Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Series Arrangement & Description
Series 1: Administrative Material
Club annual report cover, 1935.
| Title: | Records of the Monday Afternoon Club, 1889 - 2003. |
| Creator: | Monday Afternoon Club |
| Call Number: | PPL-MSS-2009-7 |
Size: |
10 linear feet of records |
| Repository: | Plainfield Public Library, Local History Department, 800 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ 07060 |
| Abstract: | The Records of the Monday Afternoon Club document the creation and history of the Club from 1889 to 2007, with bulk dates of 1940 to 1988. The Monday Afternoon Club was founded in 1888 by a prominent Plainfield resident, Eliza Elvira Kenyon. It was the oldest club in Plainfield when it disbanded in 2007. Although its primary purpose was to serve as a literary outlet for women, the club was very active with city events, education, and outside organizations. The collection includes administrative documents, financial records, legal agreements, and publications such as the Club’s magazine, histories and event programs. There are seven scrapbooks that contain photographs, ephemera, and newspaper clippings, and seven press books that contain only newspaper clippings. Additional related library materials are referenced. |
| Language: | The records are in English. |
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Access & RestrictionsPreferred CitationThe Records of the Monday Afternoon Club are available for research. Access is restricted to materials prepared by the Local History department staff. All materials must be viewed in the Plainfield Room and may not be removed to another area of the library without permission of the Library Director or designee. Materials must be handled carefully and kept in order. Materials must not be leaned upon, altered, folded, ripped, or traced upon. Marks may not be added or erased from materials. Materials must be returned directly to Local History department staff and inspected before the researcher leaves the Plainfield Room.
One photocopy may be made (by Plainfield Public Library staff) of each document for the purpose of research; official Local History departmental reproduction fees may apply. Permission to publish must be obtained by the Plainfield Public Library Board of Trustees as delegated to the Library Director. Permission to publish does not constitute a copyright clearance. The researcher is responsible for further copyright restrictions. The Plainfield Public Library is not responsible for the misuse of copyrighted material.
Acquisition InformationIdentification of item; Date (if noted); "Records of the Monday Afternoon Club,” Box and Folder Number; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey.
AccrualsThe initial donation was made prior to 2001; the remainder of the collection was donated in 2009 by the Monday Afternoon Club.
Processing InformationLibrary staff vertical file and additional newspaper articles regarding Club events.
This collection was processed by Sarah Hull in July 2009. The finding aid was written and encoded by Sarah Hull in July 2009. Finding aid content follows the guidelines suggested by Describing Archives: A Content Standard.
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Historical Note
Eliza Elvira Kenyon founded the Monday Afternoon Club in 1888 after seeing a need in Plainfield for a permanent organization for women with an interest in literary study. The first meeting of 50 members was held in the library of the Plainfield Seminary for Young Ladies (founded by Kenyon in 1866). The Club incorporated in 1889. For several years, the regular meeting place was the Seminary’s assembly room. In the beginning, programs were limited to Literature, History, Music and Art. Topics were broadened to include Current Events, Sanitary Plumbing, Evolution, Socialism and Women’s Suffrage. Dues were five dollars per year and each member was required to write a paper when requested to do so.
The Monday Afternoon Club became the charter member of the State Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1894 under the leadership of Miss Kenyon. She played an active role in the Club until her death in 1919. She was named the Freedom of the Club - an honor higher than an honorary membership. Miss Kenyon is the only member ever to have been bestowed with that honor. After 1919, the meeting place was moved to the Parish House of the Congregational Church on Central Avenue. In 1931, membership rose to 431, but the depression took its toll and by 1934 there were 337 members.
In 1949, the house of Mrs. Daniel Ginna on Watchung Avenue was purchased and served as the Clubs home for several decades. Membership numbers gradually rose. The Club was strong in the 1950s after the move to what is now commonly called “the Monday Afternoon Club House” on Watchung Avenue. In 1970, there were close to 250 members. When the building was not being used for Club activities, it was available to other organizations for meetings and events. Gradually, numbers dwindled and the large house was no longer practical. The organization continued to meet at the Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church until its final meeting in May 2007.
Throughout its entire history, the organization was very active in the city. In addition to working in coordination with the Muhlenberg Women’s Auxiliary (also founded by Eliza Elvira Kenyon), the Monday Afternoon Club contributed to events, such as the Sixth Avenue Drama Festival, and Flower and Garden Shows. The Club had a popular Junior Women’s Club (frequently with a long waiting list), an American Home Department, Ways and Means Committee, Program Chairs and Departments, Education Department, Public Affairs Department, and Social Service Department.
In addition to events and outside activities, the Club published a regular magazine. Bound magazine volumes are available in this collection, as well as in the Plainfield Public Library Local History Department. Catalog information can be found below.
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List of Presidents, 1888 to 1988
Miss Eliza Elvira Kenyon, 1888-1890
Mrs. David O. Hall, 1890-1892
Miss Eliza Elvira Kenyon, 1892-1894
Mrs. Isaac L. Miller, 1894-1896
Mrs. William H. Sterling, 1896-1897
Mrs. Edward C. Perkins, 1897-1899
Mrs. John M. Whiton, 1899-1901
Mrs. Edwin W. Conklin, 1901-1903
Mrs. Robert Lowry, 1906-1907
Mrs. Henry M. Maxson, 1907-1909
Mrs. Eugene H. Hatch, 1909-1911
Mrs. Hugh Francis Fox, 1911-1913
Mrs. Orton G. Dale, 1913-1915
Mrs. Alan Cowperthwait, 1915-1917
Mrs. Harold D. Corbusier, 1917-1919
Mrs. Henry D. Hibbard, 1919-1921
Miss Alice Corey, 1921-1924
Miss Emelyn B. Hartridge, 1924-1927
Mrs. Horace N. Stevens, 1927-1930
Mrs. Harlan. A. Pratt, 1930-1933
Mrs. Wilbur H. Rogers, 1933-1937
Mrs. Harry Brokaw Smith, 1937-1939
Mrs. William F. Finney, 1939-1941
Mrs. Seth W. Candee, 1941-1945
Mrs. Stanton H. Davis, 1945-1947
Mrs. Maurice B. Cooke, 1947-1951
Mrs. J. Sewell Elrich, 1951-1953
Mrs. Albert J. Glaeser
Mrs. John W. Shuster, 1957-1961
Mrs. Horace Hatfield, 1961-1965
Mrs. Harris W. C. Browne, 1965-1969
Mrs. Harold M. Miller, 1977-1979
Mrs. Frederick J. Handschuch, 1979 – Acting President 1980
Mrs. Charles L. Hill, 1980-1983
Mrs. Arthur W. Lederer, Jr., 1983-1987-1988
[Source: The Monday Afternoon Club History, 1988]
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Scope and Content Note
The Records of the Monday Afternoon Club include a variety of historical material spanning from 1888 to 2007, with the bulk of records dating from 1940 to 1988. Record types include: annual club programs, specific event programs, constitution and by-laws, financial ledgers and records, membership lists, Club magazines, photographs, ephemera, scrapbooks, and decades of newspaper clippings.
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Organization and Arrangement
The Records of the Monday Afternoon Club are arranged into four series:
Series 1: Administrative material, 1888 to 2003
Series 2: Financial records, 1960-1987
Series 3: Scrapbooks, 1940-1960
Series 4: Press books, 1940-1965
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People:
Organizations:
Places:
Subjects:
Plainfield (N.J.)--History
Plainfield (N.J.)--Clubs and organizations
Women - New Jersey - Plainfield - History
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Related Items
The Monday Afternoon Club Magazine [Monday Afternoon Club, 1938-1979] PR 051 M74
Memories grave and gay, by Florence Howe Hall [1918] PR B HALL F
Excerpts from Ms. Eliza Elvira Kenyon's Journal, by Mrs. Robert P. Coates [1973] PR 974.939 C63
Miss E. E. Kenyon [1908], PPL Photograph Collection ID# X-100012
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Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
This collection consists of paper documents, photographs and ephemera that do not require any additional technology for access.
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Series Description
Series 1: Administrative Material [1889 to 2003]
Series Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents Series 2: Financial Records [1960 to 1987] Series Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents Series 3: Scrapbooks [1940 to 1960] Series Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents Series 4: Press Books [1940 to 1965, with gaps, undated] Series Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents Series I: Administrative Material [1889 to 2003]
Series 2: Financial Records [1960 to 1987]
Series 3: Scrapbooks [1940 to 1960]
Series 4: Press Books [1940 to 1965, with gaps, undated]
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