IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES
IOWA CITY, IOWA
KATHERINE STROUD (1913-1996)
PAPERS, 1940-2001
(bulk 1940-1977)
4 linear inches
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ACQUISITION: |
The papers (donor no. 612) were donated by Theodore Stroud in 1999. |
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ACCESS: |
The papers are open for research. |
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COPYRIGHT: |
Copyright has not been transferred to the University of Iowa. |
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PHOTOGRAPHS: |
In box 1. |
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PROCESSED BY: |
Jamie Nelson, 2000
[Stroud.doc] |
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Biography
Katherine “Kay” Stroud was born in Little Rock,
Arkansas on October 19, 1913. Her family
moved to Chicago in 1918 where she was raised and continued to live following
her marriage to Theodore Stroud in 1939.
Theodore “Ted” Stroud was a professor of English at Drake University for
many years.
In 1947 Katherine Stroud moved to Des Moines, Iowa
where she became a leading force in the 1949 reform of Des Moines city
government. As president of the League
of Women Voters at the time of the election, she led the campaign to change the
commissioner form of government to the city manager plan. Katherine Stroud served on a committee to
monitor the transition to the new form of government as well as remaining
active in various organizations and causes in Des Moines and the state,
including the Iowa Library Association, the Des Moines City Library board of
trustees, the board of directors of the Des Moines Community Playhouse, and the
Great Books movement. From 1959 until
her retirement in 1981, she was a book editor for Better Homes and Gardens.
Kay Stroud died in 1996 at the age of eighty-two.
Scope and Content Note
The Katherine Stroud papers date from 1940 to 1977 and measure 4 linear
inches. The papers are
arranged in nine
series: Biographical, Chicago, Des
Moines city manager plan, Publicity, Women’s Freedom League, Health Planning
Council of Central Iowa, American Patients Organization, Speeches, and
Photographs.
The Biographical
series (1996, 2001) consists of Stroud’s obituary published in the Des Moines
Register, June 21, 1996, and biographical information supplied by Theodore
Stroud in 2001.
The Chicago series (1940, 1945-1946, and undated) contains materials
about the Chicago Housing Authority where Katherine Stroud worked as the
Assistant to the Director of Public Relations from 1945 to 1947. Also included is a University of Chicago
newsletter from 1940 with a photograph of Katherine Stroud in a fashion
show. Katherine Stroud pursued graduate
studies at the University of Chicago from 1938-1939.
The Des Moines city manager plan series (1949-1952) documents Katherine
Stroud’s involvement in the League of Women Voters’ campaign to offer voters a
choice between the existing form of city government, which was accused of graft
and inefficiency, and the city manager form of government. Campaign (1949-1952) includes
articles related to the election in April 1949 and the award Lane Bryant gave
the League of Women Voters in 1950 in recognition of the League’s involvement
in the campaign. National Municipal
Review (1949) contains an issue of National
Municipal Review with an article written by Katherine Stroud about the
campaign. City of Des Moines: Annual
Scope and Content Note (cont.)
Report
of the City Manager (1950-1952) consists of pamphlets documenting the achievements and
goals of the city manager government in the early years of its adoption.
The Publicity series (1951,1953, 1961 and undated) contains newspaper
clippings, a brochure, an alumni bulletin from Beloit College, and a newsletter
from the Iowa Library Association that describe Katherine Stroud’s involvement
in the Great Books movement, the Des Moines Community Playhouse, and the Des
Moines City Library.
The Women’s
Freedom League series (1952 and undated) contains newsletters
from
the Women’s Freedom League based in London, England. Katherine Stroud lived in England with her husband, Theodore
Stroud, a professor at Drake University, while he spent time at Oxford.
The Health Planning Council of Central Iowa series (1973, 1975-1976 and
undated) consists of memos, minutes, and documents related to the council’s
activities to support accessible health care at a reasonable cost. Katherine Stroud was on the board of
directors of this organization. A
stapled set of witty and creative memoranda about program planning in Biblical
times concludes the series. The author
of this humorous collection is unknown.
The American Patients Association series (1973-1977 and undated)
contains materials related to this patient advocacy organization of which
Katherine Stroud was president and founding member. Organizational materials (1974-1977 and undated) consists
of newsletters, committee reports, bylaws, legislative reports, and the
“Patients Bill of Rights” adopted in October 1975. Correspondence (1973-1976 and undated) includes letters
sent to the American Patients Association as well as copies of letters sent by
Katherine Stroud. Letters from
senators, state representatives, attorneys, health care professionals and
patients are included.
The Speeches
series (undated) contains handwritten and typed drafts of speeches delivered by
Katherine Stroud. Titles include: “The
Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Democracy,” “The Rewards and Dangers of
Democracy,” and “Women – The New Leisure Class.”
The Photographs
series (undated) consists of five photographs and one print screen used for
printing a photograph in the newspaper.
Related Collections
League of Women Voters of
Metropolitan Des Moines
This collection contains additional information
concerning the campaign for the city manager plan. See Box 15; History; Scrapbooks; City Manager Campaign
[disbound], 1948-1949.
Box no. Description
Box 1
Biographical, 1996, 2001
Chicago, 1940, 1945-1946 and undated
Des Moines city
manager plan
Campaign, 1949-1952
National
Municipal Review, 1949
City of Des Moines: Annual Report of the City Manager,
1950-1952 (3 folders)
Publicity, 1951, 1953, 1961 and
undated
Women’s Freedom
League,
1952 and undated
Health Planning
Council of Central Iowa, 1973, 1975-1976 and undated
American
Patients Association
Organizational materials, 1974-1977 and undated
Correspondence, 1973-1976 and undated (2
folders)
Speeches, undated
Photographs, undated