A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 25115
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia 800 East Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000 USA Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference) Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference) Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives) URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/
The Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs was founded in
1907 in Lynchburg, Virginia. The first president elected was
Mrs. James Kyle, of the Lynchburg Woman's Club. The Virginia
Federation was a state branch of the national organization,
the General Federation of Women's Clubs, which had been
established in New York in 1892. The organization consisted of
literary, sewing, and social clubs that were founded primarily
as a means for self-education and development for women.
Gradually, the emphasis of most local clubs changed to
community service and improvement.
The Virginia Federation was organized into six geographic
districts, with a seventh added in 1932, and further divided
into several departments, American Home, Education, Fine Arts,
Legislation, International Relations, and Public Welfare.
Issues addressed included penal reform, highway
beautification, birth control, illiteracy, and education.
Among the many accomplishments of the club was the
establishment of the Etta Belle Nature Camp in 1945 (Natural
Bridge, Va.); the restoration of the McLean House (Appomattox,
Va.) in 1951; the association of Mary Washington College
(Fredericksburg, Va.), a women's liberal arts college, with
the University of Virginia in 1944; and numerous libraries
established in Virginia during the 1920-1930's. As of 1999 the
Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs was still in
existence.
For further information on women's clubs, researchers
should consult: THE VIRGINIA FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS:
1907-1957, by Etta Belle Walker Northington; THE HISTORY OF
THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS FOR THE FIRST
TWENTY-TWO YEARS OF ITS ORGANIZATION, by Mary I. Wood; and
REACHING OUT: A STORY OF THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S
CLUBS, by Mary Jean Houde.
The Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs (VFWC) records are
housed in 18 archival boxes and are arranged alphabetically by
folder title, with oversized materials and research cards
arranged to the rear. The collection documents the history of
the Federation's contribution to Virginia's social welfare,
including environmental conservation, homefront service during
both World Wars, improvement of health conditions, child
welfare, volunteer work, fund-raising, and charities. The
records consist of research materials gathered by members of
the VFWC in connection with the organization's golden
anniversary celebration in 1957. The materials were also used
in the writing of Etta Belle Walker Northington's book, THE
VIRGINIA FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS: 1907-1957.
These records include biographical files, clippings,
correspondence, district reports, financial records,
histories, minutes, pamphlets, photographs, research cards,
scrapbooks, serials, and other sundry materials. The records
of the Junior Women's Clubs, a subsidiary of the Federation,
are also included. Of note within the collection are the
biographical files, district reports, and research cards. The
biographical files are organized by presidential terms and
contain pamphlets, correspondence, clippings, yearbooks, club
directories and genealogical information, 1907-1958. The
correspondence is rather limited, although some letters to
Virginia politicians are included. The files of Etta Belle
Northington, for example, contain correspondence with Governor
William M. Tuck, 1946. It should be noted that the
biographical files also contain minutes, and researchers
should consult both the biographical and minute files for each
specific year.
The district reports are arranged alphabetically by club
name and are a good source of information on club activities
and events. The reports include information on club history,
yearly activities, officers, finances, and often contain
photographs and programs. The research notecards contain
indexed information from the federation files and were
established as a reference guide for the Golden Anniversary
Research Committee. The cards are arranged chronologically in
two sections: grouped by presidential term and by year. Each
section is then subdivided into subjects, for example,
projects, war work, personalities, Virginia history, and
awards.
The collection also includes a number of scrapbooks from
the federation and its districts. Of note is a war bond
scrapbook, 1943-1946, chronicling the efforts of Virginia club
women to sell bonds and raise money for military equipment
during World War II. Fighter planes were purchased through the
efforts of the Virginia clubs, namely, the "Wings of the
Alexandria Woman's Club" in 1944, and "H.J. Miracle", for the
Hilton Village Juniors, in 1943.