Historical and Literary Club

Historical Note:
The Ladies Reading Circle was founded in 1882 as the first women's literary club in Grinnell, Iowa [c.f. Magoun Club, Ms.01.11]. The purpose of the club was "to gain an intelligent understanding of the world achievements, and its problems, through the study of its history, literature, science, and arts." Before changing its name to the Historical and Literary Club in 1894, the club was called the Historical Circle, the Literary Circle, and the Historical and Literary Circle. Founding members included Lynda Haworth MacDonald, Emily Timmerman Hanlin, Joanna Harris Haines, Mrs. M.G. Phillips, and Mrs. H.K. Snider. The club was a member of the Iowa Federation of Women's Clubs.

Dates: 1882-1991

Provenance: Elizabeth Ernst

Quantity: 3 boxes, 1 scrapbook (project for the Iowa Federation of Women's Clubs, 1931)

Suggested citation: Historical and Literary Club records, Grinnell College Libraries, Department of Special Collections, Grinnell, Iowa. Ms.01.21.

Contents:
Box 1:
Secretary's minutes, 4 books: 1882-1906, 1906-1928, 1928-1944 (includes copy of the club constitution), and 1944-1953
Folder 1: Centennial Sketch, presented April 19, 1982
script, pictures, list of topics, 1882-1928, and napkin from 68th anniversary tea
Folder 2: Study topics and book titles, 1882-1954

Box 2:
Secretary's minutes, 3 books: 1955-1967 (includes copy of club constitution), 1967-1979, 1979-91 (includes copy of 1988 Proposed revision of Constitution and 1976 Constitution).
Treasurer's books, 2 books: 1926-1956 (savings account) and 1929-1964
Yearbooks, 76 of the possible 100:
1889
1891-1917
1919
1925-1927
1932-1933
1935
1939
1941-1962
1964-1968 (in secretary's book)
1971-1977 (in secretary's book)

Box 3:
Folder 1: Ancient records, 1882-1931 (history of the club, 13 typed leaves)
Folder 2: Constitution and By Laws, 1949 and 1962
Folder 3: 22 papers presented by members from 1925-1954:
Miss French, nee Octave Thanet, 1925
Iowa Legislative Department, 1926
Iowa Board of Control, 1926
The LaTours and Acadia, 1927
The Last of the Titans-Schunabb-Heink, 1932 (used in the Centennial program)
March of Events, 1933
Dickens, David Coperfield, 1934
Guy De Maupassant, 1935
James Hilton, Random Harvest, 1941
Eleanor Dick, The Timeless Land, 1942
Quentin Reynolds, Dress Rehearsal, 1944
Channing Pollock, Harvest of My Years, 1944
Ray Stannard Baker, American Chronicle, 1946
George F. Willison, Saints and Sinners, 1946
Gilbert Chesterton, Man Who Was Thursday (no date)
South Africa (no date or source)
William Harlan Hale, Horace Greeley, Voice of the People, 1951
Lucy Robins Lang, Tomorrow is Beautiful, 1950
Dixon Wector, Sam Clemons of Hannibal, 1954
Cecil Woodham-Smith, Florence Nightengale, 1952
Emily Kimbrough, Forty Plus and Fancy Free, 1954
Folder 4: loose papers form 1931 scrapbook (includes newspaper clippings 1931-1938)

Scrapbook. 1931. Project for Iowa Federation of Women's Clubs. [Clippings and other papers removed from the scrapbook are filed in Box 3, folder 4]

16 June 1996