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COLLECTION Identifier: B-13

Records of the Mothers' Discussion Club, 1899-2016

Overview

Constitutions, financial records, minutes, etc., of the Mothers' Discussion Club of Cambridge (Mass.), an organization originally established to discuss problems relating to children and child rearing.

Dates

  • Creation: 1899-2016

Language of Materials

Materials in English.

Access Restrictions:

Access. Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright. Copyright in the records created by the Mothers' Discussion Club as well as copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.

Copying. Records may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.

Extent

1.25 linear feet ((3 file boxes), 3 photograph folders)

The collection includes minutes of meetings, most of which report on talks by speakers; lists of officers and members; some essays by members; and constitutions and by-laws. Additional material received between 1987 and 2016 (accession numbers 87-M197 through 2016-M143) were added to the collection in January 2017. These materials are housed in #2.7-3.12, PD.1-PD.3; all other files remain in the same order. Folders formerly numbered #1-17 are now numbered #1.1-2.6.

HISTORY

The Mothers' Discussion Club of Cambridge, Mass. was founded in 1899 to discuss problems relating to children: appropriate reading material, obedience, physical training, clothing, manners, hygiene, public schools, feeding, punishment, and so on. Later, topics of discussion were broadened to include: art, literature, other clubs and organizations, international affairs, travel and community affairs.

Physical Location

Collection stored off site: researchers must request access 36 hours before use.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession numbers: 55-38, 549, 76-149, 87-M197, 88-M139, 89-M216, 93-M28, 95-M50, 96-M90, 97-M63, 98-M76, 99-M67, 99-M144, 99-M157, 2000-M42, 2000-M48, 2000-M177, 2001-M70, 2003-M21, 2003-M65, 2004-M21, 2006-M79, 2012-M206, 2016-M143. Accession numbers 87-M197--2016-M143 were added in January 2017.

The records of the Mothers' Discussion Club were given to the Schlesinger Library by the Mothers' Discussion Club between 1955 and 2016.

Processing Information

Processed: March 1977

By: Louise Schlepark

Updated and additional materials added: January 2017

Anne Engelhart

Title
Mothers' Discussion Club (Cambridge, Mass.). Records of the Mothers' Discussion Club, 1899-2016: A Finding Aid
Author
Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
Language of description
eng
EAD ID
sch00748

Repository Details

Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository

The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.

Contact:
3 James St.
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
617-495-8540