The Finding Aid of the Cal Poly Women's Club Records 0064
Lissa Lopez
The processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission.
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Special Collections and Archives
October 2018
3801 West Temple Avenue
Pomona, CA 91768
speccollections@cpp.edu
909-869-3775
Title: Cal Poly Women's Club Records
Creator:
Cal Poly Women's Club
Identifier/Call Number: 0064
Contributing Institution:
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Special Collections and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
17.29 Linear Feet
(17 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1949-2013
Language of Material: English
Abstract: The Cal Poly Women's Club was a campus organization established by the wives of faculty and staff which operated on and off
campus from 1946 to 1998. While working to promote the University through social and cultural events, and fostering lifelong
friendships, the Club's main objective was to raise funds for various scholarships offered to students who contributed to
Cal Poly Pomona through leadership and service. The funds were raised by Club-hosted events held annually, such as the fashion
and quilt shows. The Cal Poly Women's Club also held welcome dinners at the beginning of each school year for all faculty
and their spouses, until the number of guests grew too large. The collection includes administrative records; newsletters
produced by the Club, materials on scholarship; and photographs, scrapbooks, and realia.
Sponsor
The processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository
and the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], Cal Poly Women's Club Records, Collection no. 0081, University Archives, Special Collections and
Archives, University Library, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials were transferred by the Cal Poly Women's Club to the University Library in several installments between 1998
and 2007.
Biographical / Historical
The Cal Poly Women's Club (CPWC) was established in 1946 and was one of the first clubs formed at the school that would eventually
become California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. In 1938, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo established
a satellite campus at the former site of the Voorhis School for Boys in San Dimas, California. The campus became known as
the Voorhis Unit and by 1946 had 270 students, all male. The CPWC was formed by three wives of three faculty members at the
Voorhis Unit as a group for other wives of faculty and staff to promote the well-being of the college, to assist first and
second year students in acclimating to college life, and to offer cultural and social events in an effort to forge lifelong
friendships.
Membership in the CPWC was open, initially, to wives of any CPP faculty and staff member, and later included women who joined
the faculty and staff. The CPWC functioned as any other organization with a board of elected members, monthly meetings, and
committees for special projects. The CPWC worked closely with other interest groups on campus to plan events and activities
most often pertaining to popular hobbies of the time, including needlecraft and bridge groups for singles and couples, a book
club, and theatre and gourmet groups. Members organized welcome dinners at the beginning of each school year for faculty and
staff in the early years, and other activities held throughout the year included theatre trips, special guest speakers, and
participation in on-campus annual events such as Poly Vue and the Bronco Bonanza horse show.
In 1948, just two years into its formation, the CPWC began what would become the impetus of its operation: the scholarship
fund. The scholarships were available to students at all levels and all majors. Established to offer financial aid to students
who provided active leadership and service to Cal Poly Pomona, the number of scholarships awarded, and the amount for each,
varied from year to year. Some scholarships were formed in memory of past members or special contributors to the CPWC. Members
worked year-round to raise the funds for these scholarships, hosting various events including teas, silent auctions, and a
progressive dinner, which each course was eaten at a different home throughout the evening. Two main events organized by the
CPWC each year provided the largest fundraising for the scholarships. First, the annual Fashion Show and Makeover Magic, where
members would model the latest trends in clothes and receive makeovers from local hair stylists. Second, the annual Quilt
Show. Occasionally held during the weekend of Poly Vue in the spring, the event allowed the needlecraft group to display and
auction off the year's wares. In 1988, the CPWC unveiled a special quilt designed in honor of the university's 50th anniversary
celebrations. The quilt was worked on by various members for almost four years and remains on display to the this day in the
university library. In May and September, depending on the year, the CPWC hosted a banquet to award each scholarship recipient
and offer them a chance to thank the Club as a whole.
By 1998, membership of the CPWC had dropped to its lowest numbers since its inception, with competing groups offering membership,
such as the Women's Council of the State University and the Women Faculty Association. Eventually the Club ceased operation
and transferred its remaining scholarship funds to the University. The name of the Cal Poly Women's Club lives on in the form
of a scholarship offered yearly by Cal Poly Pomona.
Scope and Contents
The collection includes files related to the operation of the Cal Poly Women's Club, including minutes, materials for event
planning, photographs, and correspondence; scrapbooks from the Club's early years that document events held on campus, mentions
in the school newspaper, and flyers and mailings for Club-sponsored events; realia and ephemera including placement ribbons
for quilts displayed at Poly Vue and a plaque awarded to the Club by the University president in 1995.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into the following series: Series 1. Administrative Records; Series 2. Publications; Series 3.
Scholarship; Series 4. Photographs, Scrapbooks, and Realia.
Related Materials
Gertrude C. Boland Papers, Collection no. 0081, University Archives, Special Collections and Archives, University Library,
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Pflueger, D. H.
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: A Legacy and a Mission, 1938-1989. Spokane, WA: Arthur H. Clark Co., 1999.
Student Wives' Club Poly-Annas Records, Collection no. 0078, University Archives, Special Collections and Archives, University
Library, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Processing Information
The collection was initially processed and cataloged by Wendolyn Wysock in 2001. The collection underwent further processing
and the finding aid was revised in 2018 by Lissa Lopez to enhance findability and access. The collection number was changed
from UA2000/18/1-4 to 0064 and the collection title changed from Cal Poly Women's Club Collection to Cal Poly Women's Club
Records.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona -- History
Cal Poly Women's Club
College teachers' spouses
Women in Higher Education
box 1-3
Series 1: Administrative Records
1965-2013
Scope and Contents
The series contains files pertaining to the Cal Poly Women's Club operations from 1965 to 2013. The files include board meeting
minutes, treasury reports, constitutions, guidelines, membership lists, and correspondence.
Arrangement
The series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1976
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1977
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1984
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes and Treasury Reports
1985
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes and Treasury Reports
1986
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes and Treasury Reports
1988
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes and Treasury Reports
1989
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1990
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1992
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1993
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1994
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1995
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1996
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1997
box 1
Board Meeting Minutes
1998
box 1
Chi Cheng, Alumnus
1971-2013
box 1
Correspondence
before 2000
box 2
Interest Groups
1991-1992
box 2
Member Statement - Cal Poly Federal Union
1994
box 2
Membership Applications and Dues Notice
1992-1993
box 2
Membership Applications
1995-1996
box 2
Membership Lists - Yearbook
1965-1966
box 2
Membership Lists - Yearbook
1966-1967
box 2
Membership Lists - Yearbook
1967-1968
box 2
Membership Lists - Yearbook
1969-1970
box 2
Membership Lists - Yearbook
1970-1971
box 2
Membership Lists - Yearbook and College of Agriculture Social Directory
1965-1972
box 2
Membership Lists
1983-1984
box 3
Membership Lists - Yearbook
1984-1985
box 3
Membership Lists - Name and Address Yearbook and Interest Groups
1985-1986
box 3
Membership Lists - Name and Address Yearbook
1986-1987
box 3
Membership Lists - Name and Address Yearbook
1987-1988
box 3
Membership Lists - Name and Address Yearbook and Potential Members
1988-1989
box 3
Membership Lists
1991-1992
box 3
Membership Lists - Directory
1993-1994
box 3
Membership Lists - Directories
1994-1995
box 3
Membership Lists - Directory, Faculty, Roster
1995-1996
box 3
Membership List - Phone Trees and Roster
1996-1997
box 3
Needlecraft Group
1985-1990
box 3
Notebook for Nan Miller, Chairperson
1997-1998
box 3
Pace Setters and Women Faculty Association (WFA) Meeting - Minutes, Notes, and Correspondence
1998
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1968-1979
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1992-1993
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1993-1994
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1994-1995
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1995-1996
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1996
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1997
box 3
Treasury Records and Reports
1997-1998
box 4
Series 2: Publications
1958, 1971-2000
Scope and Contents
The series includes various publications either created by the Cal Poly Women's Club or featuring the Club from 1958 to 2000.
The files include the Club's own monthly newsletter and Cal Poly Pomona publications, such as
Poly Views and the
Cal Poly Pomona Bulletin, and other flyers and mailers that publicized the Club events.
Scope and Contents
The series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
box 5-6
Series 3: Scholarship
circa 1950-2004
Scope and Contents
The series contains files related to the scholarship program funded by the Cal Poly Women's Club from the early 1950s to 2004.
The files include information on recipients and fundraisers for the scholarships such as the annual fashion and quilt shows.
The files also include information on the loan fund, the financial aid offered by the Club before it was changed to a scholarship
fund.
Arrangement
The series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
box 5
Bronco Bonanza - Horse Show
1995
box 5
Fashion Show - 50th Anniversary
1998
box 5
Fundraising Ideas
1995-1996
box 5
Holiday Gathering
1994-1995
box 5
Loan Fund (Pre-Scholarship)
1953-1954
box 5
Loan Fund (Pre-Scholarship)
1964-1965
box 5
Loan Fund (Pre-Scholarship)
1971
box 5
Loan Fund (Pre-Scholarship)
1977
box 6
Scholarship Information
1986-1989
box 6
Scholarship Information
1991-1995
box 6
Scholarship Information
1996
box 6
Scholarship Information
1998
box 6
Scholarship Information
2000
box 6
Scholarship Information
2004
box 6
Scholarship Luncheon
1973
box 6-17
Series 4: Photographs, Scrapbooks, and Realia
1949-2009
Scope and Contents
The series contains photographs, photograph albums, scrapbooks, and other realia related to the Cal Poly Women's Club from
1949 to 2009. Events featured in the photographs include the annual Fashion and Quilt shows, member dinners, reunions, and
other Club hosted events.
Arrangement
The series is arranged chronilogically by folder in the finding aid but does not reflect physical arrangement.
box 6
Photograph - Faculty Dinner
circa 1950s
box 6
Photographs - Needlecraft Group
1977
box 6
Photographs - Quilt Show
1979
box 6
Photographs - Farewell gathering
circa 1980s
box 6
Photographs - Quilt Show
1981
box 6
Photographs - Quilt Show
1983
box 6
Photographs - Needlecraft Group
circa 1984
box 6
Photographs - Quilt Show
1985
box 6
Photographs - Quilt Show
1986
box 6
Photographs - Quilt Show
1988
box 6
Photographs - Needlecraft Group
1989
box 6
Photographs - Needlecraft Group
1990
box 6
Photographs - Fashion Show
1995
box 6
Photographs - Installation Dinner, Fashion Show
1996
box 6
Photographs - Fashion Show
1998
box 8
Photograph Album - Scholarship Recipients
1973-1978
box 9
Photograph Album - Needlecraft Group
1977-1998
box 10
Photograph Album
1985-2009
Scope and Contents
The album includes photographs of Club reunions in 2004 and 2009.
box 11
Photograph Album - Blue Cover
1998
box 12
Plaque - Certificate of Appreciation from Cal Poly Pomona
1995
box 14
Scrapbook - Brown Cover with Black Diamond
1949-1960
box 15
Scrapbook - Ivory Cover
1960-1968
box 16
Scrapbook - Imitation Leather with Gold-Embossed Spine
1968-1972
Scrapbook (Digital Version)
box 17
Scrapbook - Brown Cover
1972-1977
