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Collection Overview
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The DeKalb Drama Club records date from 1914 to 2014 with the majority of the records consisting of minutes and yearbooks. Within the minutes are constitutions and by-laws, treasurer reports, membership lists, newspaper clippings, and theater programs.
Included in the addenda are folders labeled club activities containing meeting minutes, programs, correspondence, newspaper clippings. The two folders entitled “Red Book” include historical information pertaining to the Drama Club. Also added to the records are lists of program participants and their record of service, list of programs and plays, play transcripts, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs.
For further information concerning organizations in DeKalb such as the Stage Coach Players (RC 184) and the DeKalb Women's Club (RC 211), the researcher should consult the Regional Collections Guide.
Scrapbooks in boxes 7 and 8 have been removed from their bindings due the nature and condition of the covers. The original order of the contents were preserved.
Collection Historical Note
The DeKalb Drama Club was organized in September 1914 to study modern drama and for that reason was called the "Reading Circle.” The name was soon changed to the Drama Club. There were twelve charter members with Mrs. J. Ellwood Lewis as the first president. The club met once a week on Wednesdays later changing to once a month. Under the leadership of Mrs. Lewis, charity work was performed under the supervision of the philanthropic department of the Women's Club. In 1915, the club performed their own charity work. The club was responsible for such acts as hiring two teachers from Chicago for DeKalb's first public kindergarten, making layettes, buying milk for needy school children and children's books for the library, giving parties for patients in the tuberculosis sanitarium, aiding needy families and contributing to community organizations.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Northern Illinois University
Accruals:
Jessie Glidden donated an addition to the records on May 5, 1999. Urla Golden donated an addition to the records on March 13, 2001. Additional records were added at later dates.
Access Restrictions:
There are no restrictions on access to the collection.
Use Restrictions:
Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.
Acquisition Source:
Marilyn James
Acquisition Method:
Marilyn James donated the DeKalb Drama Club records to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center on August 17, 1993.
Related Materials:
For further information concerning organizations in DeKalb such as the Stage Coach Players (RC 184) and the DeKalb Women's Club (RC 211), the researcher should consult the Regional Collections Guide.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[
Box 1],
[
Box 2],
[
Volume 1: Scrapbook (1 volume), 1914-1981],
[
Addendum 1],
[
Addendum 2],
[
Addendum 3],
[
Addendum 4],
[
Addendum 5],
[All]
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Informal Histories, 1937, no date
- Folder 2: Constitutions, 1962-1997
- Folder 3: Charter Members, 1914-1961
- Folder 4: Notes from Minutes, Loretta Nolin, 1914-1972
- Folder 5-11: Minutes, 1914-1976
- Box 2
- Folder 1-2a: Minutes, 1976-1985, 1989-1994
- Folder 3: Bank Books, 1915-1952
- Folder 4: Correspondence, 1984, no date
- Folder 5: Composite Philanthropies, 1984, 1988-1989
- Folder 6: Programs, 1984-1989
- Folder 7-11: Yearbooks, 1926-1998
- Volume 1: Scrapbook (1 volume), 1914-1981
- Addendum 1
- Box 3
- Folder 1-9: Activities, 1989-1998
- Folder 10-11: Redbook, 1937-1990
- Folder 12: Record of Service, 1969-1994
- Folder 13: List of Program Participants, 1969-1983
- Folder 14: Correspondence, March 1970-March 1998
- Folder 15: Newspaper Clippings, 1970-January 14, 1990
- Folder 16: 50th Anniversary Program, October 14, 1964
- Folder 17: Programs, Club Activities, 1982-1988
- Folder 18: Senior Honors Night Awards, May 21, 1991, May 25, 1993
- Folder 19: Jane Bradt Eulogy, E. Nelson James, March 19, 1997
- Folder 20: Ideas for Minstrel Show, no date
- Box 4
- Folder 1: Programs, November 10, 1982-November 14, 1990
- Folder 2: List of Programs and Plays, 1916-1997
- Folder 3: Poem, Drama Club Presidents, no date
- Folder 4: Play Transcripts: "If Men Played Cards as Women Do", circa 1948
- Folder 5: Play Transcripts: "Hats Off to Drama Club", December 13, 1978
- Folder 6: Play Transcripts: "1956", no date
- Folder 7: Play Transcripts: "Aeschylus", no date
- Folder 8: Play Transcripts: "A Good Woman", no date
- Folder 9: Play Transcripts: "Once Upon a Time", no date
- Folder 10: Play Transcripts: "Overtones", no date
- Folder 11: Play Transcripts: "Rehearsal", no date
- Folder 12: Play Transcripts: "The Valentines Nobody Wanted", no date
- Folder 13: Picture Book: Philanthropic Work of DeKalb Drama Club, A Summary of Seventy Years, March 13, 1985
- Folder 14: Photographs: 50th Birthday Celebration (1), April 1965
- Folder 15-16: Photographs: Guest Outing (14), May 9, 1990; November 14, 1990
- Folder 17: Photographs: Meeting (10), October 1990
- Folder 18: Photographs: Meeting (2), January 1991
- Folder 19: Photographs: Meeting (7), February 1991
- Folder 20: Photographs: Meeting (5), December 11, 1991
- Folder 21-22: Photographs: Unidentified Photos (11), November 1989; June 1990, no date
- Folder 23: Audio Cassette: Play, February 1979
- Addendum 2
- Box 4
- Folder 24: Minutes, October 12, 1994-May 19, 1999
- Folder 25: Afterglow: What Are They Doing Now?, 2000
- Folder 26: Play Transcript: "12 Pound Book", no date
- Addendum 3
- Box 4
- Folder 27: Financial Records: Treasurer's Notebooks (2), 1977-1985
- Folder 28: Financial Records: Treasurer's Reports, 1990-2000
- Folder 29: Financial Records: Proposed Budgets, 1988-1992
- Folder 30: Financial Records: Treasurer's To Do List, June 17, 1992
- Folder 31: Financial Records: Bank Account Information, 1985
- Folder 32: Financial Records: Bank Merger Correspondence, 1997, 2000
- Folder 33: Financial Records: CD and Tax Statements, 1990-2000
- Folder 34: Financial Records: Check Registers (3), 1983-1994
- Folder 35: Financial Records: Memorial for Jessie A. Wright Fund, 1983-1996
- Folder 36: Financial Records: Philanthropies, 1991-2000
- Folder 37: Financial Records: Receipts, Dues and Expenses, 1989-1990, 1994
- Addendum 4
- Box 5
- Folder 1: DeKalb Drama Club Constitution and Bylaws, 1997-2006
- Folder 2: DeKalb Drama Club Agendas, Meeting Minutes and Treasurer's Reports, 2001-2006
- Folder 3: President's Calendars, Correspondence, and Other Files, 2000-2006
- Folder 4: Committee Selection Forms and Files, 1994-2001
- Folder 5: Guest Day Presentation Files, 2001-2005
- Folder 6: New Member Selection Files, 1997-2001
- Folder 7: Resignations, 2002-2003
- Folder 8: Correspondence, 1999-2006
- Folder 9: Newspaper Articles, 1971-2006
- Folder 10: Awards, 1984-2006
- Folder 11: Informal History: Autobiography of Alva Cleveland Oderkirk, June 1985
- Folder 12: Brown Paper Bag with Artwork: "DeKalb Drama Club: March 14, 1990: SPRING 1915"
- Folder 13: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club 70th Anniversary (26), October 1984
- Folder 14: Photographs: Publishing Free-Lance Writing - Mary Ann Ziemen, at the Home of Marie Williams, Betty Brayfield, & Helene Kirken (3), April 8, 1987
- Folder 15: Photographs: "A Window on the Past" Program, by Annette Johns, at the Home of Diane Thomas with Dottie Ball & Melba Dill Assisting (4), January 13, 1988
- Folder 16: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club Meeting, at the Home of Mitzie Katz on Arrowhead Lane (7), March 9, 1988
- Folder 17: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club Luncheon (6), May 1988
- Folder 18: Photographs: Drama Club (Mary Lou) (6), October 1988
- Folder 19: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club Guest Day (4), November 9, 1988
- Folder 20: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club Guest Day (Oak Crest Play) (13), November 1988
- Folder 21: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club Meeting, at the Home of Mrs. O.Wm. Nelson on Somonauk Road (Program: Phyllis Kelley) (18), October 11, 1995
- Folder 22: Photographs: At the Home of Dottie Ball (5), January 1996
- Folder 23: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club 90th Anniversary Celebration (9), November 2004
- Folder 24: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club, Unknown Event (Likely from or before December 1980) (3), no date
- Folder 25: Photographs: DeKalb Drama Club, Unknown Event (9), no date
- Folder 26: Play Transcripts: "Coming Through the Rye," by William Saroyan, 1942
- Folder 27: Play Transcripts: "The Curious Savage," Acts II & III, by John Patrick, 1950
- Folder 28: Play Transcripts: "Ex-President's Wives Sharing," with Author's Notes, 1993
- Folder 29: Play Transcripts: "For Starters Or One Stop Serves All Your Needs", no date
- Folder 30: Play Transcripts: "Havana Moon," a Comedy in One Act, by Glenn Hughes, circa 1950
- Folder 31: Play Transcripts: "Leave it to Me, Sweetheart," a Melodrama in One Act, Director. Mavis Williams, Brookside Theater, February 11, 1987
- Folder 32: Play Transcripts: "The Morning After", no date
- Folder 33: Play Transcripts: "The Morning After Or Three Pages from the Gold Box," a Comedy in One Act, by E. Nelson James, 1989
- Folder 34: Play Transcripts: "Murder at Mrs. Loring's," a Melodrama in One Act, by S. Sylvan Simon, 1937, with Cast from Guest Day at Oak Crest, November 9, 1988
- Folder 35: Play Transcripts: "The Romancers," by Edmond Rostand, no date
- Folder 36: Play Transcripts: "The Twelve Pound Look," by J.M. Barrie, no date
- Folder 37: Play Transcripts: "The Unseen," by Alice Gerstenberg, no date
- Folder 38: Play Transcripts: "Together We Share, For This We Live," a Program Compiled by DiAnne Thomas, et al, for the Meeting of March 13, 1985
- Folder 39: Play Transcripts: "Philanthropic Work of the DeKalb Drama Club: A Summary of Seventy Years," by Lucille Aikins, Chr., et al, for the Program "Together We Share, For This We Live", March 13, 1985
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Programs of the DeKalb Drama Club and Other Special Events, 1984-2005
- Folder 2-3: DeKalb Drama Club Yearbooks, 1988-2006
- Folder 4: "Chicago Tribune Magazine", March 20, 2005
- Addendum 5
- Box 6
- Folder 5: DeKalb Area Drama Club, 2006-2007
- Folder 6: Minutes, May 2007- May 2011
- Folder 7: By-Laws, September 2010
- Folder 8: Newspaper clippings on members, n.d.
- Folder 9: Directories, 2008-2014
- Folder 10: Newspaper clippings, 2014, n.d.
- Folder 11: Member correspondence, 2014
- Folder 12: Community support, n.d.
- Box 7
- Folder 1-2: Drama Club Memories, 2007-2010, 2009-2012
- Box 8
- Volume 1-2: Scrapbooks, 1980-2006
Browse by Box:
[
Box 1],
[
Box 2],
[
Volume 1: Scrapbook (1 volume), 1914-1981],
[
Addendum 1],
[
Addendum 2],
[
Addendum 3],
[
Addendum 4],
[
Addendum 5],
[All]
