Druzea Club records, 1937-1987

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Druzea Club
Title
Druzea Club records
Dates
1937-1987 (inclusive)
Quantity
3 Linear Ft.
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0014druzea (collection)
Summary
The Druzea Club records contain textual materials which document the history of the volunteer and community service activities of this women's club as well as the active role the group played within the Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection open to the public.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the Washington State Legislature to the Washington Women's History Consortium. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Druzea Club was formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1937 in the home of Mrs. Maude Fischer with the express purpose of facilitating mental improvement and social enjoyment for its members. In 1938 the club joined the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs and enjoyed a long association with this umbrella organization.

Druzea is a Russian word meaning ‘friendship’ which was to be the root of the Druzea Club’s purpose in the local and regional communities. The club was active in a number of service projects which included aiding needy families during the holidays, collecting magazines for monthly drop-off at the Juvenile Detention quarters of the Court House, sponsoring a rural school through the Save the Children Federation, assisting in the restoration of the Whatcom Museum as well as engaging in war service projects during World War II.

Library service was also one of the main focuses of the Druzea Club, which took an active role in the formation of Friends of the Bellingham Public Library in October 1952. The club was also involved in the establishment of a library at Pt. Roberts by furnishing books and magazines to the local community.

The Druzea Club was active as well in supporting State and General Federation of Women’s Clubs projects and also gave financial assistance to the Heart, Cancer, and Polio funds, the local food bank, the Indian Youth Mission, the Home for Abused Women and the Salvation Army. The club also acted as a leadership training ground in that five of its members eventually became Federation of Women’s Clubs district presidents, three were general chairman to the state convention when it was held in Bellingham, and several members went on to become state officers and department chairs. This connection with the Federation was cherished by club members and fortified their resolve to continue actively supporting their local and regional communities. The club celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1987 and has since disbanded.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Druzea Club records (1937-1987) contain textual materials which document the history of the club’s volunteer and community service activities as well as the active role the group played within the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs.

The materials primarily consist of club scrapbooks which are organized chronologically. Scrapbooks contain numerous clippings from the Bellingham Herald and the Washington Clubwoman regarding the activities of the club, certificates of award from the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs, photographs of club members, thank you letters to the club, yearly membership and officers lists as well as numerous ephemera from various functions and gatherings.

The collection also contains materials relating to the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs of which the Druzea Club was an active part. These materials include Bellingham-hosted convention booklets, club bylaws, a 1986-87 directory and speech and communication help-manuals. These materials can help in the establishment of the connection between the Druzea Club and the umbrella organization of the Federation.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Druzea Club Records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The Druzea Club Records are organized in accordance with the following series arrangement:

  • Series I. Druzea Club Scrapbooks, 1937-1968
  • Series II. Druzea Club History, 1937-1987
  • Series III. Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs: Administrative Records, 1983-1987
  • Series IV. Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs: Programs, 1958,1968
  • Series V. Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs: Publications, 1950

Acquisition Information

The bulk of the collection was donated by club members in the late 1980s. A second acquisition was donated by Mrs. Patricia Cary in April 2000.

Processing Note

Collection re-engineered by Jason Viers in 2003.

Processing Note

About Harmful Language and Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I:   Druzea Club Scrapbooks, 1937-1968Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Scrapbook
1937-1949
1/2
Scrapbook
1956-1957
1/3
Scrapbook
1958
1/4
Scrapbook
1959-1960
1/5
Scrapbook
1960-1961
2/1
Scrapbook
1965-1967
2/2
Scrapbook
1967-1968

Series II:   Druzea Club History, 1937-1987Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/3
History of Druzea Club
1937-1987

Series III:   Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs: Administrative Records, 1983-1987Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/4
Revised Bylaws
1983
2/4
Member Directory
1986-1987
2/5
Communication Methods for Clubs, public speaking guide and Woman’s Guide to Art

Series IV:   Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs: Programs , 1958, 1968Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/6
Annual Convention Programs
1958 ; 1968

Series V:   Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs: Publications, 1950Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/7
The Washington Clubwoman (newspaper)
1950 September -October

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Women in charitable work -- Washington (State) -- Bellingham
  • Women in community organization -- Washington (State) -- Bellingham.
  • Women--Societies and clubs-- Washington (State)--Bellingham

Corporate Names

  • Druzea Club (creator)

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Washington State Federation of Womens' Clubs