Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

The collection includes: correspondence, meeting minutes, committee reports, scrapbooks, photographs and negatives, and printed materials of the organization, and items relating to the Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs. The collection is ongoing.

The Mount Pleasant Woman’s Club organizational records consist of materials from 1894 forward which document the activities of this community organization. The collection was originally subdivided into three series, Minutes, General Administration, and Scrapbooks.

The Minutes series contains Club meeting minutes from 1894 to 1996, and 1999-2003, which are part of the Recording Secretary’s Files. Both sets of minutes are arranged chronologically. These provide the richest source of information on club activities throughout the years. They are nearly complete with only two gaps, 1902-1905 and 1916-1917. Information from these time periods can be found in Scrapbook 1. Some of the bound volumes of minutes contain membership lists, attendance records, bills and receipts.

The General Administration series consists of materials from 1896 to 1998 which primarily document activities of club committees and divisions. Types of materials found here include: reports, committee minutes, histories of the Club, Mount Pleasant Community Calendars, the constitution and bylaws, correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, annual programs, certificates, awards, and a photograph. Major topics of this subgroup include; Club House Committee, Health Division, Home and Garden Division, and the Michigan State Federation of Women’s Clubs. A wide variety of information is present in the subgroup, but tends to be quite scattered and not comprehensive.

The Scrapbooks series includes Scrapbooks which primarily contain newspaper clippings, and may include annual and specific meeting programs, reports, bylaws, photographs and recipes. It appears that the books were created by several different sources and seem to form a couple of different roughly chronological series: Volumes 1-5 cover the years 1895 to 1960 and Volumes 6-8 span the years 1939 to 1960. Volumes 9 and 10 are special cases; 9 contains only annual programs, while 10 is primarily made up of photographs which document a wide variety of Mount Pleasant area topics. Subjects covered in volume 10 include: schools, farming, barns, sports, agricultural extension service, oil and gas, girl scouts, Central Michigan College, churches, and recipes.

Several printed works pertaining specifically to the Michigan State Federation of Women’s Clubs were transferred from this collection to the Clarke book collection.

Portions of this collection were microfilmed by the Clarke Historical Library in 1994. The master negatives are on file in the microfilming department of CHL.

Additions to the collection since 1994 include various administrative materials, meeting minutes, guest books, photographic materials, and more oversized Scrapbooks, 1984-1990, 1993-1994, 1994-2007 (4 Oversized volumes) and 1997-2006.

Most of the collection is in very good condition. The exceptions to this are a few scrapbooks and the guest book with wooden covers, the pages of which are quite acidic.

The collection includes the organization's photographic materials, Hi Fever Follies fund raising materials, meeting minutes, scrapbooks, Hospital Charity Balls materials, annual and financial reports, newsletters, correspondence, and miscellaneous.

Hi Fever Follies materials, 1957-1984 (scattered) and undated, document this important Auxiliary fundraiser with programs, correspondence, and newspaper clippings (copies).

Photographic materials, including photographs, negatives, and a photograph album, 1983-2001 and undated, which document Auxiliary balls, Christmas parties, fund raisers, meetings, and other activities.

The Scrapbooks, 1944-1991, include mostly photographs and newspaper clippings about the Auxiliary and CMCH. The scrapbooks are quite acidic, particularly the older volumes, and are yellowed, flaking, and fragile with many loose pieces due to tape drying out. To avoid damaging them or losing pieces of the scrapbooks, they should be used with care.

Also included, providing an overall history of the Auxiliary, are meeting agendas and minutes, 1966-2001; by-laws, financial and annual reports, 1960-1995; other financial materials, newspaper clippings (copies), and newsletters, 1979-2001 (scattered).

The history of the Hospital Charity balls is documented in publicity reports, 1951-1970, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and lists, 1945-1970.

The collection includes publications, promotional materials, meeting minutes, and other materials.

The records include publications, such as the Auxiliary Announcer (newsletter), HealthQuest (CMCH newsletter), NewsBeat (CM Health Care System newsletter) promotional materials, meeting minutes (for the Board and general meetings), and other materials, 2001-2008.