Fine Arts Club of Fargo Records, 1911-1979

Collection

Identifier: Mss 34

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The records of the Fine Arts Club of Fargo, North Dakota can be loosely categorized in three general areas; records pertaining to the club as a whole, those pertaining to the nine individual sections of the club, and scrapbooks. All scrapbooks are included at the end of the collection with the exception of two individual books of the Quill Section which are filed with the remaining section material. Scrapbooks are listed both in their proper order and under their section listings. Subsequent accessions of club records have been processed as Mss 248 and include all donations from 1984 to 1999. Consult the separate finding aid to that collection regarding its contents. The General Club Materials records consist of by-laws, meeting minutes, presidential material, correspondence, finance, and clubhouse material. The Meeting Minutes Series consists of annual reports from the officers, sections, and treasurer for the years 1955 to 1975. Executive Board minutes are available from 1919 to 1944, and 1951 to 1975. The Presidential Material Series includes calendar books, 1955-1975, and personal notebooks, 19641975. The Club’s Annual Booklet is available for every year with the exception of 1912/13, 1915/16 - 1919/20, 1921/22 - 1923/24, 1928/29 - 1932/33, 1934/35, 1936/37 - 1937/38, 1977/78, and through 1978/79. The correspondence is of the most general character. The Financial Records Series may be valuable for membership lists, and they are fairly consistent since 1926. The Clubhouse Material Series is of the most varied -type, including caretaker and rental agreements, a 1970 insurance evaluation by H.R. Arneson, and a framed set of rules. The Subject Files Series is equally varied presenting “pourers” for the general tea, 1949-1975, a guest book from the 1930’s to 1975, a Christmas Party Notebook, and statements of accounts from the Watson Trust, 1958-1968. A short club history, through 1939, and a Histogram script into the 1950’s are also in the subject files. An unsigned manuscript on the life of Thomas Masaryk is included. Section Material contains documents related to the many club sections. Each individual section is represented by constitutions and by-laws (except the History Section) and meeting minutes. The minutes of the Home Economics Section (1917-1922 and 1930-1974), Literature (1943-1976), and Social Economics (1919-1965) are the most complete. There are twenty-five scrapbooks in the Scrapbook Section. Thirteen pertaining to the club in general, and twelve for the sections, including eight for the Sports Section alone. They cover the general activities of each section and include some photographs.

Dates

1911-1979

Creator

Fine Arts Club (Fargo, N.D.) (Organization)

Access

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

Copyrights

The Institute owns the copyrights.

History

The Fine Arts Club of Fargo, North Dakota had its origins in the Fargo Amateur Music Club. In the spring of 1911, Mrs. Frank J. Thompson consented to assume the presidency of the Music Club on condition that it be merged into a new organization consisting of several departments. This was accomplished and in September 1911 the Fine Arts was formally organized at the home of Mrs. Thompson. There were five original sections representing Music, Writers (Quill), Drama, Art, and Sociology (Social Economics). The first meeting was held December 2, 1911 and the first yearbook published in 1912. The club became federated on October 4, 1912 and joined as a member of General Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1925. The club continued to grow with the addition of the Home Economics Section in 1913, the Literature Section in 1922, the Women’s Sports Section in 1926, and the History Section in 1926. Clubhouse facilities continually changed until November 5, 1930 when the gift of Watson Hall (formally of Fargo College) from Mrs. John H. Watson was formally accepted as a permanent residence. A Fine Arts Library was projected for the 1934-35 season and dedicated March 29, 1935. An addition of a stage and auditorium was accomplished in 1937. The Fine Arts Club continues to function, today, at the Watson Hall.

Extent

10 Linear Feet (10 linear feet.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Fine Arts Club of Fargo had its origins in the Fargo Amateur Music Club and in 1911 was established as a separate organization consisting of several sections. Its records are organized pertaining to the club as a whole, its nine individual sections and an extensive collection of scrapbooks.

Provenance

Donated by Fine Arts Club of Fargo, North Dakota, 1980 (Acc. 2057 and 2058).

Separation Record

The following non-manuscript items were removed from the Fine Arts Club of Fargo, North Dakota Records and sent to the sections indicated. Movies (Institute movie collection)

Sport Section bowling at The Bowler, 1963, (Black & White, 35 mm) (Movie 1) Photographs (Institute Photograph Collection 2003)

12 - Historama program, 1951 13 - General photographs of club activities 4 - Meeting places of club 3 - Scenes of program of Sports Section, ca 1928-1930