]> MSS-139 THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF ALBANY RECORDS, (MSS-139), 1908, 1910-2010 Jamie Brinkman M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives

1400 Washington Avenue / Albany, New York 12222

© 2012 By the University at Albany, SUNY. All rights reserved. Jamie Brinkman2012 English THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF ALBANY RECORDS, 1908, 1910-2010 M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives 2012

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Descriptive Summary The Woman's Club of Albany Records 1908, 1910-2010 15.02 cubic ft. processed to date M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University at Albany, SUNY The Woman's Club of Albany Records document the day-to-day operations of the first 100 years of this community organization founded in 1910. The materials in the collection are in English. The materials are located onsite in the department. Access

Access to this record group is unrestricted with the exception of one folder, which is marked.

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Acquisition Information

The Woman's Club of Albany donated all of the materials in this collection to the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives in April 2012.

Organizational Sketch

Mrs. Elmer Blair, an active member of the New York State Federation of Women's Clubs, and twenty two friends who saw an opportunity to make a difference in their community established the Woman's Club of Albany in 1910 based on the motto “Let us be such as help the life of the future.” The Woman’s Club of Albany dedicated itself to helping women and children as well as improving conditions in its surrounding area.

Membership within the Woman’s Club of Albany (WCA) grew quickly, reaching three hundred members by the end of its second year. In 1913 the WCA was incorporated and in 1919, it purchased its Clubhouse, located at 725 Madison Avenue. The members were divided into multiple departments, sections, and committees, focusing on various goals and issues. Within the first ten years of its existence, the WCA discussed timely issues such as “Medical inspection of the Public Schools,” began programs to help children stay off the streets, and even campaigned to have a woman member added to the City’s Board of Education. By the 1930s and the beginning of the 1940s the WCA flourished; sufficient funds, an array of events and programs, and a membership of six hundred women, including honorary members. Honorary members were often the current New York State Governor’s wife, such as future President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. During this time period, the WCA also raised awareness of international conflict and often contributed to war efforts.

During the second half of the twentieth century, the WCA attempted to reinvent itself as membership dropped, the number of departments decreased, and the Club’s financial situation began a decline. In the 1970s the WCA tried to overhaul its image by shifting from activities with a civic emphasis to more social ones. By the 1980s the WCA once again tried to revitalize the organization by establishing itself as a center of cooperation among women in New York's Capital District for civic, literary, and philanthropic works.

Despite these attempts, the WCA continued to decline into the beginning years of the twenty first century. By the end of 2003 only three elderly members remained, the Clubhouse needed repairs, and the future of the WCA was in jeopardy. In 2004 five new women discovered the WCA while attending an event hosted in the rented Clubhouse. They joined the organization and were determined to revive it as a center of activity once again benefiting the surrounding community. Since 2004, the Woman’s Club of Albany has witnessed great improvement; membership is consistently increasing among women of all ages, the organization has undertaken restoration projects in the Clubhouse, and the WCA is once again involving itself in various philanthropic activities within the City of Albany and the surrounding Capital District.

Scope and Content Information

The Woman’s Club of Albany Records include one hundred years' worth of information about all aspects of the Club. The collection is divided into eight series according to the organizational structure and activities of the WCA, flowing from the Board of Directors down to the members. It contains meeting minutes and annual reports for not only the Board of Directors, but for many of the different departments and committees. This will give researchers insight into what members discussed, the goals and focuses of groups within the WCA, and how all of these evolved throughout the years. The WCA’s financial history is organized chronologically from the WCA’s beginning in 1910 to its revitalization in recent years. This series contains a range of materials, from financial statements to general receipts to loan and mortgage paperwork. Most folders are ordered according to department or committee. As the financial papers were often kept in separate envelopes denoting a particular year and group within the WCA, the archivist retained this original order.

This collection also documents the membership of the WCA. Researchers should note that the Membership series is broken down into five separate subseries. There are both paper records and three sets of index cards; one set is comprised of early membership cards, another is a set of cards documenting individual resignations and dropped members ranging from the 1920s to the 1970s, and the last set is of cards recording the deaths of members. The use of multiple subseries reflects the original order of the content and preserves WCA's record keeping, which often changed over time.

Events and programs hosted by the WCA comprise their own series. The WCA hosted a range of events, such as rummage sales, plays, and an annual WCA anniversary dinner. Another series documents items published by the WCA. This includes event calendars sent to the members and copies of The Messenger, the WCA’s monthly events publication. A subject file series contains information on a variety of topics, from materials about the New York Federation of Women's Clubs to WCA histories to an engineering/structural report on the Clubhouse.

Please note that the scrapbook series provides a significant amount of information about not only the WCA itself, but also the ever-changing world around it. This series is currently unavailable to researchers and being evaluated for possible preservation treatment because of the delicate and fragile conditions of many of the scrapbooks.

It should be noted that the amount of content often coincides with the ebb and flow of the WCA's history. There is a generous amount of information available from the early decades when the WCA was prosperous, as well from the revitalization of the WCA in 2004 and beyond. There is much material missing from the late 1960s through the 1990s, which is when the WCA was not robust in terms of members or finances. This historical evolution is seen in The Messenger. The Messenger began as a glossy magazine in the 1940s, but the WCA continually shortened the publication, transitioning first to a newsletter on legal sized paper and then to a newsletter on letter sized paper by the early 1970s.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized into the following series:

Series 1 - Administrative, 1910-2010, Undated Series 2 - Financials, 1911-2009, Undated Series 3 - Departments and Committees, 1911-2009, Undated Series 4 - Membership, 1917-2009, Undated Series 5 - Scrapbooks, currently unprocessed Series 6 - Events and Programs, 1912-ca. 2010, Undated Series 7 - Publications, 1911-2007, Undated Series 8 - Subject Files, 1908-2009, Undated

All series are arranged chronologically with the exception of Series 4, subseries 2, which is arranged alphabetically.

Subject and Genre Headings The Woman's Club of Albany New York State Federation of Women’s Clubs Women--Societies and clubs Women in nonprofit organizations Albany (N.Y.) Scrapbooks Newsletters Administrative Records Membership Minutes Programs (documents) Financial Records Photographs Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, The Woman's Club of Albany Records, 1910-2010. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as The Woman's Club of Albany Records).

Container List Series 1: Administrative 1910-2010, Undated 1.61 cubic feet

Arranged chronologically.

The Administrative series consists of Board and business meeting minutes, constitutions, proposed changes to the constitution, annual and executive meeting files, and rules and regulations.

Please note that the Board and business meeting minutes are kept together to preserve original order. This series also contains multiple versions of the Women’s Club of Albany Constitution: ca. 1910, 1946, and 1981. It also includes proposed changes to the Constitution from 1912, 2006 and an unknown year.

1 Minutes of the Board of Directors 1910-1920 7 Cash Book 1910-1920 1 1 Constitution ca. 1910 1 2 Proposed Changes to Constitution to Members from Board 1912 1 3 Incorporation Papers and Correspondence 1912-1913 1915 1917 1 4 Address of the President 1914 1 5 Resolution to Adapt National Constitution Prohibition 1916 1 6 Annual Meeting 1916 1 7 Board and Business Meeting Reports 1920-1922 1 8 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1924-1926 1 9 Letters from the Board to Department Leaders and Members 1924-1938 1945 Undated 1 10 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1926-1928 1 11 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1930-1932 1 12 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1932-1934 1 13-14 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1934-1938 1 15-16 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1938-1943 1 17-18 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1944-1946 1 19 Club Constitution 1946 1 20-22 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1946-1952 1 23-26 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1952-1958 1 27 Executive Report 1956-1957 1 28 Annual Meeting 1958 1 29 Executive Reports and Annual Meetings 1958-1959 1 30 Executive Reports and Annual Meetings 1959-1960 1 31 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1959-1961 1 32 Executive Reports and Annual Meetings 1960-1961 1 33 Executive Reports and Annual Meetings 1961-1962 1 34-35 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1964 1 36 Board and Business Meeting Minutes w/ Treasurer Reports 1964-1968 1 37 Board and Business Meetings 1973-1975 2 1-4 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1976-1982 2 5 Board Meeting Minutes 1979 2 6 Constitution 1981 2 7 Letters about Proposed Changes to Constitution sent to Members from Board 1982 2 8-10 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 1982-1986 2 11 Message to the Club from the Board 1990 2 12 Board Meeting Minutes 2005 2006 2 13 Meeting Agenda 2006 2 14 Proposed Changes to the Constitution 2006 2 15 Organization Bylaws of the Club 2008 2 16 Board Roster 2008-2009 2 17 Board and Business Meeting Minutes 2009 2 18 Certificate of Incorporation and Related Papers 2009 2 19 Board Roster 2009-2010 2 20 Proposed Changes to Constitution, Bylaws Undated 2 21 Proposed Changes to Constitution Undated 2 22 Rules and Regulations Undated 2 23 Resolutions Passed by Administration Based on Deceased Members Undated 2 24 President's Message Undated Series 2: Financials 1911-2007, Undated 4.60 cubic feet

Arranged chronologically.

Series two contains nearly one hundred years' worth of financial information pertaining to the WCA. A majority of the series consists of various departments’ and committees’ expenses, receipts, and annual reports. These were originally kept in envelopes according to department or committee and year. There are also Office and Treasurer Reports spanning from 1912 to 2009, providing information about the WCA’s treasury and daily spending. Financial statements provide an inside look into the WCA’s evolutionary financial health.

The series also contains insurance policies and payments from 1919 to 2005. The WCA retained all mortgage and loan agreements, and payment information, allowing researchers to see when the WCA purchased its house and exactly how long it took to pay off the house and loan. The WCA donated multiple ledgers and accounting books, which are stored separately in oversized, flat boxes.

5 Bank Passbooks 1910-1993 1 1 General Receipts 1911-1913 1 2 NYS Federation of Women's Club Convention and Membership Dues 1911-1974 1 3 Printing Committee Expenses 1912 1 4 Public Education Expenses 1912 1 5 Home Economics Department Expenses 1912-1914 1 6 Financial Correspondence of the Dramatic Department and Language Department 1912-1914 1 7 Hotel Hampton Bills and Various Receipts 1912-1914 1 8-11 Financial Correspondence 1912-1996 1 12-17 Office and Treasurer Reports 1912-2009 Undated 1 18 Notice of Membership Dues 1913 1924 1934 Undated 1 19 Handwritten Financial Statements 1913-1914 1 20 Civic Department Expenses 1914 1 21 Language Department Expenses 1914-1915 1 22 Office and Unclassified Expenses 1914-1915 1 23 Parliamentary Law Expenses and Rentals 1914-1915 1 24 French Department Expenses 1914-1915 1 25 Municipal Welfare Department, and Social and Industrial Department Expenses 1914-1915 1 26 Social Committee Expenses 1914-1915 1 27 General Receipts 1914-1917 1 28 Fine Arts Department Expenses 1915 1 29 Insurance Policies and Payments 1915-1929 1 30 Literature Department Expenses 1916 1 31 Supervised Dances, Gifts, Contributions, and Relief Committee Expenses 1916 1 32 Municipal Welfare Department Expenses 1916-1917 1 33 Printing, Stationary, and Yearbook Receipts 1916-1917 1 34 Parliamentary Law Department Expenses 1916-1917 1 35 Fine Arts Department Expenses 1916-1917 1 36 Gift Contributions and Supervised Dances Expenses 1916-1917 1 37 Language Department Expenses 1916-1917 1 38 Housing Committee and Literature Department Receipts 1916-1917 1 39 Domestic Arts and Sciences Department Expenses 1916-1917 1 40 Social Committee Receipts 1916-1917 1 41 Municipal Welfare Department Expenses 1916-1917 1 42 Bank Statements 1917-1920 ca. 1910s 1 43 Social Committee Expenses 1917 1 44 Fine Arts Department Expenses 1917 5 1 Bank Statements 1917 Undated 5 2 Handwritten Financial Statements 1917-1926 Undated 1 45 Culinary Science Section and House Arts and Crafts Section Expenses 1917-1918 1 46 General Receipts 1917-1918 1 47 Audit Information 1917 1923-1927 1930 1977 1 48 Supervised Dance Expenses and Various Receipts 1918-1919 1 49 Office Expenses 1918-1919 1 50 Parliamentary Law Expenses and Misc. Receipts 1918-1919 1 51 Legal Matters of Deceased Members' Estates - RESTRICTED 1918 1953 1977-1979 1 52 Municipal Welfare Department Expenses 1919 1 53 Art Department Expenses 1919 2 1 Housing Committee and Literature Department Expenses 1919 2 2 Arts and Crafts Section Expenses 1919 2 3 Loan Papers 1919-1922 1930 2 4 Literature Department Expenses 1919-1920 2 5 General Receipts 1919-1924 2 6 Mortgage Paperwork and Payments 1919-1921 1925-1938 2 7-8 City of Albany Taxes 1919-1999 2 9 Parliamentary Law Department Expenses 1920 2 10 Office Expenses and Language Department Expenses 1920-1921 2 11 Fine Art Department Expenses 1920-1921 2 12 Social Committee Expenses 1920-1921 2 13 Bank Statements 1921-1922 2 14 Music Section Expenses 1921-1922 2 15 Parliamentary Law Department Expenses 1921-1922 2 16 Receipts and Annual Reports of Various Committees 1921-1927 2 17 Fine Art Department Expenses 1922 2 18 Courtesy Committee and Emergency Committee Expenses 1922 2 19 Parliamentary Law Department Expenses 1922-1923 2 20 Entertainment Committee Expenses 1923 2 21 Parliamentary Law Department Expenses 1923-1924 2 22 Municipal Welfare Department Expenses 1923-1924 2 23 Unbound Accounting Ledger Pages 1923-1924 2 24 Bank Statements 1923-1925 2 25 Fine Arts Department Expenses 1924 2 26 Parliamentary Law Department Expenses 1924-1925 2 27 Municipal Welfare Department Expenses 1924-1925 2 28 Literature Department Expenses 1924-1925 2 29 Albany Chamber of Commerce Dues 1924-1931 2 30 Hospitality Committee and Misc. Expenses 1925 2 31 General Receipts 1925-1929 7 Cash Book 1925-1938 6 Ledger 1926 2 32 Social Committee Expenses 1926 2 33 Parliamentary Law Department Expenses 1926-1927 2 34 Social Department Expenses 1926-1927 2 35 Public Health and Public Education Committees Expenses 1926-1927 2 36 Art Department Expenses 1927 2 37 Social Committee Expenses 1927-1928 2 38 Municipal Welfare Department, Public Health and Public Education Committees Expenses 1927-1928 2 39 Deforestation Section Expenses 1927-1928 2 40 Garden Department Expenses 1927-1928 4 Rentals 1927-1938 2 41 Various Committees Expenses 1928-1929 2 42 Various Department Expenses 1928-1929 2 43 Conservation Department Expenses 1930 2 44 Business Meetings and Club Day Expenses and Various Receipts 1930 2 45 Garden Department Expenses 1930-1931 2 46 Bank Statements 1930-1932 1934 2 47 General Receipts 1930-1939 2 48 Insurance Policies and Payments 1930-1939 2 49 Hospitality Committee Expenses 1931 2 50 Business Meetings and Club Day Expenses 1931-1932 2 51 Conservation Department Expenses 1931-1932 2 52 Garden Department Expenses 1931-1932 2 53 Dramatic Department and Music Department Expenses 1931-1932 2 54 Social Committee Expenses 1932-1933 2 55 Garden Department Expenses 1932-1933 2 56 Art Department Expenses 1933 2 57 Garden Department Expenses 1933-1934 2 58 Social Committee Expenses and Receipts 1933-1934 2 59 Conservation Department Expenses 1933-1934 2 60 Dramatic Department Expenses 1933-1934 2 61 Music Department Expenses 1933-1934 2 62 Municipal Welfare Department Expenses 1933-1936 2 63 Hospitality Committee Expenses 1934 2 64 Bank Statements 1935-1939 4 Altruistic Committee Ledger 1936-1946 6 Ledger 1936-1942 6 Ledger 1938-1947 2 65 Language and Literature Department Expenses 1939-1940 2 66 Garden Department Expenses 1939-1940 2 67 Social Committee Expenses for Business Meetings 1940 2 68 General Receipts 1940-1942 1949 2 69 Bank Statements 1940-1943 2 70-71 Insurance Policies and Payments 1940-1946 6 Ledger 1943-1950 7 Ledger 1946 2 72 Bank Statements 1946-1949 2 73 Rentals 1946-1949 6 Cash Book 1947 6 Cash Book 1947-1960 2 74 Completed Forms on Behalf of Employees 1948 1972 2 75 Rentals 1949-1950 2 76 Bank Statements 1950 1952-1955 2 77 General Receipts 1950-1958 2 78 Youth Co-Operation Department Card Party Expenses 1951 2 79 Insurance Policies and Payments 1951-1964 2 80 Garden Department Flower Show Expenses 1953 2 81 Bazaar Card Party Expenses 1953 7 Ledger 1954 2 82 Report on Safety Deposit Box 1955 6 Ledger 1956-1960 6 Ledger 1960-1962 7 Cash Book 1961-1975 3 1 Federal Tax Returns and IRS Correspondence 1961-1966 1972-1973 1994-2009 4 Membership Dues Ledger 1962-1998 3 2 General Receipts 1963-1969 3 3 Messenger Expenses 1959 1964 1972-1973 Undated 3 4 NYS Women's Legislative Form Dues 1964-1971 Undated 3 5-6 Tax Exemption Forms 1964-2008 3 7 Bank Statements 1965-1969 3 8 Insurance Policies and Payments 1965-1976 3 9 Handwritten Deposit Notes 1966-1968 3 9 Budget 1966-1976 1996 Undated 3 10 Handwritten Deposit Notes 1969-1971 3 11 Lease on the Woman's Club Property 1970-1971 3 12 Bank Statements 1970-1974 3 13 General Receipts 1970-1977 4 Financial Ledger 1973-1990 4 Account Book 1976-1982 3 14 Bank Statements 1975-1978 3 15 Resolution by Board for Bank and Banking Responsibilities 1978 3 16 General Receipts 1978-1979 3 17 Bank Statements 1978-1982 3 18 Completed Grant Applications 1980-1981 1991-1992 3 19 General Receipts 1980-1981 3 20 Insurance Policies and Payments 1980-1994 3 21 General Receipts 1983-1988 3 22 Bank Statements 1983-1989 3 Treasurers Report 1986-1990 7 Cash Book 1990-1996 3 23 General Receipts 1990-1994 1996-2000 3 24 Bank Statements 1990-1995 3 25 Legal Advice 1994-1996 3 26 Insurance Policies and Payments 1995-2005 3 27 Bank Statements 1996-1999 6 Cash Book 1996-2000 3 28 Card Party Expenses 1997 3 29 Bank Statements 1999-2000 3 30 Bank Statements 2000-2005 3 31 Financial Statements 2007 3 32 General Receipts Undated 3 33 Music Section Expenses Undated 3 34 Social Committee Expenses Undated 7 Member Expenses Book Undated 4 Sales Book Undated Series 3: Departments and Committees 1911-2009, Undated 1.14 cubic feet

Arranged chronologically.

This series contains the annual reports of different departments and committees. The reports give news about each department or committee from the year, and their respective future plans. Most reports are typed, but some of the original handwritten reports sent to the Board secretary are included as well.

1 1 Dramatic Department 1911-1915 Undated 1 2 Department and Committees Directory, In Memoriam, Exs, Committee Rules 1911-1944 Undated 1 3 Parliamentary Law Department Minutes 1912-1918 2 Municipal Welfare Department Book 1913-1918 1 4 Meeting Minutes 1919 1 5 Annual Reports of the Departments 1920-1921 1 6 Annual Reports of the Departments 1921-1922 1 7 Annual Reports of the Departments 1922-1923 2 Travelers' Aid Committee Binder 1923 1 8 Original Annual Committee Reports 1923-1924 1 9 Typewritten Annual Committee Reports 1923-1924 1 10-11 Annual Reports of the Departments 1924-1925 1 12-13 Annual Reports of the Departments 1925-1928 1 14 Garden Section Yearbook 1927-1928 1 15-16 Annual Committee Reports 1928-1934 1 17 Secretary Report and Garden Section Reports 1931-1942 1 18-19 Annual Committee Reports 1934-1938 1 20 Committee Directories 1935-1941 1 21-22 Annual Committee Reports 1938-1943 1 23 Annual Committee Reports 1944-1951 1 24 Garden Department 1950s 1 25 Annual Committee Reports 1952 1 26 Annual Reports of the Departments 1956-1957 1 27 Annual Reports of the Departments 1957-1958 1 28 Annual Department Meetings 1957-1958 1 29 Annual Reports of the Departments 1958-1959 1 30 Annual Reports of the Departments 1959-1960 1 31 Annual Reports of the Departments 1960-1961 1 32 Annual Reports of the Departments 1961-1962 1 33 Annual Reports 1964-1965 1 34 Annual Reports 1965-1966 1 35 Annual Reports 1966-1967 1 35 Annual Reports 1968-1969 1 36 Annual Reports 1968-1969 1 37 Annual Reports 1969-1970 1 38 Annual Reports 1970-1971 1 39 Department Reports 1971 1 40 Committee Lists 2006 1 41 Annual Reports 2009 1 42 Building Committee Meeting Agenda 2009 1 43 Building Committee Report 2009 1 44 Communications Committee Report 2009 1 45 Housing Committee Rules Undated 1 46 Annual Department Reports Undated 1 47 Garden Section Annual Report Undated 1 48 International Affairs Annual Report Undated Series 4: Membership 1917-2009, Undated 3.47 cubic feet

Arranged alphabetically within subseries 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Arranged chronologically within subseries 3.

This series is comprised of five subseries and documents various aspects of Women’s Club of Albany membership. There are applications for new members which range from 1938-2004. At first the applications were kept by themselves in stacks by year. Then, starting in 1968, the WCA began attaching a copy the Club’s acceptance letter to the new member application. The last few sets of dates (1994, 1996, 2001, and 2004) revert back to the original filing format; without an acceptance letter attached. These membership applications and acceptance letters are filed chronologically.

The WCA also kept resignation records. It did this in various ways, including index cards and resignation letters. The index cards begin as handwritten cards and transition to typed cards. Amongst the resignations are index cards of members dropped because of unpaid dues. These index cards are grouped into three different categories to maintain original order. Beginning in the 1960s, the WCA started keeping track of resignation letters and letters from the WCA acknowledging the member's resignation. The WCA also kept records of member deaths.

As with Series 7, Publications, the Women’s Club of Albany often changed the layout of the information it published. Every year, the Club produced a new membership list. From 1917-1929, the WCA published membership lists as booklets. In 1933 the WCA switched and began publishing membership lists as pamphlets. As the WCA also switched to monthly news pamphlets around this time, it suggests the WCA mailed out a new membership list, with the monthly news, and the Officers, Departments, and Committees Directory pamphlet once every year. From 1968-1971 the Club published a combination of the Officers Directory and membership in a small booklet.

Please note that from 1911-1942 the Women’s Club of Albany would typically make the Governor of New York’s wife an honorary member. This included Eleanor Roosevelt during Franklin Delano Roosevelt's tenure as governor. It is unknown when and why this tradition stopped.

Subseries 1: Early Member Index Cards 1910-1931, 1 Index cards, A-Y, 1910-1931 Undated Subseries 2: Early Membership Applications and Resignations 1917-1927, Undated 3 1 Early Membership Applications A 1917-1925 3 2 Early Membership Applications B 1917-1924 3 3 Early Membership Applications C 1917-1925 3 4 Early Membership Applications D 1917-1925 3 5 Early Membership Applications E 1917-1923 3 6 Early Membership Applications F 1917-1923 3 7 Early Membership Applications G 1917-1923 3 8 Early Membership Applications H, I, & J 1917-1923 3 9 Early Membership Applications K & L 1917-1923 3 10 Early Membership Applications M 1917-1925 3 11 Early Membership Applications N & O 1917-1923 3 12 Early Membership Applications P & Q 1917-1923 3 13 Early Membership Applications R 1917-1925 3 14 Early Membership Applications S 1917-1923 3 15 Early Membership Applications T, U, & V 1917-1925 3 16 Early Membership Applications W 1917-1925 3 17 Early Membership Applications Z 1917-1923 3 18 Early Resignations, A 1911-1923 Undated 3 19 Early Resignations, B 1915-1923 Undated 3 20 Early Resignations, C 1915-1923 Undated 3 21 Early Resignations, D 1912-1921 Undated 3 22 Early Resignations, E & F 1911-1924 Undated 3 23 Early Resignations, G 1912-1922 Undated 3 24 Early Resignations, H, I, & J 1911-1923 Undated 3 25 Early Resignations, K & L 1912-1924 Undated 3 26 Early Resignations, M 1911-1924 Undated 3 27 Early Resignations, N & O 1916-1922 Undated 3 28 Early Resignations, P 1915-1922 Undated 3 29 Early Resignations, R 1911-1923 Undated 3 30 Early Resignations, S 1911-1920 Undated 3 31 Early Resignations, T, U, & V 1915-1922 Undated 3 32 Early Resignations, W & Y 1911-1923 Undated 3 33 Early Resignations, A 1924-1927 3 34 Early Resignations, B 1924-1927 3 35 Early Resignations, C 1924-1927 3 36 Early Resignations, D 1924-1927 3 37 Early Resignations, E & F 1924-1927 3 38 Early Resignations, G 1924-1927 3 39 Early Resignations, H, I, & J 1924-1927 3 40 Early Resignations, K & L 1924-1927 3 41 Early Resignations, M 1924-1927 3 42 Early Resignations, P & Q 1924-1927 3 43 Early Resignations, R 1924-1927 3 44 Early Resignations, S 1924-1927 3 45 Early Resignations, T, U, & V 1924-1927 3 46 Early Resignations, W 1924-1927 Subseries 3: Membership Files 1917-2009, Undated 1 1 New Membership Nominations 1910 1 2 Membership List Book 1917-1918 1 3-4 Membership List Book 1919-1920 1 5 Resignations ca.1920s 1 6-7 Membership List Book 1922 1 8 Registration Cards 1923 1 9 List of Applications and Resignation 1923 1 10 List of Resignations 1923 1 11 New Member Lists 1923-1924 1 12 Invitation to vote and Election Ballot 1923-1924 1 13 New Members 1924 1 14-15 Membership List Book 1924 1 16 Paid Membership List 1924-1925 1 17 Typewritten Membership List 1925 1 18-19 Membership List Book 1925-1926 1 20-22 Membership List Book 1926-1927 1 23 Membership List Book 1927-1928 1 24 Membership List Book 1928-1929 1 25 Membership List Pamphlet 1933 1936-1938 1 26 Blank Election Ballots 1938 1 27 Membership Applications 1938 1 28 Membership Applications 1939 1 29 Membership Applications 1940 1 30 Membership Applications 1941 1 31 Membership Applications 1942 1 32 Membership Applications 1943 3 Membership Binder 1943 1 33 Membership Applications 1944 1 34 Membership Applications 1945 1 35 Membership Applications 1946 1 36 Membership Applications 1947 1 37 Membership Applications 1948 1 38 Blank Election Ballots 1948 1950 2 1 Membership Applications 1949 2 2 Membership Applications 1950 2 3 Membership Applications 1951 2 4 Membership Applications 1952 2 5 Membership Applications 1953 2 6 Blank Election Ballots 1953-1954 2 7 Membership Applications and Resignations 1954 2 8 Membership List 1954-1955 2 9 Special Meeting of the Membership 1955 2 10 List of "Exes" 1955 2 11 Membership Applications 1955 2 12 Membership Applications 1956 2 13 Membership List 1956-1957 2 14 Membership Applications 1957 2 15 Membership List 1957-1958 2 16 Membership Applications 1958 2 17 Blank Election Ballots 1958 2 18 New Member List 1958-1959 2 19 Membership List Pamphlets 1958-1960 2 20 Membership Applications 1959 2 21 Membership Totals 1959-1960 2 22 Membership Applications 1960 2 23 Blank Election Ballot and Tally of Votes 1960 2 24 Membership List Pamphlets 1960-1962 2 25 Election Ballot and Tally of Votes 1961 2 26 Membership Applications 1961 2 27 Resignations 1961 2 28 Blank Election Ballot 1962 2 29 Membership Applications 1962 2 30 Membership Applications 1963 2 31 Membership Applications 1964 2 32 Membership Applications 1965 2 33 Resignations 1965-1971 2 34 Membership Applications 1966 2 35 Membership Applications 1967 2 36 Membership Applications 1968 2 37 Election Results 1968 2 38 Membership Applications and Acceptance Letters 1968-1970 2 39 Membership List Pamphlets 1968-1971 2 40 Election Ballot and Tally 1970 2 41 Membership Applications and Acceptance Letters 1970-1971 2 42 Resignations 1970-1971 2 43 New Members and Resigned Members Lists 1971 2 44 Membership Applications and Acceptance Letters 1972-1976 2 45 Resignations 1972-1975 2 46 Resignations 1976 1979 1980 2 47 Club Inquiry and Survey 1977 2 48 Membership Applications 1977-1979 2 49 Club Inquiry and Survey 1979-1980 2 50 List of Club Members 1981 2 51 List of Resignations and Deceased 1982-1983 2 52 Membership List 1983-1984 2 53 Resignations 1984-1989 Undated 2 54 Membership List 1985-1986 2 55 Membership List 1986-1987 2 56 Blank Election Ballots 1987 2 57 Blank Election Ballots 1989 2 58 Blank Election Ballots 1990 2 59 Resignations 1990-1996 1998 2002 2004 2 60 Club Member Incentives ca. 1995 2 61 Membership Applications 1995 2 62 Membership Roster 1995-1996 2 63 Membership Applications 1996 2 64 Membership Applications 2001 2 65 Membership Applications 2004 2 66 Membership Roster 2006 2 67 Membership Roster 2008-2009 2 68 Membership Renewal Applications 2009 2 69 Returning Members 2009 2 70-71 Blank Membership Applications 2010 Undated 2 72 Membership Applications 2010 Undated 2 73 Membership List Undated 2 74 Resignations Undated Subseries 4: Resignations and Dropped Members Index Cards 1914-1954, Undated 2-4 Index cards, A-Z 1914-1954 Subseries 5: Deceased Members Index Cards 1914-1985, Undated 2 75 Deceased Members Index Cards, A-B 1914-1952 2 76 Deceased Members Index Cards, C-E 1914-1962 2 77 Deceased Members Index Cards, F-H 1912-1963 2 78 Deceased Members Index Cards, J-L 1911-1985 2 79 Deceased Members Index Cards, M-O 1914-1961 2 80 Deceased Members Index Cards, P-R 1919-1957 2 81 Deceased Members Index Cards, S-T 1911-1953 2 82 Deceased Members Index Cards, V-Y 1913-1953 Series 6: Events and Programs 1912-ca. 2010, Undated 1.05 cubic feet

Arranged chronologically.

Materials from events and programs hosted by the WCA are included in this series. The majority of the flyers and advertisements for WCA events are from the twenty first century, with one or two from the 1970s and 1990s. This series also contains event calendars from the 1940s, which were most likely sent out to WCA members monthly. The only evidence of earlier events is from playbooks, dramatic journals, and songbooks retained by the Club. These plays were likely purchased by the WCA for a fee to the playwright, and the women performed these one act plays every few months at an event hosted by the Dramatic Department. Event calendars can also be seen in the Monthly News, found in the Publications series.

1 1 Ticket to Club Performance of Mice and Men 1912 1 2 The Dramatist Journal Retained by WCA 1915-1916 1 3 Plays Retained by the Club 1916 1932 1937-1938 1 4 Report on Club Activities 1921-1925 5 3 Formation Day Celebration Program ca. 1926 1 5 Resume of Club Activities 1926-1930 1 6 Event Calendars 1926 1 7 Songbooks Retained by the Club 1927 1 8 Event Calendars 1927 1 9 Event Calendars 1928 1 10 Resume of Club Activities 1931-1935 1 11 Event Calendars 1934 1 12 25th Anniversary Celebration Program 1935 1 13 Event Calendars 1935 1 14 Event Calendars 1936 1 15 Event Calendars 1937 1 16 Event Calendars 1938 1 17 Art Exhibit hosted by the Woman's Club 1938 2 1 Engagement Calendars 1939-1942 2 2 Plays Retained by the Club 1940 2 3 Plays Retained by the Club 1942 2 4 Dramatic Department Performance Programs 1942 2 5 Event Calendars 1942 2 6 Event Calendars 1943 2 7 Event Calendars 1944 2 8 Plays Retained by the Club 1944 2 9 Christmas Program 1948 2 10 Event Calendars 1948-1949 2 11 Invitation to Club's 45th Anniversary Celebration 1955 2 12 Planning for Founder's Day Celebration 1955 2 13 Hospitality Tea Invitation Tally 1959 2 14 50th Anniversary Celebration Program 1960 2 15 Art Department Exhibit List 1962 2 16 Guest Logbook for an Event 1966 2 17 Woman's Club Art Show at Colonie Center Mall Correspondence and Paperwork 1972-1973 2 18 Informational Packet about the CTM School of Singing and Speech Hosted at Woman's Club 1978 2 19 President's Message with Event Calendar 1978 2 20 Dinner Party Program 1979 2 21 Calendar of Events 1985 2 22 Calendar of Events 1986 2 23 Calendar of Events 1987 2 24 Tickets to Various Events Hosted by the Club 1988 1993-1994 Undated 2 25 List of Card Party Door Prizes Contributors and Generic Letter Sent to Businesses Asking for Gifts 1990 2 26 Event Agenda 1992-1993 2 27 Preview of the Importance of Being Earnest 1996 2 28 Dinner at the Culinary Institute of America 1996 2 29 Summer Hat Show and Luncheon 1997 2 30 Luncheon and Fashion Show 1992-1993 2 31 Open House Flyers 1997 2 32 A Summer Celebration 1997 2 33 Program Schedule 1997-1998 2 34 Third Annual Antique Appraisal 2001 2 35 Semi-Annual Garage Sale 2001 2 36 Annual Open House 2004 2 37 Good Book and Good Food for Good Works 2005 2 38 Rummage Sale ca. 2005 3 1 Good Book and Good Food for Good Works 2006 3 2 Through a Woman's Eyes 2006 3 3 3rd Annual Foster Children's Holiday Party 2006 3 4 Program Ideas 2006-2007 3 5 Antiques Show and Sale 2007 3 6 Masquerade Extravaganza ca. 2007 3 7 Festival of Trees Financials, Planning, and Programs 2008 3 8 Springtime Arts and Crafts Show 2008 3 9 Children's Book Drive 2009 3 10 5th Anniversary of Renaissance Celebration 2009 3 11 6th Annual Holiday House Tour 2009 3 12 Program Ideas ca. 2009 3 13 Teas and Trees Event Proposal 2009 3 14 WCA Sponsored Drives 2009 3 15 A Moveable Feast Sponsored by WCA 2010 3 16 BBQ at the Barn 2010 3 17 Centennial Celebration-Teas to Tastings 2010 3 18 3rd Annual Springtime Craft Show ca. 2010 3 19 Antique Road Show Undated 3 20 Play Scripts Performed by the Club Undated 3 21 Victorian Scavenger Hunt Undated 3 22 Member Involvement Event Log Undated 3 23 Program for A Midsummer Night's Dream Performance Undated 3 24 Events Hosted by the Club Undated 5 World's Greatest Event Planner Medal Undated Series 7: Publications 1911-2007, Undated 2.0 cubic feet

Arranged chronologically.

The Publications series includes all materials the Women’s Club of Albany published throughout its history. Publication of WCA news transitions in the following pattern:

Annual Announcements, 1911-1930

Monthly News, Oct. 1930-1942

The Messenger, monthly magazine, 1944-May 1951

The Messenger, monthly newsletter on legal size paper, Oct. 1951-1953

The Messenger, monthly newsletter on letter size paper, 1970-1972

Although the publication format changed, the information disseminated to members remained unchanged. There is always a message from the President and a calendar of events, followed by reports from all the departments. The constitution and directory of officers and committees are often included as well. In the October 1930 Monthly News, there is a message from the WCA President that talks about the transition from yearly news to monthly. She states that the Board of Directors decided to give monthly announcements a year-long trial, because it believe that this would be a more convenient and accurate method of keeping members informed. At the end of the message from the President, member input is solicited, favorable or otherwise. It is assumed that the new news layout received positive feedback, as the WCA published news monthly for the next twelve years, until 1942. There are no monthly news pamphlets from 1943 found in this collection, so it is unknown whether there were any published during that year. In 1944 the WCA began publishing The Messenger. The Messenger was a magazine the WCA published every month except for June, July, and August. The first editorial explains that the magazine is a WCA project that was started by Mrs. William Arnstein, who was the advertising manager. The WCA published its news in The Messenger for the next three decades, but the layout changed. In October 1951 The Messenger transitioned from a magazine to a newsletter printed on legal size paper. The farewell issue of the magazine informs members about the upcoming changes, but gives no direct reason for it. From 1970-1972 the WCA printed Monthly News on letter-sized paper. It is unknown how the WCA published news after 1972.

Also included in the Publications series are house rental pamphlets, WCA informational pamphlets, and programs. The house rental pamphlets give a brief history of the Clubhouse as well as pricing information and payment policies. An information pamphlet published in 2007 was aimed at attracting new members. It gives information pertaining to the WCA as well as the costs and benefits of being a member.

1 1 Annual Announcement Booklets 1911-1912 1912-1913 1 2 Annual Announcement Booklets 1913-1914 1914-1915 1 3 Annual Announcement Booklets 1914-1915 1915-1916 1 4 Annual Announcement Booklets 1916-1917 1 5 Annual Announcement Booklets 1917-1918 1918-1919 1 6 Annual Announcement Booklets 1918-1919 1919-1920 1 7 Annual Announcement Booklets 1919-1920 1 8 Annual Announcement Booklets 1920-1921 1 9 Annual Announcement Booklets 1921-1922 1 10 Annual Announcement Booklets 1922-1923 1 11 Annual Announcement Booklets 1922-1923 1923-1924 1 12 Annual Announcement Booklets 1923-1924 1 13 Annual Announcement Booklets 1923-1924 1924-1925 1 14 Annual Announcement Booklets 1924-1925 1925-1926 1 15 Annual Announcement Booklets 1925-1926 1926-1927 1 16 Annual Announcement Booklets 1926-1927 2 1 Annual Announcement Booklets 1927-1928 2 2 Annual Announcement Booklets 1928-1929 2 3 Annual Announcement Booklets 1929-1930 2 4 Monthly News 1930-1931 2 5 Monthly News 1932-1933 2 6 Monthly News 1934-1935 2 7 Monthly News 1936-1937 2 8 Monthly News 1938-1939 2 9 Monthly News 1940-1942 2 10 The Messenger 1944 3 1 The Messenger 1946 3 2 The Messenger 1947 3 3 The Messenger 1948 3 4 Draft Copy and Background Material for The Messenger 1948-1950, Undated 3 5 The Messenger 1949 3 6 The Messenger 1950 3 7 The Messenger 1951 3 8 The Messenger 1951 3 9 The Messenger 1952 3 10 The Messenger 1953 3 11 The Messenger 1958 3 12 The Messenger 1959 3 13 The Messenger 1960 3 14 The Messenger 1961 3 15 The Messenger 1962 3 16 The Messenger 1965 3 17 The Messenger ca. 1965 3 18 The Messenger 1966 3 19 The Messenger 1967 3 20 The Messenger 1968 3 21 The Messenger 1970 4 1 The Messenger 1971 4 2 The Messenger 1972 4 3 The Messenger 1973 4 4 The Messenger 1979 4 5 The Messenger ca. 1980 4 6 Club and House Rental Information ca. 1995 4 7 Club Program 1997-1998 4 8 Club Program 1998-1999 4 9 Club Informational Packet 2007 4 10-12 House Rental Informational Pamphlets Undated Series 8: Subject Files 1908-2009, Undated 1.05 cubic feet

Arranged chronologically.

The Subject Files series contains folders featuring a variety of topics, ranging from photographs of the Clubhouse and members to Presidential files. This series houses materials on the New York State General Federation of Women's Clubs. It also contains newspaper clippings about the WCA and its members. Many clippings from the early twentieth century mention Mrs. Edward Cameron, who was very involved in the Albany community.

There is an item in the general correspondence, pre-dating the WCA. A letter to Mrs. Blair about joining the Club is dated 1908, two years before the Woman's Club of Albany was founded. It is unclear whether the date is correct.

1 1 General Correspondence 1908-2004 1 2-4 NYS Federation of Women's Clubs Convention Programs and Reports 1912-1973 1 5 Newspaper Clippings 1912-2007 1 6 Civic and Social Interests 1913 1916-1917 1924 1934 1 7-8 NYS Federation of Women's Clubs Yearbook 1913 1924 1 9 The Clubhouse 1914-1987 Undated 1 10 History of the Club 1915 1919 1940 1970 1985 1 11 Homemaking 1917 1 12 World War I 1917 1 13 Period Advertisements Retained by the Club 1917 Undated 1 Newspaper Clippings about the Woman's Club of Albany and its Members 1917 1925 1951 1969 2007 1 14 Letters Pertaining to Stolen Check 1918-1919 1 15-16 Books Retained by Parliamentary Law Committee 1920 1 17 NYS Federation of Women's Club Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers 1917-1969 3 The General Federation of Women's Clubs 70th Convention Program Book 1924 1 18-19 Songs and Poems Retained by the Club 1933-1935 1963-1966 Undated 1 20 NYS Women's Joint Legislative Forum 1935-1948 1960-1965 1972 Undated 1 21 Mortgage Burning Occasion 1938 1 22 Photographs from the Club 1939-1941 3 List of "Exes" 1943 1 23 New York State Federation of Women's Club Newsletters and Annual Reports 1943-1944 1968-1972 1988 1 24 Pictures of the Clubhouse 1944 Undated 1 25 "Clubwoman" and "Clubwomen's Life" Magazines 1947 1948 1 26 Unknown Member File from Annual Convention 1950 Undated 2 1 NYS Federation of Women's Clubs Directory 1950 1972 2 2 Troy Women's Club Yearbook and Booklet 1952-1953 1968-1969 2 3-4 The "Exes" File 1953 1955 Undated 2 5 Pictures of Clubmembers 1955 2 6 General Federation of Women's Clubs Administration Program 1958-1960 1960-1962 2 7 Third District Meetings 1959-1970 Undated 2 8 Tri-County Meeting Reports 1960 1962 1969 1971 Undated 2 9 Awards Given to the Club 1960 2 10 NYS Committee for the Aging Report 1961 2 11 Presidential File 1967-1968 Undated 2 12 Historic Albany Foundation 1968 2006 2 13 File of the Corresponding Secretary [1 of 2] 1968-1971 3 1 File of the Corresponding Secretary [2 of 2] 1968-1971 3 2 Philanthropic Works 1970-1971 3 3 Pictures of Clubmembers 1971-1972 1995 Undated 3 4 File of the Corresponding Secretary 1971-1976 3 5 Agreement with Residents of the Clubhouse 1979 3 6 Communications with Caretaker Robyn Hodges 1979-2003 3 7 Presidential File, Stella Porter 1987-1991 3 8 Applications for Grants 1994 2003 2004 3 9 Photo Negatives of the Clubhouse 1996 3 10 Presidential File, Eunice Hunter 1996-2004 Undated 5 4 Newspaper Articles 2008 3 11 Clubhouse Restoration 2008-2009 3 12 Glove Pattern Retained by Club Undated 3 13 Inventory of Items in Small Drawer Undated 3 14 Photos Presented to WCA by NYS Federation of Women's Clubs Undated 3 15 Pictures of First Three Presidents and the Clubhouse Undated 3 16 Postcard of the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society Undated 3 17 Rules and Regulations for Use of Rooms Undated