Ohio College Association - Women's Physical Education Section records

The records of the Women's Physical Education Section of the Ohio College Association (OCA-WPES) cover the period from 1920 to 1988, with the bulk of the records dating from 1934 to 1988. The Executive Board minutes (1953-1968, 1970-1988) primarily pertain to the arrangements, topics and programs for the annual meetings. The Business Meeting minutes (1936, 1938-1940, 1944, 1947-1987) provide more detailed information on the topics covered at the annual meetings and the concerns of the organization in relation to athletics for women at both the public school and college levels in Ohio. Programs and files documenting the annual conferences (1937-1988) complete the material on the annual meetings.

Constitutions and bylaws (1934-1984) and membership lists (1935-1984) are arranged chronologically. Operating codes (1960-1983) outline the job descriptions and responsibilities for officers of the organization and the hostess schools.

President's correspondence and files (1966, 1970-1986) basically concern programs and attendance at various meetings. The split between the Ohio Commission on Intercollegiate Sports (OCIS) and the Ohio Association for Intercollegiate Sports for Women (OAISW) in 1971-1972 is well documented.

The financial picture of the organization is provided through the treasurer's reports (1935-1986) and the treasurer's correspondence (1968-1975). The 1974 treasurer's correspondence lists the women physical education faculty members of the universities in Ohio.

Biographies of many of the members were compiled in 1973 as part of the OCA-WPES 50th anniversary celebration. Other biographical references also are included. The collection contains files documenting the Athletic and Recreation Federation of Ohio College Women (changed to the Ohio College Women in Sport and Recreation in 1973). Convention programs and reports (1946-1976), financial records (1948-1974) and newsletters (1946-1973) comprise the bulk of this documentation. Articles and subject files regarding physical education and women (1920-1982), largely compiled by Ruth Helsel, physical education professor at Wittenberg University, complete this collection. These files illustrate educational curriculum for women in physical education, health and recreation.