, and four audio cassettes of speeches from the 1975 Republican National Convention. The speakers were: President Gerald Ford, Governor Ronald Reagan, Senator Barry Goldwater, Governor Christopher Bond, and Senator John G. Tower.

FOLDER LIST

Executive Committee Series

f. 1History, 20 March 1971
f. 2-8Lists of officers, 1982, 1987, 1989-1993
f. 9-10Minutes, 1971-1979
f. 11-14Minutes, 1980-1989
f. 15-16Minutes, 1990-1993

Board of Directors Series

f. 17Minutes, 1969
f. 18-20Minutes, 1970-1978
f. 21-24Minutes, 1979-1989
f. 25-26Minutes, 1990-1993

Annual Conventions Series

f. 27Biennial Convention, 1969
f. 28-29Minutes, 1970-1979
f. 30-32Minutes, 1980-1989
f. 33-34Minutes, 1990-1993

Committee Reports Series

f. 35By laws
f. 36Committee descriptions
f. 37-42Reports, 1970-1979
f. 43-56Reports, 1980-1989
f. 57-65Reports, 1990-1993
f. 66Newsletters and calls
f. 67ABC Campaign Schools and awards
f. 68-70Programs and flyers, 1970-1971, 1978-1984
f. 71-72Bank statements, 1990-1991

Audiovisual Series

a.c. 11975 Republican National Convention, Gerald Ford
a.c. 21975 Republican National Convention, Ronald Reagan
a.c. 31975 Republican National Convention, Barry Goldwater
a.c. 41975 Republican National Convention, Christopher Bond and John G. Tower
v.c. 1Missouri Federation of Republican Women, President Betty Arndt, 1993

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.

  • Arndt, Betty
  • Bond, Christopher S.
  • Ford, Gerald Rudolph, Jr. (1913- )
  • Goldwater, Barry Morris (1909-1998)
  • Law
  • Missouri Federation of Republican Women
  • National Federation of Republican Women
  • Political organizations
  • Reagan, Ronald (1911- )
  • Republican clubs
  • Republican National Convention, 1976
  • Republican Party
  • Republican Party, Missouri
  • Republican Party, Women, Missouri
  • Tower, John G.
  • Women--Political activity
  • Women--Societies