Philomathean Club collection
Scope and Contents
The collection includes the Philomathean Club’s yearbooks from 1911 through 2004, each one of which lists club members, planned programs, and other club information for the year; meeting minute books from 1935 through 2009; the club’s constitution and by-laws; tributes to deceased members; news clippings, and correspondence. Also included is a sample of the cloth yearbook cover sewn by each member and the pattern and instructions for making the cover. Artifacts include a banner presented to 1974–75 club president, Betty Freeman and a wooden gavel. PSC 293 comprises 10 color snapshots of club Christmas parties.
Dates
- 1911-2009
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.
Historical Note
The Philomathean Club was organized on February 5, 1906, at the home of Mrs. Sarah Hufford on West Adams Street in Muncie. The Philomatheans ("seekers after knowledge") grew from the original five charter members to twelve and then to twenty. Club members chose as their motto "No excellence without great labor." According to an early constitution, the club`s object is "the promotion of higher mental and social culture of its members, and to encourage a liberal interchange of thought by means of paper and discussions." Over the decades, programs expanded from the club`s original focus on literature, art, music, and needlework to include a variety of speakers, travelogues, and discussions of current events. The club also supported a number of local charities and community projects with its annual Charity Day meeting. The Philomathean Club celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006.
Extent
1.8 Cubic Feet (3 boxes )
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1: Philomathean Club records, 1922-2005
Series 2: Philomathean Club correspondence, 1960-2005
Series 3: Philomathean Club minutes, 1935-2005
Series 4: Philomathean Club yearbooks, 1911-2004
Series 5: Philomathean Club ephemera, 1974-1975, undated
Series 6: Philomathean Club photographs, 1978-2006
Custodial History
This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation by Betty Freeman on 2006/09/13. Additional material were donated by Betty Freeman on 2010/03/19.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2006/10/01 by Jane Gastineau. EAD finding aid created 2011/06/05 by Bethany Fiechter.
- By-laws Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Clubwomen Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Corporate minutes Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Delaware County (Ind.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Delaware County (Ind.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muncie (Ind.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muncie (Ind.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Obituaries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Organizations Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Programs Subject Source: TGM II, Genre and physical characteristic terms
- Stoeckel Archives of Local History Subject Source: Local sources
- Women Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Yearbooks Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Philomathean Club collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Stoeckel Archives of Local History Repository
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA
libarchives@bsu.edu
