Friday Morning Club Records mssFMC
Brooke M. Black
The Huntington Library
August 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Friday Morning Club records
Creator:
Friday Morning Club (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Identifier/Call Number: mssFMC
Physical Description:
45 Linear Feet
(54 boxes and 108 volumes)
Date (inclusive): 1770-2012
Date (bulk): 1890-1990
Abstract: Records and papers belonging to the Friday Morning Club, a women's club in Los Angeles, California, from their beginning in
1891 to their dissolution in 2012.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Friday Morning Club records, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection is made up of several gifts: Burnham Estate in July 1937; Florence Kreider in the 1950s; The Friday Morning
Club in September 1985; and Virginia T. DeZell, last president of the club, in January 2007, and December 2012.
Biographical / Historical
The Friday Morning Club was founded in 1891 by Caroline Severance, Los Angeles suffragist, reformer, and social activist.
Caroline Severance and a group of women met at the Hollenbeck Hotel on April 16, 1891 to form a women's club and decided upon
the name Friday Morning Club. Caroline Severance would become the club's first president, a position she held until 1894.
After moving their meetings to various hotels for several years, the club broke ground on their own clubhouse in September
1899, on Figueroa Street in Los Angeles; it opened in 1900. The club had committees on art, science, literature, home economics,
and many others. They also focused much of their work and efforts in philanthropy, volunteering, and the betterment and beautification
of Los Angeles. By 1906, the club had over 1,000 members. In 1923 the club re-built a new, bigger clubhouse on the same site.
In the 1970s, they sold the building but continued to meet. Due to a steadily declining membership, the club dissolved in
2012.
Scope and Contents
The Friday Morning Club records consists of materials created by the Club and its members, dating from the year the club started
in 1891 to is closure in 2012. These records document the activities of the club such as: philanthropy and charity work; finances;
fundraising; ; the various work of the club's committees on science, art, and other topics; the construction of their clubhouses
in Los Angeles; and the meeting minutes of both regular meetings and the board. The collection is comprised of subject files,
financial and business records, membership applications and cards, manuscripts and essays, and clippings (1770-2012); publications
printed by the Friday Morning Club, including their monthly newsletter, and publications printed by other clubs (1850-1993);
photograph albums, scrapbooks, and meeting minutes (1891-2012); photographs, certificates, awards, and some objects that belonged
to the club, including the bronze plaque that hung at the clubhouse (1890-2000). The collection contains material by and
about several prominent members and suffragettes, including Susan B. Anthony, Sarah Bixby Smith, Jessie Benton Frémont, Margaret
Collier Graham, Olive Percival, Idah Strobridge, Louise Watkins, Charlotte LeMoyne Wills, and the club's founder Caroline
Severance. The collection also contains material about other clubs, including the California Federation of Women's Clubs and
California Women of the Golden West.
Processing Information
Processed by Brooke M. Black from December 2019 to March 2020.
Arrangement
Organized in the following series: I. Subjecy files; II. Publications; III. Albums and bound volumes; IV. Photographs, certificates,
awards, and objects.
Appraisal
During processing in 2020, 4 linear feet of out of scope material, which included some modern financial records and duplicates
of publications, were deaccessioned.
Related Materials
Huntington Library also has a portrait of Caroline Severance. Plate reads: Portrait of Caroline M. Severance. Founder Friday
Morning Club 1891. Painted by Orpha Klinker. Frame hand-carved by Rosemary Dokay. Tag reads: Portrait: 1042, Caroline Severance,
Acc: 1990.6014.01, Loan The Friday Morning Club.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Feminists -- United States
Suffragists -- United States
Women -- Legal status, laws, etc.
Women -- Societies and clubs
Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Women in charitable work -- California -- Los Angeles (Calif.)
Women philanthropists -- California -- Los Angeles (Calif.)
Women volunteers in social service -- California -- Los Angeles (Calif.)
Womens' rights -- United States
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 20th century
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
Business records -- California -- 20th century
Clippings (information artifacts)
Financial records -- California -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 20th century
Manuscripts -- California -- 19th century
Manuscripts -- California -- 20th century
Minute books -- California -- 19th century
Minute books -- California -- 20th century
Newsletters -- California -- 20th century
Photographs -- California -- 19th century
Photographs -- California -- 20th century
Scrapbooks -- California -- 20th century
Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906
Bixby Smith, Sarah, 1871-1935
Frémont, Jessie Benton, 1824-1902
Graham, Margaret Collier, 1850-1910
Percival, Olive, 1869-1945
Severance, Caroline M. Seymour (Caroline Maria Seymour), 1820-1914
Strobridge, Idah Meacham, 1855-1932
Watkins, Louise Ward, 1890-1974
Wills, Charlotte LeMoyne
California Federation of Women's Clubs
Subject files
1770-2012
Physical Description: 9.2 Linear Feet(22 boxes)
Scope and Contents
The Sujbect files series is chiefly made up of material that came directly from The Friday Morning Club's file cabinets. They
cover the dates 1770 to 2012. In this series you will find financial documents; annual reports; manuscripts, essays, and speeches
about The Friday Morning Club and other related topics (women's rights, suffrage, etc.); newspaper clippings; information
about the Club's events, and charity and philanthropy work; and the club's dissolution. The series also includes several boxes
of membership applications and cards from 1901 to 1985. There is also some correspondence including letters written by Caroline
Severance and Susan B. Anthony. There are also several subject files about prominent members and past club presidents including:
Jane E. Collier, Caroline Foster, Jessie Benton Fremont, Florence Kreider, Daisy Clark King, Margaret Collier Graham, Caroline
Severance, Rebecca Spring, and Charlotte Le Moyne Wills.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Box 1, Folder 1
A Look at the Friday Morning Club by Mildred Gambrell Adair
1966 October 28
Box 1, Folder 2
Agreement between Friday Morning Club and O. Stewart Taylor
1895 January 14
Box 1, Folder 3
Andrew D. Cooper Company
1990-1991
Box 1, Folder 10
Appraisal of Friday Morning Club
1927-1933
Box 1, Folder 12
Archives
2002 September 26
Box 2, Folder 5
Board of Directors meeting
1982-1985
Box 2, Folder 6
Board of Education letter
undated
Box 2, Folder 8, Box 3, Folder 1-2
Bookkeepers worksheets
1981-1987
Box 3, Folder 3
Bulletin advertising
1973-1983
Box 3, Folder 6
California group
1966-1972
Box 3, Folder 7
California Women of the Golden West and Mrs. C. G. Spence
1937
Box 3, Folder 8
Caroline M. Severance: Feminist and Reformer, 1820-1914 by Sara Marie Stanley
1978 March 24
Box 3, Folder 9
Certification of Dissolution
2007-2012
Box 4, Folder 1
Charlotte Le Moyne Wills papers
1817-1908
Box 4, Folder 4
Mrs. O. P. Clark
1934-1944
Box 4, Folder 6
Jane E. Collier
1916 April 14
Box 4, Folder 7
Committee lists
1900-1999
Box 4, Folder 11
Virginia T. DeZell
1985-2007
Box 5, Folder 1
Estate correspondence
1975-1987
Box 5, Folder 5
Caroline Foster
1853-1967
Box 5, Folder 6
Foundation Fund
1920-1921
Box 5, Folder 7
Bessie Bartlett Frankel
1968 February 9
Box 5, Folder 8
Jessie Benton Fremont
1897-1967
Box 5, Folder 9-12
Friday Morning Club miscellaneous
1971-2012
Box 6, Folder 1
Friday Morning Club by Margaret M. Fette
1892
Box 6, Folder 2-3
Friday Morning Club members
1894-1960
Box 6, Folder 4
Friday Morning Club Roll of Honor
approximately 1918
Box 6, Folder 5
Friday Morning clubhouse inventory
1970-1985
Box 6, Folder 8
Mrs. Boris A. Gray
1968-1981
Box 6, Folder 10
How firm a foundation: Papers and photographs pertaining to the early activities of club women in Los Angeles by Helen Spalding
Groff
1855 May 6
Box 6, Folder 11
Illinois Historical Society
2002-2003
Box 6, Folder 12
Insurance and appraisal
1920
Box 7, Folder 1-3
Interest statements
1973-1997
Box 7, Folder 4
Rachel Kauffman
1911-1937
Box 7, Folder 5
Margaret Kerr and Florence Dodson Schoneman
1967 July
Box 7, Folder 6
Daisy Clark King
1909-1966
Box 7, Folder 8
Jennie Straw Kruckeberg
1927
Box 7, Folder 10
Land of Sunshine Publishing Co.
1896 July 2
Box 7, Folder 11
Layette section
1927-1945
Box 7, Folder 13
Los Angeles, City of
1990-1995
Box 7, Folder 14
Los Angeles Public Library
1927-1993
Box 7, Folder 15
Los Angeles Woman's Club
between 1900 and 1917
Box 7, Folder 16
C. L. Lowman
1973 January 4
Box 7, Folder 18
Margaret Collier Graham
1895-1905
Box 7, Folder 19
Mathilde A. Smith matter
1928-1931
Box 7, Folder 20
Meeting announcements
1997-2004
Box 8, Folder 1-2
Meeting minutes
1993-2005
Box 9
Membership applications
1957-1973
Scope and Contents
General members.
Box 10
Membership applications
1967-1984
Scope and Contents
Dropped and deceased members.
Box 11
Membership applications
1967-1985
Scope and Contents
Resignations.
Box 12, Box 13
Membership cards
1901-1966
Scope and Contents
General membership, deceased, dropped, and resigned, A-Z.
Box 14, Box 15
Membership cards
1943-1977
Scope and Contents
Regular, life, business and professional, non-resident members, dropped, and reinstated, A-Z.
Box 16
Membership cards
1942-1970
Scope and Contents
Old cards to replaced by new cards, complimentary memberships, and dropped and deceased members.
Box 17, Box 18
Membership cards
1955-1978
Scope and Contents
Resignations.
Box 8, Folder 3-4
Membership lists
1891-1994
Box 8, Folder 5-10
Miscellaneous
1911-2000
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous bank documents, correspondence, ephemera, notes, manuscripts, and notices.
Box 8, Folder 12
Morals Efficiency Association
1920
Box 19, Folder 2
New clubhouse and city planning
1968-1981
Box 19, Folder 4
Notices and monthly income and expense statements
1994-2005
Box 20
One Hundredth Anniversary guest book
1991
Box 19, Folder 5
Original bookplate
undated
Box 19, Folder 6
Other rental agreements, bus tours
1985-1994
Box 19, Folder 8
Irene Parker
1967 January 20
Box 19, Folder 9
Petty cash receipts
1992-2004
Box 19, Folder 10
Philanthropy fund account
1965-1988
Box 19, Folder 12
President's Luncheon
1979-1980
Box 19, Folder 13
President's Party
1975-1989
Box 19, Folder 14
Prohibition endorsement
1917
Box 19, Folder 16
Quarterly reports
1973-1998
Box 21, Folder 2
Rent (Central Plaza)
1985-1995
Box 21, Folder 4
Sale of property (940 S. Figueroa)
1977-1985
Box 21, Folder 5
Save the Redwood League
1921-1925
Box 21, Folder 6
Scholarship book, payments and loan
1958-1983
Box 21, Folder 7
Scrapbook by "Annie"
1859-1893
Box 22
Scrapbook by Maude E. Crew
1891-1899
Box 21, Folder 8
Caroline Maria Seymour Severance
1896-1910
Box 21, Folder 9
Margaret Dunsmoor Slater
undated
Box 21, Folder 10
Smithsonian Institution and Los Angeles County Museum
1985-1993
Box 21, Folder 11
Some Aspects of Progressivism [sic] in Los Angeles: The Case of Charles Farwell Edson and Katherine Philips Edson by Lewis
McCammon
1967 June
Box 21, Folder 12
Southwest Museum
1918-1968
Box 21, Folder 13
Special evenings
1980-1981
Box 21, Folder 14
Speeches and essays
1902-1967
Box 21, Folder 15
Rebecca Spring
before 1906-1967
Box 21, Folder 16
Susan B. Anthony letter to Mrs. Wills
1905
Box 21, Folder 18
Bonnie C. Templeton
1953-2002
Box 21, Folder 19
To the Goddess of Liberty and the Spirit of Progress by Mary Spalding Cooper
after 1929
Box 21, Folder 20
Travel Cavalcade
1978-1980
Box 23, Folder 1
Union Station Celebration, Los Angeles: Final report
1939 May
Box 23, Folder 3
The Volunteers of America
1920
Box 23, Folder 5
Louise Ward Watkins
1968-1972
Box 23, Folder 7
What Our Grandmothers Wore by Fanny
1897
Box 23, Folder 8
Charlotte Le Moyne Wills
1817-1908
Box 23, Folder 10-14
Year end financial statements and reports
1983-2007
Box 23, Folder 15
Young Women's Christian Association
1921
Publications
1850-1993
Physical Description: 8.8 Linear Feet(20 boxes)
Scope and Contents
The Publications series has three sub-series: Friday Morning Club publications; Other publications; and Books. The Friday
Morning Club publications includes material created and printed by the Club and consists of their annual reports, 1905-1938,
calendars of events, 1942-1993, membership directories, 1940-1992, copies of the Friday Morning Club Bulletin, 1918-1929,
and the Friday Morning Club Magazine, 1932-1934. There are also brochures and pamphlets about the club's playhouse, travel
series and programs from the club's events, 1894-1991. The Other publications sub-series is made up of publications by other
organizations and include programs from various events, and several publications about Caroline Severance and other women's
clubs. The Books sub-series, 1850-1963) consists of published books, both from the library of the Friday Morning Club and
written by members including several books by Sarah Bixby Smith, Daisy Clark King, Idah Maecham Strobridge, an 1850 Bible,
a signed copy of Leaf-shadows and rose-drift: being little songs from a Los Angeles garden, and a copy of The mother of clubs:
Caroline M. Seymour Severance; an estimate and appreication edited by Ella Giles Ruddy, signed by both Severance and Ruddy.
Arrangement
Organized in three subseries:
- Friday Morning Club publications, 1894-1993
- Other publications, 1868-1972
- Books, 1850-1974
Materials within subseries are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Friday Morning Club publications
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Box 24, Folder 1-3, Box 25, Folder 1-3
Box 26, Folder 1-3, Box 27, Folder 1-3
Box 27, Folder 3-4, Box 28, Folder 1-4
Box 29, Folder 1
Bylaws and Parliamentary procedure
1896-1989
Box 29, Folder 2-7, Box 30, Folder 1-8
Box 31, Folder 1
Caroline M. Severance Pioneer by Mary S. Gibson
1925
Box 31, Folder 2
Cavalcade of travel series
1960-1980
Box 32, Folder 1-4, Box 33, Folder 1-3
Box 34, Folder 1
Friday Morning Club Bulletin
1918-1929
Box 34, Folder 2
Friday Morning Club Magazine
1932-1934
Box 34, Folder 3
Friday Morning Club Playhouse
undated
Box 34, Folder 5
Memorials: Mary S. Gibson and Margaret Rishel Sartori
1930-1937
Other publications
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Box 35, Folder 1
After Slavery: Caroline Severance in Los Angeles by Joan M. Jensen
1966 June
Box 35, Folder 2-3
California Federation of Women's Clubs
1916-1952
Scope and Contents
And Los Angeles District.
Box 35, Folder 4
California Women of the Golden West Bylaws
1929 April 6
Box 35, Folder 6
The Friday Morning Club a Los Angeles Legacy by Thelma Lee Hubbell and Gloria R. Lothrop
1968, March
Box 35, Folder 7
The Land of Sunshine and Outwest Magazine
1898-1902
Box 35, Folder 8
Miscellaneous programs
1937-1972
Box 35, Folder 9
New England Women's Club 1868-1918
1918
Box 35, Folder 10
Southern California Quarterly
1967-1969
Albums and bound volumes
1891-2012
Physical Description: 16 Linear Feet(108 volumes)
Scope and Contents
The Albums and bound volumes series is made up of 37 scrapbooks of clippings, 1892-1974, three scrapbooks related to author
and club member Olive Percival, 1903-1941, 4 scrapbooks of printed programs, 1924-1940, 10 guest books, 1891-1961, 46 meeting
minutes (both regular and board meetings), from the first meeting in 1891 to 2002. There are also 8 other volumes made up
of: the club's constitution and by-laws, an art department scrapbook, a memory book, minutes from the building committee and
the election board, and philanthropy reports, 1961-1967.
Arrangement
Organized in six subseries:
- Scrapbooks of clippings, 1892-1974
- Olive Percival, 1903-1941
- Printed programs, 1924-1940
- Guest books, 1891-1961
- Minute books, 1891-2002
- Other, 1891-1967
Volume 56
Regular and board
1892-1893
Volume 57
Regular and board
1893-1894
Volume 58
Regular and board
1894-1895
Volume 59
Regular and board
1895-1896
Volume 60
Regular and board
1896-1897
Volume 61
Regular and board
1897-1898
Volume 62
Regular and board
1899-1901
Volume 101
Art department, exhibitions
1946-1951
Volume 102
Building committee
1905-1920
Volume 103
California Women of the Golden West press book
1936-1937
Volume 104
Constitution and by-laws of the Friday Morning Club
1891
Volume 105
Election board reports
1915-1928
Volume 106
Memory book
approximately 1945
Volume 107
Philanthropy reports
1961-1967
Volume 108
Philanthropy reports
1964-1967
Photographs, certificates, awards, and objects
1890-2000
Physical Description: 10 Linear Feet(5 boxes)
Scope and Contents
The last series, Photographs, certificates, awards, and objects consists of photograph albums and photographs of the Clubhouse,
club events, portraits of prominent members and Caroline Severance, 1891-1990s. The certificates, awards, and objects sub-series,
1890-2000: The objects include a desk set and pen that belonged to Caroline Severance, 1911, and a bell, 1954. Also accompanying
the collection is the bronze plaque that was up at the clubhouse.
Arrangement
Organized in two subseries:
- Photographs
- Certificates, awards, and objects, 1890-2000
Box 44, Box 45
Photograph album and Clubhouse
1890s-1990s
Box 46, Box 47
Events and other
1894-1973
Box 48, Box 49
Portraits and Caroline Severance
1890s-1950s
Certificates, awards, and objects