Oneira Women's Club Records, 1915-1980

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Summary

Title:
Oneira Women's Club Records
Dates:
1915-1980
Creators:
Oneira Women's Club.
Abstract:
The collection contains records related to the activities of the Oneira Women’s Club of San Diego.
Extent:
9.0 Linear feet (15 boxes)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Oneira Women's Club Records, MS 174, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains records of the Oneira Women’s Club from its inception as a Red Cross volunteer organization in 1915 through the club’s disbandment in 1980. The records consist of meeting ledgers, financial materials, membership details, and club correspondence. The meeting minutes include the general Club meetings as well as those of the Club’s Executive Board of Directors and the individual Club departments. There are also scrapbooks detailing the history of the Oneira Club. In addition, materials related to the activities of the Club’s Gardening Department and the Orchestra and Choral Department are present. For the Gardening Department, this primarily consists of subject files related to specific gardening topics. For the Orchestra and Choral Department, a large selection of sheet music and musical programs are present. There are records regarding chapter meetings and activities of the Federated Women’s Club. Additionally, there are photographs and negatives and newspaper clippings related to Oneira Club events and members.

Biographical / historical:

During World War I, a group of women from Normal Heights organized a social club for Red Cross volunteers. When the war ended in November 1918, the women decided to continue on as a formal organization in order to pursue their philanthropic work. The first meeting of the Women’s Club of Normal Heights was held in February 1919. Later, the club changed their name to the Oneira Women’s Club; ‘oneira’ being a Greek word meaning “dreams or visions realized or come true,” accurately depicting the Club’s goal of civic advancement and community service. The word also contained all the letters common to the three names of the districts from which the Club drew its members: Normal Heights, Kensington Park, and Bonnie Brae. A charter of the San Diego Chapter of the Federated Women’s Club, Oneira had many active sections, including departments for music, gardening, literary study, and arts and crafts. The Club met for sixty years until interest waned; the organization was officially disbanded in 1980.

Processing information:

Collection processed by Lauren Rasmussen on July 20, 2012.

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.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into ten series:

Series I: Oneira Club History

Series II: Administration

Series III: Finances

Series IV: Membership

Series V: Correspondence

Series VI: Oneira Club Garden Department

Series VII: Oneira Club Orchestra and Choral Departments

Series VIII: Federated Women’s Club

Series IX: Newspaper Articles

Series X: Miscellanea

Items in each series are arranged by subject.

Physical / technical requirements:

Mold found on phonographs (Box 15 folder 7); phonographs have been wrapped and sealed until later date when they can be treated properly.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Lauren Rasmussen
Sponsor:
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.
Date Prepared:
July 20, 2012
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-03-19T15:32-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.

Preferred citation:

Oneira Women's Club Records, MS 174, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Location of this collection:
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA 92101, US
Contact:
(619) 232-6203
Website