Guide to the Writers' Club of San Diego Records
MS 85
Finding aid prepared by Jennifer Ho
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
June 2, 2011
Title: Writers' Club of San Diego Records
Identifier/Call Number: MS 85
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.0 Linear feet
(2 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1915-1965
Abstract: This collection on the Writers' Club of San Diego, established in 1915 to encourage and promote the work of local writers,
includes a variety of official and business documents, club and member correspondence, and works composed by club members.
creator:
Writers' Club of San Diego.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number 641112.
Preferred Citation
Writers' Club of San Diego Records, MS 85, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Biographical / Historical Notes
The Writers’ Club of San Diego was inspired in the summer of 1915 by the Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park, and
was incorporated in December of that year. The group’s objectives were “to endeavor by mutual help and encouragement to maintain
high ideals of work,” “to strive to secure suitable marketing for such [manuscripts] as have passed the censorship of the
Club,” and “to offer the hospitality of the club to visitors of San Diego who have attained eminence in the intellectual world.”
The Club was originally comprised of women although men were allowed to become members in the 1930s. To qualify for active
membership, one had to have received remuneration for an original manuscript. Club officers were elected on an annual basis.
The Club held regular meetings semi-monthly; meetings involved administrative matters, readings and criticisms of members’
works, and sometimes an invited speaker. Club members published a variety of writings, including fiction, poetry, book reviews,
travel writing, educational articles, and children’s works.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of a variety of documents detailing the establishment of the club, its members, and its business practices
and regular activities. Highlights include the Club’s Articles of Incorporation, Club constitution, a membership pledge signed
by charter members, meeting minutes, Board of Directors meeting minutes, yearbooks, scrapbooks, members’ writings of poetry
and non-fiction, and extensive newspaper clippings about the club’s meetings, activities, and events.
Arrangement
The items in this collection are arranged by subject.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Some meeting minutes are faded. (June 2, 2011)
Processing Information
Collection processed by Jennifer Ho on June 2, 2011.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Separated Materials
Scrapbooks were previously separated from the collection and are located in SB 63. The scrapbooks include:
Five scrapbooks with dates ranging from 1939-1969 - four created by Mrs. May Chapman Starkey and one by Helen W. Dinsmore,
the Club's historian. Newspaper clippings concerning the Club and its members; poetic works by Club members; "year books"
created and distributed by the organization; documents from the Club such as the typed "Constitution and By-laws"; letters
to members; and some black and white photographs depicting members and Club activites.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Arsenault, Florence Crosby
Atwood, Lovina
Bothell, Elysabeth A. M.
Davidson, Winifred
Frazee, Mary
Gatrell, Fannie
Gray, Kate Joy
Gue, Belle Wiley
Jordan, Mabel Woolever
Lester, Hannah
Lorraine, Lilith, 1894-1967
Loucks, Effie Wells
McDowell, Belle Lane
McNeil, Elizabeth S.
Nida, Stella Humphrey
Penman, Satella Jacques
Stanford, Ida Ghent
Starkey, May Chapman
Strutton Elliot, Rebecca
Thorpe, Leona Edginton
Thorpe, Rose Hartwick
Trelease, Olive W.
Writers' Club of San Diego.
Yates, Maribel
Fiction -- Authorship -- Poetry
Fiction authorship
San Diego (Calif.)
Women -- Societies and clubs
Women writers
Box-folder 1:1
Club history and official documents,
1915–1950
Includes:
Article of Incorporation
Club histories as written by group members
Constitution and By-laws
Suggested amendments to constitution
Box-folder 1:2
Club officers and members,
1916–1958 and undated
Includes:
New member listing
Membership nominations
Pledge of membership
Resignation letters
Box-folder 1:3
Meeting minutes (regular, special and Board of Directors meetings),
1915 July 14–1918 October 3
Box-folder 1:4
Meeting minutes (regular and special meetings),
1918 November 21–1919 February 2 and undated
Box-folder 1:5
Meeting minutes (regular meetings),
1919 April 3-July 3
Box-folder 1:6
Meeting minutes (regular meetings),
1919 July 17-September 4
Box-folder 1:7
Meeting minutes (regular and Board of Directors meetings),
1919 September 4-1920 May 20
Box-folder 1:8
Meeting minutes (regular and Board of Directors meetings),
1920 June 3-1921 March 17
Box-folder 1:9
Meeting minutes (regular and Board of Directors meetings),
1921 April 7-1922 July 6
Box-folder 1:10
Meeting minutes (regular and Board of Directors meetings),
1927 September 14-1928 April 11
Box-folder 1:11
Meeting minutes (regular, business and Board of Directors meetings),
1928 April 25-1930 April 23
Box-folder 1:12
Meeting minutes (regular and business meetings),
1930 May 14-1933 January 11
Box-folder 1:13
Meeting minutes (regular meetings),
1933 January 25-1935 June 18
Box-folder 2:1
Meeting minutes (regular and business meetings),
1941 January 8-1942 April 8
Box-folder 2:2
Meeting minutes (regular, business and special meetings),
1942 April 22-1943 September 8
Box-folder 2:3
Meeting minutes (regular, business and Board of Directors meetings),
1943 September 22-1944 October 11
Box-folder 2:4
Meeting minutes (regular, business and Board of Directors meetings),
1944 October 25-1945 May 23
Box-folder 2:5
Meeting minutes (regular and business meetings),
1945 September 26-1946 April 10
Box-folder 2:6
Meeting minutes (regular and business meetings),
1946 April 24-1947 May 24
Box-folder 2:7
Meeting minutes (regular, business and special meetings),
1947 September 24-1949 May 25
Includes:
History of Writers' Club, June 1948-June 1949 (part of year-end report in minutes).
Box-folder 2:8
Meeting minutes (regular, business and special meetings),
1949 June 8-1950 June 14
Includes:
Report for 1949-1950 (part of minutes).
Box-folder 2:9
Meeting minutes (regular, business and special meetings),
1951 September 12-1954 June 9
Box-folder 2:10
Meeting minutes (regular and special meetings),
1954 September 8-1958 September 25
Box-folder 2:11
Correspondence,
1916 Dec 28–1962 Aug 27
Includes:
Thank you letters and cards
Club correspondence
Personal correspondence and postcards
Box-folder 2:12
Reports,
1917–1950 and undated
Includes:
Annual report
Secretary's report
Treasurer's report
Box-folder 2:13
Yearbooks (rosters),
1917-1965
Box-folder 2:14
Newspaper clippings,
1919-1954
Box-folder 2:15
Writings,
1951 February 14 and undated
Includes:
Writings from poetry workshop
Writings on San Diego
Box-folder 2:16
Miscellanea,
1919 March 20–1946 and undated
Includes:
Event programs
Bond certificates
Book order form
