A Guide to the League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area Records, 1930-1997 (bulk 1947-1980)
Descriptive Summary |
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| Creator: | League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area | |
| Title: | League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area Records | |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1930-1997 | |
| Creator Abstract: | The League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area is a non-partisan organization promoting active and informed participation of citizens in government. | |
| Content Abstract: | The collection contains annual reports, meeting minutes, membership directories, newsletters, state convention materials, financial records, publications, statements of position, newspaper columns, Voter's Guide, and newspaper clippings. Collectively the records document the organization's topics such as downtown revitalization, education, economic development, health, housing, environment, and issues in state and local government including revision of the Texas Constitution. | |
| Identification: | MS 05 | |
| Extent: | 5.4 linear feet (about 4,000 items) | |
| Language: | Materials are in English. | |
| Repository: | Archives and Special Collections Department, The University of Texas at San Antonio Library | |
Historical Note
The League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area is a non-partisan organization promoting active and informed participation of citizens in government. In 1940, Mrs. Claude Hill, then President of the Texas League of Women Voters, worked with Mrs. Clayton (Myra) Scott and Mrs. George (Georgia) H. Smith to start the San Antonio League. The organization held its first meeting in August of 1940.
The San Antonio League conducts annual meetings, and regularly holds board and general meetings. General meetings for the entire membership occur at least four times a year for all members to attend and exchange opinions. Small groups within the San Antonio League, called Units, also meet regularly. Unit meetings serve to maximize member participation by encouraging members to participate in gathering information, solving problems, planning actions, developing programs, and discussing League programs and activities. At each unit meeting, report forms (as opposed to minutes) are completed to document discussions.
The League does not endorse or oppose candidates or political parties, however, the League does research, write, and support statements of position on certain political issues. The San Antonio League has held positions on issues regarding municipal council-manager government, revision of the Texas Constitution, the presidential impeachment process, San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, and growth and land use issues in San Antonio. The League takes action providing information, building public opinion, and supporting/opposing legislation. One of the most recognized and visible projects of the League is the Voter's Guide, published in the local newspaper before election time. The Voter's Guide provides non-partisan information on candidates and issues on the ballot of an upcoming election.
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains records that document the organization's structure, history, purpose, positions on political issues, and projects. The San Antonio League researches positions on political issues concerning education, economic development, health, housing, justice, and water resources, among others.
League of Women Voters is divided into five series: History, Administrative Records, Projects, Subject Files, and Publicity. History is particularly strong in recounting the beginning years of the organization from 1940-1946. However, a compiled written history for subsequent years does not exist in the series.
Administrative Records consists of annual reports, meeting minutes, membership directories, newsletters, state convention materials, and financial records. This series is effective in documenting the San Antonio League's organizational structure, however, it is limited in documenting the level of cooperation between the national, state, and other local chapters of the League.
Ways in which the League set out to meet its purpose and role in the public are evident in Projects. This series documents positions the League took on pending local issues concerning topics such as downtown revitalization, education, and the environment; as well as issues in state and local government such as revision of the Texas Constitution. Position statements and Viewpoint newspaper columns are especially strong in documenting the League's stand on particular issues. Also included in this series is a near complete set of Voter's Guide for the years 1961-1993. The League researched and compiled Voter's Guide to inform citizens on candidates and issues before an election.
Subject Files provide insight into issues of interest to the San Antonio League. Some of these files contain reference materials that complement Projects.
Publicity is extremely fragmentary in its coverage. Television and radio publicity materials only date in the 1970s and newspaper clippings on the San Antonio League's activities cover a 15 year span from 1965-1979. Also included are national and local promotional publications of the League.
Organization of Collection |
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| Series 1. History, 1930-1990 | ||
| Series 2. Administrative Records, 1947-1993 | ||
| Series 3. Projects, 1953-1997 | ||
| Series 4. Subject Files, 1951-1984 | ||
| Series 5. Publicity, 1947-1993 | ||
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
Original audiovisual materials are closed to patron use. Some use copies are available in the collection. Otherwise, collection is open for research.
Usage Restrictions
Permission to publish from the League of Women Voters Records must be obtained from the UTSA Library, Archives.
Index Terms |
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| Organizations | ||
| League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area. | ||
| Topics | ||
| Elections--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Local government--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Municipal government--Texas--San Antonio | ||
| Planning--Texas--San Antonio | ||
| Political participation--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Public welfare--Texas--San Antonio | ||
| Women--Texas--San Antonio--Societies and clubs--History. | ||
| Women civic leaders--Texas--San Antonio | ||
| Women in politics--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Locations | ||
| Edwards Aquifer (Tex.) | ||
| San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (San Antonio, Tex.)--History. | ||
| San Antonio (Tex.)--Women. | ||
| Texas--Politics and government. | ||
| Genres/Formats | ||
| Annual reports. | ||
| Brochures. | ||
| Clippings. | ||
| Correspondence. | ||
| Directories. | ||
| Financial records. | ||
| Minutes. | ||
| Pamphlets. | ||
Related Material
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Information about the League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area can also be found in the William and Fay Sinkin Papers, located at UTSA Archives and Special Collections. |
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area Records, 1930-1997, MS 5, Archives and Special Collections, University of Texas at San Antonio Library.
Acqusition Information
Received as a gift from the League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area in 1994 (Acc. 1994-003); subsequent additions date 2001-2007 and are unprocessed, with the exception of the Voter's Guide from 1997 in this collection.
Processing Information
Processed by Toni Jeske, Processing Archivist, December 1998.
Voter's Guide, 1997, added to the collection by UTSA Archives staff at undetermined date.
Detailed Description of the Collection