ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202
COLLECTION: OGL #1457
DATES: 1924-1995
SIZE: 20 linear feet
ACQUISITION: The Grafton Riverside Women's Club Records were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Agnes Davis, Grafton, North Dakota, on December 6, 2002 (Acc.#2003-2615).
ACCESS: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.
The Grafton Riverside Women's Club was organized on March 27, 1924, at the home of Mrs. Henry Jaster. Riverside was the second Homemaker's club organized in Walsh County. With the purpose of starting a homemaker's club in mind, their objectives were to improve their homes, schools, churches, and the community. To become a member, one had to attend the meetings on the last Thursday of every month and pay ten cent dues each month.
Each club year began in October and ended in September. At the first meeting, held in 1924, there were 14 members present. A motto chosen was "Practical Project Prove Profitable," and one of their first project lessons was making cheese. A typical meeting began with roll call by the payment of dues. The pledge of allegiance was then given, followed by the singing of one verse of the Star Spangled Banner. The club Creed was then read, and the treasurer's report was given next. Thank you notes and miscellaneous correspondence were read following the treasurer's report. Old business was discussed, followed by new business. After the adjourning of the meeting, a lunch was served by the hostesses.
In addition to their weekly meetings, the Grafton Riverside Women's Club made donations to groups and organizations, such as 4-H clubs, as well as sponsoring students who attended Girls' State and the Hugh O'Brian conventions, as well as International Music Camp.
The club was disbanded in the fall of 1994 by the three remaining members, Agnes Davis, Mazel Neilson, and Betty Odegaard.
The Grafton Riverside Women's Club Records date from 1924-1995. The collection consists of record books, which contain meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, club members' notes, and club songs. Also included are meeting programs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, statistical reports, club histories, annual reports, and many scrapbooks. The material was directly related mostly to the local club, but some district and state material was also included.
The material was arranged with the local club first, followed by District I, then the North Dakota State General Federation of Women's Clubs. Also, 34 scrapbooks from the Riverside Club, dated 1931-1995, were arranged into the final12 boxes.
Box 1
Folder
Riverside Club Materials
Box 2
Folder
District I
State GFWC
Box 3
Box 4
Box 5
Box 6
Box 7
Box 8
Box 9
Box 10
Box 11
Box 12
Box 13
Box 14
Four photographs were separated and placed in the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection.
| OGL#1457-1 |
Home Made Cheese display, the first project of the Club: probably 1924 |
| OGL#1457-2 |
Grafton Riverside Women’s Club group portrait: 1942 |
| OGL#1457-3 |
25th Anniversary: President Mazel Neilson |
| OGL#1457-4 |
25th Anniversary of the Riverside Club: Members |
Return to: Women's Organizational Records
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