Bozeman Business and Professional Women Records, 1931-2022

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Bozeman Business and Professional Women
Title
Bozeman Business and Professional Women Records
Dates
1931-2022 (inclusive)
Quantity
8 linear feet
Collection Number
2439, Collection 2439 (collection)
Summary
The Bozeman Business and Professional Women promotes personal development, civic participation and world affairs. Records consist of consists of minutes, financial records, membership lists and directories, program schedules, officers rosters, reports, memos, notices, brochures, newspaper clippings, and correspondence relevant to the club's activities. The programs of the BBPW deal with women in the professions, women political activists, community organizations, feminism, reproductive rights, equal rights, sexual abuse, education, health, personal development, civic activism, world affairs, elder care, battered women, legislative programs, and sex discrimination.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Bozeman Business and Professional Women's Club (BBPW) was organized on September 18, 1930 and chartered on October 25, 1930. It is affiliated with the Montana State Federation of Business and Professional Women's Organizations (MSFBPW) and the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Club, Inc. (now BPW/USA). The objectives of the organization are: to elevate the standards for women; promote the interests of business and professional women with a spirit of cooperation among them; extend opportunities through education about industrial, scientific, and vocational activities; and provide fellowship and friendship among the members. When first established, membership was open to women who were actively engaged or retired from business or the professions but over the years membership has expanded to employed individuals, retired individuals if a member while working, students (post-secondary education), members-at-large (affiliated with State or National), and business affiliates. BBPW was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1986. The national organization promotes personal development, civic participation, and world affairs, which the local Bozeman organization likewise supports through its programming.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The records of the BBPW have been organized into 3 series. Series 1 contains the minutes, financial records, membership lists and directories, program schedules, officers rosters, reports, memos, notices, brochures, newspaper clippings, and correspondence relevant to the club's activities. Programs represented include public relations strategies; National Business Women's Week; the Pearl S. Buck Award; scholarships materials; the Nike Club, the Equal Rights Amendment; International Women's Year; orientation and individual development programs; the Montana BPW (papers, correspondence, history, etc.); BPW/USA informational papers and materials; local, state, and national newsletters, assorted ephemera and certificates. Many of these records are sparse or incomplete. In Series 2 are presidents' notebooks kept by Pat Simmons, Denise Brown, Emily Swanson, Mary Berquist, Roxanne Smith Klingensmith, Debbie Jurgenson, and Evelyn Lane between 1983 and 1991. The notebooks contain correspondence, handwritten meeting notes, newspaper clippings, and materials collected according to the style of the individual president during her tenure. Series 3 is a set of scrapbooks maintained by the BBPW between 1935 and 1992 which contain many photographs of prominent members, newspaper clippings of events and programs, ephemera and convention memorabilia.

Interspersed within the records of the BBPW are materials related to programs that deal with: women in the professions, women political activists, community organizations, feminism, reproductive rights, equal rights, sexual abuse, education, health, personal development, civic activism, world affairs, elder care, battered women, legislative programs, and sex discrimination. Local programs and events represented are National Business Women's Week, Nike Club, Women's Exchange Mart, War Relief Fund, Girls State, BBPW Scholarship, Equal Rights Amendment, International Women's Year, Pearl S. Buck Award, Women's Lobbyist Fund, Woman of Achievement, Woman of the Year, Young Careerist, Springtime in the Rockies Talent Show, and local, state, and national conventions. Members and other individuals often mentioned or featured are: Phenie Ahern, Helen Atkins, Minnie Barclay, Mary Berquist, Norma Boetel, Dorothy Bradley, Denise Brown, Idalaire Cloninger, Mabel Cruikshank, Alice Dahl, Beatrice F. Davis, Winnefred Dorsett, Dorothy Eck, Helen Fechter, Geraldine G. Fenn, Bess Fowler, Karen Furu, Margorie Goering, Gladys Gorman, Helen Heck, Georgia Higgins, Ginny Hunt, Debbie Jurgenson, Evelyn Lane, Ruth Loucks, Helen McQuarrie, Ione Moore, Dodie Moseley, Myrtle Noraker, Hermione Peterson, Jeanette Rankin, Eloise Reese, Laurie Shadoan, Anna Pearl Sherrick, Pat Simmons, Roxanne Smith Klingensmith, Jan Strout, Emily Swanson, Marilyn Wessel, Marcia Youngman.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Series 1: Minutes and records, 1921-1999

Series 2: President's notebooks, 1983-1991

Series 3: Scrapbooks, 1935-1992

Series 4: Web archive

Acquisition Information

The records of the Bozeman Business and Professional Women's Club were donated to Special Collections by a vote of the members at their business meeting on June 9, 1999. The collection will be supplemented periodically with additional records as they are retired from active use by the organization. Additional materials from Pat Simmons, 2022.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 April 22

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

1:  Minutes and records, 1931-1999Return to Top

The history of the BBPW to 1964, bylaws, amendments, and the articles of incorporation begin the records of the club. Business and program meeting minutes plus Board of Director (Officers) and Executive Board (Officers and committee chairmen) minutes have been arranged chronologically for continuity. Financial records that are incomplete and scattered include treasurer reports, yearly budgets, audit reports, and P & L statements. Incomplete, scattered membership lists, program schedules, officer rosters, and most directories (yearbooks) to 1990 are present. There are memos, notices, brochures, newspaper clippings, correspondence, ephemera, and certificates representing only a partial record of the 70 years of the club's existence. Folders related to particular local programs include: public relations, National Business Women's Week, the Pearl S. Buck Award, scholarships, Nike club, Equal Rights Amendment, International Women's Year, and an individual development plan. Papers, correspondence, brochures, and other materials from the Montana and National BPW organizations and newsletters from the national, state, and Bozeman organization.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
History of BBPW through; parliamentary procedures; secretary's instructions
1963
1 2
By-laws and amendments; articles of incorporation
1949-1996
1 3-5
Minutes
1941 September 23-1955 May 17
1 6-7
Minutes
1955 September 13-1966 May 17
1 8
Minutes
1976 September 8-1980 May 20
1 9-11
Minutes
1980 September 9-1995 June 8
2 1
Minutes
1995 June 14-1999 May 26
2 2
Financial records (incomplete)
1942-1998
2 3
Statements of club membership (incomplete)
1938-1998
2 4
Member yearbooks (directories) incomplete
1931-1990
2 5
Program schedules; officer rosters; membership lists (scattered/incomplete)
1953-1999
2 6
Scattered reports, memos, notices, brochures, and correspondence
1949-1994
2 7
Newspaper clippings (national and local activities), ephemera, and certificates
1931-1998
3 1
Public relations materials folder
1982-1986
3 2
National Business Women's Week: local articles about honored women and related papers
1982-1989
3 3
Pearl S. Buck Award Nominations: Myrtle Noraker, Ginny Hunt, and Geraldine G. Fenn
3 4
Scholarships, related papers, and application form
3 5
Nike Club - sponsored by BPW/USA for high school girls interested in careers: bylaws; correspondence; scholarship applications ,and related papers
1971-1982
3 6
Papers, articles, newspaper clippings and correspondence, promoting the Equal Rights Amendment
1973 - 1977
3 7
International Women's Year material
1975 - 1977
3 8
Orientation materials from Montana BPW for local chapters
3 9
Individual Development Plan - Coordinator's manual
1985
3 10
Montana BPW - papers, correspondence, financial reports, handbook, history, and convention programs
1932 - 1989
3 11
BPW/USA (national organization): papers, procedures, brochures, and other informational materials
4 1
BBPW Newsletter (incomplete)
1984 June-May 1997
4 2
Montana Business Woman (incomplete)
1957-1991
4 3
National Business Woman (incomplete)
1989-1991
4 4
Update (congressional news in women's issues) (incomplete)
1991-1992

2:  President's notebooks, 1983-1991Return to Top

Between 1983 and 1991 (1985-86 is missing), each individual president of the BBPW created her own notebook. The contents of the notebooks are reflective of the individual's personal style. They may contain handwritten notes for addressing the club, correspondence, program information, newspaper clippings and other papers relative to the year in office.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
5 1
President's notebook - Pat Simmons
1983-1984
5 2
President's notebook - Denise Brown
1984-1985
5 3
President's notebook - Emily Swanson
1986-1987
5 4
President's notebook - Mary Berquist
1987-1988
5 5
President's notebook - Roxanne Smith Klingensmith
1988-1989
6 3
President's notebook - Debbie Jurgenson
1989-1990
6 4
President's notebook - Evelyn Lane
1990-1991
16 1-5
Presidents Notebooks
1992-1998
16 6
Presidents Notebook
2014-2015

3:  Scrapbooks, 1935-1992Return to Top

Scrapbooks created to chronicle the activities of the Bozeman Business and Professional Women's Club between 1935 and 1992. The scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, photographs, ephemera, articles, and programs of special meetings; information on the Young Careerist award, Woman of Achievement award, Woman of the Year award, Springtime in the Rockies Talent Show, national and state conventions, etc. This is not a complete run of years. The 1980-1984 scrapbook has been stored separately.*

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
7 1-3
Scrapbook
1935-1949
8 1-2
Scrapbook
1949-1970
9 1-2
Scrapbook
1970-1979
9 3
Scrapbook (oversize, stored separately)*
1980-1984
10 1-3
Scrapbook
1984-1987
11 1-4
Scrapbook
1987-1992

4:  Minutes and Agendas, 1990-2016Return to Top

The materials in this series represent deposits made by the organization in 2014-2016.  The minutes vary in style as different recorders had their own style of note taking, but commonly include discussion topics, speaker notes, votes, and results of programs. The minutes and agendas can sometimes include a treasurer report with financial information and budgets.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
12 1-13
BPW  Minutes
1990-2009
13 1-6
BPW Minutes
2009-2016

5:  NewslettersReturn to Top

The materials in this series represent deposits made by the organization in 2014-2016.  These newsletters contained information such as meeting minutes from the previous month, articles from prominent women in the community and member spotlights. They also released a quarterly report newsletter that served as a summary of their business for the months prior for backers of the club and members who couldn't attend the regular meetings.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
13 7-14
BPW Bulletin/Newsletter
1990-2003
14 1-3
BPW Bulletin/Newsletter
2005-2013

6:  Financial ReportsReturn to Top

The materials in this series represent deposits made by the organization in 2014-2016.  Fiscal reports and budget information as recorded by the treasurer of the BPW. Also included are budget approval forms, balance sheets, audits, and bank account summaries.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
14 4-8
BPW Financial Reports
1991-2015

7:  Program FilesReturn to Top

The materials in this series represent deposits made by the organization in 2014-2016. The BPW has been holding events since the group formed in 1930. Their programs have helped empower women in business through training, endorsement and recognition. Programs like "Take our Daughter to Work Day", "The Young Careerist Award", and "Woman of Achievement Award" have a long history in the Bozeman community. These files include all the papers and reports pertaining to programs run by the group.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
14 9
"Take our Daughters to Work Day"
14 10
Candidates School
14 11
Dorothy Eck Day
14 12
Equal Pay Day
14 13
Honor Program
2010
14 14
Honor Program
2011
14 15
Membership Retreat
2010
14 16
National Business Women Week
14 17
Program Ideas
14 18-23
Programs
1981-1987
14 24
The Silent Witness
14 25
Website Project
14 26
Expo
2022
15 1
Woman of Achievement Nomination and Winners
15 2
Young Careerist Files
15 3
Young Careerist Memos, Communication, and Nominations

8:  Miscellaneous files        Return to Top

The materials in this series represent deposits made by the organization in 2014-2016. This series of files showcases other activities of the BBPW. This series contains information on the advertising, organizational controls, and management of the group.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
15 4
Bozeman Chamber of Commerce
15 5
BPW Bylaws
1991, 2015
15 6
BPW History
15 7
Executive Committee
1998-1999
15 8
Governmental Paperwork
15 9
Member Handbook
15 10
Membership Lists
15 11
Memos and Communications
15 12
Newspaper Ads
15 13
Newspaper Clippings and Articles
17 1
Press
17 2
Press Releases by Anna Graham
17 3
Public Relations Committee - Press Release
17 4
Publicity
2004-2012
17 5
Website Printouts
2001 March 1
17 6
Website redesign
2011
17 7
Charter and Charter Members

9:  Scrapbooks and visual materialsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
17 8
Loose Photos 1-10
17 9
Loose Photos 11-20
17 10
Loose Photos 21-24
18 1
VHS - BPW - Daughters to Work
1999 April 28
18 2
VHS - Marcia Youngman and Anna Graham Interviewed by Fox News
18 3
VHS - Marcia Youngman wins state BPW woman of achievement
1998 August
18 4
VHS - Dorothy Eck Day Coverage
18 5
VHS   Young Careerist Segment
1999 February 24
18 6
Betacam   Dorothy Eck Day Coverage
18 7
Slides
18 8
Scrapbook - Bozeman BPW
1989-1990
18 9
Scrapbook - Bozeman BPW
1940
18 10
Scrapbook - Bozeman BPW
1954-1965

10:  Web Archive, 2020-2021Return to Top

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Abused women
  • Business
  • Business enterprises
  • Business records
  • Businesswomen--Montana--Bozeman (Mont.)--Societies, etc
  • Community organization
  • Equal rights amendments--Montana
  • Feminism
  • International Women's Year, 1975-Montana
  • National Business Women's Week
  • Older people--Care
  • Reproductive rights
  • Sex crimes
  • Sex discrimination against women
  • Women
  • Women in education
  • Women in the professions-Montana-Bozeman-Societies and clubs
  • Women political activists
  • Women-Montana-Bozeman-Societies and clubs

Personal Names

  • Berquist, Mary
  • Brown, Denise
  • Jurgenson, Debbie
  • Klingensmith, Roxanne Smith
  • Lane, Evelyn
  • Simmons, Pat
  • Swanson, Emily

Corporate Names

  • Bozeman Business and Professional Women's Club
  • Business and Professional Women/USA
  • Montana State Federation of Business and Professional Women's
  • National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs

Geographical Names

  • Bozeman (Mont.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Business records
  • Records (Documents)
  • Scrapbooks