Jersey City Business and Professional Women's Club records

Series Descriptions

I. BYLAWS, 1983, 1990, 1997 and undated.

Arranged chronologically. Bylaws of the Jersey City BPW. The bylaws contain the regulations governing the Jersey City BPW. Also included in the records is the club’s certificate of incorporation. Among the documents in this series are the bylaws of the Nike Club. The Nike Club, sponsored by the Jersey City BPW, was open to all high school students and was meant to prepare them for careers and to encourage leadership and community service.

II. MINUTES AND AGENDAS, 1970-1973, 1976-1978 and 1999-2001.

Arranged chronologically. Minutes and agendas from the club’s regular monthly meetings and board of directors meetings (agendas from the years 1982-1984 are located in the files of President Makar).

III. NEWSLETTERS, 1985-1988 and 2000-2002.

Arranged chronologically. Monthly newsletters of the Jersey City BPW. Subjects covered include the club president’s message, calendar of events, district information, hostess schedules for meetings, honors, scholarship information, birthday greetings, and other announcements. Newsletters from March 1985 through February 1987 were edited by Mariann DeVito; newsletters from March 1987 through February 1988 were edited by Kathy Brenhan.

IV. MEMBERSHIP LISTS, 1955-1991, with gaps.

Arranged chronologically. Lists of the members of the Jersey City BPW. Some lists provide additional information including addresses, phone numbers, occupations, meeting dates, the Collect, officers, committee chairmen, calendar, Federation objectives, history, and scholarships. Some of the documents in this series were pulled from the files of President Makar and from the Treasurer’s Subject Files.

V. PRESIDENT’S FILES, 1948-1950, 1982-1984, and 1987-1989.

Grouped into three subseries: A. Henrietta L. Drewes (1948-1950), B. Nadia Makar (1982-1984) C. Mariann DeVito (1987-1989). Dates in parenthesis indicate the range of years served as president.

A. Henrietta L. Drewes (1948-1950). Original headings maintained during processing: Education, Health, Hospitality, International Relations, Membership, Miscellaneous, Music, News Service, Parliamentary Laws, Program Coordination, Public Affairs, and Treasurer’s Reports (some headings correspond to names of standing committees described in Miscellaneous folder). Materials arranged chronologically within each folder.

Education contains materials and correspondence pertaining to Jersey City BPW scholarships. Health contains a program schedule for Better Public Health for New Jersey, town meeting study sessions, a news release from the New Jersey State Department of Health, a New Jersey Health and Sanitary Association newsletter, Public Health Week Forums schedule, news clippings, and correspondence regarding various health-related community events. Hospitality contains correspondence, memoranda, and schedules relating to events of the club (dinners, concerts, lectures, etc.). International Relations contains correspondence from the International Federation of Business and Professional Women regarding International Week, correspondence from President Drewes to members who provided assistance with one of the club’s meetings, and a small clipping from the Jersey Journal entitled “B.P.W.C. to Hear Talk on U.N.” Membership contains membership report cards, applications, change of address forms, lists of officers, advisory council, executive board, and chairmen, and correspondence from President Drewes to prospective, new, or resigning members. Miscellaneous includes descriptions of standing committees and a National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Club consolidated report questionnaire. Music contains a note from May Donnelly, accepting the duties of Music chairman, and words to The Golden Key, a song by Carrie Jacob-Bond. News Service contains National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs News Service releases and newspaper clippings about Drewes and the club. Parliamentary Laws contains a model for club bylaws, amendments to bylaws, forms for approval of amendments to bylaws, revision copies of bylaws, and correspondence regarding bylaws. Program Coordination contains correspondence and materials pertaining to planning programs for the club (films, lectures, holiday parties, etc.); includes listing of Speakers Bureau. Public Affairs contains a letter from Viola P. Gillease, accepting position as Chairman of the Public Affairs Committee, other correspondence, and a pamphlet from National Municipal League regarding its conference. Treasurer’s Reports contains treasurer’s reports and correspondence relating unpaid dues and other financial matters.

B. Nadia Makar (1982-1984). Original headings maintained during processing: Agendas, Correspondence, [Miscellaneous], and Reports. Materials arranged chronologically within each folder.

Agendas contains agendas from the club’s regular monthly meetings and board of directors meetings. Correspondence contains a sample letter to new club members, as well as correspondence to other members, the press, governors, mayors, judges, and banks regarding a variety of club matters. [Miscellaneous] contains descriptions of the duties of various offices held in the club. Also contains a press release, a list of memberships by club, a calendar of events, a program summary, and materials relating to scholarships and public relations. Reports include minutes of various types of meetings: district, special or emergency, regular monthly, board, and state board meetings. Also includes various types of reports: year-end, bulletin chairwoman’s report, recording secretary’s report, annual convention, treasurer’s reports, and the President’s Message for the club’s newsletters.

C. Mariann DeVito (1987-1989). Arranged chronologically. Contains a copy of the club’s bylaws, documents pertaining to the New Jersey Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, correspondence, guidelines for treasurer, treasurer’s reports, a newsletter, budgets, and a roster.

VI. GENERAL FILES, 1971-2001, with gaps.

Grouped by subject and arranged chronologically within each folder. Miscellaneous items. Included in the records are anniversary programs and invitations, correspondence, meeting room contracts, lists of officers and committee chairs, parliamentary procedures, and scholarship information. Among the documents in this series are materials evidently from the files of President McCabe, including newspaper clippings and awards. Also included in this series are bequest papers from the Estate of Mary York and a Congressional Record Statement from Congressman Guarini. Among the correspondence materials in this series are letters from President McCabe to Honorable William J. Hughes and Honorable Peter W. Rodino, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives, urging support of H.J. Res. 638 (ERA), and a thank-you note from William Swid, relative of Mollie Swid, the first president of the Jersey City BPW.

VII. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, 1969-1982, 1987-1993, 1995-1997, 1991-[2000]. Grouped by type into six subseries: A. Account Book, B. Bingo Papers, C. Checkbook, D. Membership, E. Ledger, F. Treasurer’s Reports, and G. Treasurer’s Subject Files. Materials arranged chronologically within each folder.

A. Account Book. Record of the club’s receipts and disbursements with corresponding dates, names, check numbers, amounts, and brief explanations for each entry.

B. Bingo Papers. Includes the club’s registration certificates from the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission, affidavit and application for registration as a qualified organization, and the statutes and regulations for bingo and raffles.

C. Checkbook. From the club’s account with National Westminster Bank in Jersey City.

D. Membership Ledger. Documentation of the club’s inactive members, including their names, addresses, phone numbers, occupations, dates of membership, and notes regarding membership status (transferred, resigned, deceased, etc.).

E. Treasurer’s Reports. Statements of revenues and expenditures (additional reports are located in the President’s Files).

F. Treasurer’s Subject Files. Original headings maintained during processing: Correspondence, Foundation: 2012 Project, Foundation: General, Members: Dues Notices, Members: Dues to State, and Treasurer’s Guidelines.

Foundation: 2012 Project and Foundation: General contain materials pertaining to the Business and Professional Women Foundation.

VIII. DISTRICT FILES, 1972-1976 and 1979.

Original headings maintained during processing: Club Reports, Correspondence, Directives, Finance, and Meetings. Arranged chronologically within each folder. Records pertaining to Business and Professional Women clubs in District 8. The New Jersey Federation of Business and Professional Women consisted of eight districts; Jersey City BPW was part of District 8, which also included clubs in Bayonne, Central Bergen, East Bergen, Hackensack, Hoboken, North Hudson, Palisades, Secaucus, South Bergen, and West Hudson. Included in the records are reports, correspondence, minutes, agenda, and guidelines. Club Reports document the activities of the other clubs in District 8. Directives include district-level guidelines pertaining to organization, qualifications of officers, and the planning duties and responsibilities of various offices. Finance contains correspondence between Finance Committee members and chairmen regarding the district budget and the committee’s recommendations. Meetings include the memoranda, minutes and agendas from District 8 meetings.

IX. CERTIFICATES AND AWARDS, 1977-1978, 1986-1988, and 1995-2000.

Arranged chronologically. Charters, citations, resolutions, and proclamations. Some oversize items stored in oversize folder. Among the documents in this series are the Nike Club’s charter, a senate resolution honoring the club’s contribution to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island restoration, and proclamations designating certain dates as the Jersey City Business and Professional Women’s Club Week and the National Women’s Business Week.