IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES

IOWA CITY, IOWA

THE CLIONIAN CLUB OF DAVENPORT, IOWA

RECORDS, 1874-1996

1 linear foot

ACQUISITION: The records (donor no. 363) were donated by Edna Gord in 1996.

ACCESS: The records are open for research.

ARTIFACTS: In box 4.

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

PHOTOGRAPHS: In box 3.

PROCESSED BY: Randel W. Lackore, 1997.

History

         The Clionian Club originated in 1874 as a women's study group in Davenport, Iowa. The club, originally called the Clionian Society, took its name from the Greek muse of literature, Clio. The club initially met twice a month, to discuss literature and hear programs on various topics that the members had researched. The club was also involved in charitable works in the community. As more women entered the work force in the 1940s and 1950s the membership began to decline. The club remained active until 1990.  

Scope and Content Note

         The Clionian Club of Davenport, Iowa records date from 1874 to 1996 and measure 1 linear foot. The records are arranged alphabetically ending with one photograph and one artifact out of alphabetical order.

         The documents span the entire history of the club. The record books contain minutes dating from the first meeting in 1874 through 1990. The year books list the scheduled meetings throughout the years from the 1920s to the 1990s. Also contained are the by-laws of the club, a partial list of the membership and their elected roles, scrapbooks, the treasurers records and a few pieces of correspondence.

         The Programs and events (1941-1954) contains a series of programs given during the club's fiftieth anniversary, five presentations by Laura Larenzen and a radio address about the club's history given by Edna Geisler.

         The photograph was taken at the diamond jubilee in 1949 and depicts five members in costume. The artifact is a brass hammer presented to the club in 1929 by Mrs. Murdoch to be used as a gavel.

Box no. Description

Box 1
                       Constitution and by-laws, 1933-1979
                       Correspondence, 1948, 1960-1987
                       List of members and positions held from 1947 to 1979, undated
                       Programs and events
                               Diamond jubilee, 1949
                               Presentations by Laura Larenzen
                                     Ballet, 1954
                                     Color in ceramics and glass, 1948
                                     Gandhi and Nehru, 1943
                                     National parks and conservation, 1950
                                     Old Cape Cod customs, 1952
                               Radio address by Edna Geisler, WHBF, December 3, 1941
                       Record books (minutes)
                               Bound
                                     1874-1880
                                     1900-1905/1906
                                     1906/1907-1917/1918
                                     1918/1919-1928
Box 2
                               Disbound
                                     1928-1936/1937
                                     1937/1938-1941
                                     1942-1946
                                     1947-1952
                                     1953-1959/1960
                                     1960/1961-1963/1964
                                     1964/1965-1968/1969
                                     1969/1970-1973/1974
                                     1974/1975-1979/1980
                                     1980/1981-1989/1990
                       Scrapbooks (disbound)
                               1934-1944
                               1947-1973,
                               1973-1990
                       Treasurer's records
                               1900/1901-1935/1936
Box 3
                               1936/1937-1953/1954
                               1954/1955-1996
                       Yearbooks
                               1916/1917, 1920/1921-1939/1940
                               1940/1941-1959/1960
                               1960/1961-1979/1980
                               Cover art work, 1953
                       Photograph
                               Diamond jubilee, 1949
Box 4
                       Artifact
                               Brass hammer [gavel], 1929