Historical Note

The Associated Clubs of Woodlawn (ACW) founded in 1927 and incorporated in 1936, was perhaps Woodlawn&rdsquo;s most ubiquitous, powerful and enduring community improvement association. Until its dissolution in February 1970, the ACW served as a clearing house for information of concern to its member clubs and the Woodlawn community as a whole. It also attempted to safeguard and to promote the business, civic, educational and social welfare of Woodlawn.

From 1927 to around the mid-1930s, membership in the ACW was restricted exclusively to clubs and organizations. This restrictive membership practice was gradually modified to allow individuals unaffiliated with either clubs or organizations to apply for membership in the ACW. Despite the liberalization of the ACW’s membership policy, joining the ACW was a still a judicious process as late as 1957. Article II, Section 2 of the ACW’s 1957 constitution and by-laws mandate that:

an organization wishing to join the Associated Clubs of Woodlawn, Inc. shall submit an application in writing, stating the name of the organization, the date of its founding, its aims and purposes, and a list of its officers and their addresses.Furthermore, attendance at ACE meetings were limited to two delegates from each member organization. In every case the delegates had to include the president and one other member of the club or organization.

On February 9, 1970, the ACW, with the written consent of its members, filed corporate dissolution papers with the Illinois Secretary of State. The ostensible reason for disbanding mentioned that other community improvement programs, notably the Woodlawn Urban Progress Center, “were willing to step in and undertake activity in behalf of improving the Woodlawn neighborhood.” A more accurate explanation would have to take into account a lack of membership, participation and community support for the ACW.

Scope and Content

A wide range of activities and interests are represented in the papers of the ACW. The records document the ACW’s activities in preparation for its annual banquet, annual block beautiful contest, clean up - fix up campaign and other special events. The papers also include correspondence files from 1927 to 1971, financial records, membership rosters and minutes of meetings. The records from several of the ACW committees have been preserved and comprise a separate series in the ACW collection. Perhaps the most interesting committee records detail the ACW’s Water Purification Committee’s attempts to obtain a water filtration plant for the Woodlawn area during the early years of World War II.

Series Descriptions:

Series I: Administrative Records, 1934-1972
This series contains records detailing the ACW’s preparation for its annual banquet events and its annual block beautiful contests. Also included in this series are annual reports, certificates of incorporation and dissolution, circular letters to members of the executive committee, the ACW’s constitution and by-laws, extensive correspondence files, detailed financial records, membership materials and minutes of meetings. This series is arranged alphabetically by folder subject title.

Series II: Newsclippings and Newsletter, 1931-1966
The ACW’s activities are well documented in both newsclippings and its own newsletters. The newsclippings are arranged chronologically and the newsletters are arranged alphabetically by title.

Series III: Committees, 1939-1945
This important series records the work of the ACW’s standing and special committees. ACW committee activity ranged from organizing card parties to obtaining a new drinking water filtration plant for the Southeast side of Chicago. Committees are arranged alphabetically by name.

Non-Mansucript Materials
Photographs from the ACW manuscript collection have been removed and placed  in the ACW Audio-visual Collection.

Box ACW 9 contains approximately 300 3x5 inch index cards with the names, addresses and donation amounts to the ACW’s Annual Block Beautiful Contest.

Provenance

The Historical Society of Woodlawn was a member of the ACW. One result of this association was that the ACW’s records came into the possession of the Historical Society of Woodlawn. As part of the Special Collections Division’s neighborhood history project, the papers of the ACW were processed between July and October 1984. A Scholl Foundation grant provided the necessary funding for this project.

The ACW collection was transferred to the Special Collections Division for archival storage and is now available for research. Duplicate materials and selected photocopies from the ACW collection are also available at the Chicago Public Library’s Woodlawn Branch.

Access

The Associated Clubs of Woodlawn Records are available to the public for research in the Special Collections and Preservation Division Reading Room on the ninth floor of the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605. The collection does not circulate, although photocopy and photoreproduction services are available depending upon the condition of the original materials. First-time patrons to Special Collections must present photo identification and complete a Reader Registration Form. Telephone inquiries on this collection and other Special Collections holdings can be directed to (312) 747-4875.

Box and Folder Inventory

Series I: Administrative Records

BOX 1
1-3. Annual Banquets: May 1941 - May 1943.
4-7. Annual Banquets: May 1948 - May 1951.
8-11. Annual Banquets: May 1953 - May 1956.
12-13. Annual Banquets: May 1958 - May 1959.
14-16. Annual Banquets: May 1960.
17-19. Annual Banquets :May 1961- May 1962.
20-23. Annual Banquets: Jan.-May 1964.
24-25. Annual Banquets: May 1965.
26. Annual Banquets: March 1970.
27-28. Annual Block Beautiful Contest:1953-1954.
29. Annual Block Beautiful Contest:1956.
30. Annual Block Beautiful Contest:1959.
31. Annual Block Beautiful Contest:1961.
32-33. Annual Block Beautiful Contest:1964-65.
34-36. Annual Block Beautiful Contest:1967.

BOX 2
1-2. Annual Block Beautiful Contest: 1967.
3-7. Annual Block Beautiful Contest: 1968.
8. Annual Block Beautiful Contest: 1969.
9. Annual Block Beautiful Contest: 1972.
10-11. Annual Reports: 1934-1935, 1935-1936.
12. Brotherhood Tea: Feb. 1956, April 1959.
13. Certificates of Corporate Officers: 1950, 1962.
14. Certificates of Incorporation: 1936, 1965.
See also: Dissolution Papers.
15. Christmas Pageant: Dec. 1950-Jan. 1951.
16. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: Jan. 1960-Dec. 1962.
17. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: Sept.1963-Apr.1964.
18. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: Apr.-Dec. 1964.
19. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: Jan.-July 1965.
20. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: Aug. 1965-Sept. 1966.
21. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: Mar. 1966-June 1968.
22. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: Jan.-June 1969.
23. Circular Letters to Members of the Executive Committee: July 1969-Oct. 1970.
24. Clean Up - Paint Up Campaign: March 1969.
25. Constitution and By-laws: ca. 1936-1937.
26. Constitution and By-laws: 1943.
27. Constitution and By-laws: 1946, 1947.
28. Constitution and By-laws: Jan. 1954.
29. Constitution and By-laws: 1957.

BOX 3
1. Correspondence: 1927.
2. Correspondence: 1928.
3. Correspondence: 1929.
4. Correspondence: 1931.
5. Correspondence: 1932.
6. Correspondence: 1933.
7. Correspondence: 1934.
8. Correspondence: 1935.
9. Correspondence: 1936.
10. Correspondence: 1937.
11. Correspondence: 1938.
12. Correspondence: 1939.
13. Correspondence: 1940.
14. Correspondence: 1941.
15. Correspondence: 1943.
16. Correspondence: 1944.
17. Correspondence: 1948.
18. Correspondence: 1949.
19. Correspondence: 1950.
20. Correspondence : 1951.
21. Correspondence: 1954.
22. Correspondence: 1955.
23. Correspondence: 1956.
24. Correspondence: 1957.
25. Correspondence: 1958.
26. Correspondence: 1959.
27. Correspondence: 1960.
28-31. Correspondence: 1961.
32. Correspondence: 1962.
33. Correspondence: 1963.
34. Correspondence: 1964.
35. Correspondence: 1965-1968.
36. Correspondence: 1969-1971.

BOX 4
1.Correspondence: Meeting Notices, 1930-1941.
2. Correspondence: Meeting Notices, 1948-1951
3. Correspondence: Meeting Notices, 1950-1953.
4. Correspondence: Meeting Notices, 1954-1955.
5. Correspondence: Meeting Notices, 1956.
6. Correspondence: Meeting Notices, 1957-1958.
7. Dissolution Papers: Feb. 1970.
See also: Constitution and By-Laws.
8. Financial Records: 1945-1950. Bound Volume.
9. Financial Records: 1948.
10. Financial Records : June 1960-Feb. 1963.
11. Financial Records : July-Dec. 1963.
12. Financial Records : Jan.-April 1964.
13. Financial Records : May-Nov. 1964.
14. Financial Records: Jan.-April 1964.
15. Financial Records: May-Dec. 1965.
16. Financial Records: Jan.-Dec. 1966.
17. Financial Records: 1967.
19. Financial Records: Jan. 1969-April 1970.
20. Financial Records: Bank Records, Nov. 1949-July 1951.
21. Financial Records: Dues, 1936.
22. Financial Records : Financial Reports, 1934-1935, 1937.
23. Financial Records : Treasurer’s Reports, 1950-1951.
24. Financial Records : Treasurer’s Reports, 1952-1953.
25. Financial Records : Treasurer’s Reports, July 1, 1957-June 23, 1958.

BOX 5
1. Grand Crossing Police District Community Relations Workshop: Feb. 1967.
2-3. Honor Roll Promotion - World War II: 1944, 1945, 1958.
4. Jobs for Teens Campaign: 1965.
5-6. Membership Applications: 1949, 1951-1952.
7. Membership Campaigns: Oct. 1963.
8-9. Membership Delegates List: 1937, 1938.
10. Membership Rosters: 1920-1940.
11. Membership Rosters: 1950.
12. Membership Rosters: 1958-1959.
13. Membership Rosters: 1960.
14. Membership Rosters : 1961.
15. Membership Rosters: 1962.
16. Membership Rosters: 1963.
17. Membership Rosters: 1967, N/D.
18. Membership Rosters: Past Presidents, 1927-1952, 1964.
19. Membership Rosters: Roll Call Records, 1928-1935.
20. Membership Rosters: Roll Call Records, 1936-1937.
21. Minutes of Meetings: Jan. 1928-March 1928.
22. Minutes of Meetings: April 1928-Sept. 1928.
23. Minutes of Meetings: Oct. 1928-Dec. 1928.
24. Minutes of Meetings: Jan.-June 1929.
25. Minutes of Meetings: Sept.-Dec. 1929.
26. Minutes of Meetings: Jan.-Dec. 1930.
27. Minutes of Meetings: Jan.-June 1931.
28. Minutes of Meetings: Sept.-Dec. 1931.
29. Minutes of Meetings: Jan.-June 1932.
30. Minutes of Meetings: Sept. 1932-June 1933. Bound Volume.
31. Minutes of Meetings: Oct. 1933-June 1934.
32. Minutes of Meetings: Sept. 1934-July 1935. Bound Volume.
33. Minutes of Meetings: Oct. 1935-May 1937. Bound Volume.

BOX 6
1. Minutes of Meetings: June 1937-May 1938. Bound Volume.
2. Minutes of Meetings: June 1938-April 1939. Bound Volume.
3. Minutes of Meetings: Sept. 1939-March 1942. Bound Volume.
4. Minutes of Meetings: May 1948-March 1950.
5. Minutes of Meetings: Oct.-Dec. 1951.
6. Minutes of Meetings: Jan.-Dec. 1952.
7. Minutes of Meetings: Jan.-Dec. 1953.
8. Minutes of Meetings: Oct. 1960. Speech by Commissioner D. E. Mackermann.
9. Minutes of Meetings: 1961.
10. Minutes of Meetings: 1962.
11. Minutes of Meetings: 1965.

Series II: Newsclippings and Newsletters

12. Newsclippings: 1931, 1938.
13. Newsclippings: 1961.
14. Newsclippings: 1961.
15. Newsclippings: “We Waste a Million Kids a Year,” The Saturday Evening Post, March 10, 1962.
16. Newsclippings: 1966.
17. Newsclippings: Scrapbook, 1945.
18. Newsletters: [untitled], Feb. 1965-Sept. 1966.
19. Newsletters: Associated Clubs Herald, 1948.

BOX 7
1. Newsletters: Associated Clubs Herald, 1949.
2. Newsletters: Associated Clubs Herald, 1950.
3. Newsletters: Associated Clubs Herald, 1951.
4. Newsletters: Community Clubs and Comments, Nov. 1958-May 1959.
5. Newsletters: Community Clubs and Comments, 1961.
6. Newsletters: Youth Welfare Bulletin, 1962.
7. Newsletters: Youth Welfare Bulletin, 1962.

Series III: Printed Materials

8. Printed Materials: 1962.
9. Printed Materials: 1969-1970.
10. Questionnaire of Woodlawn Service Organizations: 1958.
11. Reports: “Correlation of Community Publicity,” July 1937.
“Financing of Community Recreation Programs,” ca. 1937.
“Increasing the Effectiveness of the Associated Clubs,” 1937.
12. Reports: Margret Hulette on Clubs and Organizations of Woodlawn, 1948.
13. Resolutions: 1934-1939.
14. Resolutions: “A Resolution from the Adequate Protection of the Community of Woodlawn,” Oct. 8, 1951.
15. School Board Election: April 1955.
16. Stationery: N/D.
17. Woodlawn’s Matinee: ca. Oct. 1939.

Series IV: Committees

18. Card Party Committee: 1935, 1937.
19. Conference Committee - Woodlawn’s Future: 1935-1936.
20. The Library Committee: ca. 1936-1937.
21. Nominating Committee: Reports, 1937, 1939, 1940.
22. Public Affairs Committee: 1936.
23. Special Committee on Relief: Report, “Chicago Chapter - American Association of Social Workers,” ca. 1929.
24. Water Purification Committee: Correspondence, Jan. 1937.
25. Water Purification Committee: Correspondence, Feb. 1937
26. Water Purification Committee: Correspondence, March-Oct. 1937.
27-29. Water Purification Committee: Correspondence, 1942.
30. Water Purification Committee: Correspondence, 1943.
31. Water Purification Committee: Correspondence, 1944.
32. Water Purification Committee: Correspondence, City Club of Chicago, 1932.

BOX 8
1. Water Purification Committee: Minutes of Meetings, 1938, 1942, 1944.
2. Water Purification Committee: Newsclippings, 1943.
3. Water Purification Committee: Record of Public Meeting of the United States Engineer Office, April 1942. 
4-5. Water Purification Committee: Reports, “To Mr. Albert Chapman, Water Filtration Committee, Associated Clubs of Woodlawn on Pollution of Water by the Indiana Towns and Industries,” March 1937.
6. Water Purification Committee: Reports, “Pollution of Chicago WaterSupply,” Record of Public Meeting, April 1942.
7. Water Purification Committee: Reports, “Chicago’s South Shore District Filtration Plant,” Department of Public Works, Sept. 1945.
8. Water Purification Committee: Resolutions, 1942.
9. Water Purification Committee: Resolutions, 1942.
10. Water Purification Committee: Resolutions, 1944.
11. Water Purification Committee: Symposium, ”Pollution of the Chicago South Side City Water,” April 1942.
12. Woodlawn Planning Committee, 1940.

BOX 9: Non-Manuscript Materials
One box of approximately 300 3x5 index cards with names, addresses and donation amounts to ACW’s Annual Block Beautiful Contest.

PHOTOGRAPHS
1.1 Associated Clubs of Woodlawn (filed under CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS)