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Fortnightly Club records, 1890-2015

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Fortnightly Club (Helena, Mont.)
Title
Fortnightly Club records
Dates
1890-2015 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.6 linear feet
Collection Number
MC 203 (collection)
Summary
The Fortnightly Club was founded by Mrs. Frances W. Wickes to study English literature. It was the first organization in Montana to function as a literary circle. The collection (1890-2015) consists of incoming correspondence, financial records, minutes, organizational records, miscellany, attendance records, outlines of study, programs, histories of the club, a developing scrapbook, and clippings.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Fortnightly Club of Helena, Montana, was founded on October 11, 1890, by Mrs. Frances (Fanny) Webster Wickes, for the study of English literature. Fanny Webster Wickes was born in September 1845 in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Gen. Joseph Dana Webster. She married George T. Wickes on March 31, 1868. In 1882 Fanny and George came to Montana, George worked as a manager of the Wickes mines and business in the town of Wickes, founded by his father's cousin W. W. Wickes. Fanny and George had three children: Edwin Dana; Anne (Love); and Lewis Webster.

The Fortnightly Club was the first organization in the state to function as a literary circle. The group, whose membership was limited to women, was to meet "at half past two o'clock on the afternoons of the first and third Saturdays of each month." It was agreed that each member be required to spend not less than three hours a week in study for the club work; that for any failure to do so there be a fine of one cent per half hour; that for absence from meetings, except in cases of illness or absence from town, there be a fine of ten cents; and for tardiness, five cents. Membership fees were set at a dollar a year. As the club grew its membership was limited to 33, and eventually to 20.

Within the first few years, Club members branched out to include the study of Western literature and drama. By 1901 the focus had expanded to include the arts in general, and in 1904 the Club's name was changed to the Fortnightly Study Class. In 1919 the program began to include current events and philosophy, and by the 1920s "Negro music" was being performed. The Club was renamed the Fortnightly Club in 1931.

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Content Description

Records. 1890-2015. 1.6 linear feet. This collection consists of the records of The Fortnightly Club of Helena, Montana, and includes incoming correspondence (1916-2012, undated); financial records (1897-1899, 1912-1935); minutes (189O-2014); organizational records (1991-2014, undated); miscellany, including attendance records (1985-2014), outlines of study (1896-2015), programs, a scrapbook (1965-2005), histories of the club; and assorted clippings.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by series.

Location of Collection

12:3-3

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information Available upon request.

Separated Materials

Artifacts and photographs have been transferred to the Museum and Photograph Archives respectively. The sheet music of "It Is Lilac Time," with lyrics by Club member Mrs. Harvey L. Glenn, has been transferred to the Library Sheet Music Collection. See inventory below for more information.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

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

  • Correspondence

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Report of treasurer and expense account
      Dates: 1897-1899
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Treasurer's record
      Dates: 1912 September- 1935 May
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      Location: Financial Records

  • Minutes

    • Description: Minute book (includes constitution)
      Dates: 1890 October- 1895 October
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1895 February- 1902 May
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1902 October- 1906 May
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1911 September- 1916 January
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book (includes constitution)
      Dates: 1916 February- 1920 April
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1920 September-1926 May
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1926 September- 1930 May
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 16
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book (includes revised constitution, 1931)
      Dates: 1930 October- 1940 May
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 17
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Material removed from minute book (includes minutes and clippings)
      Dates: 1930 October- 1940 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1940 September- 1944 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 2
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Material removed from minute book (includes minutes and clippings)
      Dates: 1940 September- 1944 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1944 September- 1949 September
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 4
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1949 September-1955 June
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1955 September- 1957 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minute book
      Dates: 1957 September- 1960 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Material removed from minute book (includes minutes)
      Dates: 1957 September- 1960 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 8
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1960 September- 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1969 January- 1975 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: December 1976- 1981
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1982 January - 1986 December
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 12
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1987
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1988
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1989
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1990
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 4
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1991
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 5
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1992
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 6
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1993 January-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 7
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1994
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 8
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1995
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 9
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1996 January-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 10
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1997
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 11
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1998 January-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 12
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 1999 January-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 13
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2000 January-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 14
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2001
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 15
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2002 January-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 16
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2003 January-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 17
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2004 January-May, September-November
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 18
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2005 January-May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 19
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2006 September- 2007 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 20
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2007 September- 2008 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 21
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2008 September- 2009 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 22
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2009 September- 2010 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 23
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2010 September- 2011 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 24
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2011 September- 2012 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 25
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2012 September- 2013 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 26
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: Minutes
      Dates: 2013 September- 2014 May
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 27
      Location: Minutes
    • Description: History Project Committee Minutes
      Dates: 2001
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 28
      Location: Minutes

  • Organization

    • Description: By-Laws and Fortnightly Ideals
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 29
      Location: Organization
    • Description: Constitution
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 30
      Location: Organization

  • Photographs

    • Description: List of photographs transferred to the Photograph Archives
      Dates: 1890-1940, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 31
      Location: Photographs

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Attendance Records
      Dates: 1985-1995
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 32
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Histories of the Fortnightly Club
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 33
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: History Project Presentation
      Dates: 2001
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 34
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: List of artifacts transferred to Museum and Library
      Dates: 1896-1897, circa 1940, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Outlines of study programs
      Dates: 1896-1920, 1922-1987, 1987-2015
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 2-4
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Programs and Book Club Programs
      Dates: 1925, 1929, 1937, 1980-1981, 1987-1988
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 5
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Program
      Dates: 2004-2005
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 6
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Scrapbook materials (includes clippings, cards, photographs etc.)
      Dates: 1965-1990
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 7
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Scrapbook materials (includes clippings, cards, photographs etc.)
      Dates: 1991-2005
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 8
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes member lists, poetry, ephemera, eulogies, study guides, etc.)
      Dates: 1978, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 9
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Miscellaneous Clippings
      Dates: 1940-1989, 200
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 10
      Location: Miscellany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Literature--Societies, etc.--Montana--Helena
  • Literature--Societies, etc.
  • Women--Montana--Helena--Societies and clubs

Corporate Names

  • Fortnightly Club (Helena, Mont.) (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Helena (Mont.)--Intellectual life
  • Helena (Mont.)--Social life and customs

Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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