Overview of the Collection
Austin History Center, Austin Public Library,
810 Guadalupe St.,PO Box 2287,Austin, TX 78768
Austin Woman's Club
Austin Woman's Club Records
1928 - 1995
1978 - 1988
5.5 linear feet
The Austin Woman's Club was founded on April 25, 1928 in Austin, Texas, for "the support of an educational undertaking, the study of literary, civic, patriotic, artistic and other cultural subjects," and to provide a place for women to gather, learn, and network. Minutes, ledgers, printed material, correspondence, photographs, audio cassettes, clippings, planners, receipt books, legal documents, and reports, (1928-995, undated), document the actions and activities of the Austin Woman's Club.
AR.2000.008
The records are in English.
Administrative History
The Austin Woman's Club was founded on April 25, 1928 in Austin, Texas, for "the support of an educational undertaking, the study of literary, civic, patriotic, artistic and other cultural subjects," and to provide a place for women to gather, learn, and network. The first president was Mrs. Sam Smith, 1928-30. Subsequent presidents served one to two year terms. In addition to the President, there is a governing Board of Directors and numerous subject committees. An annual yearbook was printed to detail the club bylaws, active officers and members, and annual events. There were 164 charter members, including women from prominent families in Austin during the 1920s. Membership grew steadily to reach 563 members by the late 1970s, and in 1996 the club had 362 members. There were strict guidelines for membership including annual membership fees and a considerable nominating process that required final approval by the Board of Directors. Members were involved in a wide array of activities, primary amongst which were committee delegations that addressed specific concerns of the organization. These committees also discussed the philanthropic mission of the club, and managed numerous projects. Some important past activities include furnishing Austin with its first outdoor opera, a weekly speakers series, promotion of local historic areas in and around Austin, and a scholarship that provided financial assistance for women completing a degree at the University of Texas at Austin. Under the presidency of Mrs. J.O. Marberry (1937-39) the Junior Austin Woman's Club was organized to prepare future members of the AWC. Members of the JAWC were daughters and daughters-in-law of current club members.
Chateau Bellevue, originally built in 1892 and now a historic Texas landmark, became the official clubhouse of the AWC in 1929. The clubhouse was frequently rented to clubs affiliated with AWC for meetings and events. The Chateau Bellevue dining room functioned as a steady stream of revenue for the club. The mission of the club has expanded over the years to include the preservation of the historic clubhouse. As of 2009 the club is still active and in possession of the clubhouse.
Past Presidents of the Austin Woman's Club through 1996 are:
- Mrs. Sam J. Smith, 1928-1930
- Mrs. W. R. Long, 1930-1931
- Mrs. W. R. Long, 1930-1931
- Mrs. John W. Goodwin, 1931-1932
- Mrs. R. A. Buford, 1932-1933
- Mrs. P.W. McFadden, 1933-1935
- Mrs. James H. Maxwell, 1935-1937
- Mrs. J.O. Marberry, 1937-1939
- Mrs. George H. Wells, 1939-1941
- Mrs. Tom Miller, 1941-1943
- Mrs. H. Willis Sauer, 1943-1945
- Mrs. J. E. Hickman, 1945-1947
- Mrs. William M. Gambrell, 1947-1949
- Mrs. Lloyd W. Davidson, 1949-1951
- Mrs. Amos M. Felts, 1951-1953
- Mrs. Myron L. Begeman, 1953-1955
- Mrs. Starr Kealhofer, 1955-1957
- Mrs. Bryant F. Collins, 1957-1959
- Mrs. Tom E. Johnson, 1959-1961
- Mrs. Marvin Hall, 1961-1963
- Mrs. Carl H. Stautz, 1963-1965
- Mrs. Lynn W. McCraw, 1967-1969
- Mrs. J. C. Dolley, 1969-1971
- Mrs. Felix S. Thaxton, 1971-1973
- Mrs. Bascom B. Hayes, 1973-1975
- Mrs. R. V. Baker, 1975-1977
- Mrs. Ernest W. Walker, 1977-1979
- Mrs. Sterling S. Speake, 1979-1981
- Miss Jane Smoot, 1981-1983
- Mrs. C. E. Alvis, Jr., 1983-1985
- Mrs. A. M. Donnell, Jr., 1985-1987
- Mrs. John M. Moran, 1987-1989
- Mrs. William H. Raschke, 1989-1991
- Dr. Margaret Berry, 1991-1993
- Mrs. Donald VanMeter, 1993-1995
- Dr. Josie E. Champion, 1995-1996
Scope and Contents
Minutes, ledgers, printed material, correspondence, photographs, lithography print blocks, audio cassettes, clippings, planners, receipt books, legal documents, and reports, (1928-995, undated), document the actions and activities of the Austin Woman's Club, a social and philanthropic organization. The records of the Austin Woman's Club are arranged into eight series, the majority found in Administrative Records (1928-1995, undated), which illuminate the regular operations and routine actions of the Club. The largest body of material within Administrative Records is the minutes from general meetings (1928-1995)and board meetings in written form (1959-1995) with 52 meetings captured on audio-cassette (1981-1988). A significant body of membership applications (1982, 1986-88, undated) provide significant insight into the admittance process. 33 committees are documented, (1957-1995, undated) the most substantial records being those of the Resolutions and Remembrances Committee, and the Membership Committee. The preservation and maintenance of the organization's clubhouse, Chateau Bellevue, was of great importance to the Austin Woman's Club and is documented through correspondence and clippings (Chateau Bellevue; 1930-1981). Other series deal with the governing offices (1930-1993, undated), club financial records (1930-1983), notable Austin Woman's Club philanthropic work (Special Projects; 1930-1987) and visual material (undated).
Arrangement
The collection is divided into 8 series:
- Series I: Administrative Records
- Series II: Offices
- Series III: Committees
- Series IV: Special Projects
- Series V: Junior Austin Woman's Club
- Series VI: Financial Records
- Series VII: Printed Material
- Series VIII: Photographic Material
Related Material
General Collection
- La Fete Internationale, Call Number: A 641.5 LA
- The Austin Woman's Club 1929-1975: Bicentennial Recognition Reference Book, Call Number: A 367.976431 HA
- Treasure Pots, Call Number: A 641.59764 TR
- The Austin Woman's Club, Call Number: A 367.976431 AU
- Annual Announcement, Call Number: A 367.976431 AU
Austin Files
- AHC HOUSEBUILDING FILE 708 San Antonio St.
Separated Material
Several publications came with the donation. These included multiple directories of the organization, one cookbook (Treasure Pots). They were returned to the donor as the AHC already had copies. Three lithographic printing blocks were also returned to the donor because the images contained on them were reproduced on publications in the collection.
Two Boxes of Audio Tapes, 1981-1998, separated to Recordings Archive Room G22
Other Finding Aid
MARC Record
Index Terms
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Persons:
Smith, Mrs. Sam J.
Speake, Mrs. Sterling S.
Organizations:
Austin Woman's Club.
Texas Federation of Women's Clubs.
Subjects:
Women - Societies and Clubs - General.
Women - Societies and Clubs - Junior Austin Women's Club.
Places:
Austin (Tex.).
Document Types:
Correspondence
Minutes
Printed Material
Yearbooks
Photographs
Audio Cassettes
Ledgers
Clippings
Planners
Receipt Books
Legal Documents
Reports
Titles:
The Austin Woman's Club
Restrictions on Access
Open to all users.
Preferred Citation
Austin Woman's Club Records (AR.2000.008). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas.
Acquisition Information
Donor #: DO/2000/059
Donation Date: 2000 June 15
Processing Information
Initial Inventory and Preliminary Processing By/Date: Sue Soy/July 7, 2000
Final Processing and Finding Aid By/Date: Emily Clark, Halley Grogan, Zachary Loeb, Holly Mendenhall/November 24, 2009. Final processing and encoding by Zachary Loeb and Susan Rittereiser/ 2009 December.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Administrative Records,
1928-1995, undated
1
1
Policy and Procedures,
1979-1980, undated
1
2
Charter and Amendments,
1929-1970
1
3
Club History,
undated
1
4
Correspondence,
1978-1981, undated
1
5
Local History,
undated
1
6
Membership Applications,
1982, 1986-1988, undated
1
Planners,
1981-1982
Minutes,
1928-1995, undated
1
Binders consolidating Board, General and Annual Meeting Minutes,
1928-1933, 1933-1939
2
Binders consolidating Board, General and Annual Meeting Minutes,
1947-1949
2
1
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1959-1961
2
2
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1977
2
3
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1978
2
4
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1979
2
5
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1986
2
6
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1987
3
1
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1988
3
2
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1989
3
3
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1989
3
4
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1990
3
5
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1991
3
6
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1992
3
7
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1993
4
1
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1994
4
2
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes,
1995
4
3
General Meeting Minutes,
1928-1930
4
4
General Meeting Minutes,
1959-1961
4
5
General Meeting Minutes,
1978
4
6
General Meeting Minutes,
1979
4
7
General Meeting Minutes,
1986
4
8
General Meeting Minutes,
1987
4
9
General Meeting Minutes,
1988
4
10
General Meeting Minutes,
1989
4
11
General Meeting Minutes,
1990
4
12
General Meeting Minutes,
1992-1993
4
13
General Meeting Minutes,
1994-1995
Recordings Room G22
Audio Cassettes,
1981-1988
5
Reports,
1959-1961
5
1
Program Cards,
1959-1961
Offices,
1930-1993
5
2
President,
1935-1993
5
3
Vice President,
1978-1986
5
4
Secretary,
1978-1986
5
5
Treasurer - Job Descriptions,
1986, undated
5
6
Treasurer - Reports,
1930-1941, 1951-1956, 1960, 1978-1984
5
7
Parliamentarian,
1982, undated
5
8
Historian,
undated
5
8
Historian ,
undated
5
9
Director,
1987-1989
5
10
Manager,
undated
Committees,
1957-1995, undated
6
1
Advisory Council,
1969, 1985-1987, undated
6
2
Art Committee,
1984, undated
6
3
Book of Remembrance and Resolutions Committee,
1984, undated
6
4
Book Reviewers Committee,
undated
6
5
Building Committee,
1960, 1974, 1986-1987, undated
6
6
Cashiers' Committee,
1984, undated
6
7
Courtesy Committee,
undated
6
8
Decoration and Entertainment Committee,
1984, 1986, undated
6
9
Finance Committee,
1974, 1982, 1985
6
10
Fine Arts and Furnishings Committee,
1982, 1984, 1986, undated
6
11
First Thursdays Programs Committee,
undated
6
12
Fourth Thursdays Programs Committee,
1983-1984, undated
6
13
Grounds Committee,
1984
6
14
House Committee,
1961-1964, 1969-1971, 1982, undated
6
15
Insurance Committee,
1983, 1984, 1986, undated
6
16
Invocation Committee,
1982, undated
6
17
Membership Committee,
1991-1995, undated
6
18
Music and Drama Committee,
1984, 1986, undated
6
19
Nominating Committee,
1960-1961, 1975-1977, 1981-1986, undated
6
20
Notification Committee,
undated
6
21
Orientation Committee,
undated
6
22
Overall Planning Committee,
1957
6
23
Permanent Fund Board,
undated
6
24
Plant Committee,
1982-1983
6
25
Program Coordinating Committee,
1982, 1986, undated
6
26
Resolutions and Remembrances Committee,
1956-1968, undated
6
27
Scholarship Committee,
1984, undated
6
28
Social Committee,
1984-1986, undated
6
29
Study Group Committee,
1981, undated
6
30
Travel-Tour Theatre Committee,
1984, undated
6
31
Vault of Values Committee, 1984, undated,
6
32
Ways and Means Committee,
1982-1983
6
33
Weekly Luncheon Committee,
undated
Special Projects,
1930-1987
7
Chateau Bellevue,
1930-1981
7
1
Correspondence,
1930-1981
7
2
Clippings,
1953-1969
7
3
Blueprints, Plans, Proposals, Contracts,,
1959-1974
7
4
Furnishings and Inventory,
1956-1968
7
5
Scroll of Charter Members,
1945
Junior Austin Woman's Club,
1987-1993, undated
7
6
Yearbooks,
1988-1993
7
7
Chairman,
undated
7
8
Proposed Bylaws Changes,
1987
7
9
Minutes Excerpts,
undated
7
10
Handwritten Material,
undated
Financial Records,
1930-1983
Accounting,
1948-1984
8
Dues Record Books,
1948-1952, 1957-1971
8
Check Stubs Book,
1966-1968
8
Ledgers,
1930-1962
9
1
Auditor's Report,
1960
9
1
Financial Statements,
1984
Receipts,
1960-1983
8
Receipt Books,
1960, 1965-1966
9
2
Insurance Documents,
1983
Legal Documents,
1938, 1959
9
2
Correspondence,
1938
9
2
Tax Return,
1959
Printed Material,
1928-1986, undated
9
3
Yearbooks,
1928-1930, 1934-1935, 1947-1948,1964-1965, 1966-1968, 1970-1971, 1977-1978, 1985-1986
9
4
Obituaries,
1955-1956, 1958-1962, 1965-1966, undated
9
5
Remembrances,
undated
9
6
Publications,
1938-1985
Photographic Material,
undated
9
7
Photographs,
undated
9
8
Negative,
undated