Women's Club of Fargo Records

Collection

Identifier: Mss 3066

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection contains several different histories of the club, a constitution, several scripts for skits, , programs, annual reports, and a logo. There is one series, which consists of four meeting minute books.

Dates

Majority of material found within 1884-1990

Creator

Business Women's Club of Fargo. (Organization)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection is held by the Institute.

Biographical / Historical

The Woman's Club of Fargo was founded in January of 1884, and was the first women's club in North Dakota. The first president was Mrs. Clara G. Conover. The Woman's Club was primarily a literary study club, but also took part in some community projects. In the early years, the club studied primarily English and American history and literature. The women were assigned topics which they researched themselves, and then would read the papers at the meetings. After about 1900, the women not only studied past literature and history, but topics of the day, such as women's suffrage, temperance and present day happenings in world affairs.

In 1899, the Woman's Club initiated the movement for a public library in Fargo. The committee; composed of Mrs. E.H. Smith, Mrs. Seth Newman, Mrs. I.P. Clapp, and Mrs. H.L. Bolley, petitioned the city council to submit a proposal to the citizens of Fargo. Judge B.F. Spalding, whose wife was a member of the club, wrote to the Andrew Carnegie Fund for a contribution and received $20,000.00. On May 19, 1900, the Fargo Public Library was organized and the building itself was built in 1902 and was formally opened in January of 1903. The Woman's Club has had a member on the board since the library was begun.

The Woman's Club of Fargo became a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs in 1890 and a member of the North Dakota State Federation in 1906. In the years 1964-1966, the club was involved with a community improvement project in connection with the general and state federations. They chose to initiate the push for a new library building that was begun in 1966.

Many of the members were well known outside of the Woman's Club and active in community affairs such as Mrs. C.A. Pollock, Mrs. E.M. (Clara) Darrow, Mrs. B.F. Spalding and Mrs. H.L. Bolley. Mrs. C.A. Pollock was president in 1905. Mrs. C.E. Webster was the club's longest living member who joined in 1893 and died in 1966 at the age of 101.