Guide to the San Fernando Women's Club Collection
Special Collections & Archives
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8326
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: San Fernando Women's Club Collection
Creator:
San Fernando Women's Club
Identifier/Call Number: URB.SFWC
Extent:
8.56 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1917-1981
Abstract: The San Fernando Women's Club was
formed as a non-profit organization in 1929, following the combination of several women's
groups, including the Elective Study Club and the San Fernando Ebell Club. The collection
provides insight into women's social and civic lives in the San Fernando Valley during the
twentieth century. The social and charitable activities of the club and its Junior
membership branch are documented through meeting minutes, membership data, reports, press
clippings, and financial records.
Language of Material: English
Historical Note:
The San Fernando Women's Club was initially established after the merger of local women's
clubs in 1926, including the Elective Study Club, founded in 1907. The Club became the San
Fernando Cosmos Club after its 1929 merger with the San Fernando Ebell Club, and retained
this title until 1959 when members voted to change the club's name back to the San Fernando
Women's Club. The Junior branch of the club, founded in 1930, followed the pattern of its
parent organization. It was known as the San Fernando Junior Cosmos Club until it altered
its name to the San Fernando Junior Women's Club in 1959.
These clubs were founded with the intention of providing members with intellectual and
social improvement, while also offering opportunities for members to become actively engaged
with their community. Club activities included volunteering and fundraising for the American
Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, the Young Women's Christian Association, and their
own Toy Loan Library. The San Fernando Women's Club is a member of the Sierra-Cahuenga
District of the California Federation of Women's Clubs, part of the national General
Federation of Women's Clubs.
Scope and Contents
The
San Fernando Women's Club Collection documents the Club's
activities, which largely pertained to drama, literature, and music. The Club underwent a
number of name changes and mergers, and these are clearly documented through minutes of club
meetings and by-laws that indicate the goals of each new club incarnation. The collection
includes newspaper clippings, meeting minutes, financial records, a scrapbook, reports of
club officers, membership lists, yearbooks, and guest books. The collection is divided into
four major series:
Pre-San Fernando Women's Club History
(1917-1929),
Administrative Records (1928-1981),
Financial Records (1946-1970), and
Junior
Women's Club Administrative Records
(1930-1968).
Series I,
Pre-San Fernando Women's Club History, documents
events leading to the formation of the San Fernando Women's Club. The Elective Study Club is
represented by lists of members, applications, a minute book, newspaper clippings, and
reports. The Elective Study Club briefly revived as the San Fernando Women's Club before
combining with the Ebell Club to form the San Fernando Cosmos Club in 1929. Minutes and
resolutions document these changes, as well as the club's meetings and social work. Files
are arranged chronologically by originating club, and then alphabetically.
Series II,
Administrative Records, documents the activities of
the San Fernando Women's Club. This series is divided into two subseries. Subseries A,
San Fernando Cosmos Club (1928-1979) documents the activities of the
San Fernando Women's Club while it was named the San Fernando Cosmos Club. Minutes document
the vote to change the club's name in 1959, as well as the Club's community engagement
activities. Newspaper clippings, a guest book, scrapbook, membership applications, yearly
officers' reports, and yearbooks reveal the club's administration. Subseries B,
San Fernando Women's Club (1950-1981) continues the organization's
administrative records after the club changed its name to the San Fernando Woman's Club.
Files are arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.
Series III,
Financial Records, contains five volumes of
financial information and year-end summaries. This includes ledgers containing records of
donations, expenses, and collected membership dues. The books are filed in chronological
order.
Series IV,
Junior Women's Club Administrative Records,
documents the activities of the San Fernando Junior Cosmos Club, which became the San
Fernando Junior Women's Club in 1959. This series contains by-laws, and largely consists of
yearly reports of the group's participation in "Build a Better Community," an effort to
enhance life in the City of San Fernando. Minute books document the organization's meetings.
The records documenting the Junior Women's Club consist of reports on topics such as
finance, civil defense, conservation, and health. In 1968 the Club filed written
notification regarding the Junior branch's termination. This series contains two subseries,
Subseries A,
San Fernando Junior Cosmos (1930-1959), and
Subseries B,
San Fernando Junior Women's Club (1955-1968).
Folders are arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.
Arrangement of Materials:
Series I: Pre-San Fernando Women's Club History, 1917-1929
Series II: Administrative Records, 1928-1981
Subseries A: San Fernando Cosmos Club, 1928-1979
Subseries B: San Fernando Women's Club, 1950-1981
Series III: Financial Records, 1946-1970
Series IV: Junior Women's Club Administrative Records, 1930-1968
Subseries A: San Fernando Junior Cosmos Club, 1930-1959
Subseries B: San Fernando Junior Women's Club, 1955-1968
Electronic Format:
General
Other Information:
The
San Fernando Women's Club Collection was processed in
part through a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities.
Conditions Governing Access:
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use:
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.)
beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners.
Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the
copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
San Fernando Women's Club, 04/04/1981
Preferred Citation:
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Processing Information:
Michael Kohl and Teena Stern
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Series I: Pre-San Fernando Women's Club History,
1917-1929
Box 1, Folder 1
Elective Study Club List of Members,
1917-1925
Box 1, Folder 2
Elective Study Club Membership Applications,
1924
Box 1, Folder 3
Elective Study Club Minute Book,
1921-1925
Box 1, Folder 4
Elective Study Club Newspaper Clippings,
1923
Box 1, Folder 5
Elective Study Club Reports and Resolutions,
1925
Box 1, Folder 6
San Fernando Woman's Club By-Laws,
ca. 1926
Box 1, Folder 7
San Fernando Women's Club Minutes,
1926
Box 1, Folder 8
San Fernando Women's Club Minutes,
1927-1928
Box 1, Folder 9
San Fernando Women's Club List of Officers,
1928-1929
Box 1, Folder 10
San Fernando Ebell Club Minutes,
November 1926-December 1928
Box 1, Folder 11
San Fernando Ebell Club Resolution,
1929
Series II: Administrative Records, 1928-1981
Subseries A: San Fernando Cosmos Club, 1928-1979
Box 1, Folder 13
California Federation of Women's Clubs,
1950
Box 1, Folder 14
Correspondence,
1947, ca. 1950-1959
Box 1, Folder 15
Guest Book,
1956 June 14-1965 March 11
Box 1, Folder 16
Membership Book,
1951-1952
Box 1, Folder 17
Membership Book,
1954-1955
Box 2, Folder 9
Minutes,
1942 September 24-1943 December 9
Box 2, Folder 11
Minutes,
1945 January 11-June 14
Box 2, Folder 12
Minute Books,
1948 June 21-1960 December 8
Box 2, Folder 13
Minute Books,
1948 June 21-1960 December 8
Box 2, Folder 14
Minute Books,
1948 June 21-1960 December 8
Box 2, Folder 15
Minute Books,
1948 June 21-1960 December 8
Box 3, Folder 1
Newspaper Clippings,
1929
Box 3, Folder 2
Newspaper Clippings,
October 1934-November 1940
Box 3, Folder 3
Newspaper Clippings,
October 1934-November 1940
Box 3, Folder 4
Newspaper Clippings,
October 1934-November 1940
Box 3, Folder 5
Newspaper Clippings,
October 1934-November 1940
Box 3, Folder 6
Officer Reports,
1949-1959
Box 3, Folder 7
Officer Reports,
1949-1959
Box 3, Folder 10
Treasurer Reports,
1942-1944
Box 13, Folder 1
Scrapbook Number 1,
1930, ca. 1947-1979
Box 14, Item 1
Bryant, Evelyn and husband Ross, photograph
Subseries B: San Fernando Women's Club, 1950-1981
Box 3, Folder 13
California Federation of Women's Clubs Brochures,
1965, 1967
Box 3, Folder 14
Correspondence,
1959-1966, 1974, 1978
Box 3, Folder 15
Guest Book,
1965 June 10-1973 November 8
Box 3, Folder 16
Historian's Sketch,
1969-1971
Box 3, Folder 17
Membership Applications A-H,
ca. 1950-1969
Box 3, Folder 18
Membership Applications I-Y,
ca. 1950-1969
Box 4, Folder 1
Minute Books,
1960 December 29-1971 September 14
Box 4, Folder 2
Minute Books,
1960 December 29-1971 September 14
Box 4, Folder 3
Minute Books,
1960 December 29-1971 September 14
Box 4, Folder 5
Newspaper Clippings,
1958-1981
Box 4, Folder 6
Lists of Officers,
1966-1967
Box 4, Folder 9
Treasurer Reports,
December 1963-April 1967
Box 4, Folder 10
Veterans Administration Correspondence,
1961-1965
Box 4, Folder 13
Yearbooks,
1966-1967, 1971-1972
Series III: Financial Records, 1946-1970
Box 5, Item 1
Ledger Book,
March 1946-August 1953
Box 6, Item 1
Ledger Book,
September 1953-May 1958
Box 7, Item 1
Ledger Book,
June 1958-March 1962
Box 8, Item 1
Ledger Book,
April 1962-March 1966
Box 9, Item 1
Ledger Book,
April 1966-April 1970
Series IV: Junior Women's Club Administrative Records,
1930-1968
Subseries A: San Fernando Junior Cosmos, 1930-1959
Box 10, Folder 3
Contest Reports,
1952-1953
Box 10, Folder 4
Contest Reports,
1953-1954
Box 10, Folder 5
Contest Reports,
1954-1955
Box 10, Folder 6
Contest Reports,
1955-1956
Box 10, Folder 7
Contest Reports,
1956-1957
Box 10, Folder 8
Contest Reports,
ca. 1957-1958
Box 10, Folder 9
Executive Board Minutes,
1954 May 10
Box 10, Folder 10
Minute Book,
September 1945-September 1948
Box 10, Folder 11
Minute Book,
September 1948- November 1949
Box 10, Folder 12
Minute Book,
February 1951-June 1951
Box 10, Folder 13
Minute Book,
July 1951-April 1952
Box 10, Folder 14
Minute Book,
April 1952-January 1953
Box 11, Folder 1
Minute Book,
February 1953-October 1953
Box 11, Folder 2
Minute Book,
October 1953-September 1954
Box 11, Folder 3
Minute Book,
September 1954-September 1955
Box 11, Folder 4
Minute Book,
September 1955-September 1956
Box 11, Folder 5
Minute Book,
October 1956-June 1957
Box 11, Folder 6
Minute Book,
June 1957-May 1958
Box 11, Folder 7
Minute Book,
May 1958-October 1959
Subseries B: San Fernando Junior Women's Club,
1955-1968
Box 11, Folder 9
Amendment of Articles of Incorporation,
1959
Box 11, Folder 11
Civil Defense Report,
ca. 1961-1962
Box 11, Folder 12
Conservation Report,
ca. 1961-1962
Box 11, Folder 13
Contest Reports,
1959-1960
Box 11, Folder 14
Contest Reports,
1960-1961
Box 11, Folder 15
Contest Reports,
1961-1962
Box 12, Folder 1
Contest Reports,
1962-1963
Box 12, Folder 2
Contest Reports,
1963-1964
Box 12, Folder 3
Contest Reports,
ca. 1965-1966
Box 12, Folder 4
Education Report,
ca. 1961-1962
Box 12, Folder 5
Financial Reports,
1960-1961
Box 12, Folder 6
Financial Reports,
1961-1962
Box 12, Folder 7
Financial Reports,
1962-1963
Box 12, Folder 8
Financial Reports,
1963-1964
Box 12, Folder 9
Financial Reports,
1964-1965
Box 12, Folder 10
Financial Reports,
1965-1966
Box 12, Folder 12
Mental Health Report,
1961-1962
Box 12, Folder 13
Minute Book,
October 1959-May 1961
Box 12, Folder 14
Minute Book,
May 1961-February 1962
Box 12, Folder 15
Minute Book,
November 1962-December 1963
Box 12, Folder 16
Minute Books,
November 1962-December 1963
Box 12, Folder 18
Religion and Family Report,
ca. 1961-1962
Box 12, Folder 19
Termination Papers,
1967-1968
Box 12, Folder 20
Yearbooks,
1961-1962, 1966-1967
