Description
The records of the Women’s Committee of the Grossmont Community Concert Association include organizational papers and meeting
minutes, newspaper clippings, event programs, scrapbooks and photographs, and membership roster booklets.
Background
The Women’s Committee of the Grossmont Community Concert Association was founded in 1957 as a support organization for the
Grossmont Community Concert Association. Their first meeting was held in the home of Bertha Starr and the first President
was Henrietta Harelson. There were nineteen charter members.
The original purpose of the organization was to
1. Support GCCA and to encourage and build a cultural climate for fine arts in East County, especially music;
2. To build an auditorium; and
3. To give scholarships to deserving music students.
Organization members would meet at the home of community group organizers in Lemon Grove, La Mesa, El Cajon, Fletcher Hills
and Del Cerro to enjoy musical performances. The group also sponsored concerts at the Grossmont High School gymnasium.
On September 8, 1977, the group achieved their goal of bringing an auditorium to East County with the opening of the East
County Performing Arts Center (ECPAC). The following year, they established the Virginia and Susan Hawk Vocal Scholarships.
In 1979, an Instrumental Scholarship was also added. Further fund-raising efforts led to the purchase of a concert grand piano
for the ECPAC in 1982.
Fundraising for the various scholarship programs continued through the next several decades. In 2007, the Women’s Committee
celebrated 50 years of continued support for the music and performance in East County.
The organization changed its name to the Music Scholarship Council – GCCA in 2008. The GCCA was dropped in 2016 when the Grossmont
Community Concert Association disbanded. In 2011, membership in the Music Scholarship Council was opened to men.
Extent
9 cubic feet (4 record cartons, 1 document box, and 12 scrapbook boxes)
Availability
Some financial files may contain restricted information.
Membership rosters may contain restricted address and contact information.
Some scrapbook volumes were disbound and require careful handling. The 1979-1983 scrapbook in Box 9 experience some exposure
to mold and was digitized, disbound, and cleaned.