Missouri Writers' Guild, Papers, 1916-1980 (C3657)

1.9 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

The guild, founded in 1916 by Walter Williams, had close ties with the University of Missouri Journalism School. Its purpose was to gather together writers throughout the state. The collection includes correspondence, membership applications, meeting minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings and financial records.

DONOR INFORMATION

Consult the reference staff about donor information.

ORGANIZATIONAL SKETCH

The Missouri Writers' Guild was founded in 1916 for the purpose of gathering together writers throughout the state. Membership is dependent upon publishing stories, poems, fiction or non-fiction in any major journal, magazine, or newspaper, publication of a book or monograph, or publication of plays or movie scripts.

The guild was originally founded by Walter Williams, dean of the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. Consequently the guild had close ties to the Journalism School and participated in annual Journalism Week activities until the mid-1970s, when members felt the goals of the guild no longer warranted participation.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Missouri Writers' Guild Papers are arranged by type of material. More complete descriptions of the papers are found in the folder list that follows.

FOLDER LIST

f. 1-31Correspondence. Correspondence between officials of the guild concerning budgets, meetings, and recommendations for membership. It is arranged chronologically.
f. 32-54Membership records. Applications for membership, containing professional qualifications of potential members, and listing publications that qualify them for membership in the guild. The applications are arranged alphabetically.
f. 43Typed lists of members; arranged chronologically.
f. 44Lists of past presidents.
f. 45-53Members who have dropped, died or resigned.
f. 55-57Minutes of meetings. Included are the minutes of the meetings of the Missouri Writers' Guild.
f. 58-68Newsletters, programs, brochures. Newsletters for the guild, printed programs for the biannual meetings, and brochures about the guild. Also Journalism Week programs from the University of Missouri, reports on articles of agreement, and bylaws.
f. 69-89Budget records. Bank statements, bills, records of dues payments, and treasurer's reports.
f. 69-71Active members' dues payments, listed alphabetically.
f. 72-76General bookkeeping, including cash receipts, cash payments, accounts payable and financial statements.
f. 77-83Bank statements.
f. 84Treasurer's reports
f. 85-89Bill statements; arranged chronologically.
f. 90-91Newspaper clippings, press releases, photographs. Newspaper clippings concerning guild meetings and features on various members of the guild. Several press releases are also in the section.

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.