To Kalon Club of San Jose Records, 1903-2025

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Summary

Title:
To Kalon Club of San Jose Records
Dates:
1903-2025
Creators:
To Kalon Club of San Jose
Abstract:
Records of the To Kalon Club of San Jose, including minutes, attendance books, bylaws, scrapbooks, membership rolls and event programs.
Extent:
5 linear feet
Language:
Preferred citation:

To Kalon Club of San Jose Records, Catalog No. 1985-81, History San Jose Research Library, San Jose, California.

Background

Scope and content:

Organizational records of the San Jose women's club To Kalon, including bound volumes of minutes, annual reports, Treasurers ledgers; events programs, scrapbooks, attendance books, bylaws and constitution.

Biographical / historical:

The To Kalon Club of San Jose was formed in 1903 as the Young Woman's Club, an auxiliary group for daughters of members of the San Jose Woman's Club. Each daughter was allowed to ask one friend to join, with 48 charter members agreeing on a constitution and bylaws on September 29. Its initial purpose was a study group, emphasizing intellectual growth and culture. In 1918, the club broke ties with the Woman's Club and voted to change its name to the To Kalon Club. According to "A Meeting of the Minds," by Mary Jo Ignoffo (California History Center & Foundation, 2003), the name was chosen from the Greek word "kalos." The group strived towards goodness and beauty through intellectual and cultural exploration as well as social gathering, and by 1930 it was no longer a "youth" club. The club adhered to parliamentary procedure at its meetings, including reading minutes, roll call, unfinished and new business, a paper or presentation, and refreshment. While missing some early years of minutes as well as scrapbooks from the mid-century, these records provide a fairly complete documentation of the club as well as a complement to the San Jose Woman's Club history, another long-standing women's club in San Jose.

Acquisition information:
Donated to History San Jose in 1985 by the To Kalon Club. Accruals have been made on a regular basis since the original donation.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid created by History San Jose Research Library staff.
Date Prepared:
1903-2025
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using Record Express for OAC5 on July 14, 2025, 2:54 p.m.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Records are available to the public for research by appointment with the Curator of Library and Archives.

Terms of access:

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

Preferred citation:

To Kalon Club of San Jose Records, Catalog No. 1985-81, History San Jose Research Library, San Jose, California.

Location of this collection:
1661 Senter Road
San Jose, CA 95112, US
Contact:
(408) 287-2290
research@historysanjose.org
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