Finding aid for the Musical Art Society Records
Title:
Musical Art Society Records
Repository:
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722
http://www.wrhs.org
Creator:
Musical Art Society
Dates:
1912-1994
Quantity:
1.10 linear feet (3 containers)
Abstract:
 The Musical Art Society, a women's music club, was founded in 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio. Performance and audition standards were criteria for admission of members; and meetings, held at members' homes, included vocal and instrumental performances and presentation of papers on composers and musical topics. The Society also sponsored musical and cultural events for the public, and offered scholarships to promising young musicians and vocalists in the Cleveland area. The collection consists of constitutions and bylaws, minutes, correspondence, programs, seasonal yearbooks, and scrapbooks.
Identification:
MS 4714
Location:
closed stacks
Language:
The records are in English

History of the Musical Art Society

The Musical Art Society (f. 1912), a Cleveland area women's music club dedicated to "harmony" and performance of the musical arts, was organized on October 18, 1912, at the home of Mrs. J. E. Hikes of Lee Avenue. Performance and audition standards were criteria for admission of members. The bi-monthly meetings, held at members' homes, included a vocal and instrumental performance and the presentation of papers on composers or musical topics. The society also sponsored musical and cultural events and offered scholarships to promising young musicians and vocalists in the Cleveland area. The society is still in existence and members continue to meet and perform in members' homes.

Scope and Content

The Musical Art Society Records, 1912-1994, consist of constitutions and bylaws, minutes, correspondence, programs, seasonal yearbooks, and scrapbooks.

This collection is of interest to researchers studying women's involvement in fine arts and social clubs in Cleveland, Ohio, in the twentieth century. The Musical Art Society's correspondence is rich in anecdotal information about the social and personal lives of the organization's members and the time in which they lived.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by document type and then chronologically, beginning with bylaws and minutes, followed by other document types filed alphabetically.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Clubs -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Societies, etc.
Music -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Musical Art Society (Cleveland, Ohio).
Women -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Societies and clubs.
Women -- Ohio -- Cleveland.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4714 Musical Art Society Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Musical Art Society, 1994

Processing Information

Processed by Kristen A. Earnhardt in 1995


Detailed Description of The Collection



Musical Art Society Records, 1912-1994; undated

Box 1 / Folder 1
Constitution and bylaws of the Musical Art Society, 1950




Box 1 / Folder 2-7
Minutes, including list of charter members and inaugural constitution and by-laws of the organization, programs, correspondence, membership lists, and treasury reports, 1912-1915




Box 2 / Folder 8-10
Minutes, including list of charter members and inaugural constitution and by-laws of the organization, programs, correspondence, membership lists, and treasury reports, 1970-1989




Box 2 / Folder 11
Membership records and presidents' reports, including information on membership status of members, membership drives, and summary of society events, 1969-1980




Box 2 / Folder 12
Membership correspondence, including membership dues forms, membership drives, and personal letters, 1964-1979




Box 2 / Folder 13
Programs, inaugural year program book, including club motto, flower, and color, as well as season's programming, 1912-1913




Box 2 / Folder 14-16
Programs, including society's schedule for the year, bylaws, and decorum prescribed for members, 1934-1937




Box 2 / Folder 17
Removals of loose items from scrapbook III, including correspondence, obituaries, programs, clippings, and memorial service program for Ruth Pattison, long standing member of the society, 1991-1994




Box 3 / Folder 18
Scrapbooks I, II, and III, including clippings, programs, correspondence, members' poetry, and obituaries, 1922-1991