Iowa Women's Archives
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa

FRIENDLY CIRCLE CLUB
(WASHINGTON, IOWA)

RECORDS, 1934-2004
1.25 linear feet

Collection Overview

History

The Friendly Circle Club ( Washington, Iowa) was founded in 1927 by Winifred Schiebel and Roxy Longer as a social club for women in their community. Originally named the Harmony Community Club after the old Harmony School nearby, the club changed its name briefly to XV Club in 1936 before settling on the name Friendly Circle Club later that year. Records were not kept until 1934. While essentially a social club, the group has made small contributions to numerous charities and community groups such as the local library, Camp Fire Girls, and the annual YWCA-Rotary Christmas Party. The club has hosted several anniversary luncheons which celebrate the group’s history; former members are invited to attend. The group has also hosted farewell parties for members who move out of the area. At one time the club had as many as seventeen members, but as of 1997, its membership was about ten women.

Scope and Content Note

The Friendly Circle Club ( Washington, Iowa) records date from 1934 to 2004 and measure 1.25 linear feet. The records, which consist of anniversary luncheon materials, correspondence, financial records, minutes ledgers, and scrapbooks, are arranged alphabetically.

The anniversary luncheon materials include planning materials, programs, guest books, RSVPs and letters of regret. Photographs from the anniversary luncheons are in the anniversary scrapbooks in Box 3. The 60 th anniversary guestbook is hand-embroidered.

Correspondence includes letters from charities to which the Friendly Circle Club contributed, including the Iowa City Veterans Administration Hospital, the University Hospital School for Severely Handicapped Children, and the YWCA-Rotary Christmas Party. The club also provided financial assistance to send an overweight teenage girl to the Department of Social Service’s Maxi-Mini Camp and sent a care package to soldiers serving in Vietnam.

The financial records contain the original coin purse used for collecting dues. The minutes are all hand-written, except for the years 1968 to 1971. A number of the yearbooks are missing. The bound scrapbooks contain mostly unidentified photographs.

Box List

Box 1

Anniversary luncheons

30th anniversary guest book, 1957 45th anniversary, 1972 50th anniversary, 1977 60th anniversary, 1987

General Guest book

70th anniversary, 1997

By-laws, 1967-1987 Correspondence, 1953-1998 and undated Financial records, 1951-1987 and undated Historical information, 1967-1997 Membership lists and biographical information, 1972-2004 Minutes

1934-1953

Box 2

1954-1967 1967-1972 1972-1984 1984-1997

Newspaper clippings, 1972, 1997 and undated Yearbooks, 1970/71 – 2003/04 Photograph negatives, 1972 and undated Scrapbooks

1955-1996

Box 3

1997-2002 Anniversary scrapbooks

1972, 1987 1977, 1987

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This page created May 2006.