MS 564 - Altrusa District 5, Ohio/Michigan
MLA Citation
Tags
| Title | MS 564 - Altrusa District 5, Ohio/Michigan |
|---|---|
| Introduction | The records of the Altrusa International, District 5 were donated to the Center for Archival Collections beginning in 1993 through the cooperation of various Altrusa Officers and Historians through the years, with material continuing to be received. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and scholarly research. The collection was initially processed by Ann Bowers, Assistant Director of the Center for Archival Collections with final processing by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts, who compiled the consolidated register in 2013. |
| Agency History | The first Altrusa Club was organized in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 11, 1917. The year following, membership on a classified basis was adopted by the clubs then organized. The National Association of Altrusa Clubs was incorporated under the laws of the State of Indiana on August 21, 1917, with the four clubs then in existence participating--Nashville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Dayton, Ohio. On December 31, 1923, the old incorporation was dissolved and new Articles of Incorporation for the National Association of Altrusa Clubs were filed. The National Association of Altrusa Clubs was the first national organization of business and professional women, either classified or unclassified. Altrusa Clubs are classified and selective membership clubs composed of women who hold executive positions in diversified businesses and professions, or who own and operate their own businesses, or are practicing a profession. The proportion of a club's membership which may come from any one field is limited to ten percent of its total membership, and only one representative of each particular occupation classification can hold membership at any given time in a local club. Membership is by invitation. Altrusa is nonpartisan in politics and non-sectarian in religion. As stated in the Member's Manual, the purpose of the organization is (1) to afford a main channel through which executive business and professional women representing a wide variety of occupational fields but with similar civic and altruistic motivations can work together thereby making possible the promotion of their common interests, and more effective the contribution of their combined services to civic, national, and international understanding and betterment; and (2) to extend the field for friendships and contacts among professional women beyond the bounds of their own professional groups. The following are stated as objectives of the club: (1) to encourage, promote, extend, and supervise Altrusa throughout the United States of America, Dominion of Canada, Mexico, and other countries that may be approved by the International Executive Committee, and to coordinate and generally direct the activities of member clubs; (2) to cultivate friendly relationships, promote mutual understanding, and foster the solidarity of women who are actively engaged in business and professions; (3) to encourage high ethical standards of business and professional conduct; (4) to give vocational information to and be of service to both young and mature women already engaged in or entering business fields; (5) to encourage participation in community and public affairs on a nonpartisan basis; (6) to promote educational and cultural training and improvement; and (7) to be informed on international affairs and promote mutual understanding between peoples of all nations. District Five came into being in 1954 as Altrusa branched off Ohio and Lower Michigan from District Four. At the International Convention in Toronto in 1955, the Districts were enlarged and Windsor and London, Ontario, Canada, were added District Five. |
| Scope and Content | The records of the Altrusa International, District 5 includes minutes, membership material, minor correspondence, subject files, some financial records, histories, scrapbook material, and printed items including many of the District 5 publications. The strongest part of the collection is the chapter files in the subject record group. Although somewhat limited in time, dating primarily from 1980 to 1985, these give a picture of the scope of club activities throughout the District. The range of chapter activities is also reflected in the newsletters of District 5 and the scrapbooks, but to a lesser degree. Gaps in the minutes are most significant during the 1970s and after 2000, with the period of 1983 to 1999 the most continuous. While the bulk of the collection deals with the last decades of the 20th century there are several smaller record groups that give some coverage of the span of District 5 history, including handbooks, rosters of officers, conference files and extension activities. An extensive run of The Altrusan, the publication of Altrusa International, also covers events that impact on District 5. Although the District 5 collection doesn’t give a broad picture of the individual chapters, several of the District chapters are individually represented in the Center for Archival Collections, including such locations as Sandusky, Fostoria, Lorain County, Tiffin, Mansfield, Cincinnati, Marion, Monroe, Michigan and Great Lansing, Michigan. |
| Series Description | PROCEEDINGS BYLAWS/CONSTITUTION/ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION MINUTES MEMBERSHIP – ROSTERS OF OFFICERS CORRESPONDENCE CORRESPONDENCE CORRESPONDENCE – DISTRICT GOVERNOR SUBJECT FILES CHAPTER FILES CONFERENCE FILES EXTENSION FILES REPORTS CLUB/CHAPTER REPORTS OFFICER/COMMITTEE REPORTS FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS TREASURER’S LEDGER SHEETS TREASURER’S REPORTS PROPOSED BUDGETS MISCELLANEOUS FINANCIAL REPORTS SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL SCRAPBOOKS PRINTED MATERIAL PUBLICATIONS - ALTRUSAN PUBLICATIONS - DISTRICT 5 SERVICE BULLETIN PUBLICATIONS - OH, MI! AROUND DISTRICT 5 PUBLICATIONS - ALTRUSA ANGLES PUBLICATIONS - ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE BULLETIN PUBLICATIONS - BATTLE CREEK ALTRUSA AUDIOVISUAL RECORDINGS SOUND RECORDINGS VIDEO RECORDINGS ARTIFACTS ARTIFACTS |
| Inventory | PROCEEDINGS Box 1 Folders
Box 2 Folders
Box 3 Folder
Box 4 Folders
Box 5 Folders
SUBJECT FILES - CHAPTERS Box 6 - Chapter files (includes newsletters, correspondence, yearbooks, dating from 1980-1985) Folders
Box 7 Folders
Box 8 Folders
Box 9 Folders
SUBJECT FILES - CONFERENCES Box 10 Folders
Box 11 Folders
Box 12 Folders
Box 13 Folders
Box 14 Folders
INDIVIDUAL TOPICAL SUBJECT Box 15 Folders
Box 16 Folders
Box 17 Folders
REPORTS Box 18 Folders
FINANCIAL Box 19 Folders
Box 20 Folders
SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS Box 21 Folders
PRINTED Box 22 Folders
Box 23 Folders
Box 24 Folders
Box 25 Folders
Box 26 Folders
Box 27 Folders
Box 28 Folders
Box 29 Folders
Box 30 Folders
Box 31 Folders
Box 32 Folders
AUDIOVISUAL ARTIFACTS Box 33 Folders Lorain Altrusa engraved Plaque plates OVERSIZED WRAPPED VOLUMES: Scrapbook, Publicity Committee, 1962-1964 |