Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), 1888 - 2008

The YWCA records document the religious activities and social work of members of the organization from 1893-1935. Materials are arranged in five series: Constitutions, Lists of Members, Minutes, and Reports; Programs, Publications, Articles, and Announcements; Budgets, Scrapbooks; and Photographs. Constitutions, Lists of Members, Minutes, and Reports (1893-1935) comprise most of the collection. For most years, members of the YWCA compiled a Statistical Record consisting of membership lists, minutes, and reports. Other records were kept in notebooks or issued as printed publications. Constitutions outline the purpose and structure of the organization and the responsibilities of its officers. Lists of faculty members from 1893-1909 and student members from 1893 through those in the Class of 1912 are recorded in a notebook. Subsequent records list the names of YWCA officers. Minutes record the discussions and decisions of the organizations' Executive Committee, Cabinet, Advisory Committee, and other units. Reports describe the annual activities of the members both on and off campus. President's Reports are on file for 1897/1898, 1900/1901-19256/1926, and 1929/1930-1933/1934. These reports sometimes include those of the General Secretary and Treasurer. There are also lists of topics discussed at religious meetings. A Report on the Reorganization of the Religious Life at Mount Holyoke College, 1934-35 by Mary Calwell, General Secretary of the YWCA from 1933-1935, includes information about the religious needs of students as determined through a questionnaire. Programs, Publications, Articles, and Announcements (circa 1898-circa 1935) concern many of the religious and social activities of the organization. These materials include lists of the topics and speakers at prayer meetings and lectures, descriptions of courses of Bible and mission study, and programs for worship services, receptions, and entertainments sponsored by the YWCA A program and article from 1926 concern a YWCA meeting conducted by freshmen students. There are also programs for religious conferences that members attended. Other materials encourage members to provide financial support for the activities of the organization. Budgets (1925-1929, 1930-1931) list the estimated receipts and expenditures of the organization. These documents include the names or individuals and organizations supported by donations from YWCA members. Scrapbooks (1902-1926) primarily contain copies of YWCA publications that are also part of Series 1 and Series 2 of this collection. These materials include President's reports, student handbooks, and programs for course, lectures, and entertainments. There are also examples of stationery and forms used by the organization and several posters, including one from 1917, during World War I, soliciting funds for the Student Friendship War Fund. Photographs (1899-circa 1931) are of YWCA members at Mount Holyoke or off-campus. Most of the photographs taken at the College date from circa 1923-1931 are of officers of the organization or members with settlement house children in Holyoke, Massachusetts. There is also a photograph of members at a conference in Northfield, Massachusetts in June, 1899. The other off-campus photographs date from 1911-circa 1931 and were taken at YWCA summer conferences held at Silver Bay, New York, on Lake George. These materials consist of formal portraits of groups of Mount Holyoke students and snapshots of participants, facilities, and the surrounding countryside. There are also several postcards and some negatives of photographs not represented by other images in the collection.