Gift of the American Association of University Women Mill Creek Hundred Branch (Del.), 2005.
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MSS 531, American Association of University Women Mill Creek Hundred Branch (Del.) records, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Processed by Katherine Demedis, November 2005. Encoded by Lora J. Davis, June 2010.
The Mill Creek Hundred Branch of the American Association of University Women, in
existence from 1972-2002, was one of eight branches of AAUW in Delaware.
The Mill Creek Hundred Branch formed in 1972, making it the eighth branch in the Delaware Division. Founded by a group of twelve women from the Newark and Wilmington branches, Mill Creek Hundred's membership peaked at over one hundred members. Former member Geraldine Elter described the group's participants as young women who "had young children and stayed home to take care of them." (F44) In a 1994 report, Elter further described the distinctive qualities of Mill Creek: "The Wilmington Branch was too big ... The Newark Branch was strongly affiliated with the University of Delaware ... Mill Creek was thought to be just the right combination of ages, interests, children, community involvement, etc." (F44)
The Mill Creek Hundred Branch had several long-term projects and ongoing events including the Book Sale, the Candidate's Forum, and the May Dinner. The annual Book Sale in November usually enjoyed profits of over three thousand dollars, but a shrinking volunteer base ended the event around 1990. In election years, the group sponsored a "Candidate's Forum" which was open to the public and well-attended by public officials. The annual May Dinner at the end of the AAUW year was a time for members to celebrate and present the annual Named Gift Award, a five hundred dollar contribution to the Educational Foundation Program in honor of a member who had shown outstanding service to the branch. In later years it was replaced by the Donor Dinner or Donor Tea.
As with all AAUW branches, Mill Creek Hundred had a variety of study groups including Gourmet Cooking, Bridge, Great Decisions, Gardens, Early Childhood, Books, Public Policy, Needlework, Craft, and the Couples' Discussion Group. The branch members also worked on projects involving battered wives' shelters, teenage pregnancy, scholarships to Goldey Beacom College, local school grants, transportation for cancer patients, and childcare. They were active in the AAUW Delaware Division's Legislative Day and United Nations Day, made displays for Women's History Month, and participated in Newark Community Days.
In its last years of existence, the Mill Creek Hundred Branch suffered from low membership, dropping from over one hundred twenty members to less than fifty in a ten year period. This led to the cancellation of major projects, annual events, and study groups. Some members cited increasing numbers of working women and grown children as reasons for shrinking participation. Others thought that the national AAUW had "become too political" and dues were too high. Geraldine Elter concluded that "AAUW used to provide stimulation that is now offered by other sources." (F44) The Mill Creek Branch disbanded in 2002 and members were invited to join either the Wilmington or Newark branches.
The American Association of University Women Mill Creek Hundred Branch (Del.) records
reflect the organizational structure and detail the social, intellectual, and civic life
of this women's group, which was formed to support the AAUW mission to advance equity
for women and girls through education, advocacy, and research. The records span the
extant dates of the branch, 1972–2002.
Series I. Organization and Administration spans the years 1972–2002 and is divided into four subseries: Administration, Membership, Finances, and Newsletters. Administration contains the bylaws, correspondence, and agendas of the branch. The collection is incomplete, with a limited number of years represented. Membership includes a complete collection of Mill Creek Hundred directories dating from 1972 to 2002 and a list of board members. The Finances subseries consists of budgets, treasurer's reports, tax information, account books, bank statements, and other materials. The final subseries, Newsletters, houses all issues of the Mill Creek Branch newsletter,
Series II. Projects and Events covers several branch activities from 1980 to 2002. The events include branch dinners, Goldey Beacom Honors Day, the annual Book Sale, the Delaware Division's 60th State Convention, and several anniversary celebrations. The collection contains programs with recipes from dinners the branch held, as well as other favorite recipes of the branch members. In 2002 the branch marked its thirtieth anniversary and dissolution with the "Blaze of Glory" luncheon; papers describing the planning of the event and the invitation are available. Despite the large number of study groups, only the Book Group is represented. Gifts given by the branch to Bear and Kirkwood Highway libraries are also documented here. Additionally, the series houses printed material compiled by the branch, including two brochures (1982 and 1991) detailing the activities and history of the branch in hopes of attracting new members and a "Preventing Teen Pregnancy" booklet from 1991.
Series III. History and Memorabilia, covers the years 1972–2002 and presents the development of the group in a variety of formats. The contents of the series include a certificate for the founding of the branch and a timeline of the history up to 1982. A 1994 report written by Geraldine Elter discusses the declining membership of the Mill Creek Branch; correspondence chronicles the dissolution of the branch in 2002. The series also contains photographs and four scrapbooks from 1972 to 1998 detailing the history of the group in pictures, programs, and newspaper clippings. The first two volumes are the most complete, while the remaining two volumes are more sporadic in their coverage.
MSS 529, American Association of University Women Delaware Division records
MSS 530, American Association of University Women Newark 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 Mill Creek Hundred Branch of the American Association of University Women. It is arranged chronologically within each of its four subseries: Administration, Membership, Finances, and Newsletters.
This subseries is arranged chronologically and details the membership of the Mill Creek Hundred Branch.
Lists names, addresses, and phone numbers of branch members.
Contains a list of board members, a list of members' addresses, and a sheet displaying membership statistics from 1974-2001.
Contains alphabetized index cards of "dropped members" of the branch. Each card has the member's name, address, phone number, and degrees, as well as the years of membership.
Contains alphabetized index cards of members active as of the dissolution of the branch.
This subseries is arranged chronologically and contains a detailed record of the finances of the Mill Creek Hundred Branch.
Includes budgets and treasurer's reports detailing the group's finances.
Details the expenditures and income of the Fellowship Committee, also includes an envelope of deposit slips.
Includes budgets and treasurer's reports detailing the group's finances.
Two floppy discs containing the 2001 finances, one for Windows and the other for Macintosh.
This subseries contains a complete run of the Mill Creek Branch newsletter, as well as several of the Delaware Division newsletters.
The
The
The material in this series documents the major events and activities of the Mill Creek Hundred Branch of the American Association of University Women, including award ceremonies, dinners, scholarships, fundraisers, and gifts. It is arranged chronologically.
Details the activities and history of the branch with the intention of attracting new members.
Information on scholarships awarded by the Mill Creek Hundred Branch
Contains planning information and photographs from the 1988 Book Sale.
Two copies of the booklet produced by the Mill Creek Hundred Branch. This booklet is a collection of resources available to residents of New Castle County, Delaware to help prevent teen pregnancy. Also contains a brochure on abortion in Delaware and domestic violence.
Sharon Smith was a devoted member of the Mill Creek Hundred Branch who passed away suddenly on January 4, 2001. She served as branch president in 1974-1975 and again in 1985-1986. The branch donated books to the Kirkwood Highway Library in her memory. This file contains eulogies, announcements, and correspondence relating to her death and the library donation.
Contains the reading and meeting list for the Mill Creek Book Group.
The "Blaze of Glory" luncheon celebrated the thirtieth anniversary as well as the dissolution of the branch. This folder contains the invitation and papers related to planning the event.
This series includes correspondence, certificates, photographs, and scrapbooks which document the historical development and dissolution of the Mill Creek Hundred Branch of the American Association of University Women.
Contains certificate from national AAUW granting recognition of the Mill Creek Hundred Branch. Signed by Anne Campbell, president.
A timeline of the branch history from 1972 to 1982.
Two copies of the report written by Geraldine Elter and submitted to Professor R. Worley which discusses the decline in membership of the Mill Creek Branch and possibility of dissolution.
Contains awards from 1983, 1990, and 1991 from the national AAUW, three certificates from 1990 for members who have served on the Delaware Division Board, a blank certificate for the Named Gift Award, and a list honoring all members who have served on the Division Board in honor of its fiftieth anniversary.
Contains photographs from the 2000 State Convention and the 2001 luncheon for Jo Gibson, a branch officer who moved to Arizona.
The scrapbooks detail the history of the group in pictures, programs, and newspaper clippings from 1972 to 1998. The first two volumes are the most complete, while the remaining two volumes are more sporadic in their coverage.