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American Association of University Women, College Park Branch (AAUW) records

 Collection 0055-MDHC
The American Association of University Women (AAUW), College Park Branch, was organized in 1929 as a local chapter of the AAUW, the largest and oldest national organization of women, founded in 1882. The collection contains the operating records of the College Park branch, and addresses such topics as the Educational Foundation Program, arts, community affairs, education, county government, international relations, various social and economic issues, and the status of women. The collection also contains a branch history and records of social functions.

Dates

  • 1929-1990
  • Majority of material found within 1950-1979

Use and Access to Collection

This collection is open to the public and must be used in the Special Collections reading room. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

Duplication and Copyright Information

Photocopies or digital surrogates may be provided in accordance with Special Collections and University Archives duplication policy.

Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs unless otherwise specified. It is the researcher's responsibility to secure permission to publish materials from the appropriate copyright holder.

Archival materials may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal and/or state right to privacy laws or other regulations. While we make a good faith effort to identify and remove such materials, some may be missed during our processing. If a researcher finds sensitive personal information in a collection, please bring it to the attention of the reading room staff.

Extent

11.75 Linear Feet

Additional Description

Scope and Content of Collection

The records of the College Park Maryland Branch of the AAUW span the years 1929 to 1990, with the bulk of the material dating from 1950 to 1979. The collection reflects the activities and interests of the branch and its relationship with the National AAUW, the Maryland State Division, and other area AAUW branches. Official branch documents including annual reports, bylaws, budgets, membership directories, minutes of branch and board of directors meetings, and treasurers reports comprise a substantial portion of the collection. Numerous branch, state, national, and international (IFUW) newsletters are also included. The educational Foundation Programs (EFP) fellowships and graduate prize awards are also extensively documented. Much material concerned with the arts (cultural interests), community affairs and county government, education, international relations, legislation, program development, various social and economic issues and the status of women is collected here as well. Branch history and social functions are also included.

Administrative History

Founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1882 by sixty-five female college graduates, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is the oldest and largest national organization of women in the United States. Originally formed to encourage and improve education for women, the AAUW soon broadened its purpose and activities. While advocacy for women and women's educational opportunities have remained basic elements of the AAUW program, international relations, cultural interests, and the quality of community life have become long-standing commitments as well. Currently the AAUW offers college educated women conferences and seminars as the United Nations and the American family; fellowships for doctoral or postdoctoral work, grants for members to return to school after a five-year absence; a coalition of womanpower to influence local, state, and national legislation; and serial publications.

The AAUW counts members in over 1900 communities and fifty-three countries around the world. Most women affiliate with a local branch, such as the College Park Maryland Branch. AAUW members are also members of the International Federation of University Women (IFUW) which the association helped to found in 1919. The IFUW unites women around the world in working toward common goals and international understanding.

The College Park Maryland Branch of AAUW was founded in 1929 by Adele H. Stamp, Dean of Women at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). This branch is the third oldest in Maryland, after the Baltimore City Branch (formerly the College Club of Baltimore) and the Frederick Branch. The College Park Branch was instrumental in establishing the Maryland State Division in 1943, supplied a core of members for the development of several local branches in Prince George's and Montgomery counties, and founded the Prince George's County Interbranch Council of the AAUW in 1957. The College Park Branch is affiliated with the Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) of the AAUW.

Organization of the College Park Branch parallels that of the National AAUW. Activities of the branch revolve around a monthly general meeting, study groups, and special projects reflecting concerns of both the local membership and national program topics for biennial periods. As with the National AAUW, areas of interest for the College Park Branch include culture, community, education and international relations. Standing committees include: bylaws; corporate representative to UMCP; Educational Foundation Programs; Graduate Prize; and Public Information. As one of its highest priorities, the AAUW encourages women students at the graduate level through its Educational Foundation Program of National and international fellowships. The College Park Maryland Branch contributes to these fellowships and, since 1958, has also awarded graduate prizes to outstanding women doctoral and master's degree candidates at UMCP. In addition, since 1935, the branch has maintained a Loan Fund for graduate women students at UMCP.

Beyond working to support women college and graduate students, branch activities have taken many forms including: advocacy of jury service for women; establishment of a docent program at the National Gallery of Art for Prince George's County School children; promotion of kindergarten in county schools; and work with Prince George's County school children; promotion of kindergarten in county schools; and work with Prince George's County officials on such issues as integration, school curriculum, the Equal Rights Amendment, and implementation of Title IX (Women in Sports) programs. The College Park Branch has also sponsored the attendance of a UMCP undergraduate student at the New York Herald Tribune Forum in New York City, joined community groups in establishing the Prince George's County Library System in 1946, published the Know Your County Government booklet, and given several Named Gifts to the AAUW Fellowships Program (later the Educational Foundation Program. The branch also recommends qualified women for appointment to local and state boards and commissions.

Arrangement

This collection is organized as three series:
Series 1
Subject Files
Series 2
Photographs
Series 3
Audio Tapes

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The records of the College Park Maryland Branch of the American Association of University Women were donated to the University of Maryland at College Park Libraries by the Branch in 1980. Additional materials have been periodically added to the archives by the branch over the years.

Related Material

Special Collections and University Archives also includes among its holdings the archives of the American Association of University Women, Maryland Division. The Division papers document the activities of the state division and guidance to the numerous Maryland branches, including College Park. Publications by the national American Association for University Women are available by searching the Online Catalog for author: American Association for University Women.

Processing Information

The records of the College Park Maryland Branch of the American Association of University Women were preprocessed by volunteer members of the branch. They removed metal staples and paper clips, placed materials in acid-free folders, established folder headings, and reorganized the collection from its original order into 26 alphabetically arranged subject areas. A preliminary inventory was then supplied by the branch.

Maryland State publications as well as those of Prince George's County and other agencies were sorted out and transferred to the Marylandia Department of the University of Maryland at College Park Libraries. Many publications of the National AAUW were deposited with the Archives, AAUW Educational Center, 2401 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037. Publications and records of the Maryland State Division of the AAUW were deposited in the division's archives, also held Special collections and University Archives.

Photographs have been removed from the collection and placed in the photographic collections and audio tapes have been transferred to the tape collection. In June 2011, photographs that were previously removed to the Biographical Print Files were reintegrated into the collection.

When the inventory was revised in 1985, folders were checked for photographs, consolidated as warranted, placed in acid-free boxes and an expanded guide was prepared. Additional materials donated since 1985 have been incorporated into the file structure established at that time and all basic preservation measures, such as the removal of staples, refoldering, etc. have been taken.

Topics

Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the American Association of University Women, College Park Branch (AAUW) records
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Mary Bailey, Patty Hickman, Louise Dickson, Ruth Dungan, and Betty Vanderslice.
Date
1983-11
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Library Details

Library Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives

http://www.lib.umd.edu/special
Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
Hornbake Library
4130 Campus Drive
College Park Maryland 20742
301-405-9212

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