Discoverer's Club (Findlay, Ohio) records

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0235

Collection Overview

Abstract

The records of the Discoverer's Club, Findlay, Ohio, date form 1896 to 1973. The history of this social organization is reflected in the collection which consists of organizational minutes, correspondence, financial records, literary productions, and news clippings.

Dates

  • Creation: 1896-1973

Extent

2.30 Cubic Feet (5 legal archives boxes)

Creator

Scope and Contents

The records of the Discoverer's Club of Findlay, Ohio, document the history of this literary and social organization from 1896 to 1973. The collection consists predominately of meeting minutes, club programs, correspondence, news clippings, photographs, and literary productions.

The minutes of the Discoverer's Club are very complete, dating from 1901 to 1972. Because of this fact, these records are probably the most important source of information concerning the club. They document the place of the meeting, the members present, issues discussed and voted on, elections held, programs held, and projects undertaken.

The Club correspondence, dating from 1937 through 1973, except for one letter from 1916, provides a second source of information. Relations between the Discoverer's Club and other Findlay clubs and letters from past members provide interesting insights which are not always found in the minutes. The correspondence also offers a look at the various civic projects undertaken by the Club and their charitable enterprises. This type of information also can be obtained from the numerous news clippings dating from 1899 to 1971. These clippings document the club meetings, special events, citations, and civic projects undertaken throughout the years. Another valuable resource are the club programs. These are complete from 1896 to 1970 except for the years 1918/19 and 1942/43. The programs provide information on officers and members and the various programs held and topics studied.

Complementing the above records are photographs, literary productions such as songs, poems, and speeches, and miscellaneous printed material.

Biographical / Historical

Very little is known about how the Discoverer's Club organized in 1895. The first printed program for 1896/97 lists the following officers: Mrs. Margaret Sheets, president; Miss Phoebe Gray, vice president; Miss Clara Shober, secretary; Mrs. Jennie Barnhill, treasurer. The first constitution appears in the 1900/01 program and states that the objective of the Discoverer's Club "...is the intellectual and social culture of its members."

While the Discoverers primarily has been a literary club, its members have become involved in civic projects. During the two World Wars the regular meetings were suspended and Red Cross projects were completed. Members also became involved in projects pertaining to Findlay's hospital, schools, library, and park.

The Discoverers helped establish the Findlay Federation of Women's Clubs in 1903 and became federated with the state in 1946.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Discoverer's Club records were donated to the Center for Archival Collections in April 1982 through the cooperation of Jill Smith, Field Specialist for the Women's Studies Archives Project, and Ruth H. Frederick, President of the Discoverer's Club.

Processing Information

The collection was processed and the finding aid prepared by Karen Snow, graduate assistant in history, in July 1982.

Title
Guide to the Discoverer's Club (Findlay, Ohio) records
Author
Karen Snow, Madeleine Williams
Date
July 1982, December 2020
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin