American Association of University Women, Clemson Branch
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Mss-0081
The AAUW Clemson Branch papers contain material documenting the Clemson Branch's foundation in 1947 and activities within the community. These papers mainly concern the projects and programs of the Clemson Branch, such as Book Fairs, cultural projects to help Clemson's foreign students adjust to America, and educational activities such as cooperating with local school administrators to set up meetings with parents. The donors of the papers, Myra Bregger and Edythe Lambert, were active members during these years, and there are a few records that relate to their leadership on committees such as legislative programming, Planning, and Finance.
The collection basically covers the Clemson branch and includes membership lists dating back to 1948, branch officer lists, program calendars, newsletters, and project files that all date back to the 1940's and 1950's. National and state records are limited to brochures and newsletters, though some convention reports are contained within the collection.
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection beyond those of Special Collections.
The American Association of University Women was founded in 1882 as a group dedicated to opening doors for women in the area of education and widening their opportunities to use their training. The first branch in South Carolina was organized in Greenville in 1919. By 1924 four branches existed in South Carolina and together they held their first state convention in order to elect a state executive.
The qualifications for membership include being a woman and having at least a Bachelor's degree. However, in South Carolina in 1920, no accredited universities granted degrees to women, so AAUW membership had to be recruited outside of South Carolina. By 1936 four colleges were granting women degrees and by 1961, seven, so new branches were able to open across the state.
Mrs. Dan P. Thompson, Jr., during January, 1947, met with four other ladies from the Clemson area about organizing a branch of the AAUW in Clemson. On February 13, 1947, a meeting was held with over one hundred women in attendance. Mrs. W. M. Burnett. President of the South Carolina AAUW, along with Miss Margaret Keith, Vice-President of the South Carolina AAUW, presented the history, philosophy, and aims of the AAUW. Officers were selected to fill positions and the Clemson Branch was granted a charter. Thirty nine members were listed in the 1947-1948 year book.
Over the past forty years the Clemson branch has distinguished itself in many community projects, including organizing a public library in Clemson during the early 1960's: creating a children's movie series; cooperating in the establishment of the Messenger, Clemson's first weekly newspaper; helping to found the Clemson Area Day Care Center; and actively encouraging children's art exhibits, reading hours, and hobby shows.
The AAUW has also focused attention on national issues such as world peace, equality of the sexes, affirmative action, and other related issues. The Clemson branch has sent delegates to national conventions dealing with these issues, has held forums inviting state and local politicians, and has worked through grass roots programs to see these issues placed on the national agenda. The Clemson branch has served Clemson and the women who are a part of Clemson for nearly forty years, and continues to contribute to the community's success.
2 Cubic Feet
English
This collection consists mainly of papers relating to the organization and activities of the Clemson Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) from 1947- 1989. The philosophy and aims of the organization are explained in a history found in the collection.
The collection was donated to Clemson University in February, 1986 by Myra Bregger, Clemson Branch President from 195 1- 1953 and an active member of the national, state, and local AAUW for nearly forty years. Additional material was donated by Edythe Larnbert in 1987 and Myra Bregger in 1990.
This collection was processed by David Redekop in 1987 with additional material being added and revisions to the register done by Karen Bates in 1990.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository