Indiana Federation of Clubs collection
Collection
Identifier: L638
Scope and Contents
The collection includes records of the Indiana Federation of Clubs (IFC) ranging from 1889 to 2004. including trustee and executive committee minutes, convention programs and minutes, yearbooks, copies of the publication, Indiana Clubwoman, programs of the study and work of the IFC, newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence, and histories of the club and districts. Some of the materials come directly from the President's of IFC. Also included are sound recordings and printing blocks with images used in publication. Restricted financial documents are located in Box 52. There is also a certificate to IFC from blind citizens (1975) and oversize financial documents, 1992-1994 (OBC077).
Dates
- 1889-2004
Creator
- General Federation of Women’s Clubs (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Johnnie Wilson Rutland was born in Florida to Jefferson and Martha Pickett () Rutland on March 19, 1889. She attained a master's degree in literature form Columbia University and then a Ph.D. in psychology from Indiana University. She met her future husband in the graduate program at Columbia. She married Henry Lester Smith on February 3, 1915 in Rutland, Florida and they had 3 children: Martha Elizabeth (1917-1970), Ruth Charlotte (1919-1996), and Henry Rutland (1922-).
They lived in Bloomington, Indiana where her husband, dean of the School of Education, worked at Indiana University. Johnnie Smith immersed herself in women's clubs. She was regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution three times, organized the Women's Department Club and was president of it, and started the Bloomington Chapter of the National League of American Pen Women. She was also chairman of the General Federation Women's Clubs during 1958 to 1960. Smith died on July 18, 1977 in Bloomington and was buried there in Covenanter Cemetery.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie Wilson." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie R. Wilson." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie R. Wilson." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie Wilson." U.S., Newspapers.com™ Marriage Index, 1800s-current. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie Rutland [Wilson]." Indiana, U.S., Birth Certificates, 1907-1944. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Johnnie Wilson Rutland Smith." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed January 10, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58838585/johnnie-wilson-smith.
They lived in Bloomington, Indiana where her husband, dean of the School of Education, worked at Indiana University. Johnnie Smith immersed herself in women's clubs. She was regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution three times, organized the Women's Department Club and was president of it, and started the Bloomington Chapter of the National League of American Pen Women. She was also chairman of the General Federation Women's Clubs during 1958 to 1960. Smith died on July 18, 1977 in Bloomington and was buried there in Covenanter Cemetery.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie Wilson." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie R. Wilson." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie R. Wilson." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie Wilson." U.S., Newspapers.com™ Marriage Index, 1800s-current. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Johnnie Rutland [Wilson]." Indiana, U.S., Birth Certificates, 1907-1944. Accessed January 9, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Johnnie Wilson Rutland Smith." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed January 10, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58838585/johnnie-wilson-smith.
Historical Note
"In the late 1800s, there was a great growth of women’s clubs formed throughout the country, leading to the formation of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) in 1889 (chartered 1890). Women’s clubs were formed in Indiana as early as 1825, but there was not a state organization of clubs until the Indiana Union of Literary Clubs (formerly Indiana Club Union) formed in 1890. At the urging of the then GFWC President, the Indiana State Federation of Women’s Clubs was formed in 1900. In 1906 the Indiana Union of Literary Clubs and the Indiana State Federation of Women’s Clubs consolidated into the Indiana
State Federation of Clubs. The organization shortened its name to the Indiana Federation of Clubs (IFC) in 1911.
"The Indiana Federation of Clubs (IFC) is a statewide organization dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service. It brings members together to provide a networking system so individual clubs may communicate and combine efforts to better serve communities across Indiana. The IFC is currently the parent organization of thirtytwo volunteer clubs throughout the state. The Indiana clubs consist of both general and junior clubs. At one time, the age range for junior clubs was eighteen to forty, but these age limits no longer exist in Indiana. Thirteen districts of the IFC were formed between 1905 and 1909. The service areas of the organization are divided into six areas: arts, conservation, education, home life, public affairs, and international affairs."
Excerpt from: Rookard, Courtney. "General Federation of Women's Clubs - Indiana Federation of Clubs, Ninth District records, 1941-1998." Manuscript and Visual Collections Department, William Henry Smith Memorial Library, Indiana Historical Society. Created 2018 May. https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/general-federation-of-womens-clubs-indiana-federation-of-clubs-ninth-district-records.pdf.
"The Indiana Federation of Clubs (IFC) is a statewide organization dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service. It brings members together to provide a networking system so individual clubs may communicate and combine efforts to better serve communities across Indiana. The IFC is currently the parent organization of thirtytwo volunteer clubs throughout the state. The Indiana clubs consist of both general and junior clubs. At one time, the age range for junior clubs was eighteen to forty, but these age limits no longer exist in Indiana. Thirteen districts of the IFC were formed between 1905 and 1909. The service areas of the organization are divided into six areas: arts, conservation, education, home life, public affairs, and international affairs."
Excerpt from: Rookard, Courtney. "General Federation of Women's Clubs - Indiana Federation of Clubs, Ninth District records, 1941-1998." Manuscript and Visual Collections Department, William Henry Smith Memorial Library, Indiana Historical Society. Created 2018 May. https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/general-federation-of-womens-clubs-indiana-federation-of-clubs-ninth-district-records.pdf.
Extent
24.36 Cubic Feet (45 manuscript boxes, 2 cubic foot boxes, 8 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder )
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series and subseries:
Series 1: General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1896-2003
Series 2: Indiana Federation of Clubs, 1889-2002
Subseries 2.1: Minutes, 1900-2002 Subseries 2.2: Conventions and programs, 1889-2003 Subseries 2.3: History, correspondence, and other documents, 1894-2004 Subseries 2.4: Club work and financial documents, 1912-2001 Subseries 2.5: Yearbooks, 1903-2004 Subseries 2.6: Indiana Clubwoman, 1892-2002
Series 3: Indiana districts, 1910-1999
Series 4: Juniors, 1936-1998
Subseries 4.1: Junior membership general documents, 1936-1996 Subseries 4.2: Districts and regional groups, 1949-1998
Series 1: General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1896-2003
Series 2: Indiana Federation of Clubs, 1889-2002
Subseries 2.1: Minutes, 1900-2002 Subseries 2.2: Conventions and programs, 1889-2003 Subseries 2.3: History, correspondence, and other documents, 1894-2004 Subseries 2.4: Club work and financial documents, 1912-2001 Subseries 2.5: Yearbooks, 1903-2004 Subseries 2.6: Indiana Clubwoman, 1892-2002
Series 3: Indiana districts, 1910-1999
Series 4: Juniors, 1936-1998
Subseries 4.1: Junior membership general documents, 1936-1996 Subseries 4.2: Districts and regional groups, 1949-1998
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Tric Wright Heepe on 2000/05/07 and Ashley Carver on 2011/07/20.
Accruals
Further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2019/02/11 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid created 2019/02/12 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid revised 2024/01/10 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- General Federation of Women’s Clubs (Organization)
- Indiana Federation of Clubs (Organization)
- Title
- Indiana Federation of Clubs collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
