Chester County Federation of Women's Clubs Records

CHESTER COUNTY FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS RECORDS

Collection Title: Chester County Federation of Women’s Clubs Records

Collection Number: 136

Dates of Collection: 1922-1977

Repository: Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, PA

Language: English

Project Archivist: Margaret Miles Baillie

Biography:

The Chester County Federation of Women’s Clubs was established in 1914 with members pledging to make life better for family and community along “four lines of work….Civics, Education, Legislation and Reciprocity.” The Federation was very influential in establishing many community and state projects which are common to us now.

The initial officers were President, Miss Sara R. Paiste and Secretary-Treasurer, Mrs. Florence Ivisan. There were seven clubs in the charter membership. They were: Coatesville, Kennett Square, Oxford, Malvern, Parkesburg, Phoenixville and West Chester. A club house was built in West Chester in 1914. By the early 1950s, over twenty clubs were part of the organization. In 1942, there were nineteen committees which were involved in the “four lines of work” nationally and internationally. The number and type of committees varied according to the need.

Additional information on some of the various organizations that belonged to the Federation may be found in each individual club’s scrapbooks and/or records in the collections of the Chester County Historical Society Library. Please check with the librarian to see which organizations have records at CCHS.

Collections Contents:

Box 1

Folder 1: Copy of Finding Aid and articles from CCHS Clippings File.

Folder 2:

By-Laws (2 copies)
Treasurer’s Reports, 1953-1960
Annual Budgets, 1949-1952

Folder 3:

Various Meeting Programs, 1939-1956
List of Presidents of various Chester County clubs, 1943
Plan submitted to the County Organizations for Continuing the Woman’s Committee Council of National Defense [n.d.]
1963 Scholarship Recipient Thank You letter from Mary E. Jordan
Thank You card from Royer-Greaves School for the Blind [1951-2?]
Post card to Mrs. Van Trump, Jr. asking for info on County program chair, 1960
Courtesy Resolution, 1962, thanking those who made meeting a success
Policies of the CCF Junior Women’s Clubs, 1954
Fine Arts responsibilities and name of entry in Hallmark Art Talent Contest. [3p.]

Folder 4: Minutes and Correspondence, 1934-1950 [loose documents, bound volume]

Folder 5: Minutes and Correspondence, 1950-1962 [bound volume]

Box 2

Folder 1: Committee Reports, 1922, 1925, 1937, 1938-1941. [3-ring notebook, loose papers] ( 2^nd Place Award Ribbon, 1939-1940, transferred to Curatorial, 10.31.2005)

Folder 2: Committee Reports, 1942-1947. [3-ring notebook]

Folder 3:

Committee Reports, 1956-1962
4^th Annual Conference Brochure 1960
Nominations for Pioneer Club Women, 1939-1940

Folder 4: Directories 1930-1975

Folder 5: Programs, includes:

Annual Meeting Programs 1938, 1956
State Program1960
Fine Arts Day Programs 1950-1977
Fall Meeting Programs 1955-1969
Spring Meeting Programs 1955-1974
State Federation of PA Women 1930-1931
Oxford Research Club Program 1954
Oxford Research Club Program Home Life Meeting 1961
“Here Comes the Bride” invitation and program 1949
[Visitor Ribbon 1956 59^th Annual Convention for Miss Elizabeth Baker, transferred to Curatorial, 11.3.2005]

Folder 6: Various publications, includes:

CCFWC Song Cards
List of CCFWC Choral Group members
GFWC “To Strengthen the Arm of Liberty” fold-out booklet

Folder 7: History of Club, includes:

Typed History of CCFWC 1914-1944
Typed “Dramatization of the History – Chester County Federation of Women’s Clubs”