| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Cleveland Women's City Club Foundation |
| Title: | Cleveland Women's City Club Foundation Records |
| Dates: | 1948-2005 |
| Extent: | 1.40 linear feet (2 containers) |
| Abstract: | The Cleveland Women's City Club Foundation was established in 1948 by the Women's City Club of Cleveland, Ohio. It supported projects related to women, education, public affairs and effective government, civic beautification and restoration, health and social service initiatives, and the arts and culture of the community. In 1961 it established the Cleveland Arts Prize to recognize local talent, and in the 1990s it became involved with the Betty Ott Garden for the Blind at the City Greenhouse. The collection consists of account passbooks, agendas, articles of incorporation, brochures, budgets, by-laws, catalogs, certificates, correspondence, financial statements, invitations, leases, legal documents, maps, meeting notices, memoranda, minutes, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs and negatives, press releases, proclamations, proposals, publications, questionnaires, reports, rosters, and wills. |
| MS Number | MS 4973 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
The Cleveland Women's City Club Foundation was established in 1948 by the Women's City Club of Cleveland, Ohio. Initially funded by a bequest from Katherine Ward Burrell, the foundation supported research relating to the problems of women. The mission was broadly defined and included support for education, public affairs, and effective government administration. The first president of the foundation was Verda L. Stewart, a former president of the Women's City Club. From the first board meeting, discussions and debate concerning the relationship between the Women's City Club and the Foundation ensued. This issue and the mission of the foundation itself were enduring topics until the Women's City Club terminated operations in 2005.
Early projects included a study of the conditions at the Women's Division at the House of Correction and a project to direct the development of "the Normal Child." During the 1950s, the foundation dedicated the Roberta Holden Bole Memorial Fund and redecorated the White Cottage at the Cleveland State Hospital. Other projects in the 1950s included classes for gifted children, a television series for older people, a speaker's series, and a remodeled kitchen at the House of Correction. Aside from bequests occasional gifts, the Foundation earned income through annual membership solicitations at a variety of giving levels and with varying degrees of success. During the 1960s, the foundation established the Lulu Diehl Memorial Fund and supported organizations such as the Camp Fire Girls, Council on Human Relations, the Welfare Federation of Cleveland, the Ohio Consumer's League, and the Girls in Crisis Conference. The foundation also created a beautification project on the North side of Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and promoted music therapy for emotionally disturbed children. In 1961, the foundation established the Cleveland Arts Prize in order to recognize local talent in the arts. During the 1970s, the foundation supported the DePaul Maternity and Infant Home, sponsored a seminar on pollution, and funded preservation initiatives of the Cleveland Landmarks Commission. Significant support was given to arts and culture organizations during this decade, including the Ballet Guild, the Cleveland Playhouse, Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, the Cleveland Board of Education Bicentennial Arts Program, Cleveland Heritage Park, and West Shore Concerts. The decade of the 1980s saw the foundation supporting efforts to support family development. Projects that promoted family budget counseling and parent education were funded. Support for arts and culture initiatives continued with grants to the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Additionally, Martha Joseph led a successful drive to raise $100,000 to endow the Cleveland Arts Prize. Throughout the 1960s-1980s, the Women's City Club experienced declining membership, and its leaders reacted with increased time commitments to strengthen the organization. Since most foundation leaders were leaders in the Women's City Club, the work of the foundation became more reactive in nature as its leaders had less time to devote to new foundation initiatives. During the late 1980s, the relationship between the Club and the Foundation were strained as they tried to define their relationship to each other, and in 1990 the president and several board members of the Foundation resigned. Led by Maxine Goodman Levin, the Club and the Foundation began to work toward a formal, conciliatory relationship. The two organizations united around a joint project for the Betty Ott Garden for the Blind at the City Greenhouse at Cleveland's Rockefeller Cultural Garden. The project was a success, and the relationship between the Club and Foundation was repaired. During the 1990s, the Foundation's endowment had grown due to professional asset management, but its annual giving continued to be modest since the overall size of the endowment was still quite small. Until the late 1960s, annual giving did not exceed $4,000, and during the 1970s through the 1990s annual giving did not exceed $20,000. The Foundation supported a wide variety of community arts initiatives, women's programs, heath projects, and social service organizations.
The Cleveland Women's City Club Foundation Records, 1948-2005 and undated, consist of account passbooks, agendas, articles of incorporation, brochures, budgets, by-laws, catalogs, certificates, correspondence, financial statements, invitations, leases, legal documents, maps, meeting notices, memoranda, minutes, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs and negatives, press releases, proclamations, proposals, publications, questionnaires, reports, rosters, and wills.
This collection is of value to researchers studying the history of Cleveland, Ohio, and issues regarding women's participation in local civic life, and the operations of the Cleveland Women's City Club Foundation. Researchers interested in the history of philanthropy, social services, arts, and culture in Cleveland, Ohio, will find this collection useful. This collection documents the management of a small private foundation in the post-World War II era, the changing role of professional women in civic life, and the funding decisions made by the Foundation. The relationship between the Foundation and the Women's City Club of Greater Cleveland is documented in this collection, and researchers will also find issues concerning historic preservation in Cleveland, Ohio, documented in this collection.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 3535 Women's City Club of Cleveland Records.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4973 Cleveland Women's City Club Foundation Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gift of Marge Shorrock in 2005.
Processed by Margaret Burzynski-Bays in 2007.
Series I: Annual Meetings 1950-2004 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Minutes, reports, meeting notices, agendas, and programs 1950-1969 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Minutes, reports, meeting notices, agendas, and programs 1971-1988 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Minutes, reports, meeting notices, agendas, and programs 1989-2004 | |||||||||
Series II: Board of Trustees 1948-2004 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Minutes and related reports, meeting notices, agendas, correspondence, and programs 1958-1959 1977 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Minutes and related reports, meeting notices, agendas, correspondence, and programs 1978-1980 1983-1989 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Minutes and related reports, meeting notices, agendas, correspondence, and programs 1990-2001 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Minutes and related reports, meeting notices, agendas, correspondence, and programs 2002-2004 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Minutes and related reports, rosters 1948-2003 | |||||||||
Series III: Legal 1948-2005 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Articles of incorporation and amendments, 1948 1949 1954 1955 1956 1979 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | By-laws and related correspondence 1949 1992 1993 2005 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Charitable status ruling letters and registrations for the State of Ohio 1948-1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Charitable status ruling letters and registrations for the United States Treasury Department 1948 1971 1988 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Code of regulations and amendments 1948 1992 1993 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Correspondence and notes, Baker, Hostetler, and Patterson attorneys 1970-1971 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Correspondence and receipts, Thompson, Hine and Flory attorneys 1948-1949 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | General information and guidelines prepared for the board of trustees 1948-1979 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | General information and guidelines prepared for the board of trustees 1984 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Leases and related correspondence 1971 1980-1986 1990 1992 | |||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Memoranda 1973 1981 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Statement of purpose 1970 ca. 1973 | |||||||||
Series IV: Financial 1948-2004 |
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Sub-series A: General Matters 1948-2004 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Audit and related correspondence 1988 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22 | Bank account resolutions 1948 1959-1960 1989-1991 | |||||||||
| 1 | 23 | Budgets and related documents 1982-1986 1988 1992-1999 | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Certificates of deposit, passbook, and statements 1983-1994 | |||||||||
| 1 | 25 | Correspondence and reports regarding the Sustaining Program Fund Drive 1981-1984 | |||||||||
| 1 | 26 | Correspondence for the annual membership campaign 1948 1985-2004 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 27 | Correspondence for gifts received 1948-1991 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 28 | Correspondence regarding the Kulas piano 1967 1971-1972 1990 | |||||||||
| 1 | 29 | Correspondence regarding Treasury Notes 1987-1990 | |||||||||
| 1 | 30 | Correspondence with the Greater Cleveland Growth Association Financial Support Review Committee 1983 | |||||||||
| 1 | 31 | Explanation of financial operations 1983-1984 | |||||||||
| 1 | 32 | Financial report comparison 1983-1984 | |||||||||
| 1 | 33 | Financial statements 1966-1969 1977-1989 1991 1998 | |||||||||
| 1 | 34 | Letter regarding the Thirty-fifth Anniversary fundraising campaign 1983 | |||||||||
| 1 | 35 | Lists of contributing members 1976-1979 1981-1986 1989 1999 | |||||||||
| 1 | 36 | Passbook for income account at Cleveland Trust 1974-1979 | |||||||||
| 1 | 37 | Questionnaire prepared for Case Western Reserve University's Private Philanthropy in the Metropolitan Cleveland Area project 1974 | |||||||||
| 1 | 38 | Summary of annual contributions 1971-1980 | |||||||||
Sub-series B: Bequests 1968-2002 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 39 | Barkley, Mary; Bickford, Clara; Bolton, Margaret; Catlett, Emily; Cragin, Frances 1985-1988 1986 1976-1981 1975-1976 1978-1979 | |||||||||
| 1 | 40 | Diehl, Lulu; Hofrichter, Dorothy; Jenkins, Sadie May; Kuntz, Mary; Ratner, Faye; Sacket, Mildred 1966-1985 1992-1993 1988 1968-1971 1979 1986 | |||||||||
| 1 | 41 | Teare, Dorothy; Thompson, Margaret Hayden; Watters, Sada 2002 1974 1984 | |||||||||
Sub-series C: Approved Grants 1957-2001 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 42 | Correspondence, lists, newspaper clippings, proposals, and reports 1957-2001 undated | |||||||||
Series V: Special Projects 1974-2003 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 43 | Cleveland Arts Prize, awards ceremony invitations and programs 1998 2001-2002 | |||||||||
| 1 | 44 | Cleveland Arts Prize, catalog for 1961-1995 Cleveland Arts Prize visual arts winners' exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art 1995 | |||||||||
| 1 | 45 | Cleveland Arts Prize, grant proposals and related correspondence 2002-2003 | |||||||||
| 1 | 46 | Cleveland Arts Prize, Internal Revenue Service Form 1099-MISC for prize recipients 2000 | |||||||||
| 1 | 47 | Cleveland Arts Prize, investment statements and related memoranda 1997 1999-2002 | |||||||||
| 1 | 48 | Cleveland Arts Prize, letter from Robert Little (award recipient) 2002 | |||||||||
| 1 | 49 | Cleveland Arts Prize, list of governing committee members 2002-2003 | |||||||||
| 1 | 50 | Cleveland Arts Prize, memoranda and correspondence concerning the establishment of the Cleveland Arts Prize as an independent organization 2001-2002 | |||||||||
| 1 | 51 | Cleveland Arts Prize, newspaper and magazine clippings 1995 1997 | |||||||||
| 1 | 52 | Cleveland Heritage Park Project, correspondence, maps, memoranda, newspaper clippings, photographs, publications, and reports 1974 1979 1981-1984 1990-1991 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 53 | Rockefeller Park Project, correspondence, drawings, email, invitation, memoranda, newspaper clippings, photographs, proposals, and receipts 1990-2003 | |||||||||
Series VI: History 1978-2003 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 54 | Brochures 1983-2003 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 55 | Certificates and proclamations 1995 1998 | |||||||||
| 1 | 56 | Newspaper clippings and press releases 1984 1989 1991 2001 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 57 | Women's City Club of Cleveland documents 1978-1990 | |||||||||
| 1 | 58 | Written histories 1983 1999 | |||||||||
Series VII: Photographs 1948-2003 undated |
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Sub-series A: Prints 1958-2003 |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 1 | Annual meeting, group portrait May 24, 1983 | |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | Annual meeting, group portraits and views June 11, 1984 | |||||||||
| 2 | 3 | Annual meeting, group portraits and views June 26, 1985 | |||||||||
| 2 | 4 | Annual meeting, group portraits and views June 9, 1986 | |||||||||
| 2 | 5 | Annual meeting, group portraits and views June 18, 1987 | |||||||||
| 2 | 6 | Annual meeting, group portraits 1997 | |||||||||
| 2 | 7 | Annual meeting, group portraits 1998 | |||||||||
| 2 | 8 | Annual meeting, group portrait 2003 | |||||||||
| 2 | 9 | Presidents, last names beginning with A through B, individual portraits 1960-1993 | |||||||||
| 2 | 10 | Presidents, last names beginning with C through E, individual portraits 1958-1985 | |||||||||
| 2 | 11 | Presidents, last names beginning with H through L, individual portraits 1962-1991 | |||||||||
| 2 | 12 | Presidents, last names beginning with M through V and unknown, individual portraits 1948-1985 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 13 | Rededication of Cleveland Heritage Park, views June 11, 1984 | |||||||||
| 2 | 14 | Rockefeller Park project, views 2003 | |||||||||
Sub-series B: Negatives 1951-2003 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 15 | Annual meeting, group portraits and views June 9, 1986 | |||||||||
| 2 | 16 | Presidents, Bickford, individual portrait 1960-1962 | |||||||||
| 2 | 17 | Presidents, Celebreze, individual portrait undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 18 | Presidents, Chamberlin, individual portrait 1969-1971 | |||||||||
| 2 | 19 | Presidents, Colombi, individual portrait 1967-1969 | |||||||||
| 2 | 20 | Presidents, Cragin, individual portrait 1958-1960 | |||||||||
| 2 | 21 | Presidents, Harmon, individual portrait 1962-1964 | |||||||||
| 2 | 22 | Presidents, Peterson, individual portrait 1964-1965 | |||||||||
| 2 | 23 | Presidents, Thompson, individual portrait 1951-1954 | |||||||||
| 2 | 24 | Rockefeller Park project, views 2003 | |||||||||