Altrusa Club Records (DeKalb-Sycamore), 1960+ | Northern Illinois University

Collection Overview

Title: Altrusa Club Records (DeKalb-Sycamore), 1960+

ID: RHC/RC/165

Extent: 8.75 Linear Feet

Arrangement: The records of the Altrusa Club of DeKalb-Sycamore is divided into three series: DeKalb-Sycamore Records, District Six Records, and International Records.

Date Acquired: 02/06/1984. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Altrusa Club, Professional associations, Societies-- DeKalb, Sycamore (Ill.), Women--Societies and clubs., Women in the professions.

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The records of the Altrusa Club of DeKalb-Sycamore date from the club's founding in 1960 to 2001. A history of Altrusa International, Incorporated is in folder one. The minutes for May 1972, contain a brief history of the local club.

Series I, the DeKalb-Sycamore Records, contains a complete set of yearbooks and a nearly complete set of minutes. Yearbooks are put together annually and contain lists of officers, members and committees. The minutes begin in August 1961 and continue until August 1997 with July 1963 to March 1964 and July 1985 to June 1986 missing. The minutes for October 1987 to June 1988 are located in the President’s Notebook located in box 1, folder 30. This notebook also includes attendance sheets, projects, newsletters, committees, and District and International information. Folders entitled Notebooks may contain correspondence, membership recommendations, club activity reports, committee reports, newspaper clippings, and budgets.

In addition to the yearbooks and minutes there are scrapbooks that document the club's activities. Also included in the collection are budgets, membership reports, news releases, correspondence, committee reports, program and project information such as the Flower Show and the Art Auction, and photographs. Altrusa publications and certificates of recognition awarded to the club are also in the collection.

The District Six and International Records located in Series II and III consists of by-laws, directories, correspondence, conference information, and publications.

The historian files included in the addendum contain agendas, meeting minutes, newsletters, correspondence, project information, committee assignments, and award information

Collection Historical Note

Altrusa International Incorporated is a service organization for women who occupy supervisory positions in their professions. It was organized in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 11, 1917, and quickly spread to other cities. By August 1917, the organization was incorporated as the National Altrusa Institute. In 1924, the organization adopted vocational guidance as a national policy. Due to growth, Altrusa divided its club into ten geographical districts in 1930 and established its headquarters in Chicago one year later. It became an international organization in 1935 when an Altrusa Club was established in Mexico City, Mexico.

The Altrusa Club of DeKalb-Sycamore was organized in June 1961, but was not chartered until May 23, 1962. This delay was due to a rule that said a club had to have a project before it could be chartered. With the help of Ruth Haddock, Dean of Women at Northern Illinois University, the Altrusa Club of DeKalb-Sycamore gave $200.00 to Project Morale. This was a scholarship for female students who would have had to leave school due to lack of funds. The club continues to give scholarships and supports the DeKalb County Association for Mental Health and the YMCA. Its first major fund-raising event was a fashion show which evolved into a combined fashion and flower show. The DeKalb-Sycamore Club is part of District 6 and meets twice a month.

Subject/Index Terms

Altrusa Club
Professional associations
Societies-- DeKalb
Sycamore (Ill.)
Women--Societies and clubs.
Women in the professions.

Administrative Information

Repository: Northern Illinois University

Accruals: Additional records were donated by Eve Simonson at later dates.

Access Restrictions: <font face="Times New Roman">There are no restrictions on access to the collection.</font>

Use Restrictions: <font face="Times New Roman">Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public. </font>

Acquisition Source: Eileen Dammers and Jessie Glidden

Acquisition Method: The records of the Altrusa Club of DeKalb-Sycamore were donated to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center on February 6, 1984 by Eileen Dammers and Jessie Glidden.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series I.: DeKalb-Sycamore Records],
[Series II.: District Six Records],
[Series III.: International Records],
[Addendum I],
[Addendum II],
[Addendum III],
[Addendum IV],
[All]

Series I.: DeKalb-Sycamore Records

Box 1

Folder 1: Golden Anniversary and History, 1967
Folder 2: Charter from Altrusa International, Incorporated, May 23, 1962
Folder 3: By-Laws, 1966
Folder 4: Altrusa Brochure, 1997-1998
Folder 5: Proclamation of Altrusa Week, May 13, 1973
Folder 6: Certificates of Appreciation from Opportunity House, Incorporated, ; Kishwaukee College, January 21, 1970; April 15, 1983
Folder 7: Certificate of Achievement for Membership Gain; Certificate of Achievement for Membership Retention, October 11, 1970; October 1995
Folder 8-17: Minutes, August 1961-August 20, 1997
Folder 18-23: Yearbooks, 1961/1962-1997/1998
Folder 24-25: Altrusa Alert Newsletters, February 1984-June 1997
Folder 26: Altrusa Alert Newsletters, Memos, 1995-1997
Folder 27: Incorporating for Foundation Status Information, Did not pursue, 1987
Folder 28-29: President's Manual including Local Information and Correspondence, 1960-1964
Folder 30-31: President's Notebook, 1987-1988
Folder 32: Notebooks, 1974-1982

Envelope 1: Certificate of Recognition from the DeKalb County Association for Mental Health, May 9, 1967

Access Restriction: (located in Oversize Scrapbook box)

Box 2

Folder 1-2: Notebooks, 1983-1997
Folder 3: President's Manual, 1962
Folder 4: Handbook for Club Officers and Chairmen, 1965
Folder 5: Duties of Officers and Committees, 1968, 1984, no date
Folder 6: Officers and Committee Lists, 1961-1972
Folder 7: List of Club Officers and Committee Chairs, 1994-1997
Folder 8: Installation Service, 1965-1967
Folder 9: Membership Lists, Recommendations, and Correspondence, 1961-1969
Folder 10: Membership Lists and Reports, 1961-1970
Folder 11: Membership Lists, 1990-1991, 1997
Folder 12: Recommendations, Invitations and Candidate Lists for Membership, 1965, 1967-1974
Folder 13: Membership, Eve Simonson, 1993-1994
Folder 14: Applications for Charter Membership, Membership Information Forms, 1961; 1968-1971

Box 3

Folder 1: Membership Profiles, no date
Folder 2: Mailing List, 1989
Folder 3-7: Correspondence, 1961-1998
Folder 8: Budgets, Financial Statements and Finance Committee Reports, 1961/62-1980/81
Folder 9: Bi-monthly and Monthly Financial Reports, 1961, 1968-1969, 1975-1983
Folder 10: Budgets, 1982-1998
Folder 11: Treasurer's Correspondence, October, 1965-February, 1972
Folder 12: Dues Notice, no date
Folder 13: Activity Reports, OMNI, 1982-1989, 1991-1995
Folder 14-15: Committee Assignments Preferences, 1994, 1996-1997

Box 4

Folder 1: Committee Assignments Preferences, no date
Folder 2: Committee Assignments, 1992-1996
Folder 3: Committee Charges and Goals, 1995-1997
Folder 4: Committees, 1982-1993
Folder 5: Cultural Award Committee, 1996-1997
Folder 6: Information Committee, 1961-1967
Folder 7: Membership Committee, 1995-1998
Folder 8: Nominating Committee, 1995-1997
Folder 9-10: Service Committee, 1991-1998
Folder 11: Reports of Officers and Committees, 1960-1977
Folder 12: Program Co-ordinator Report, 1983-1987
Folder 13: Raffle Report, May 4, 1994
Folder 14: JoAnn Miller Scholarship, 1992-1993
Folder 15: Program Calendar, 1961-1972, 1989
Folder 16: Program Ideas, 1996-1997, no date
Folder 17-19: Projects, 1963-1968, 1974-1983, 1996-1997
Folder 20: Bake Sale, 1996-1997
Folder 21: Charter Anniversary Dinner, September 1964-May 1965
Folder 22: Charter Dinner, 1989-1996
Folder 23: Craft/Book Sale, 1981-1985
Folder 24: Community Service, 1984-1995

Box 5

Folder 1: Service Ideas, 1995-1997
Folder 2-3: Community Service, Literacy, 1986-1988, 1995-1996
Folder 4: Cultural Awards, 1992, 1995
Folder 5: Project, DeKalb County Partnership for a Substance Abuse Free Environment (DCP/SAFE), 1991
Folder 6: Fund Raisers, 1981-1995
Folder 7-10: Art Auction, 1987-1989
Folder 11-17: Flower Show, 1975-1982, 1990-1995

Box 6

Folder 1: News Releases, 1969-1973, 1979

Folder 2: Newspaper Clippings, 1966, 1987-1997

Folder 3-5: Scrapbooks, 1961-1970

Folder 6

Item 1: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Country Carnival Fundraiser (8), July 1965
Item 2: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Installation of New Members and Presidents Honorary Night (2), April and June 1972
Item 3: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Flower Show (13), Spring 1977
Item 4: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: District 6 Greeting Card; "Lucinda Glidden" Doll (4), 1978, 1981; 1974
Item 5: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Club Picnic at Glidden Home (2), July 1980
Item 6: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Charter Anniversary Dinner (7), 1981
Item 7: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Holiday Tea, Ellwood House (6, 2 negatives), December 1981
Item 8: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Fashion Show, March 1980; District Governor and Members (5), September 1982
Item 9: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Barb City Travel Window Display for Altrusa Benefit(1), April 25, 1974
Item 10: Photographs, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1980-1982: Frances Gotesky and Companion (1), no date

Folder 7

Item 1: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Wine and Cheese Party (28), September 16, 1998
Item 2: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Bake Sale (5), October 1997
Item 3: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Cultural Award Winners (4), 1995
Item 4: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Ellwood House Christmas Decorations, Maid's Room (1), circa 1997
Item 5: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Make a Difference Day, October 1997 (3)
Item 6: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: New Member Initiation (1), March 18, 1998
Item 7: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Program, Visit to Australia for Altrusa International Convention, Florence Ericson, Elgin Altrusa (8), 1995; February 1996
Item 8: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Raffle Winner (1), 1992
Item 9: Photographs, 1992, 1995-1998: Unidentified Photographs (5)

Folder 8

Item 1: Photographs, 1993, 1995: Flower Show (4 negative strips), 1993
Item 2: Photographs, 1993, 1995: Flower Show(67), April 6, 1995

Volume 1: Scrapbook, 1973-1982

Access Restriction: (located in unnumbered oversize box)

Box 7

Folder 1

Item 1: Photographs, 1996-1997: Flower Show(11), March 21, 1996
Item 2: Photographs, 1996-1997: Flower Show (24), April 9, 1997
Item 3: Photographs, 1996-1997: Unidentified Flower Show (1), circa 1997

Folder 2: Photographs, 1998: Flower Show (58), April 2, 1998

Folder 3: Altrusa Club Seal Die, no date

Browse by Series:

[Series I.: DeKalb-Sycamore Records],
[Series II.: District Six Records],
[Series III.: International Records],
[Addendum I],
[Addendum II],
[Addendum III],
[Addendum IV],
[All]