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The Altrusa Records collection documents the activities of Altrusa International District Seven and the Altrusa International Club of Brookings, South Dakota, from 1956 to 2017. The materials include administrative, financial, and event records that reflect the organization’s leadership, service projects, and regional conferences. The collection contains minutes, reports, treasurer’s records, correspondence, membership lists, strategic plans, bylaws, handbooks, and administrative files. A significant portion of the collection consists of materials from annual District Seven Conferences and Presidents’ Workshops held from 1956 to 1995, including programs, reports, banquet menus, and minutes. Also included are records of local Brookings club activities such as the Literacy Lunch, Harvest and Harmony, Wild Game Dinner, Bridge Marathon, and mini-grant programs. The collection documents the organization’s community service efforts, literacy initiatives, and regional leadership development within Altrusa International.

This collection provides documentation of Altrusa International District Seven and the Brookings club’s community engagement, leadership development, and literacy advocacy efforts in the upper Midwest. It illustrates the role of a women’s service organization in promoting education, philanthropy, and civic participation from the mid-twentieth century into the early twenty-first century.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs of South Dakota (GFWC of SD) Records document the organizational, civic, and cultural activities of the state’s women’s club movement from the early 20th century through the late 20th century. The collection provides insight into statewide club administration, local club initiatives, civic improvement efforts, and the promotion of public service, education, arts, and women’s leadership.

The records include administrative materials such as constitutions and by-laws, directories, newsletters (The South Dakota Clubwoman), handbooks, program suggestions, publications from GFWC departments, legislative alerts, project guidelines, and conference materials. District V records are particularly robust, containing minutes, correspondence, club reports from various South Dakota communities, and membership data.

A substantial portion of the collection pertains to GFWC Brookings and the Brookings Civic League, including minutes, reports, scrapbooks, photographs, and documentation of programs such as the FREE Enterprise Program and Youth Improvement initiatives. These materials reflect community-based projects, public health and education support, and civic engagement.

The records also extensively document the Memorial Art Center Campaign, including architectural plans, correspondence, fundraising and financial records, publicity materials, and historical background. This segment captures the GFWC’s central role in establishing what became the South Dakota Art Museum on the campus of South Dakota State University.

Photographic materials span nearly 1,300 images and depict club events, members, and sponsored activities. The collection as a whole illustrates the GFWC of SD’s lasting impact on civic life, education, and cultural development across South Dakota.

This collection documents a grassroots civic organization, women’s leadership, and public service in South Dakota. It offers valuable source material for researchers studying women’s voluntary associations, local history, civic improvement movements, and the evolution of cultural institutions in the state.

The National Federation of Music Clubs Aeolian Club Records document the activities, administration, and musical contributions of the Aeolian Club, a member organization of the National Federation of Music Clubs. The collection includes record books, yearbooks, annual reports, meeting minutes, correspondence, and financial records reflecting the club’s organizational history and operations. Materials such as constitutions, by-laws, membership lists, and officer duties provide insight into the governance and structure of the club.

Supplementary materials include pamphlets, newsletters, and manuals related to club programs, national initiatives, and musical outreach. The collection also features documentation of performances, scholarship activities, and music education efforts, including piano programs and student division initiatives. Creative materials include scrapbooks, event programs, and original sheet music for treble and women’s voices, showcasing the club’s cultural and artistic output.

This comprehensive collection documents the history, leadership, and activities of the South Dakota Association for Family and Community Education (SDAFCE) and its predecessor organizations, including the South Dakota Extension Homemakers Council and affiliated Home Demonstration Clubs. The records span from the early 20th century through the late 1990s and reflect decades of grassroots civic engagement, adult education, and rural community development led by women across South Dakota.

The collection includes administrative records such as constitutions, bylaws, financial statements, chairmen handbooks, guidelines, honorary certificates, and minutes from state and local meetings. It also features extensive newsletters, membership applications, correspondence, cross-stitch patterns, postcards, and program materials. A substantial portion of the collection is composed of club-level documentation—including enrollment records, secretary’s books, and scrapbooks—from Brookings, Moody, Minnehaha, Pennington, Perkins, Spink, and Clark counties. These materials illustrate the scope of educational projects, cultural programming, safety campaigns, and international outreach efforts conducted by local clubs.

Of particular note are items from the Susan Wilder Scholarship Committee, slide presentations on homemaker history, and artifacts such as wall hangings, podium cloths, gavels, and banners. The records also include documentation of SDAFCE’s collaboration with the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service and participation in national and international homemaker associations.

This collection offers valuable insight into the role of rural women in shaping South Dakota’s educational and civic landscape. It is a vital resource for researchers studying women’s voluntary associations, cooperative extension history, home economics, and local grassroots leadership.