IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
RUTH ASHTON JOHNSON (1933- )
PAPERS,
1971-1994
(bulk
1971-1978)
10
linear inches
|
ACQUISITION: |
The papers
(donor no. 234) were donated by Ruth
Ashton Johnson in 1994. |
|
ACCESS: |
The papers
are open for research. |
|
ARTIFACTS: |
In box 2. |
|
AUDIOVISUAL: |
15 cassettes in audiocassette collection (AC277-AC291). |
|
COPYRIGHT: |
Copyright has been transferred to the University of Iowa. |
|
PROCESSED BY: |
Rachel Bohlmann, 1996.
[Word 7 JohnsonRA.doc] |
Biography
Ruth Ashton Johnson, coach, teacher, women's
and girls athletics advocate, was born in Clinton, Iowa, on September 20, 1933
to Ned Ashton and Gladys Brooker Ashton.
Both her parents were collegiate athletes, and her mother was a member
of the physical education department at the University of Iowa. With parental encouragement, Ruth Ashton
became proficient in a number of sports, including swimming, tennis, and
rifle. While a college student at the
University of Iowa, Ashton majored in physical education and continued her
athletics, adding field hockey to her repertoire. She married Ron Johnson after college and they moved to
Davenport, Iowa, where they raised three sons.
Johnson began teaching physical
education in the public school system, and became director of the Davenport
Park Board swimming program in 1956.
She taught at St. Katherine's part-time from 1957 until 1967, when she
began a full-time position at West High School.
While at West, Johnson's activism on
behalf of young women's competitive opportunities led her to be elected chair
of the Iowa Division for Girls' and Women's Sports Committee. In 1971 Johnson was sent to the National
DGWS Conference where she was instrumental in formulating resolutions for
women's athletic competition that resulted in the 1972 Title IX legislation. The National Association for Girls and Women
in Sport (NAGWS) organized the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for
Women (AIAW) in 1971-1972 in part to implement the new federal legislation.
During
her long career at West (she retired in 1990) Johnson coached girls' field
hockey, swimming, and gymnastics at different times, and she remained a leader
in the local community of girls' competitive athletics. Since retirement, Johnson has remained involved
in teaching swimming, leading girl scout trips to the boundary waters, and
organizing senior swim meets.
Scope and
Content Note
The Ruth Ashton Johnson papers date from 1971 to 1994 and measure 10 linear inches. The papers
are arranged in three series: Biographical,
AIAW, and Artifacts. The papers
document Johnson's interest and professional involvement in promoting equal
opportunity for female athletes within schools at all levels.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Biographical
Personal reminiscences and newspaper article 1982, 1991
AIAW
Administrative files
President's report, 1977
Policy guidelines and
membership lists, 1977-1978 and undated
Federal sex discrimination
policy, 1973-1978 and undated [oversize chart in map case drawer 5]
Title IX, 1978
Pamphlets and sample budget,
1977-1978 and undated [oversize newsletter in map case: drawer 5]
Organization of Girls' and
Women's Sports state and district chairpersons, 1977-1978
Fifteen audiocassettes of
NWISC and AIAW meetings, 1975-1976 and undated [shelved in audiocassette
collection: AC277-AC291]
Region VI
Administrative files
Governing council membership
lists, 1971-1977
Memos and reports, 1971-1976
Minutes and reports of
governing council, 1971-1977
Policies, constitution, and
bylaws, 1971-1975 and undated
Governing council reports to
AIAW, 1971-1973 and undated
Correspondence and memos,
1973-1976 and undated
State newsletters and
reports, 1974
Box 2
Northwest College Women's
Sports Association policy handbooks, 1972-1975
Policy and procedure manuals,
1973-1975
Athletic events
Basketball championships,
1972-1975
Small college basketball
tournament, 1975-1976
Field hockey tournament,
1975-1976
Gymnastics championships,
1972-1975
Swimming meet survey, 1974
and undated
Tennis, 1974-1975 and
undated
Track and field
championships, 1975 and undated
Volleyball tournaments
1973
1974
1975
Artifacts
Ribbons from the AIAW Region
VI First Annual Championship