Fargo Branch, Miscellaneous

File — Box: 1, Folder: 6

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The American Association of University Women, Fargo Branch Records consist of histories of the Fargo, North Dakota, and national AAUW branches; constitution and bylaws; minutes and agenda; yearbooks and directories; reports; newsletters; correspondence; membership information; financial records; and various other records detailing the projects and study groups the local AAUW participated in. All of the above series are arranged in chronological order, but none are complete except the yearbooks and directories. A later accession has been processed as Mss 310.

The History Series includes histories of the Fargo Branch from 1922/1932, 1922/1947, and 1922/1972. Two files contain the history of the North Dakota Division of the AAUW from 1930 to 1984. Also included is a history of the national AAUW from 1882 to 1957. The Constitution and Bylaws Series runs from 1922(?) through 1979. The constitution and bylaws were amended many times over the years, either annually or biennially. The series is sketchy, with the most complete run from the late 1960s through the 1970s. The Minutes Series includes information on the monthly meetings of the group. Depending upon the recorder, the minutes are either handwritten or typed. The series is incomplete, with the most substantial runs from 1944-1949 and 1981. The Agenda Series gives the meeting schedules for the years 1963-1986. This series is also sketchy, but was included to help fill in missing areas in the minutes. The Yearbooks and Directories Series are the only complete series, running from 1931/1932 to 1985/1986 consecutively. It is not known whether yearbooks were printed prior to 1931. The booklets list the program for the year and the current members. The Reports Series includes the annual reports of the Fargo Branch for the years 1931/1932 to 1983/1984. The reports are summations of the year's activities. Also included are the Branch President's Reports for the years 1958/1959 to 1982/1983, and one containing the names of convention delegates. Again, the above files are in chronological order but are not complete. The Newsletter Series contains the newsletters of the Fargo Branch. The newsletters provide a monthly schedule of current and upcoming events for AAUW members. The Series runs from 1923 through May of 1987, but the most complete sequence begins in the early 1970s. The Correspondence Series contains both incoming and outgoing letters and memos dealing with the various AAUW programs and projects. The correspondence includes the years 1959 through 1982, but except for the early 1960s, is quite sketchy. The State Government Series contains governor's proclamations declaring AAUW Days and AAUW Week. In addition, there are two files of legislative programs and resolutions covering such topics as ERA, the Employment Opportunities Act, Homemakers in North Dakota, and other government issues related to women. The Branch Program Development Series contains a variety of files, all dealing with various AAUW sponsored programs. The AAUW was active in education, providing fellowships and also conducting local studies in the areas of Title IV and Title IX. The Title IV and Title IX files contain general reference materials, plus information on the local implementation of the programs. The local AAUW also sponsored a study of the status of math and science education in Fargo Schools and helped compile a booklet listing all area preschools. In addition, they held an annual Tour of Homes (1956-1966) and continue to sponsor an annual book fair as fund raisers. The Study Groups Series contains a sampling of the subjects the local AAUW covered during their monthly meetings. It appears that two new topics were picked each year by the national office. These topics tended to focus on current issues such as pollution (1971/1972) and communism (late 1950s?). The Membership Series provides general membership information as well as membership lists, and vita forms and biographical sketches of local members. The Financial Records Series is a chronological series which uses a variety of financial records to fill in the gaps in order to provide the most accurate, consecutive, financial information. The records range from October 1933 to 1936 and again beginning in the mid to late 1970s. The Newspaper Clippings Series contains a variety of articles dealing with the meetings and projects of the local AAUW. The series runs from the 1930s through the 1980s. The Subject Files Series contains a biographical sketch of Dr. Mary Woolley. Dr. Woolley was president of Mt. Holyoke College from 1900 through at least the early 1930's, which is when this 25 page, handwritten biography was finished. In addition, Dr. Woolley was President of the national AAUW in 1932 and in that same year was a member of the American delegation to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. The biography provides a detailed sketch of Dr. Wooley's life, but it is unclear why it was written. The Scrapbook Series contains newspaper clippings, photos, newsletters, and yearbooks, many of which are duplicates.