Women's Society of Christian Service, Hunter, N.D. Records
Collection
Identifier: MSS 202
Scope and Content
The Women’s Society of Christian Service collection contains materials involving both this organization,
and the Hunter United Methodist Church. Due to this fact these materials have been broken down into
these two segments, starting with the WSCS materials followed by the church materials. The WSCS
records have been organized into three series: meeting minutes, treasurer’s journals, and subject files.
The Meeting Minutes Series contains a set of five bound volumes covering from 1918 to 1979. Missing from this series are the minutes for the years 1965 to 1973. The WSCS met twice a month till the 1940s, when they met only once a month. In this series can be found the organization’s many involvements within the church. One of their main purposes was to raise money, and evidence can be found within these entries of the many ways in which this group achieved this goal. In the back of the books is a roll call and member list for each year. Also within this series are the meeting minutes of the Women’s Missionary Society from 1924 to 1935. The entries deal with this group’s duties of praying for and visiting the sick, reading articles about missions abroad, and raising money and having clothing drives to support the impoverished. These two organizations joined together to form the Women’s Society of Christian Service in 1940.
The Treasurer’s Journals Series is a set of six soft cover books containing the monetary transaction of the WSCS. These books detail in chronological order cash taken in and paid out. In these records can be found the many different things this organization helped support and how they achieved this. They are very detailed as to which members owed dues, who donated money and how much and how much the luncheons and chicken pie suppers raised. They also chronicle how the money that was earned was put to use. During the years of 1940 to 1941 there is an overlap in journals.
The Subject File Series contains an assorted variety of materials arranged in alphabetical order. The Chicken Pie Suppers appeared to have been an important fundraiser in the history of this organization. Within the Chicken Pie Supper folder one will find a history of the chicken pie supper and detailed handwritten records from the years 1928 to 1951. There is also a sampling of correspondence from 1968 to 1973, which are mostly thank you cards. There are also six sets of evaluation reports, copies of which appear to have been sent to the district office. These reports were sent from each officer and secretary within the Hunter WSCS, and range from June 1965 to May 1968. There are miscellaneous newspaper clippings, all from The Hunter Times, from 1963 to 1968. Another folder holds a program, newspaper clipping, and handwritten note about the 20th anniversary celebration of the Hunter WSCS. The final folder contains papers from a WSCS Eastern District annual meeting, held in Fargo on October 27, 1965. Included in these papers are the Eastern Districts by-laws, meeting minutes, and a list of Eastern District Officers.
Scope and Content – Hunter United Methodist Church Records.
The Subject Files Series for the Hunter United Methodist Church records have been arranged alphabetically by title. The first file contains the souvenir programs from the churches 50th, 75th, and 100th anniversary celebrations. There is a set of church annual budget reports for the years of 1933 to 1989. Of these 1952, 1953, 1956 to1961, 1964 to 1969, 1969 to 1978 are missing. Another folder contains information on the improvements and additions to the church building; the majority of the materials is from the 1957 addition to the church. Another folder holds three items involving the Epworth League, including its constitution, meeting minutes from 1935 to 1938, and a catalogue of supplies for 1926 to 1927. A large part of the church records is the church offering records found in four bound books covering from 1931 to 1979. The donations of each person and organization are listed alphabetical by year within these books. Some lists of church officers are contained in another folder. Although quite a number of these lists are missing, they range from 1939 to 1989. Another folder holds records on the operation and maintenance of the parsonage. Of particular interest is correspondence involving the sale of the parsonage in 1962. Within another folder is a book entitled the “The Ideal Quarterly Conference Record”, which contains district quarterly conference meeting information for the years 1908 to 1912. Other quarterly conference reports can be found in the next two folders. They involve the financial secretary, and treasurer reports, for the 1940s to the 1960s. They appear to have been copies of forms that were sent to the district office. There are two issues of the church’s newsletter, Religious Echo’s, one from 1958, and the other regards the church’s 75th anniversary in 1963. The final folder contains a few handwritten papers regarding Sunday school enrollment in 1940 and 1943
The Meeting Minutes Series contains a set of five bound volumes covering from 1918 to 1979. Missing from this series are the minutes for the years 1965 to 1973. The WSCS met twice a month till the 1940s, when they met only once a month. In this series can be found the organization’s many involvements within the church. One of their main purposes was to raise money, and evidence can be found within these entries of the many ways in which this group achieved this goal. In the back of the books is a roll call and member list for each year. Also within this series are the meeting minutes of the Women’s Missionary Society from 1924 to 1935. The entries deal with this group’s duties of praying for and visiting the sick, reading articles about missions abroad, and raising money and having clothing drives to support the impoverished. These two organizations joined together to form the Women’s Society of Christian Service in 1940.
The Treasurer’s Journals Series is a set of six soft cover books containing the monetary transaction of the WSCS. These books detail in chronological order cash taken in and paid out. In these records can be found the many different things this organization helped support and how they achieved this. They are very detailed as to which members owed dues, who donated money and how much and how much the luncheons and chicken pie suppers raised. They also chronicle how the money that was earned was put to use. During the years of 1940 to 1941 there is an overlap in journals.
The Subject File Series contains an assorted variety of materials arranged in alphabetical order. The Chicken Pie Suppers appeared to have been an important fundraiser in the history of this organization. Within the Chicken Pie Supper folder one will find a history of the chicken pie supper and detailed handwritten records from the years 1928 to 1951. There is also a sampling of correspondence from 1968 to 1973, which are mostly thank you cards. There are also six sets of evaluation reports, copies of which appear to have been sent to the district office. These reports were sent from each officer and secretary within the Hunter WSCS, and range from June 1965 to May 1968. There are miscellaneous newspaper clippings, all from The Hunter Times, from 1963 to 1968. Another folder holds a program, newspaper clipping, and handwritten note about the 20th anniversary celebration of the Hunter WSCS. The final folder contains papers from a WSCS Eastern District annual meeting, held in Fargo on October 27, 1965. Included in these papers are the Eastern Districts by-laws, meeting minutes, and a list of Eastern District Officers.
Scope and Content – Hunter United Methodist Church Records.
The Subject Files Series for the Hunter United Methodist Church records have been arranged alphabetically by title. The first file contains the souvenir programs from the churches 50th, 75th, and 100th anniversary celebrations. There is a set of church annual budget reports for the years of 1933 to 1989. Of these 1952, 1953, 1956 to1961, 1964 to 1969, 1969 to 1978 are missing. Another folder contains information on the improvements and additions to the church building; the majority of the materials is from the 1957 addition to the church. Another folder holds three items involving the Epworth League, including its constitution, meeting minutes from 1935 to 1938, and a catalogue of supplies for 1926 to 1927. A large part of the church records is the church offering records found in four bound books covering from 1931 to 1979. The donations of each person and organization are listed alphabetical by year within these books. Some lists of church officers are contained in another folder. Although quite a number of these lists are missing, they range from 1939 to 1989. Another folder holds records on the operation and maintenance of the parsonage. Of particular interest is correspondence involving the sale of the parsonage in 1962. Within another folder is a book entitled the “The Ideal Quarterly Conference Record”, which contains district quarterly conference meeting information for the years 1908 to 1912. Other quarterly conference reports can be found in the next two folders. They involve the financial secretary, and treasurer reports, for the 1940s to the 1960s. They appear to have been copies of forms that were sent to the district office. There are two issues of the church’s newsletter, Religious Echo’s, one from 1958, and the other regards the church’s 75th anniversary in 1963. The final folder contains a few handwritten papers regarding Sunday school enrollment in 1940 and 1943
Dates
- 1918-1989.
Creator
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.
Copyrights
Copyrights to this collection is held by the NDSU Archives.
History
The Hunter United Methodist Church was founded on May 16, 1887. The congregation first met every Sunday evening in the schoolhouse until the first church was erected. The first church was dedicated on May 5, 1889, and the first parsonage was bought in 1893. Sometime between 1894 and 1896, the Epworth League and the Ladies Aid came into existence. The Ladies Aid met in private homes, sewing when there was no business at hand. They also took an active part in serving chicken pie suppers to help pay off church debt. All chickens were donated, and all church members were asked to donate what they could. The first chicken pie suppers were held in private homes and a building downtown where the post office now sits. The old parsonage was sold and a new one was purchased in 1910. On June 10, 1917 the new church was dedicated, and the ladies aid meetings were held in the church basement, except in the winter months when it was too cold. On March 21, 1927 the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society was
organized. The church celebrated its 50th anniversary on May 29, 1938. In 1940 several changes took place, the Epworth League became the Methodist Youth Fellowship, and the Ladies Aid joined with the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society to become the Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS). In 1949 the Hunter and Arthur Methodist churches joined together in maintaining the parsonage. The WSCS voted to discontinue the chicken suppers in the fall of 1950 when it was agreed that all members would
each donate $10 instead. The church kitchen was remodeled and the old chicken pie supper stoves were removed. In the early 1950s the Rev. Atkinson met with the WSCS to organize their first prayer group.
The church celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 14, 1987.
Extent
1 Linear Feet (1 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Women's church group of the Hunter United Methodist Church organized in the 1890s. The collection contains materials involving both this organization, and the Church. The WSCS records include meeting minutes, treasurer’s journals, and subject files.
Provenance
Donated by Women’s Society of Christian Service, Hunter United Methodist Church, Hunter, N.D., 1998 (Acc. 2513).
Property rights
The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
- Hunter (N.D.) -- Church history.
- Hunter Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.). Ladies Aid.
- Hunter Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.). Women's Missionary Society.
- Hunter United Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.)
- Methodist Church -- North Dakota -- Societies, etc.
- Women -- North Dakota -- Societies and clubs.
- Women in church work -- North Dakota.
- Women's Society of Christian Service (Hunter United Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.))
Creator
- Women's Society of Christian Service (Hunter United Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.)) (Organization)
- Hunter United Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.) (Organization)
- Hunter Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.). Ladies Aid. (Organization)
- Hunter Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.). Women's Missionary Society. (Organization)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Women’s Society of Christian Service (Hunter United Methodist Church (Hunter, N.D.) Records
- Description rules
- Appm
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu