Inventory of the League of Women Voters of Canton Records,1920-1979
Title:
League of Women Voters of Canton Records,1920-1979
Repository:
Archives and Special Collections, University Libraries, The University of Akron
Phone: 330-972-7670
http://www.uakron.edu/libraries/archives
Creator:
League of Women Voters of Canton
Dates:
1920-1979
Quantity:
4.25 cubic feet (4 record boxes and 1 document case)
Abstract:
 The League of Women Voters of Canton Records, 1920-1979 includes minutes, financial reports, correspondence, program information, publications, and organization reports on local, state and national levels.
Identification:
99/148
Location:
Archival Services
Language:
The records are in English

History of Biography or History

The League of Women Voters is an organization dedicated to the political education and involvement of both its members and the community at large. On the local, state, and national levels, League members study issues, arrive at consensus opinions, which in turn, form the basis of action. The action generally takes the form of public meetings, correspondence to legislators, and participation in legislative hearings.

The National League of Women Voters was organized at the February 1919 Jubilee Convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). The national organization was founded on March 26, 1920. The League of Women Voters developed schools of instruction, registered women voters, and continued the legislative program of the NAWSA.

The Canton League is one of the oldest in the United States having been founded on June 24, 1920. It was established at the end of the school of instruction held in the Canton City Council Chambers between June 21st and 23rd of that year. Fifty-seven women signed the first charter, ratified the constitution, and elected temporary officers. Mrs. C.E. Exline served as the first president until 1922.

By that year, the Canton League had grown to 600 members, and by 1924 had actively engaged in campaigns for voter registration and the acquisition of a juvenile detention home for Stark County. At the same time, the League endorsed certain bills through correspondence to legislators and studied the prospects of continued peace.

In 1966 the League of Women Voters of Canton changed their name to the League of Women Voters of the Canton Area to more accurately reflect where the membership was drawn from.

After the initial surge in membership, the Canton League stabilized at approximately 90 to 100 members, which it maintained throughout 1979, which is the end date covered in these records.

Scope and Content

The records of the League of Women Voters of Canton date from 1920-1979. They contain materials relating to the organization of the League and its efforts to provide voting information through its Voters Services and to initiate action of special programs such as local housing, environmental quality, and local governmental financing. The records are of particular interest to those studying the developing role of women in politics or the history of the League of Women Voters. It also contains information on the effectiveness of citizen action in either initiating governmental programs or endorsing existing ones. In addition, the Canton League records offer some insight into the local history of both Canton and Stark County.

The records are divided into 12 series which include: Series I: Minutes; Series II: Financial; Series III: Membership; Series IV: Correspondence; Series V: Local Organization; Series VI: State and National Issues; Series VII: Reports; Series VIII: Programs; Series IX: Publications; Series X: Committee Folders; Series XI: Subject Files; and Series XII: Blanche W. Rubin's Files.

Of particular note in the records is the minute book dating from June 24, 1920 through February 29, 1924, which has an account of the first organizational meeting, the League's early efforts at voter service for women, and its initiation of local programs such as the campaign for a juvenile detention home for Stark County.

Statement of Arrangement

Series I: Minutes, 1920-1979 contains board minutes, general meeting minutes, and annual meeting minutes. The materials contain information about the organization in terms of its operation, finances, projects, and personnel. Series II: Financial, 1947-1978 includes treasurer's reports, budget information (proposed and approved), and fund raising efforts with special emphasis on the 50th anniversary drive in 1970. Series III: Membership, 1947-1976 consists of board and general membership listings and recruitment procedures. Series IV: Correspondence, 1956-1977 includes both incoming and outgoing correspondence with local citizens, businesses, civic organizations, and city officials. There are separate folders of state and national correspondence including two letters from Robert A. Taft, Sr. Series V: Local Organization, 1947-1966 includes changes the Canton organization made to update their by-laws and local constitution to agree with state and national standards. Also included is a folder discussing changes to the area the Canton organization could cover. Series VI: State and National Issues, 1968-1979 has material to inform voters concerning issues from state and national levels of the League of Women Voters. Series VII: Reports, 1947-1979 consists of local annual reports, state board reports, and national board reports. These reports contain a great deal of summarizing information concerning program planning and consensus opinions along with the activity of the national organization. Series VIII: Programs, 1947- 1979 demonstrates the wide variety of League activity. They include housing, voter registration, a school levy campaign, and Canton sewer rate study. In addition, two League services are covered in the material on City Hall Tours and the Overseas Education Fund, which is a national League project. Finally the Time for Action folders include legislative correspondence produced as a result of the League's efforts to influence legislative votes or administrative decisions on issues covered by League studies. Series IX: Publications, 1951-1979 consists of publications by or about the local, state, and national levels of the League. The Candidates Bulletin is part of Voter's Services, which lists candidates, but does not endorse them. The Canton Voter is the local League's bulletin and documents the organizations monthly activities. The National Voter is concerned with the League on the national level and the Report from the Hill is a national publication informing the local Leagues of the organizations efforts in Washington. Series X: Committee Folders, 1966-1970 consist of aids to the committee chairwomen to help perform their duties. Series XI: Subject Files, 1920-1979 is a small series that includes brief history notes and public relations material, including photographs. Series XII: Blanche W. Rubin's Files, 1965-1979 are materials saved by Mrs. Rubin during her tenure as an active member, on and off the board of the Canton League.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this Collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Restrictions on Access

No restrictions on access; except not available through interlibrary loan. Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Related Material: Related Material

League of Women Voters of Akron

League of Women Voters of Cuyahoga Falls

National Organization for Women, Akron Chapter


Indexing Terms

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

Subjects:

Political participation -- Ohio -- Canton
Women’s rights

Organizations/Corporations:

League of Women Voters of Canton (Canton, Ohio)
League of Women Voters of the Canton Area (Ohio)

Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], League of Women Voters of Canton Records, Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio

Detailed Description of The Collection



SERIES I: MINUTES, 1920-1979

BOX 1 / Folder 1
Minute Book, 1920-1924




BOX 1 / Folder 2
Board Minutes, September 1947- March 1949




BOX 1 / Folder 3-4
Board Minutes, 1955-1960




BOX 1 / Folder 5-9
Board Minutes, 1965-1970




BOX 1 / Folder 10
General Meetings, 1947-1949




BOX 1 / Folder 11
General Meetings, 1955-1967




BOX 1 / Folder 12-14
Annual Meetings, 1951-1979





SERIES II: FINANCIAL, 1947-1978

BOX 1 / Folder 15
Finance, 1969-1975




BOX 1 / Folder 16-17
Treasurer Reports, 1947




BOX 1 / Folder 18-19
Budget, 1950-1978




BOX 1 / Folder 20
Fundraising, 1951-1970





SERIES III: MEMBERSHIP, 1947-1976

BOX 1 / Folder 21
Board and General Membership, 1947-1970




BOX 1 / Folder 22
Membership Book, 1979




BOX 1 / Folder 23
Membership Ideas, 1971-1976





SERIES IV: CORRESPONDENCE, 1956-1977

BOX 1 / Folder 24-25
Local Correspondence, 1956-1976




BOX 1 / Folder 26
Correspondence with other leagues, 1972-1974




BOX 1 / Folder 27
State Correspondence, 1973-1977




BOX 1 / Folder 28
National Correspondence, 1975-1976





SERIES V: LOCAL ORGANIZATION, 1947-1966

BOX 1 / Folder 29
Local Constitution, 1947-1962




BOX 1 / Folder 30
Canton League to Area Leagues, 1963-1966





SERIES VI: STATE AND NATIONAL ISSUES, 1968-1979

BOX 1 / Folder 31
State Air Pollution, 1968-1972




BOX 1 / Folder 32
State Budget, 1977-1979




BOX 1 / Folder 33
State Ohio Constitution, 1968-1976




BOX 1 / Folder 34
State Equal Rights, 1971-1975




BOX 1 / Folder 35
State Justice, 1972-1976




BOX 1 / Folder 36
State Memos, 1977-1978




BOX 1 / Folder 37
State Voting and Elections, 1971




BOX 1 / Folder 38-39
State Miscellaneous, 1972




BOX 2 / Folder 1
National Air Pollution, 1973




BOX 2 / Folder 2
National Budget, 1973




BOX 2 / Folder 3
National Civil Rights, 1972




BOX 2 / Folder 4
National and State Consensus, 1973-1975




BOX 2 / Folder 5
National Education, 1971-1972




BOX 2 / Folder 6
National Equal Rights, 1972




BOX 2 / Folder 7
National Equal Rights Amendment, 1977-1979




BOX 2 / Folder 8
National Foreign Policy, 1968-1972




BOX 2 / Folder 9
National Population, 1971-1972




BOX 2 / Folder 10
National United Nations, 1969-1977




BOX 2 / Folder 11
National Water Resources, 1969-1970




BOX 2 / Folder 12
National Welfare, 1969-1972




BOX 2 / Folder 13
National Miscellaneous, 1971-1973





SERIES VII: REPORTS, 1947-1979

BOX 2 / Folder 14
Annual Reports of Canton League of Women Voters, 1947-1970




BOX 2 / Folder 15
Annual Reports to State and National, 1972-1977




BOX 2 / Folder 16
State Board Reports, June, September, and November 1967




BOX 2 / Folder 17
State Board Reports, January-November 1968




BOX 2 / Folder 18
State Board Reports, 1969




BOX 2 / Folder 19
State Board Reports, January 1970-January 1971




BOX 2 / Folder 20
State Board Reports, 1979




BOX 2 / Folder 21
State Council, 1974-1976




BOX 2 / Folder 22
State Convention, 1975




BOX 2 / Folder 23
State Convention, 1977 - 1979




BOX 2 / Folder 24-26
National Board Reports, 1967-1969




BOX 2 / Folder 27
National Board Reports, 1976-1979




BOX 2 / Folder 28
National Convention, 1968




BOX 2 / Folder 29
National Convention, 1976




BOX 2 / Folder 30
National Convention, 1978




BOX 2 / Folder 31
National Political Accountability, 1974




BOX 2 / Folder 32
National Litigation, 1972-1973




BOX 2 / Folder 33
Legislative and Legislators, 1971-1972




BOX 2 / Folder 34
Legislative Bulletin, 1979





SERIES VIII: PROGRAMS, 1947- 1979

BOX 3 / Folder 1
Local Program Planning, 1971-1976




BOX 3 / Folder 2
Bicentennial, 1975-1976




BOX 3 / Folder 3
"Bottle Bill", 1979




BOX 3 / Folder 4
Canton City Schools Levy Campaign, 1970




BOX 3 / Folder 5
Canton Sewers, 1971




BOX 3 / Folder 6
City Hall Tours, 1975-1976




BOX 3 / Folder 7
Education, 1969-1973




BOX 3 / Folder 8
Housing, 1968-1970




BOX 3 / Folder 9
Issues 1, 3, and 4, 1977




BOX 3 / Folder 10
Observer, 1975




BOX 3 / Folder 11
Overseas Education Funds, 1967-1969




BOX 3 / Folder 12-13
Time for Action, 1969-1978




BOX 3 / Folder 14
Action MTLS, 1975




BOX 3 / Folder 15
Transportation, 1973




BOX 3 / Folder 16
Voter Service, 1972-1979




BOX 3 / Folder 17
Voter Service (candidates), 1972-1977




BOX 3 / Folder 18
Voter Registration Campaign, 1970




BOX 3 / Folder 19
State Ohio Major Services, 1965-1969




BOX 3 / Folder 20
State Civil Rights Program, 1969




BOX 3 / Folder 21
State Education Program, 1968




BOX 3 / Folder 22
National Program Planning, 1969




BOX 3 / Folder 23
National and Local Programs, 1947-1971





SERIES IX: PUBLICATIONS, 1951-1980

BOX 3 / Folder 24
Candidates Bulletin, 1965




BOX 3 / Folder 25
The Canton Voter, 1951-1970




BOX 3 / Folder 26
The Voter (local), 1968-1980




BOX 3 / Folder 27
Ohio Voter , 1971-1979




BOX 3 / Folder 28-29
The National Voter, 1965-1971




BOX 3 / Folder 30
The National Voter, 1974-1978




BOX 3 / Folder 31
Report from the Hill, 1965-1971




BOX 3 / Folder 32
Report from the Hill, 1973-1979





SERIES X: COMMITTEE FOLDERS, 1966-1970

BOX 4 / Folder 1
Board Tools, 1966-1970




BOX 4 / Folder 2
Board Tools, 1975-1977




BOX 4 / Folder 3
Community Observers, 1968-1970





SERIES XI: SUBJECT FILES, 1920-1979

BOX 4 / Folder 4
Calendar, 1978-1979




BOX 4 / Folder 5
Canton League History, 1920-1970




BOX 4 / Folder 6
Governmental Structure and Relationships, 1967-1976




BOX 4 / Folder 7
Photographs, 1950-1971




BOX 4 / Folder 8
Public Relations, 1967-1970




BOX 4 / Folder 9
Public Relations, 1973 -1975





SERIES XII: BLANCHE W. RUBIN'S FILES, 1965-1979

BOX 5 / Folder 1-3
Local/State Voters Board Minutes, 1979




BOX 5 / Folder 4-7
Local Voters, Minutes, and League Voters, May 1975-April 1977




BOX 5 / Folder 8-10
Canton Area Voters, State Voters, 106 General Assembly Legislature Bulletins, September 1965-March 1967




BOX 5 / Folder 11-13
94th Congress, League of Women Voters of the United States, League Positions, 1975




BOX 5 / Folder 14-15
Board/Trustee Committee Assignments and Ohio Voters, September 1973-February 1978




BOX 5 / Folder 16
Agenda for Action: Education, Welfare, and Human Rights, 1973-1975




BOX 5 / Folder 17
Agenda for Action: Child Services and Housing, 1973-1975




BOX 5 / Folder 18
Local League Presidents and the Ohio Constitution Revision Committee, 1973-1975




BOX 5 / Folder 19
Government Structure, State Board, and Land Use, 1973-1975




BOX 5 / Folder 20
Legislature Bulletin 106th General Assembly, 1965