MINUTES, 1931-1983

Minutes of the officers, board of directors and members of the PAWA. Other document types include correspondence, agendas, treasurer's reports, receipts, resolutions, lists, press releases and notices regarding meetings. Subjects discussed at the meetings include future programs, political action, fund-raising, membership, formation of committees, cooperation with other organizations, and charitable collections.

The first sub-series, General, includes minutes of meetings of various types. In 1931-1932, the group met interchangeably under the names Pan-American Woman's Association of the Roerich Museum, Pan-American Society for Women, and Pan-American Women's Association of the Roerich Society. Beginning in 1933, the group referred to itself as the Pan-American Women's Association or the PAWA, although it still met at the Roerich Museum. The types of meetings held during this period included general meetings, special meetings, open meetings (to attract members), work meetings, business meetings, and members meetings. Also includes a few sets of meetings of sub-committees, like the publicity committee. The PAWA was supposed to meet every month, but meetings were actually rather irregular.

In the early years, the meetings often included programs such as speakers or musical performances. A few of the early meeting minutes are written in Spanish. Committees for hospitality, receptions and programs and a Men's Advisory Committee were formed in 1939. In about 1945, the group assumed a more formal structure, electing officers, directors, and committees.

The second sub-series, Board of Directors(1948-1981) consists primarily of minutes of the board of directors, which began to hold monthly meetings in 1949. Also includes some sub-committee meeting minutes, such as the Task Force (1973) which presented recommendations on fund-raising and ways to improve attendance at meetings to the board of directors.

The third sub-series, Annual Meeting (1966-1983) consists of minutes of the yearly meeting of all members of the PAWA. Formal annual meetings date from incorporation in 1966, but similar meetings from earlier dates can be found in the General sub-series. The annual meeting minutes include a summary of the year's activities, appointments to committees, reports from committee chairmen, the treasurer's report, motions, and installations of officers. (Elections of officers were done by mail). No minutes are available for 1977-1981.