Working Merrily Along

Hello Everyone,

I am pleased to report I have made progress this week. I have processed four records boxes and am working merrily along. I am hoping to keep up the pace next week and make some significant head way before the holiday break. I am busy processing administrative paperwork into folders and am looking forward to learning how to process items that need preservation, such as photographs and newspaper clippings, when we return to work in the new year.

The Woman’s Club of Claremont has taken great care in recording their history over the decades. From homemade leather-bound scrapbooks in the 1920’s, to homemade quilted scrapbooks in the 1980’s, the club has preserved items documenting their activities and contributions to the community. Items include photographs, slides, and newspaper clippings to name just a few types of records.

A newspaper article titled, “Home Portals Opened,” from 1924 documents the club’s first meeting in their new clubhouse on 12th street in Claremont. The article relays how in 1922 a Mrs. Henry C. Gower reported to the group the club’s fundraising efforts towards their new clubhouse had accumulated to $6 and some chickens! Somehow the determined group of amazing women managed to gather the necessary funds and in 1924 had one of their first meetings in their new clubhouse with approximately 150 women present. Some 72 years later the Woman’s Club of Claremont made headlines again as they were recognized for their long history of community service. Quite an impressive group of women who have dedicated their lives to improving their community and I am thankful I am able to have just a small part in working to preserve their history.

In the Thick of It!

Hello Everyone,

After some thought and adjustments I began executing the processing plan for the collection this week. It was slow going at first, but I began to pick up speed as I became more aware of the patterns within the materials and things started to make sense. I understand now what the term “living document” means as logical methods of arrangements reveal themselves as I sort through and organize the materials. This really is a work in progress, and as I sort I am beginning to see how files will be combined, eliminated, or created a few steps from where I am now when the initial arrangement is completed. I have to say I really enjoy the work. I never thought my need for organization, and sometimes annoying habit of paying too much attention to detail, would come in so handy!

The Woman’s Club of Claremont has an interesting history, and being able to touch upon the Club’s long and productive contribution to their community while utilizing my organizational skills allows me to combine two of my favorite things! I was able to complete an initial arrangement on one records box, and seeing the neatly arranged files really gave me a sense of accomplishment for this week. Now that I am in the thick of the creating the arrangements, I know I will be able to pick up the pace and put a significant dent in the 26 boxes that still need to be processed. I am excited for next week!    

There was a variety of information and correspondence regarding the Woman’s Club celebrity hat and jewelry sale benefitting the Well Baby Clinic that took place in 1962. The “Les Chapeaux Elegants” event was successful and well received, and included the sale and Chapeau Luncheon. I have included some noteworthy responses from some well known public figures that I though might be of interest.    

Handmade invitation to the Woman’s Club Celebrity Hat Sale and “Chapeau Luncheon.”

Newspaper article advertising the Woman’s Club celebrity hat and jewelry sale.

Janet Leigh, Mrs. Tony Curtis, agrees to donate a hat for the charity sale.

Hedda Hopper, renowned for her flamboyant hat collection, is unable to donate a hat for the sale.

The Plan is Complete

Hello Everyone, I spent this week formulating a proposed processing plan. This entailed quite a lot of reading and research, and I learned a great deal about creating a plan for arranging a collection. The processing plan really boils down to figuring out the most logical and expeditious way to break down and arrange the collection in such a way that future researchers can easily access the collection and quickly locate the records they are attempting to find.

I still felt a little apprehensive – I was nervous about making a mistake – but Lisa Crane reminded me that the processing plan is a “living document,”  and that the plan will evolve as the processing is being conducted. So, there are no mistakes, just a starting point in an ongoing process. This revelation made me feel much more confident and I was able to propose a plan that, I hope, is based on sound reasoning. I am eager to receive feedback on my proposal, make any recommended changes to the plan, and start processing the collection.

Among the wonderful events and activities put on by the Woman’s Club of Claremont over their long and productive history, there were many fundraising events for worthwhile organizations. One of these events was the 1962 Spring Celebrity Hat Sale to benefit the Well Baby Clinic. The Woman’s Club asked celebrities to donate hats for the benefit, and the club received some interesting donations from notable public and historical figures of the time including, but not limited to, Jackie Kennedy and the wife of Dean Martin.

Making a Plan

This week I finished the box survey and began formulating a processing plan. To facilitate this next step in the process, I had to figure out the answers to two fundamental questions: What is a processing plan and how do you make one? After some sage advice from Lisa, I relied on the tried and true practice of research, research, research! Developing and Maintaining Practical Archives: A How-To-Do-It Manual by Gregory S. Hunter, the “Bible” of creating archives, and A Glossary of Archival & Records Terminology by Richard Pearce Moses, are providing valuable information and will help guide me through the process. After some initial reading, I had to just jump in and begin filling out the processing plan. I am learning as I go and enjoying every moment.

Research!

I came across some interesting information regarding the Junior Woman’s Club of Claremont. The club was started in 1933 with the Woman’s Club as its sponsor, and focuses on philanthropy, community service, and building leadership skills in young women devoted in the group. Two items of interest are the Club’s History and Purpose, and the GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs) Junior Pledge written in 1916 by Helen Cheney Kimberly of California. I found the Junior Pledge to contain some profound language and concepts, encouraging the young women of the group to be loyal, do better in their work, be honest and courteous, and to “live each day trying to accomplish something – not merely to exist.” Pretty amazing!

The Junior Club of Claremont’s History and Purpose.

 The Junior Pledge was written in 1916 by Helen Cheney Kimberly of California, and was adopted in 1930 at the GFWC Convention as the National Junior Pledge.

Getting My Groove On

Hello Everyone,

I am happy to report that I have settled into a comfortable groove this week as I continue to perform the box survey for the Woman’s Club of Claremont archive. I am learning as I go, making smarter decisions, and working at a much quicker pace. I have managed to conduct the survey on 26 of the 27 boxes, and will be ready to move on to step two in the process next week. I have come across some interesting items that demonstrate not only the enduring historical significance of the club, but also how the club has made intimate connections with their community over the last century. The Woman’s Club of Claremont has touched every era, and left the community better, stronger, and enriched for the interaction.

A history of the Woman’s Club of Claremont was recorded in 1960. The group unofficially began meeting in 1917, during the First World War, to do Red Cross sewing, knitting, and community service. The group became an official club after the war in 1919. There are photographs of the club and its building from the earliest years which are an interesting contrast to the way the building looks today. The comparison shows how the Woman’s Club grew as the community grew, and speaks to the intimate and integral relationship between the club and the community. I know my understanding of the Woman’s Club will expand as I continue processing the archive, and I look forward to delving deeper into process, and the club, next week!

Club History, circa 1960.

Image found in a record book containing meeting minutes titled, Woman’s Club of Claremont 1924 – 1944.

The Journey Begins – CCEPS – Woman’s Club of Claremont – Friday 10/27/2017

Hello Everyone, my name is Therasa Topete and I am a student in the master of arts program in religion at CGU. I began my first experience performing archival work this week processing the records of a wonderful organization called the Woman’s Club of Claremont. The Woman’s Club of Claremont has been active since the early twentieth century, and identifies itself as a non-profit organization open to all adult women with the desire to help the community by supporting various charities, communities, schools, and organizations.

I feel honored to have a part in recording the history of such an inspiring organization, and feel a great responsibility to do a good job so current and future generations will be able to see the impact this wonderful group of women have had on their community for almost an entire century.

This archival project contains 26 record boxes that need to be processed, and I was excited and a little intimidated on day one. As I began to perform the box survey, I kept feeling as though I was getting too wrapped up in the details and taking too long to complete each box. Once I had processed the first two boxes, which took a long time, I began to understand what needed to be noted at this stage, and what should be inspected more closely at a later stage in the process.

The work went much smoother after that, and I am beginning to process at a much faster pace. I processed twice as many boxes today as I did in the last three days combined, and I am beginning to feel more confident performing the task. I really enjoy the work, and as I go through the materials I am getting to know The Woman’s Club more intimately. I feel like I will view the Woman’s Club of Claremont as an old friend when my time here is finished, and I am excited to continue the work. I look forward to keeping you all posted along my journey!  Â