Fortnightly Club, Columbia, Missouri, Records, 1894-1975 (C3670)

1.6 linear feet, 3 oversize volumes

INTRODUCTION

The records of the Fortnightly Club, a women's organization for wives of University of Missouri faculty and female faculty members, 1894-1975, and the Newcomers' Division of Fortnightly Club, 1935-1972, consist of correspondence, membership information, bylaws, minutes, treasurer's reports and programs. Printed year books, constitutions, bulletins, and a 75-year history of Fortnightly Club are housed in the State Historical Society of Missouri library.

DONOR INFORMATION

Consult the reference staff about donor information.

ORGANIZATIONAL SKETCH

The Fortnightly Club was formed on 12 October 1892 as a group of University of Missouri professors' wives. Mrs. Edward A. Allen was chosen the first chairman and Mrs. Richard H. Jesse, the wife of the president of the university, was made honorary president. The club met on alternate Wednesday afternoons, thus the name Fortnightly Club. In 1895 the club formulated its rules and practices into a constitution with bylaws. The object of the Fortnightly Club was to unite ladies of the faculty of the University of the State of Missouri in practical culture work and to interest itself in the social and moral welfare of the students of the university. The second goal was soon clarified to be a concern with the welfare of female students.

In addition to the wives of junior and full professors, membership was broadened to include ladies who were members of the faculty, wives of the members of the board of curators and female relatives of the unmarried men on the faculty. The wife of the university president continued to serve as the honorary president of Fortnightly, while the chairman was elected by the members.

Early program topics included Shakespeare's plays, the role of women in the world, notable citizens of other countries and the crisis of World War I. The Fortnightly Club established three scholarships for female students between 1910 and 1927, and began the University of Missouri Fortnightly Club Loan Fund in 1932. An important social event was the fall reception, held at the home of the president of the university. Gala parties or "Fun Fairs" were held occasionally, such as the 1936 "Le Jardin Public" in which Read Hall was converted into a Parisian park. Programs were also held with the University Club, which included the husbands of Fortnightly members.

From 1907 to the spring of 1939 Read Hall housed the Fortnightly Club. However, when the university began to remodel the building for a student union, Fortnightly began meeting in a variety of locations until it settled in the Memorial Union in 1963.

Fortnightly Club joined the State Federation of Women's Clubs in 1893 and the General Federation of Women's Clubs in 1904. In 1899 the State Federation held its annual meeting in Columbia with Fortnightly Club as joint hostess. However, in 1939, after several years of debate, Fortnightly Club withdrew from the State Federation Women's Clubs.

In 1935 the Newcomers' Division was formed for new members of Fortnightly. According to the history of the Fortnightly Club, "from the first, newcomers seemed more socially minded (in both senses of the term) than the parent group." The new division was organized for those in their first two years of Fortnightly and some control was exercised over its activities by Fortnightly officers and committees. Numerous interest groups evolved from the Newcomer' Division and were formalized as open to all Fortnightly members.

Developments in the 1960s included the addition of the wife of the chancellor as honorary president along with the university president's wife. A new constitution was adopted in 1967. Among the activities of the club were a "Faculty Fiesta," "Station EMLER-TV" and "A Night at the Opera." The Diamond Jubilee Year of Fortnightly was celebrated with a "Parade of 75 Years of Fashions" in 1968.

Since its founding the Fortnightly Club has remained a prestigious, active, and highly organized women's organization and continues to be so today.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Fortnightly Club Records are arranged by type of material and chronologically therein. Correspondence covers the period 1922-1969 and is on such topics as world peace, loans to women students, withdrawal from the Federation of Women's Clubs, memorials for deceased members and location of a meeting place. Petitions and signatures asking for establishment of various interest groups are included. There are copies of all the club constitutions and bylaws. The minutes date from 1904 to 1971 with some gaps, and the treasurer's reports and other financial records date from 1894 to 1970 with gaps.

FOLDER LIST

f. 1-6General correspondence, 1932-1969
f. 7Correspondence regarding Federation of Women's Clubs, 1922-1939
f. 8Interest group petitions.
f. 9Correspondence regarding housing of club, 1950-1952
f. 10-12Correspondence regarding loan fund, 1930-1961
f. 13-17Lists of members of Fortnightly, 1924-1931, and of those eligible to join. Lists of chairmen and of honorary and continuous members.
f. 18-19Constitutions and bylaws.
f. 20-28Minutes, 1904-1971
f. 29-35Treasurer's reports and financial records, 1894-1970.
f. 36-48Committee Reports, 1948-1962. Reports of committees such as those for membership, program, courtesies, interest groups and newcomers. The reports of the secretary of Fortnightly are also included.
f. 49-50Programs, 1894-1902
f. 51Federation of Women's Clubs, 1899-1926
f. 52Special Programs, 1968-1969
f. 53Thursday Antiques, 1969-1975
f. 54Newspaper Clippings, 1924-1948
f. 55-57Newcomers' Minutes, 1935-1956
f. 58Newcomers' Treasurer's Reports, 1949-1955
f. 59-61Newcomers' Financial Records, 1950-1972
f. 62Newcomers' Membership, 1957-1958

VOLUME LIST

v. 1Scrapbook, News clippings, 1959-1965
v. 2Scrapbook, News clippings, 1965-1966
v. 3Scrapbook, News clippings, 1966-1967

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.