mums045 Young Women's City Club Records, 1939-1981 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Linda Seidman. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

2003

Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric S. Cartier. 2003-07-21 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mu180 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Young Women's City Club Records, 1939-1981 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 45 Compiled by Linda Seidman May 1985 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Young Women's City Club (Northampton, Mass.) Young Women's City Club Records 1939-1981 MS 45 2 boxes (0.75 linear ft.) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst A non-sectarian, self-governing, and largely self-supporting club in Northampton, Massachusetts, that developed educational and recreational opportunities for young women through programs, lessons, social events, volunteer services, and fund-raising activities. Includes council and business meeting minutes and scrapbook pages. English.

The Young Women's City Club, Northampton, Massachusetts (YWCC), known as Girl's City Club until 1954 was an organization intended for women 16 years and older, was non-sectarian, self-governing, and largely self-supporting. It operated under the guidance of an Executive Secretary selected by the Board of Trustees of the People's Institute and a council board elected by and from club members.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The records of the Young Women's City Club, Northampton, Massachusetts (YWCC), known as Girl's City Club until 1954, document the club's activities between 1939 and 1981, with the exception of the decade 1961 to 1971. The purpose of the club, founded in 1926, to develop educational and recreational opportunities for young women in Northampton, was carried out in programs (lectures, slide shows, music, book reviews); lessons (in cooking, crafts, parliamentary law, child psychology); social events (teas, dinners, dances, holiday parties); and volunteer services and fund raising activities.

The club met regularly, under the auspices of the People's Institute, at James House until November 1979 when their rooms were taken over by the Highland Valley Elder Service and the club moved to rooms in the People's Institute.

The records here are photocopies of material still held by People's Institute. They include minutes 1939-56 and 1972-1981, as well as pages from scrapbooks for 1938-1939 and 1954-1960.

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Young Women's City Club Records (MS 45). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Acquired photocopies with permission from Margaret Hutchins, People's Institute, 1985.

Processed by Linda Seidman, May 1985.

Search Terms Girl's City Club (Northampton, Mass.)--History--Sources. Young Women's City Club (Northampton, Mass.)--History--Sources. Girls--Massachusetts--Northampton--Societies and clubs --History--Sources. Girls--Massachusetts--Northampton--Social conditions--Sources. Girls--Massachusetts--Northampton--Social life and customs--Sources. Young women--Massachusetts--Northampton--Societies and clubs--History--Sources. Young women--Massachusetts--Northampton--Social conditions--Sources. Young women--Massachusetts--Northampton--Social life and customs--Sources. Clubs--Massachusetts--Northampton--History--20th century--Sources. Northampton (Mass.)--Social conditions--Sources. Northampton (Mass.)--Social life and customs--Sources. Scrapbooks. Girl's City Club (Northampton, Mass.) 1 Council and business meeting minutes 1939-1956, 1972-1981 2 Scrapbook pages 1938-1939, 1954-1960