IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES

IOWA CITY, IOWA

DOROTHY CARPENTER (1933- )

PAPERS, 1979-1995

2.5 linear feet

ACQUISITION: The papers (donor no. 381) were donated by Dorothy Carpenter in 1996.

ACCESS: The papers are open for research.

COPYRIGHT: Copyright has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

PROCESSED BY: Randel W. Lackore, 1997.

Biography

         Dorothy F. Carpenter, a legislator and community volunteer, was born in 1933 in Ismay, Montana, to Daniel and Mary Ann George Fulton. She graduated from Custer County High School in Miles City, Montana, in 1951 and attended Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, receiving a B.A. in 1955. She married Thomas Ward Carpenter that year; they had two children, Mary and James.

         Carpenter taught elementary school in Texas from 1955 to 1957 and in Iowa in 1958. She was active in the Episcopal Church, the League of Women Voters of Metro Des Moines, and Planned Parenthood of Iowa; from 1977 to 1980 she served on the board of directors of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

         Carpenter, a Republican, was elected to the Iowa General Assembly in 1980. During her fourteen years in the Iowa House of Representatives, Carpenter served on several committees, including Ways and Means, Education, State Government, and House Administration and Rule. She was the Assistant Minority Floor Leader from 1980 to 1988. Carpenter retired from the General Assembly in 1994.

Scope and Content Note

         The Dorothy Carpenter papers date from 1979 to 1995 and measure 2.5 linear feet. The papers are arranged in two series: Correspondence and Legislation. A curriculum vita is filed in the first folder.

         The Correspondence series (1985-1992) contains letters from constituents, as well as Carpenter's replies, on issues of taxation, abortion and other topics. The series also includes one file of correspondence between Carpenter and Iowa's delegates to the United States Congress.

         The Legislation series (1979-1995) contains four categories abortion, education, ethics, and state employee pensions.

Box no. Description

Box 1
Curriculum vita, 1996

Correspondence
                               Seventy-first General Assembly, 1985-1986
                                   A
                                   B
                                   C
                                   D-E
                                   F-H
                                   I-L
                                   M
                                   N

Box 2
                                   O-P
                                   R
                                   S
                                   T
                                   U-Z
                               Seventy-third General Assembly, 1988
                                   A-C
                                   D-G
                                   H-K

Box 3
                                   L-N
                                   O-S
                                   T-Y
                               Seventy-fifth General Assembly, 1990
                                   A-E
                                   F-L
                                   M-R
                                   S-Z
                               Seventy-seventh General Assembly, 1992
                                   A-D
                                   G-J

Box 4
                                   K-M
                                   N-R
                                   S-T
                                   V-Z
                               United States Congressmen and Senators, 1981-1991 [Iowa delegation]

Legislation
                               Abortion
                                   General, 1989-1990
                                   Bills, 1990-1993
                                   "Facts On Reproductive Rights: A Source Manual," 1990
                                   Parental consent summaries, 1990-1993
                                   Parental notification, 1990-1994 and undated
                                   Episcopal Church's position on abortion, 1989-1990
                                   Right to life, 1989-1990
                                   Statistical reporting, 1981-1989

Box 5
                                   Pro-choice Iowa Republicans political action committee, 1991-1992
                                   University of Iowa Early Termination of Pregnancy Clinic state funding,
                                         1979-1981
                                   Vote counts, 1989-1994
                               Education
                                   Collective bargaining, 1983-1985
                                   Des Moines Independent Community School District 1984-1989
                                   Finance, 1980-1986
                                   Home schooling, 1985-1989
                                   Merged area schools, 1986
                                   Merit pay for teachers, 1983-1984
                                   Reorganization of school districts, 1982
                                   School aid formula, 1994
                                   Shared programs, 1984-1985
                                   Special education, 1981-1986
                                   Urban education network, 1985-1990
                               Ethics
                                   Advisory opinions, 1987-1994
                                   Bills
                                         Background information, 1986-1993

Box 6
                                         Rewrite ideas, 1992
                                   Iowa's ethics laws, 1992-1995
                                   "Ethics, Quality and Organizational Change" presentation by
                                         Michael Josephson, 1994
                                   Iowa General Assembly policies, 1993-1994
                               Pensions
                                   General information, 1994
                                   Bills, 1992-1993
                                   Currently retired dividends, 1993
                                   Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS)
                                         Basic, 1991-1992
                                         Enhanced, 1991
                                         Legal discussion, 1993
                                         Regular protection occupations, 1994 and undated
                                         Sheriffs and deputies, 1993-1994
                                   Judicial retirement system, 1988-1993
                                   The Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System, 1994
                                   Pension [sub]committee, 1991
                                   Pre-tax provision, 1991-1994
                                   Police Officers Retirement System (PORS), 1991-1994
                                   Teacher's Insurance Annuity Association-College Retirement Equity Fund
                                         (TIAA-CREF)
                               State Government Committee, 1993-1994