Organizational records, 1965-2018, and undated

Summary

Creator:

Northeastern District of the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs of Michigan.

Abstract:

This collection, 1965-2018, and undated, includes bylaws, meeting minutes, annual reports, newsletters, program booklets, correspondence, thank you cards, newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbook pages, and other materials related to the operations of the NED and the clubs in its jurisdiction.

Extent:

1 cubic foot (in 1 box, 1 Oversized volume)

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by M. Black, M. Matyn, 2024

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection, 1965-2018, and undated, includes bylaws, meeting minutes, annual reports, newsletters, program booklets, correspondence, thank you cards, newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbook pages, and other materials related to the operations of the NED and the clubs in its authority. Materials related to the operations of the NED include their bylaws, budgets, minutes of the NED’s executive board, workshops, several conventions, official calls to NED workshops and Great Lakes conferences, a guide for new officers, lists of officers, awards and certificates earned by the district, the NED’s presidents’ annual reports to the GFWC Michigan board of directors, NED newsletters, thank you cards written to NED officers, and GFWC brochures. There are pages of several binders that contain materials about the NED’s annual convention and officer meetings and the papers of the secretary. Also, there are photographs of various NED members at events such as the annual convention and Great Lakes conference, photographs in folder 39 include identification of persons, some photographs included in the scrapbook pages have an event and year labeled, others do not. This collection also includes photocopies of newspaper clippings along with awards that highlight the accomplishments of both the NED and its member clubs, including a key to the city of Clare presented to the Clare Study Club. Additionally, photocopies of three obituaries of three prominent NED officers are included. Materials pertaining to the defederated clubs from Gladwin County, Alma, and Pinconning that include correspondence between the clubs and the NED about defederation, Gladwin County Woman’s Club yearbooks, club histories, program booklets, and a photocopy of a newspaper article about the Pinconning Woman’s Club’s 75th anniversary. There are materials relating to the GFWC Michigan Education Foundation that include minutes from a 2017 meeting, correspondence from the Foundation to the NED, and an informational brochure. The general correspondence folder includes correspondence between club presidents, members of the NED Past Presidents Club, NED officers, GFWC Michigan officers, the GFWC International President Rose Ditto, and Bay Cliff Health Camp. The collection is organized by size, alphabetically and chronologically. Box 1 is a cubic foot box. The collection is in good physical condition.

The three main series in the collection include: Annual Meetings, Club materials, GFWC MI.

Annual Meetings: This series includes materials that relate to the NED’s annual convention/meeting hosted by one of the member clubs with assistance from NED’s executive board. Materials in this series include annual reports given by the clubs that describe challenges and accomplishments of their club over the last year, program booklets that provide information about the convention and the NED, and the minutes of the convention.

Club materials: This series contains materials that relate directly to member clubs of the district rather than the NED itself. Materials include program booklets, member lists, constitutions and bylaws, event flyers, and photocopies of newspaper clippings. Clubs represented in this series include the Clare Study Club, Farwell Women’s Club, Gaylord Study Club, Harrison’s Women’s Club, Ladies Literacy Club of East Tawas, and Rogers City Women’s Civic League. Researchers interested in the Mount Pleasant Woman’s Club can find their materials in the Mount Pleasant Woman’s Club Organizational Records collection at the Clarke.

GFWC Michigan (GFWC MI): This series contains materials that relate to GFWC Michigan operations. These include board of directors meeting minutes, the board of directors’ annual reports that describe their accomplishments, and materials related to the state convention including press releases, registration information, and program booklets.

Researchers interested in the GFWC may be interested in the Mount Pleasant Woman’s and Junior Woman’s clubs Organizational Records in the Clarke Historical Library. Both clubs were members of the GFWC within the NED.

Processing Note: Approximately a quarter of a foot of material was withdrawn during processing. Withdrawn materials included duplicate items, original newspaper clippings after being photocopied, miscellaneous and out of scope materials, blank forms, and unidentified photographs.

Biographical / Historical:

Organizational History:

The Northeastern District (NED), the regional organization of the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs (GFWC) of Michigan, was created in 1919 as the Northern District. The first president was Mrs. Margaret Temple Smith of Bay City followed by Mrs. Charles E Vowles of Mt. Pleasant. In 1922, the district was divided into two districts by GFWC Michigan: the Northwestern District and the Northeastern District. The first president of the NED was Miss Marie Comstock of Alpena. Clubs within the NED submit annual reports to the NED executive board. The NED President reports to the State executive board composed of the GFWC Michigan officers.

The NED hosted an annual convention/meeting for all members. The 99th annual meeting was held in 2018. These meetings allowed club women to gather, discuss GFWC projects, report what their clubs had accomplished in the previous year, and earn awards. The NED also sent representatives to GFWI Michigan conventions and GFWC Great Lakes Conferences. Throughout the year, the district held workshops open to any NED member. Discussions included on-going GFWC projects, fundraising and membership recruitment ideas, and tips to becoming a better volunteer. The NED upheld the GFWC’s belief in “community improvement through volunteer service.” They had district representatives who attended Girlstown ingatherings, served on state committees, and on the GFWC Michigan Education Foundation committee. The club had a broad focus on art, education, conservation, education, home life, public affairs, international affairs, spiritual enrichment, and civics. They supported projects such as GFWC scholarships, the Interlochen Building Repair Fund, Girlstown Foundation Inc., now Guiding Harbor, and the Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation (HOBY).

In 1993, local clubs in the NED included the GFWC Clare Study Club, East Tawas Ladies Literary Club, Farewell Woman’s Club, Gladwin County Woman’s Club, GFWC Harrison Woman’s Club, GFWC Mount Pleasant Woman’s Club, GFWC Pinconning, GFWC Rogers City Women’s Civic League, and the NED Past Presidents Club. The Past Presidents Club was founded in 1965 and met annually. Between 2011 and 2017, the NED’s membership dropped by 50% from 193 to 97, a statewide trend in which every district lost membership and GFWC Michigan membership decreased by 28%. During the same time period, the Tawas, Farwell, and Mount Pleasant Juniorettes clubs defederated. However, in 2014, the Gaylord Study Club was started and joined the NED. (This information is from the collection.)

Acquisition Information:

Acc#78032

Arrangement:

Arrangement is by size, alphabetically and chronologically.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Women--Michigan--Societies and clubs--History--20th century.
Women--Michigan--Societies and clubs--History--21st century.

Names:

Northeastern District of the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs of Michigan.
Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Foundation.
Guiding Harbor.
Clare Study Club (Michigan)
Farwell Women’s Club (Michigan)
Gaylord Study Club (Michigan)
Harrison's Women’s Club (Michigan)
Ladies Literacy Club of East Tawas (Michigan)
Rogers City Women’s Civic League (Michigan)
General Federation of Women's Clubs.
Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs.

Places:

Alma (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
Clare (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
Farwell (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
Gaylord (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
Harrison (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
East Tawas (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
Mount Pleasant (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
Pinconning (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.
Rogers City (Mich.)--Societies and clubs.