Gift of the American Association of University Women Delaware Division, 2004, 2010.
The collection is open for research.
Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use
and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to
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Collections Department, University of Delaware Library,
MSS 529, American Association of University Women Delaware Division records, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Processed by Katherine Demedis, August 2005. Encoded by Lora J. Davis, June 2010.
The first branch of the American Association of University Women in Delaware began
in 1923 as part of the Pennsylvania-Delaware Division. When concerns of unequal
representation arose, the Delaware branches broke with Pennsylvania and formed the
Delaware Division on April 11, 1940. Local branches affiliated with state divisions,
which communicate with the national association comprise the organizational structure of
AAUW.
At the first spring conference of the Delaware Division, the keynote speaker, Mrs. Adam Leroy Jones of the North Atlantic Region AAUW, compared Delaware "to a young daughter starting a new home of her own, rather than as a small baby learning to walk, since they had matured during those years in the Pennsylvania-Delaware Division" (Sedwick 10). Over time, the division grew from three founding branches to eight branches, with seven branches remaining as of 2005.
Throughout its existence, the primary focus of the AAUW has been education, especially female education. The Delaware Division has worked to advocate change in Delaware's public schools, improve the state's libraries, lobby for legislation concerning education, encourage girls to attend college, recruit teachers during periods of shortage, and promote educational television in Delaware. The division has worked with the national AAUW to provide fellowships to women continuing their education through graduate work. Additional concerns include poverty and fair housing, environmental issues, support of the United Nations, handicapped children, fostering good international relations, as well as state and federal policies. The group has formed study groups on topics including "Conservatism in America" and "Emerging Nations of Africa."
Women's issues have also played a large part in the AAUW agenda. Since the 1940s, the organization has been interested in the status of women, with advocacy increasing in the 1970s. Concerns included support of the ERA, legalized abortion, sex education, and discrimination. In recent years, the AAUW has focused on topics including Title IX, encouraging girls to study math and science, violence against women, and reproductive rights. The Delaware Division's agenda is consistent with the national AAUW motto of "promoting education and equity for women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change."
The American Association of University Women Delaware Division records reflect the
history, structure, public policies, and programs of this group, and its relationship to
the state branches and national organization of AAUW. The AAUW's mission is to advance
equity for women and girls through education, advocacy, research, and philanthropy.
The Delaware Division records consists of six linear feet of material, spanning the dates 1922-2010. Composed of correspondence, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, financial records, awards, histories, administrative records, newsletters, directories, minutes, photographs, souvenir programs, and ephemera, these records detail the organizational structure and the social, intellectual, and civic life of this women's group. The collection is arranged in five series: Organization and Administration, History and Memorabilia, Projects and Related Information, Local Branches, and National AAUW.
Series I. Organization and Administration, spans the years 1940-2009 and is divided into five subseries: General, Handbooks, Delaware Division Directories, Newsletters, and President's Files. The General subseries includes multiple versions of the constitution and bylaws, the treasurer's files, meeting minutes and agendas, branch reports, and conference materials. The Handbooks subseries contains items used or produced by either the division as a whole or individual committees. The Newsletters are a record of the club's activities and interests, while the President's Files include budgets, newsletters, branch reports, photos, annual reports, correspondence, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, convention programs and agendas, as well as the personal documents of each president.
Series II. History and Memorabilia (1922-2010) contains material which details the founding and history of the group, through items such as scrapbooks, photographs, awards, and newspaper clippings. The history of the organization is chronicled in three written documents, beginning with the work of the Pennsylvania-Delaware Division and Delaware's decision to form its own division in 1940. Papers specifically relating to the Wilmington Branch of the Delaware Division are also included. The Awards subseries provides information on the Delaware Division's interactions with the National AAUW, the state of Delaware, and the local community.
Series III. Projects and Related Information (1948-2000), documents the activities and interests of the organization, showing its impact on the local, state, and national level. Each subseries focuses on an issue, including the following: Children, Education, International, Legislative, Libraries, Status of Women, and Voter Education. In Children, the projects are organized in chronological order and include important AAUW studies as well as published works by other groups. Two significant AAUW studies include the Governor Bacon Health Center Project on emotionally maladjusted children from the 1950s and a study of Child Protective Services in the 1970s. The Education subseries contains the reports from the Education Committee and a variety of school-related studies, speeches, and published material on education collected by the Delaware Division, and a topical listing of AAUW interests relating to education. The International Relations subseries comprises alphabetized topics of interest to the AAUW and relevant correspondence. The Legislative subseries includes reports of the Legislative chairmen arranged in chronological order, papers relating to the administration of the Delaware Division's legislative program, and other topics arranged in alphabetical order. The Libraries subseries is arranged in chronological order and includes information from the 1953-1954 and 1978-1979 library studies conducted by the Delaware Division, the 1960-1961 and the 1974-1975 library studies conducted by the Newark Branch, and the 1960s Governor's Conference on Libraries. The Status of Women subseries contains reports written by the committee's chairmen, as well as information about the 1974 Delaware Division Sight and Sound Show. It also describes AAUW involvement with women's issues at the University of Delaware, female education, and the Women's Council. Wilfreda Lytle is singled out as the first female legislator in the state of Delaware, as well as an AAUW member. The final subseries, Voter Education, includes clippings, memos, worksheets, guides, correspondence, and programs related to the Division's voter education campaign during the 1990s.
Series IV. Local Branches (1947-2002) and Series V. National AAUW (1982-2004) both contain items that are less directly related to the Delaware Division and are the smallest series in this collection. Series IV. Local Branches includes clippings, histories, newsletters, programs, and other items related to the Dover, Georgetown, and Seaford Branches of the AAUW. Conversely, Series V. National AAUW comprises materials published, produced, and distributed by the national body. The bulk of this series is made up of national AAUW publications on varying topics such as the education of latina girls, sex education, teaching girls computer skills, working women, sex discrimination, and Title IX, which were published between 1997 and 2003 (Series V., F6-F20). Also included are three videotaped (VHS) programs produced by the AAUW between 1993 and 1995.
MSS 530, American Association of University Women Newark Branch (Del.) records
MSS 531, American Association of University Women Mill Creek Hundred Branch (Del.) records
MSS 622, American Association of University Women Wilmington Branch (Del.) records
The material in this series documents the organizational development and yearly operation of the Delaware Division of the American Association of University Women. It is arranged in five subseries and chronologically within each series. Any missing years from Budgets, Meeting minutes, Branch reports, Convention programs, and Newsletters may be found in the President's file from that year.
Includes proposed changes to constitution as well as revised copies arranged chronologically.
Minutes from 1940-1950 consist of extracts from minute book.
Reports are all from the Education Chairmen of the Wilmington, Seaford, Newark, and Dover branches.
General branch reports from the Dover, Newark, Wilmington, Georgetown, Milford, and Mill Creek Hundred.
Handwritten notes made by members at 1949 National Convention and notes from an undated convention.
Includes programs and agendas dating from 1962, 1968, 1972, 1980, 1982, and 1996.
Contains notes, programs, and information packets from State Conventions, which are also referred to as Spring Conferences.
Booklet printed by National AAUW for state officers and chairmen.
Composition book that contains many papers and newspaper clippings.
Composition book that contains notes as well as papers.
Composition book that contains a few notes but all papers have been removed. (See F19).
Includes papers removed from composition book in F20. The papers remain in their original order within the composition book.
Printed by the Delaware Division to aid future officers and chairmen.
Historian's Copy of same handbook located in F22. Also contains specific duties of historian.
Handbooks also contain papers relating to Legislative issues.
Three copies of revised handbook from 1982 belonging to the Historian, President, and International Relations Representative.
Revised handbook from 1990 labeled for the Historian.
Contain names, addresses, and phone numbers for Delaware Division officers and chairmen, as well as contact information for officers and chairmen from each branch.
The
Does not include issues from 2004 to 2008.
The President's files are organized in chronological order but the papers inside have been left in the order kept by the president. Most presidents served for two years but in some cases terms were cut short. Each file is a collection of papers that each woman chose to save during her time in office, so some are more complete than others. Contents can include budgets, newsletters, branch reports, photos, annual reports, correspondence, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, convention programs and agendas, etc. No file was available on Eleanor Grettum (1952-1953), Lillian Paschall (1953), or Mary Bass (1966-1967).
The material in this series documents the origin and historical development of the Delaware Division of the American Association of University Women. It is arranged in five subseries and chronologically within each series. It contains papers relating to the formation of the Delaware Division, as well as published histories written in 1960, 1988, and 1990. It also includes papers of the Wilmington Branch, awards, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, and "Delaware wrapping paper."
Delaware Division Nominating Ballot from 1936 and newsletters from 1939 and 1940.
Papers relating to the split as well as a history of the birth of the Delaware Division.
Handwritten and typed histories usually written by historian covering a short period of time.
Booklet written by Helen Vincent Sedwick.
Booklet written by Eugenia R. Gray.
Booklet written by Eugenia R. Gray with addition of years 1988-90. (2 copies)
Includes "Yearbook" for Wilmington Branch from 1942, "History of the Wilmington Branch," 1966-1983, and an undated survey of Wilmington Branch members
Includes a list of award recipients from 1944 through 1974 and one sample of a certificate awarded to a high school student for excellence in science and mathematics in 2010. The sample certificate has been removed to SPEC MSS oversize boxes (17 inches).
Includes newspaper clippings, photographs, papers, and programs from the National, State and Branch level.
Includes newspaper clippings, programs, Bulletin copies, and papers.
Folder contains newspaper articles removed from the scrapbook for conservation purposes.
Includes newspaper clippings, programs, and papers.
Includes mainly newspaper clippings with a few programs.
Folder contains papers removed from the scrapbook for conservation purposes.
Contents were removed from original binder and re-housed.
"Designed by Trina Gardner to benefit AAUW's Educational Foundation." Signed by Gardner and notarized "Nancy T. Neal, April 27, 1984."
The material in this series documents the interests and activities of the Delaware Division of the American Association of University Women. It is arranged into six subseries of programs in which the AAUW was involved, including Children, Education, International Relations, Legislative, Libraries, and Status of Women.
Projects are organized in chronological order.
Report of the Fourth Annual Conference of the Delaware Commission on Children and Youth
Includes correspondence and the preliminary report.
Delegate's workbook.
Study by Delaware Division on "Delaware's Protective Services to Children."
Includes 1970 study results and related materials.
Sponsored by the Delaware Cooperative Extension Service and the Delaware Humanities Forum.
Projects are organized in chronological order, followed by material collected on education and specific long-term Delaware Division projects.
Includes press release and newspaper clippings.
Study conducted by the Delaware Division.
Program for AAUW members at the University of Delaware.
Uncompleted survey.
Originally appeared in the
Address given to Delaware Division.
Includes brochures and clippings related to Dr. Conant.
Testimony to the General Education Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee.
1 copy of booklet by Barbara M. Philbin, Speaker at 1991 State Convention.
Group that often worked with Delaware Division on education related concerns.
The Delaware Division was one of the driving forces behind educational television in Delaware.
Includes "Family Life Education Survey."
Publication sent from the National AAUW.
The Delaware Division worked to establish kindergartens in Delaware's public schools.
Publication by the National AAUW.
Includes "Report on the Open Hearings on Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972."
Group that often worked with Delaware Division on education related concerns.
Topics are in alphabetical order.
Topics include "Dilemmas and Realities of Power," "Foreign Aid," and "International Monetary Systems."
Notes from study groups focused on China, as well as information about the 1995 Beijing Conference on Women's Issues.
Group that the Delaware Division worked closely with to welcome foreign visitors to Delaware. Contents include two brochures on visiting Wilmington (1960) and Delaware (1973).
Delaware Division often provided scholarships for foreign students to come to the United States.
The Delaware Division held numerous international relations study groups throughout its history. Topics represented here include the United Nations (1965), Balkan Countries (1982-83), Africa (1983-84), Far East (1984-85), Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia (1985-86), United Kingdom and Ireland (1986-87), India (1989-90), East European (1990), and Central America (1991-92).
Organized chronologically into legislative reports of Delaware Division and other administrative papers, which are followed by specific legislative projects and programming in alphabetical order.
Written by legislative chairmen.
Although originally opposed to the ERA, the AAUW worked for its passage extensively throughout the 1970s and 80s.
Mostly relates to education legislation in the Delaware Assembly.
Includes booklet called "Oil and the Coastal Zone" published by the Delaware Division in 1975.
Contains letters from U.S. senators addressing AAUW concerns.
Organized in chronological order.
Conducted by the Delaware Division.
Includes January 1955
Conducted by the Newark Branch of the Delaware Division.
Sponsored by the School Library Development Project.
Conducted by the Newark Branch of the Delaware Division.
Nominated for the Delaware Learning Resources Association's 1975 Administrator-of-the-Year award.
Conducted by the Delaware Division.
Written by Status of Women chairmen.
Includes script of show for slide show and rationale behind project.
AAUW member who was the first female legislator in Delaware.
Includes information on women's work, sexual harassment, and divorce laws.
Includes clippings, memos, worksheets, guides, correspondence, and programs related to the Division's voter education campaign.
Includes a newspaper clipping, program newsletters (1994-1996), and a written history of the branch entitled "Georgetown (DE) Branch AAUW, 1957-1990."
Includes printed presentation slides and worksheets from the 2002 workshop.
Published in cooperation with the Stanley Foundation, American Association of University Women, Church Women United, National Association of Commissions for Women, and Women's Environment & Development Organization. Edited by Susan Morse.
A newspaper clipping entitled "Maybe Boys Aren't So Yucky After All" from a March 15, 1998 edition of the
Researched by the American Institutes for Research. Folder also includes several lists of talking points, messages and soundbites, and sample news releases for the publication.
Researched by the American Institutes for Research.
Researched by DYG Inc., and Lake Snell Perry and Associates.
Researched and written by Pamela Haag.
By the AAUW Educational Foundation Commission on Technology, Gender, and Teacher Education.
Written by Angela Ginorio and Michelle Huston.
Written by Cheris Kramarae, 1999-2000 AAUW Educational Foundation Scholar-in-Residence.
A report of the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education.
Includes both the publication and the corresponding "Action Guide." Also includes several copies of the AAUW Convention Daily newsletters from the convention held in Providence, Rhode Island. Newsletters are held for June 20 through June 23, 2003. These newsletters were originally laid in the
Program from the Pre-Convention Institutes for the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders and AAUW National Convention held in Providence, Rhode Island, June 19-23, 2003.
Includes the following videotaped programs from the national AAUW: "Vision, Voice, Victory" (1993), "Girls Can!" (1994), and "Speaking Out for Justice" (1995).