The Oak Cliff Grandmothers Club, sponsored by the Dallas Patriotic Association, was chartered in November of 1952 as unit number 181 of the National Federation of Grandmother Clubs of America Inc.
The National Federation of Grandmother Clubs of America Inc., formed in 1938, is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to support charitable projects, contribute to research relating to children's diseases, honor Grandmothers' Day in October and promote better understanding of the privileges and obligations of American citizenship.
During the organizational year 1969-1970, the Oak Cliff group held 10 monthly business and luncheon meetings and held monthly game parties that served as fund raising events. Other fund raising activities included sales of items such as flag jewelry and Texas themed placemats. During this period, members of the club volunteered 132 hours at the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center and 24 hours at the Senior Citizens Center, as well as helping to fight crime in Dallas by handing out 200 crime awareness stickers. donations were made to the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the Salvation Army and the City of Hope. Additional donations were made to the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association as memorials.
Between 1975 and 1980, membership declined from 30 dues-paying members in 1975 to 20 in 1980. Monthly business and luncheon meetings were held in the Cliff Room of the Metropolitan Savings and Loan Building in Oak Cliff. Game parties, usually held each month, were the primary means of raising funds for donations. Donations during this period went to Logopedics, the Society for Crippled Children, the Salvation Army, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, the "Freedom Train" for Underprivileged Children and the Haven Fund. Membership was by invitation, with new members voted in at regular business meetings.
The description in this section was based on information contained within the collection, as well as the National Federation of Grandmother Clubs of America Inc.'s website, www.nationalgrandmotherclubs.com .
The collection concerns the activities and business of the Oak Cliff Grandmothers Club primarily during the years 1969 to 1984. The collection consists of a photo album and a scrapbook, as well as various documents such as letters, financial reports, a charter certificate, memorabilia concerning other grandmother clubs and a minute book for business meetings during the period September 1975 to October 1980. The club's charter is dated 1955, but has a notation that a duplicate charter was issued with a corrected date of November 1952.
The scrapbook was prepared by Iva Clayton, president of the club for the years 1969-1970. It contains memorabilia of the club as well as Ms. Clayton's personal memorabilia, some of it loose. It also contains items from the 50th anniversary celebration of the Dallas Patriotic Association. Included are greeting cards, clippings, photographs, programs of special events, newsletters, attendance lists for events, and the members' directory for 1969-1970. Of particular note in the scrapbook is a photograph taken in 1970 of member Mrs. Philip Brau, with daughter Rose Mary Rumbley and her daughter Jill. It was noted that Rose Mary Rumbley was a frequent speaker at the club's meetings.
The photographic album contains photographs taken at social events between 1974 and 1984. The events and most of the persons in the photographs are identified.
The collection is comprised of several folders arranged alphabetically by subject, a photo album and a scrapbook.
The Dallas Public Library Vertical File contains a folder for the Dallas Patriotic Association under "Clubs and Organizations."
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.