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Collection M 139:

 League of Women Voters of La Plata County (Durango, Colo.) records inventory

 © 2004 by Fort Lewis College Foundation, Center of Southwest Studies account (revised 2007)

Links to contents
Preface
Introduction/ Scope and contents
 Historical note
Administrative info
 Series
Container list
 Digital photos gallery
Center of Southwest Studies collection inventories
Center of Southwest Studies

Introduction/ Scope and contents

M 139
 League of Women Voters of La Plata County (Durango, Colo.) records
Years this material was created: circa 1945 - 2006 (bulk years 1962-1999)
Quantity: 7.5 linear shelf feet (approx. 440 folders, in 19 document cases)

This collection consists of historically significant records and printed materials pertaining to the League of Women Voters, especially the local chapter.  Records include the chapter's bylaws, minutes, records and printed materials pertaining to annual meetings, administrative records, newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other records and publications of the national, state, and local levels of the League.  Records also include fact sheets/ brochures/ booklets of the national League, printed reports by the Colorado League, local newspaper clippings (including archival photocopies of the contents of four scrapbooks of clippings, 1956-1971 and 1974-1978), records the Durango League compiled on its bylaws and on its membership, and topically organized program topic subject files of printed materials regarding regionally significant issues such as:

Historical note: La Plata County League of Women Voters (Durango, Colo.)

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of the United States was founded in 1920 to ensure that citizens are informed about issues and participation in community building and government.  According to the organization itself, “The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan multi-issue organization whose mission is to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government and to influence public policy through education and advocacy.  Membership is open to all U.S. citizens of voting age.  (Non-citizens can be associate members.)  The League of Women Voters never supports or opposes political parties or candidates.  However, in addition to providing voter information and educational materials, the LWV studies governmental issues and, after arriving at consensus, takes action on those issues” (Mission statement, LWV La Plata County, website).  The organization’s objectives include public education through workshops and publications, sponsorship of debates, voter registration and protection of voter’s rights, and issue advocacy and lobbying.  The LWV seeks to help Americans find answers to local, regional and national concerns. 

The League of Women Voters of La Plata County was formerly known as the League of Women Voters of Durango, was founded in 1945. The name was changed officially with the Colorado Secretary of State in the summer of 2004 to reflect the group's representation of the entire county, not just Durango. The local LWV’s official website is www.lwvlaplata.org .

Sources:  (both websites accessed on 11/30/2004)
http://www.lwvlaplata.org/
http://www.members.aol.com/lwvco/LWVWHO.HTM  (new URL as of 10/25/2006:  www.lwvcolorado.org )

List of charter members of the League of Women Voters of Durango, October – December 1945

Mrs. Robert S. Ayres Mrs. F. C. Daniels Mrs. C. C. Perkins
Alice Ballou (later, Mrs. Everett Admire) Mrs. Dwight Dilley Mrs. F. R. Pingrey
Mrs. Fred Brinker

Mrs. H. L. Dixon

 Mrs. Louis Puls
Mrs. A. L. Burnett Mrs. W. C. Elliott Mrs. Gordon Royce
Peggy Caldwell (later, Mrs. Paul Franz) Ethel Emigh Mrs. Jack Sadler, Jr. (founder)
Mrs. T. E. Childress Mrs. Nels Hansen Mrs. E. E. Smiley
Mrs. Mark Cummins Emma Jenkins Mrs. Adolph Soens
Mrs. M. L. Cummins Mrs. James M. Noland Mrs. W. J. Wilson

Listed by Marilyn T. Brown, 10-21-2006

Administrative information

Arrangement note:  Series are numbered consecutively.  Box numbers start with 1; folder numbers start with 1 in each box.  The series are organized from highest hierarchical level to lowest; from most general to most specific.  Items within each series are arranged chronologically, unless noted otherwise.  The boxes are numbered in one single numbering scheme starting with 1.

Acquisition information:  The collection was begun with a donation to the Center of Southwest Studies by longtime League member Gladys McBee (since deceased) on May 23, 1995 (accession 1995:05004).  She made additional gifts in 1996 (accessions 1996:04002 and 1996:09006).  Current members of the chapter donated more recent records to the Center in September of 2000 (accession 2000:09014 -- six folders from Beulah Murray), and in May of  2004 and December of 2004 (accession 2004:12005).  Until their donation to the Center, the records were stored in the homes of Mrs. McBee and other officers/ members of the chapter.

Processing information:  The collection was arranged and described by League of Women Voters member volunteers under the direction of Marilyn Brown, and J. Todd Ellison, Archivist, in the Fall of 2004 and the Fall of 2006.  Marilyn Brown finished the first version of the folder list in October of 2006.  The online inventory was produced by Ellison.  The historical sketch was prepared by archival assistant Olivia Everett in December of 2004.

A related collection: A very large collection of records of the League of Women Voters at the national level is housed in the Manuscripts Division of the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.  The first set of papers given to the Library of Congress, in 1933, includes women's suffrage papers dating back to 1914.

Series descriptions

Series 1:  La Plata County League of Women Voters legal records, 1945-2006.  11 folders in Box 1.  Includes bylaws, membership policies, and organizational records, etc.  Arrangement is chronological.

Series 2:  La Plata County League of Women Voters annual meeting records, 1945-2006.  62 folders in boxes 2 and 3.  Arrangement is chronological.

Series 3:  La Plata County League of Women Voters meeting agendas, minutes, associated correspondence, and treasurer's financial reports, 1953-2006.  39 folders in boxes 4-6.  Arrangement is chronological.

Series 4:  La Plata County League of Women Voters voter education activity records, 1956-2002.  9 folders in box 7.  This series contains records about LWV forums, debates, etc.  Arrangement is alphabetical by title/subject.

Series 5:  La Plata County League of Women Voters studies, and reports of action on studies, 1945-2004.  60 folders in boxes 8 and 9.  Arrangement is alphabetical by subject.

Series 6:  La Plata County League of Women Voters bulletins (newsletters), 1946-2006.  56 folders in boxes 10 through 12.  Arrangement is chronological.

Series 7:  Newspaper clippings, 1956-2006.  15 folders in Box 13.  Arrangement is chronological.

Series 8:  La Plata County League of Women Voters printed materials, 1945-2000.  23 folders in box 14.  Arrangement is alphabetical by title.

Series 9:  Colorado League of Women Voters printed materials, 1945-2000.  58 folders in Boxes 15 and 16.  Arrangement is alphabetical by title.

Series 10:  United States League of Women Voters printed materials, 1945-2000.  109 folders in boxes 17 through 19.  Arrangement is alphabetical by title.

Series 11:  Photographs, 1960-1979.  4 folders in Box 13.  Arrangement is by overall subject.

Series 12:  La Plata County League of Women Voters administrative records, ephemera, and miscellany, 1945-2006.  17 folders in box 20.  Arrangement is hierarchical (within each folder, it is chronological).

Container list
Box Series Folder Folder title YYYY-MM-DD

1

 1 1 Board policies 1970/1978

1

 1 2 Bylaws 1951/2000

1

 1 3 Description of Durango LWV 1974

1

 1 4 Formation of Durango LWV – early correspondence 1945/1946

1

 1 5 Guestbook 1963/1987

1

 1 6 Incorporation papers, income tax forms 1969/1984

1

 1 7 Membership reports without dates 1945/2004

1

 1 8 Membership rosters 1945/2004

1

 1 9 Nonpartisanship policy, guiding principles of the LWV, undated 1945/2004

1

 1 10 Robert’s Rules of Order, presented by Marjorie Vlasman 1965-03-25

1

 1 11 Summaries, histories, charter members, LWV handbook, For the Record 1945/2006

2

 2 1 Annual reports from 1945-1953, League handbook, For the Record 1945/1953

2

 2 2 Local League agendas 1957/1964

2

 2 3 Annual report 1946

2

 2 4 Questionnaire for local Leagues 1947-01

2

 2 5 Annual report 1950

2

 2 6 Annual report 1955-03-31

2

 2 7 Annual report 1957-03-31

2

 2 8 Annual report 1958

2

 2 9 Annual report 1959

2

 2 10 Annual report 1960

2

 2 11 Annual report 1961

2

 2 12 Annual program, orientation notes 1962

2

 2 13 Annual program, annual report 1963

2

 2 14 Annual program 1964

2

 2 15 Annual report 1965

2

 2 16 Annual reports 1966

2

 2 17 Annual reports 1967

2

 2 18 Annual reports 1968

2

 2 19 Annual report 1969

2

 2 20 Annual reports 1970

2

 2 21 Annual reports 1971

2

 2 22 Annual reports 1972

2

 2 23 Annual reports 1973

3

 2 1 Annual reports 1974

3

 2 2 Annual reports 1975

3

 2 3 Annual reports 1976

3

 2 4 Annual reports 1977

3

 2 5 Annual reports 1978

3

 2 6 Annual reports 1979

3

 2 7 Annual reports 1980

3

 2 8 Annual reports 1981

3

 2 9 Annual reports 1982

3

 2 10 Annual reports 1983

3

 2 11 Annual reports 1984

3

 2 12 Annual reports 1985

3

 2 13 Annual reports 1986

3

 2 14 Annual reports 1987

3

 2 15 Annual reports 1988

3

 2 16 Annual reports 1989

3

 2 17 Annual reports 1990

3

 2 18 Annual reports 1991

3

 2 19 Annual reports 1992

3

 2 20 Annual reports 1993

3

 2 21 Annual reports 1994

3

 2 22 Annual reports 1995

3

 2 23 Annual reports 1996

3

 2 24 Annual reports 2001

3

 2 25 Annual reports 2002

3

 2 26 Annual reports 2003

3

 2 27 Annual reports 2004
3 2 28 Annual reports 2005
3 2 29 Annual reports 2006

4

 3 1 Correspondence 1953
4 3 1a Board minutes, agendas, treasurer’s reports 1962
4 3 1b Board minutes, agendas, treasurer’s reports 1963
4 3 1c Board minutes, agendas, treasurer’s reports 1964