Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Series Arrangement & Description
A Finding Aid for the
Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area,
[1944-1996]
Cosmopolitan Club officers, 1958-59.
Finding aid written and encoded by Sarah Hull in 2010;
processed in 2009 by Sarah Hull and updated in January 2011 by Debra Schiff.
| Title: | Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area, 1944-1996 |
| Creator: | Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area |
Size: |
2 linear feet of records Comprised of 2 boxes: Two (2) 15.75” x 12.5” x 10.5”storage box |
| Repository: | Plainfield Public Library, Local History Department, 800 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ 07060 |
| Abstract: | The Papers of the Cosmopolitan Club document the creation and history of the Club from its beginning in 1944 as the Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club to its disbanding in 1996. The collection includes administrative and financial records such as annual reports, meeting minutes, event schedules, membership lists, yearbooks, and two scrapbooks. The scrapbooks contain ephemera, newspaper clippings, and photographs of members and club activities. |
| Language: | The records are in English. |
Administrative Information
Access & RestrictionsPreferred CitationThe records of the Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area 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); "Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area" collection, Box and Folder Number; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey.
Processing InformationThe collection was donated on behalf of the Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area.
This collection was processed by Michael Pucci in April 2008 and completed by Sarah Hull in March 2009. The finding aid was written and encoded by Sarah Hull in March 2009. Finding aid content follows the guidelines suggested by Describing Archives: A Content Standard.
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Historical Note
The Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area was a ladies’ social club based in Plainfield. The club existed for 50 years, from 1947-1996, with the mission to “extend a friendly and neighborly hand to all members, and to bring together women interested in subjects of educational, cultural, and humanitarian importance.” The Club was originally named the Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club, dating back to 1944, before changing its name in 1947. Welcome Wagon was organized by Mrs. Kay Monfort in an effort to bring together newcomers to the area and welcome them into Plainfield by creating neighborly friendships. It was re-formed in 1951-52, and was jointly sponsored by the Cosmopolitan Club and the YWCA. The artifacts in the entire collection provide a comprehensive glance at the women who participated in the Cosmopolitan Club and the kinds of activities in which they participated and sponsored.
The officers of the Cosmopolitan Club consisted of the president, vice president, recording and corresponding secretaries, treasurer, music chairman, and reception chairman. The four initial committees were: Hospitality - which generally watched over the newcomers, Membership - which notified members about meetings and prepared name tags, Sunshine - which sent sympathy cards, birthday flowers, and purchased gifts for baby showers, and Publicity - which handled any newspaper articles as well as the book club. Later, Program, Telephone and Social Service Committees were added. The Club offered three membership levels: active, associate, and non-resident, and the membership count was limited to 100 women.
The Club’s annual program consisted of monthly meetings from September to May held at the First-Park Baptist Church in Plainfield. Activities included a variety of educational, charitable, and leisurely pursuits. Each year would kick-off with an opening tea in September. Throughout the year were several creative and educational endeavors, such as book reviews, fashion shows, chorales or concerts, bridge parties, arts & crafts, pot lucks, desserts, day trips, and interesting lectures about cooking and fashion trends, travel, New Jersey history, local attractions, and current events or interests. Special events were usually luncheon theatre parties, dinner and holiday parties and evening dances. Charitable activities aided numerous local organizations such as the YWCA, Visiting Nurse Association, the League for the Handicapped, and Easter Seals. Fund-raisers included fairs, white elephant sales, auctions, and personal donations of the members, but the spring-time fashion show became the Club’s main charitable event by far.
The club regrettably disbanded in 1996 due to waning interest.
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Scope and Content Note
The Papers of the Cosmopolitan Club document the creation and history of the Club from its beginning in 1944 as the Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club to its disbanding in 1996. The collection includes financial records, annual reports, meeting minutes, event schedules, membership lists, yearbooks, and two scrapbooks. Documents are typed, handwritten, and mimeographed. A few of these are in bound notebooks or ledgers, which have been maintained if not secured by metal fasteners. The scrapbooks contain ephemera, newspaper clippings, and photographs of members and club activities. The first scrapbook was photocopied because its contents were completely bound to adhesive pages, and could not be removed without being completely destroyed. The second scrapbook was preserved in archival quality storage materials. Researchers should note that records dating from the 1940s up to the 1980s have varying degrees of damage from water and rust from metal fasteners. The ink has blurred on some water damaged papers and has become difficult to read. Several documents from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s are in need of cleaning and conservation.
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1944-45, Mrs. James B. Stuart (Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club)
1945-46, Mrs. W. H. Corydon (Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club)
1946-47, Mrs. W. H. Corydon (Welcome Wagon Newcomers Club)
1947-48, Mrs. Cortland S. Spooner
1948-49, Mrs. Alex B. Kerr
1949-50, Mrs. Norman Vandervoort
1950-51, Mrs. Henry P. Pryor
1951-52, Mrs. Robert H. Rowland
1952-53, Mrs. John C. Lavey
1953-54, Mrs. John C. Plum
1954-55, Mrs. Alfred W. Filtz
1955-56, Mrs. Edmund J. Karle
1956-57, Mrs. Gustav F. Decker
1957-58, Mrs. David T. Woodbury
1958-59, Mrs. Herbert E. Walter
1959-60, Mrs. Charles Grote
1960-61, Mrs. Daniel Kiely
1961-62, Mrs. Dexter Bowker
1962-63, Mrs. Sidney Bias
1963-64, Mrs. Charles A. Slifer
1964-65, Mrs. John B. Monfort
1965-66, Mrs. Webb Cooper
1966-67, Mrs. Herbert Verse
1967-68, Mrs. Morton Smith
1968-69, Mrs. Carlyle Crane
1969-70, Mrs. Carlyle Crane
1970-71, Mrs. Gerald Vick
1971-72, Mrs. Gerald Vick
1972-73, Mrs. Alfred Flitz
1973-74, Mrs. Joseph Meyer
1974-75, Mrs. Charles Hill
1975-76, Mrs. Charles Hill
1976-77, Mrs. Eugene Hubka
1977-78, Mrs. Eugene Hubka
1978-79, Mrs. Herbert E. Walter
1979-80, Mrs. Herbert E. Walter
1980-81, Mrs. Gordon Voigt
1981-82, Mrs. Gordon Voigt
1982-83, Mrs. Clifford Baird
1983-84, Mrs. Clifford Baird
1984-85, Mrs. Howard Cox
1985-86, Mrs. Howard Cox
1986-87, Mrs. William Townley
1987-88, Mrs. William Townley
1988-89, Mrs. Albert Arameo
1989-90, Mrs. Albert Arameo
1990-91, Mrs. Elwood Mackay
1991-92, Mrs. Elwood Mackay
1992-93, Mrs. James Cochran
1993-94, Mrs. James Cochran
1995-96, Mrs. James Cochran
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The Records of the Cosmopolitan Club are arranged into two series:
Series 1: Administration and Finance
Series 2: Realia
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Organizations:
Cosmopolitan Club of the Plainfield Area (Plainfield, NJ)
Places:
Subjects:
Ladies clubs
Plainfield (N.J.)--History
Plainfield (N.J.)--Clubs and organizations
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Related Items
No related items.
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Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
This collection consists of paper documents that do not require any additional technology for access.
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