Stephens, Blanche L. Howard (1874-1931), Papers, 1917-1919 (C60)

1.5 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

The letters and papers of Blanche L. Stephens, a Columbia, Missouri, woman, reflect her activity in all types of women’s work during World War I. She was Fourth District Chairman of the Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense and these papers pertain to all work carried on by that organization: Liberty Loan, Red Cross, food conservation, child welfare, patriotic education, and related problems.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Stephens Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by Mrs. W.M. Chapman on 2 December 1948 (Accession No. 2971).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Blanche L. Stephens was a prominent Columbia civic and church worker. She was the wife of the dean of underclassmen of the College of Arts and Science of the University of Missouri. She was president of the Women’s Missionary Council of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and an active worker in the League of Women Voters.

Stephens was active in all types of women’s work during World War I. She was Fourth District Chairman of the Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Stephens Papers consist of correspondence, clippings, and publications covering the areas of her war work. The papers are arranged by type of material or by organization.

The Clippings are from miscellaneous newspapers and magazines and cover the work of the Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense, the Red Cross, food conservation, child welfare, and Liberty Loan Drives. There is an editorial from the Pictorial Review on the worth of the Woman’s Committee during the war and urging its continuation after the war and advocating equal suffrage

Correspondence is from the Missouri Division of the U.S. Food Administration pertaining to the conservation of food—particularly meat, cereal and sugar; the Red Cross on nursing activities and Junior Red Cross activities; the Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense about child welfare work; and the Liberty Loan organization

Specific issues that come up in the correspondence include comments on women’s lack of interest in the work and men’s disfavor of women taking active parts in war work, the organization of “colored” women in work of the Woman’s Committee, ongoing concerns about child welfare, and hopes that women’s active participation in the war effort will lead to suffrage after the war.

The American Red Cross materials include publications of the organization as well as records from the Boone County Red Cross auxiliaries. The U.S. Food Administration materials are primarily publications dealing with food conservation and production. The Liberty Loan materials are mostly publications as well

The Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense records include minutes and reports of the Fourth District of which Stephens was chair. There is also a history of the Fourth District, bulletins from the national office, and miscellaneous items including stickers and posters.

FOLDER LIST

f. 1-2Clippings.
f. 3-8Correspondence, n.d
f. 9-13Correspondence, 1918 January-1918 February 21
f. 14-21Correspondence, 1918 February 21-1918 April 17
f. 22-30Correspondence, 1918 April 20-1918 August 18
f. 31-39Correspondence, 1918 August 20-1918 December 3
f. 40-45Correspondence, 1918 December 4-1919 June 27
f. 46Red Cross, A.B.C. Manual of Chapter Organization
f. 47-48Red Cross, Boone County and Columbia By-Laws and Reports, 1917-1919.
f. 49-64Red Cross Publications
f. 65-76U.S. Food Administration Publications
f. 77-89Liberty Loan Publications, 1917-1919
f. 90-105Woman’s Committee of National Defense Minutes, Reports and Programs, n.d., 1918 January-1919 February
f. 106-107Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense Organization and History
f. 108-113Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense Publications, 1918.
f. 114-115Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense Publicity.
f. 116Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense Miscellaneous.
f. 117-123Miscellaneous Publications

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at The State Historical Society of Missouri-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.