Somerset Business and Professional Women of Somerville Records
Dates
- 1948-1997
Scope and Content Note
The records of the Somerset Business and Professional Women of Somerville, hereafter referred to as the Somerset BPW, cover the years 1948 to 1997. The club was organized in 1948 at Somerville, N.J., by business and professional women in Somerset County and was chartered in the same year. The club was incorporated in 1969. In 1996 the membership voted to dissolve the club and the formal certificate of dissolution was filed in 1997. Prior to 1986, the club was officially know as the Somerset Business and Professional Women's Club of Somerville, N.J. Despite having a longer official name, the club was known informally (especially prior to 1986) as the Somerset Business and Professional Women's Club.
The records consist of incorporation documents and other items filed with the state, club bylaws, minutes, annual reports, newsletters, scrapbooks and scrapbook materials, photographs, event programs and pamphlets, lists of club members, various financial documents, scholarship materials, guest books, general files, and proclamations and awards. The bulk of the records is concentrated in the 1960s and 1970s. Records prior to 1960 are mainly represented by the bylaws, scrapbooks, some financial documents, and membership lists. The minutes provide the best overview of the club's activities through the late 1980s and 1990s. Unfortunately, no single series provides a continuous record of the activities of the Somerset BPW; however, the collection as a whole can be used to provide an overall picture of the club's history.
This collection documents the work of the Somerset BPW over the course of its forty-nine years of existence. As stated in the club's 1955 bylaws, its objects were: "To elevate the standards for women in business and in the professions; To promote the interest of business and professional women; To bring about a spirit of cooperation among business and professional women of the United States; To extend opportunities to business and professional women through education along lines of industrial, scientific and vocational activities." These objects were not changed at any time in the club's history and it set about achieving them in a number of different ways. The Somerset BPW had two parent organizations: the New Jersey Federation of Business and Professional Women (hereafter referred to as the NJFBPW) and the National Federation of Business and Professional Women (hereafter referred to as the NFBPW). These two organizations provided the overall structure within which the Somerset BPW operated. The level of detail regarding the Somerset BPW's involvement with the community and its parent organizations varies from brief descriptions in the minutes and newsletters to lengthy reports.
The records document the Somerset BPW's involvement with the community and its participation in the various initiatives of the NFBPW and NJFBPW. At the local level the most significant way in which the Somerset BPW sought to fulfill its objects was through the promotion of women's higher education. The club began awarding substantial scholarships shortly after its foundation (its first nursing scholarship was awarded in 1955). Documentation of the Somerset BPW's scholarship program can be found mainly in the scholarship files, but there is also information contained in the minutes, newsletters, and financial documents. Other evidence of the Somerset BPW's involvement in the local community can be found in the minutes, annual reports, scrapbooks, photographs, newsletters, financial documents, general files, and proclamations and awards. Documentation of the club's involvement with the NFBPW and NJFBPW can also be found in these documents.
The Somerset BPW also arranged a wide variety of programs as a part of its regular meeting schedule. Individual committees were responsible for arranging a given evening's events and this information is generally recorded in the annual reports and lists of officers and committees. The programs could include guest speakers, demonstrations, and special trips. The subject matter of the meeting programs varied widely and ranged from lectures on menopause, nutrition, AIDS, and numerology to demonstrations by cosmetics representatives and fashion shows. Documentation of this promotion of the interests of business and professional women can be found mainly in the minutes, newsletters, and scrapbooks.
The collection also documents the Somerset BPW's regular operational business and administrative structure. The Somerset BPW appears to have written its bylaws to conform to guidelines set out by the NJFBPW. The club officers were president, first and second vice-presidents, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, and treasurer. According to the NJFBPW, the president was limited to a one-year term. The Somerset BPW had numerous committees and many were renamed or replaced over the course of the club's existence. Regular club business is recorded mainly in the minutes and information on club officers and committees may be found in the membership lists. Detailed information on the Somerset BPW's administrative structure may be found in the policy and procedures manuals included with the bylaws for 1975 and 1982. A copy of the 1968 NJFBPW Policy and Procedures Manual is included in the general files.
The records are arranged in record series by type of document or file. Where possible, each series is arranged chronologically by club year, from August/September to June of the following year. If arrangement by club year was not possible, the records are in sequential date order unless otherwise noted. Most of the records are either handwritten or typed on individual sheets of paper. Other formats include handwritten bound volumes, printed programs, scrapbooks, press clippings, photographs, and certificates.
Extent
2.5 Cubic Feet (6 manuscript boxes, 5 phase boxes)
Language of Materials
English.
Abstract
The Somerset Business and Professional Women of Somerville was organized in 1948 at Somerville, N.J., by business and professional women in Somerset County and was chartered in the same year. The club was incorporated in 1969. In 1996 the membership voted to dissolve the club and the formal certificate of dissolution was filed in 1997. Prior to 1986, the club was officially know as the Somerset Business and Professional Women's Club of Somerville, N.J. The records, which cover from 1948 to 1997, consist of incorporation documents and other items filed with the state, club bylaws, minutes, annual reports, newsletters, scrapbooks and scrapbook materials, photographs, event programs and pamphlets, lists of club members, various financial documents, scholarship materials, guest books, general files, and proclamations and awards. This collection documents the work of the club over the course of its forty-nine years of existence.
Biographical / Historical
Administrative Chronology for the Somerset Business and Professional Women of Somerville
- 1948
- The Somerset Business and Professional Women's Club of Somerville, N.J., is founded. Planning meetings are held in February and March. At the February 26th planning meeting Virginia Hyers is elected as the temporary president, Estelle Ciccone as temporary secretary, and Florence Brown as temporary treasurer. Evelyn Snider, Katherine Voelker, and Edith Varley make up the Bylaws Committee. The club is chartered April 9, 1948, and there are 50 charter members.
- 1949
- Committees for the 1949/50 club year include News Services, Education and Vocations, Health and Safety, International Relations, Public Affairs, Finance, Legislation, Membership, Radio and Television, and Hospitality.
- 1951
- Civil Defense and Program Coordination (Program) are added to the regular committee roster. Special committees are added for Cooperative Homes and Music. (See notes at the end of this chronology for further information on committees.)
- 1952
- Bulletin is added to the regular committee roster.
- 1953
- The Somerset BPWC receives tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. The club has 73 members.
- 1955
- The club awards its first scholarship for three years tuition at the Somerset Hospital School of Nursing. The Civil Defense committee is renamed National Security.
- 1957
- The Education and Vocations committee is renamed Career Advancement.
- 1958
- The Emblem special committee is first formed.
- 1959
- The Somerset BPWC has 58 members.
- 1960
- The club awards scholarships for a total of $670.00. The club does not award another scholarship until 1964.
- 1961
- The Public Affairs and International Affairs committees are renamed Civic Participation and World Affairs, respectively. The club makes several small revisions to its bylaws including an increase in dues for full-year members to $10.00 and half-year members to $5.00 and an increase in delegates to the state convention of 1 for every 25 members or a significant fraction thereof.
- 1963
- The Scholarship committee is formed and the Career Advancement committee is renamed Personal Development.
- 1964
- In January and February the club adds an additional article to the bylaws specifically about scholarships. The Somerset BPWC awards scholarships totaling $100.00. The Audit committee is officially established. Prior to this, the audit appears to have been conducted on a volunteer basis.
- 1965
- The club's membership is 73.
- 1966
- In March the club hosts an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony. The club has 63 members. The Nominating committee is added as special committee.
- 1967
- The club has 70 members.
- 1968
- The Foundation committee is formed and the Ways and Means committee is added to the special committees roster.
- 1969
- The Somerset BPWC is incorporated on November 24.
- 1970s
- The club begins to focus on awarding scholarships to mature women wishing to return to school.
- 1970
- The Archives special committee first appears.
- 1971
- Minor revisions are made to the club's bylaws including an increase in dues to $20.00 for full-year members and $10.00 for half-year members and to change the fiscal year so it begins May 1st and ends April 30th.
- 1972
- A special committee is established to coordinate the club's 25th anniversary celebration.
- 1973
- The club celebrates its 25th Anniversary on April 9. The club has 39 members. The Young Career Woman committee is added to the regular roster and a National Business Women's Week special committee is formed.
- 1976
- The Somerset BPWC awards scholarships for a total of $800.00. A Bicentennial special committee is established.
- 1980
- The word 'women' is changed to 'individuals' in the club bylaws and dues are increased to $30.00 for full-year members and $15.00 for half-year members.
- 1983
- The club celebrates its 35th Anniversary on October 10. The club has 43 members this year.
- 1984
- The Somerset BPWC awards scholarships worth $400.00.
- 1986
- The club changes its name to Somerset Business and Professional Women of Somerville.
- 1987
- Dues are increased to $50.00 for full year members, $27.50 for half-year members, and $25.00 for student members.
- 1988
- The Somerset BPW awards scholarships totaling $1200.00. The bylaws are revised so that only employed members in good standing are eligible to be chairs of standing committees and that no person shall serve more than three consecutive years on the same committee.
- 1989
- The club submits its bylaws for review by the Bylaws Chairman of the state organization. There are a number of revisions, including the removal of entire sections of some articles. There are also a large number of small changes to grammar and sentence structure. The revised bylaws are adopted on September 12, 1989.
- 1991
- The dues are increased to $65.00 for a full-year member and $32.50 for a half-year member.
- 1993
- The club celebrates its 45th Anniversary on April 12. Scholarships totaling $800.00 are awarded.
- 1994
- The club has 17 members.
- 1996
- The Somerset BPW holds its last meeting on June 10. Nine of twelve members attend. The club is dissolved largely due to dwindling membership and the fact that only one member is employed full-time. The club's remaining funds are disbursed in two scholarships worth $500.00 each.
- 1997
- The Somerset BPW files its Certificate of Dissolution with the State of New Jersey on May 2.
The scholarship information in this chronology is not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to illustrate the relative success the club had in its fund raising in order to promote women's education.
Not all committees and committee changes have been noted because this part of the chronology is intended to show the dynamic nature of the club's administrative structure. Only the first appearance of special committees are recorded. Special committees were established as needed and did not necessarily continue from one club year to the next.
The bylaw changes recorded in this chronology reflect only those that were initiated by the Somerset BPW and not those mandated the New Jersey Federation of Business and Professional Women or the National Federation of Business and Professional Women. The changes ordered by the state and national organizations affected every club under their jurisdiction and are therefore outside the scope of this chronology.
Arrangement Note
The records of the Somerset Business and Professional Women of Somerville are arranged in fourteen series:
- I. INCORPORATION DOCUMENTS AND OTHER STATE FILINGS
- II. BYLAWS
- III. MINUTES
- IV. ANNUAL REPORTS
- V. NEWSLETTERS
- VI. SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS
- VII. PHOTOGRAPHS
- VIII. EVENT PROGRAMS AND PAMPHLETS
- IX. MEMBERSHIP LISTS
- X. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS
- XI. SCHOLARSHIP FILES
- XII. GUEST BOOKS
- XIII. GENERAL FILES
- XIV. PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS
- Title
- Inventory to the Somerset Business and Professional Women of Somerville Records, 1948-1997 MC 1199
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Jesse Traquair
- Date
- May 2005
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Part of the New Brunswick Special Collections Repository