IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY
OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
AUDUBON SOCIETY OF
MANCHESTER (IOWA)
RECORDS, 1903-2001
9 linear inches
|
ACQUISITION: |
The Audubon Society of Manchester
records (donor no. 781) were donated by the club in 2001. |
|
ACCESS: |
The records are open for research. |
|
COPYRIGHT: |
»Copyright has been transferred to the University of Iowa. |
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PROCESSED
BY: |
Your name, year»Doris Malkmus, 2001. [AudubonSociety.doc] |
History
The
Audubon Society of Manchester in eastern Iowa is a women's bird-watching
club. Although there are no official
club histories, an Audubon Society tradition holds that members of the Outing
Club may have organized the Audubon Society in 1914. There is no evidence that the Audubon Society of Manchester had
any affiliation with the national Audubon Society. The society generally held bi-monthly meetings to converse, share
information about birds, and enjoy refreshments. Members remained in the club for many years and often
participated in other community activities.
In 2001, many, but not all, members were retired teachers with a farm
background.
Scope and Content Note
The Audubon Society of Manchester
records date from 1903 to 2001 and
measure 9 linear inches. The records
are organized in three series: Secretary’s books, Treasurer’s books, and Programs. The Outing Club minutes from 1903 to 1915
are humorous and apparently copied by hand to be included in a letter. The
location of the originals is unknown.
The Audubon Society records depict a fairly typical women’s club in a
prosperous county seat in rural eastern Iowa.
The Secretary’s
books (1903-2001) contain minutes of the Outing Club from 1903 to 1915 and
the Audubon Society of Manchester from 1922 to 2001 [absent 1917/1918,
1918/1919, 1953, 1955, and 1956. The
minutes detail location of meetings, members present, club business, programs,
and occasional notices of the activities of various members. The Outing Club
minutes describe recreational and social entertainments of prosperous women in
Manchester in a light-hearted manner.
The Audubon Society of Manchester records document the social and
ornithological activities of its members.
The Treasurer’s
book (1945-1955) records dues paid.
The Annual
programs (1917-2001) are the printed or handmade, sometimes decorative,
programs of the Audubon Society during those years. They include a list of officers and members.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Secretary
books
1926-2001 (9 folders)
Outing Club, 1903-1915
[hand-copied]
Box 2
Treasurer’s book
1945-1955
Annual programs
1917-2001 (lacking 1918/19,
1919/20, 1953, 1955, 1956) (7 folders)