IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
IOWA FEDERATION OF BUSINESS
AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUBS
RECORDS, 1920-1994
(bulk 1967-1979)
1.5 linear feet
The records of the Iowa Federation of Business and
Professional
Women’s Clubs have been transferred to the State
Historical
Society of Iowa, Iowa City (February, 1996).
History
The Iowa Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs was founded
in 1919 by a small group of business women from Waterloo, Fort Dodge, Cedar
Falls, Des Moines and Seymour. The Iowa
Federation was created as a branch of the National Federation of Business and
Professional Women's Clubs, a nationwide club designed for women with careers
in business and related professions.
The goals of the Iowa Federation were to inspire cooperation among
business women, promote business women's interests, and extend women's
opportunities for professional training and education.
By 1922 the
Iowa Federation's officers had established a budget based on membership dues
and contributions, had planned agendas for meetings and conventions, and
organized local chapters on city and county levels. The dues allowed for state meetings and speeches, a magazine
called The Bulletin (now the Iowa Business Woman), and publicity.
From the
beginning the Iowa Federation's themes of personal growth and betterment were
reflected in a concern for maximum hour and minimum wage laws for women, equal
opportunities for women's education, and equal pay for equal merit. From the 1920s, when the Iowa Federation
urged shoe manufacturers to make attractive shoes with lower heels, to the
1970s when the focus was on passing the Equal Rights Amendment and developing a
Career Advancement Scholarship program, the Iowa Federation has assisted the
National Federation in calling attention to the needs of career women.
The local
chapters that were formed in various Iowa cities held regular meetings,
sponsored dinners and pageants, and sent out newsletters. Among other activities, they called
attention to the advancement of business and professional women in the local
media, and sponsored speeches from Iowa educators and professionals concerning
opportunities for women.
Scope and Content Note
The
Iowa Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs records measure 1.5
linear feet and date from 1920 to 1994, the majority from 1967 to 1979. The records are arranged in five series: Constitution and bylaws, Correspondence, Iowa Business Woman, Local chapters, and
Meetings.
The Constitution and bylaws series (1920-1975)
contains Iowa Federation publications that outline the history, objectives and
policies of the organization.
The Correspondence series (1968-1976) contains
outgoing letters sent to club members and local chapters from the presidents
and other acting officers. The Iowa
Federation received incoming correspondence from its parent organization, the
National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, located in
Washington, D.C. In 1972 during the
campaign to pass the Equal Rights Amendment to the House of Representatives,
the National Federation prepared testimonies and correspondence to aid the
campaign.
Issues of the Iowa Federation's magazine comprise the Iowa Business Woman series
(1968-1994).
The local chapters of the Iowa Federation were located in
various Iowa cities and printed individual histories, yearbooks, and
newsletters, which are in the Local chapters series (1951-1979).
The Meetings series (1967-1977) consists of the
programs, proceedings, and reports of the state annual meetings, which are
listed by year. The programs of the
seasonally held state board meetings, as well as speech material, are also
found in this series.
Related Collections
Iowa
Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Shenandoah
Iowa City Business and
Professional Women's Club
Box no. Description
Box 1
Constitution and bylaws
Federation guide, 1967-1968
Histories, 1920-1975
Manual and bylaws, 1973-1974
Correspondence
Presidents
1968-1969, Thelma Heitsman
1969-197O, Ethel M. Cairns
197O-1971, Marvell Harmel
1971-1972, Betty J. Wagner
1972-1973, Helen Adams
1973-1974, Betty Whitney
1974-1975, Helen Pickup
1978-1979, LaVon G. Runkle
Presidents-elect
197O-1971, Betty J. Wagner
1971-1972, Helen Adams
1972-1973, Betty Whitney
1973-1974, Helen Pickup
First Vice-Presidents
1968-1969, Ethel M. Cairns
1969-197O, Marvell Harmel
1971-1972, Betty Whitney
1972-1973, Helen Pickup
1973-1974, Helen Harris
Second Vice-Presidents
1971-1972, Helen Pickup
1972-1973, Helen Harris
1973-1974, Ruth Reynolds
Foundation committee, 1975-1976 (Helen Adams)
Box 2
Membership chairmen
1968-1969
1969-1970
1970-1971
Program committee
1968-1969
1969-1970
1970-1971
Nominating committee, 1971-1973
National Federation of Business and Professional
Women's Clubs
Equal Rights Amendment, 1971-1973
General, 1971-1972
Iowa Business Woman, 1968-1994
Local chapters
Cedar Rapids:
The Last Word, 1972-1973
Charles City:
history, 1951-1976
Corning
History, 1962
Yearbooks, 1965-1976
Council Bluffs
Annual reports, 1973-1979
The Mirror, 1973-1979
Box 3
Yearbooks, 1973-1979
Davenport
Newsletters, 1975-1977
Yearbook, 1975-1976
Des Moines:
winter board meetings, 1978-1979
Fairfield:
correspondence, 1974
Grundy Center:
miscellaneous, 1973-1974
Humbolt:
yearbook, 1977-1978
Iowa Great Lakes:
history, 1959-1976
Knoxville:
miscellaneous, 1972-1975
Marshalltown:
The Chatterbox, 1972-1973
Mason:
yearbooks, 1976-1978
Monticello:
history, 1932-1976
Mt. Pleasant
Minutes, 1972-1973
Program, 1971
Newton:
history, 1931-1976
Oskaloosa: The B.P.W. Echo, 1971-1973
Rockwell:
history, 1924-1976
Spirit Lake:
yearbook, 1975-1976
West Union
Correspondence, 1972-1977
Yearbooks, 1972-1974
Meetings
State (annual)
1967
1971
1972
Box 4
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
Board:
programs, 1971-1976
Speeches, 1974