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Records and Scrapbooks, 1897-1985
Manuscript Collection 598
The Pathfinder Club began in 1898 as a women's literary society in Morrilton,
Conway County, Arkansas. Under the leadership of Mrs. Mary Stout,
prominent women of the community joined together to form an organization
devoted to promoting culture and education among the town's residents.
One of their primary objectives was the formation of a lending library
and after gathering a small collection of books, they were able to house
them in the old Morrilton Presbyterian Church on Division Street. By 1915,
the club began to pursue a Carnegie grant to build a permanent library,
and their application had been strengthened by their possession of a collection
of books originally owned by bibliophile William H. Porter. Porter, who
spent most of his life and fortune buying rare books
around the world, retired to Johnson County in the late nineteenth
century to enjoy the 1,000 volumes he had collected. Believing himself
about to die, Porter sold his collection to William S. Cazort, a Morrilton
storekeeper. Cazort at first loaned the books to the Pathfinders, but in
1915 signed an agreement to sell the Porter collection to the club for
$750, with the stipulation that he could repurchase them within ten years
if he chose to. In 1916, the Carnegie grant was approved, and the
new public library at Morrilton was constructed.
Aside from a few inactive years in the early 1920s, the Pathfinders have continued to function as a community improvement club up to the present day. Affiliated with the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs in 1899, the Pathfinders have been actively involved with programs suggested by the statewide organization and the National Federation of Women's Clubs. These activities have included Red Cross drives, town beautification efforts, and crime prevention programs, among many others.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Minutes, scrapbooks, photographs, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings pertaining to the Morrilton Pathfinder Club were donated to Special Collections by Ruth Ann Rowden, president of the Pathfinder Club, on June 17, 1986.
The collection consists of minutes, newspaper clippings, literary productions, financial records, legal documents, correspondence, photographs, inventories, and scrapbooks arranged in nine series.
Processed by Kim Allen Scott, Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas in May 1987.
Series 1. Minutes and Proceedings, 1906-1981. Boxes 1-3.
Series 2. Printed Materials, 1899-1985. Boxes 4-6.
Subseries 1. Annual Yearbooks, 1899-1985.
Subseries 2. Programs, Invitations, Certificates.
Subseries 3. Newspaper Clippings, ca. 1932-1983.
Subseries 4. Pamphlets and Periodicals, 1900-1983.
Series 3. Literary Productions, ca. 1930-1980. Box 7.
Series 4. Financial Documents, 1898-1970. Box 8.
Subseries 1. Receipts, 1898-1935.
Subseries 2. Treasurer's Books, 1900-1970.
Series 5. Legal Documents, ca. 1899-1915. Box 8.
Series 6. Correspondence, 1899-1979. Box 8.
Series 7. Photographs, ca. 1910-1960. Box 9.
Series 8. Inventories, ca. 1901-1969. Box 9-10.
Series 9. Scrapbooks, 1932-1983. Boxes 11-14.
Series 1. Minutes and Proceedings, 1906-1981 (Boxes 1-3)
Bound record books and loose papers containing the minutes of the Pathfinder Club's biweekly, seasonal meetings. The minutes are incomplete, and some of the books contain laid-in newspaper clippings pertaining to the meetings recorded.
Box 1
1. Minutes, 1906-1911
2. Minutes, ca. 1910
3. Minutes, 1912-1916
4. Minutes, 1919-1924
5. Minutes, 1929-1933
6. Minutes, 1933-1937
7. Minutes, 1937-1940
8. Minutes, 1940-1944
Box 2
1. Minutes, 1944-1948
2. Minutes, 1948-1950
3. Minutes, 1950-1957
4. Minutes, 1957-1964
Box 3
1. Minutes, 1964-1972
2. Minutes, 1972-1981
Series 2. Printed Materials, 1899-1985 (Boxes 4-6)
Subseries 1. Annual Yearbooks, 1899-1985.
Annual yearbooks summarizing the programs of the Pathfinder Club. Information includes meeting subjects, officer listings, and membership listings. Although the yearbooks were published annually, each year's session ran from fall to spring and, as a result, two years are recorded in each one. Some of the yearbooks contain handwritten marginal notations; and in those cases where more than one copy has such notations, duplicates have been retained.
Box 4
Folder 1. Yearbooks, 1899-1909.
1. 1899-1900
2. 1900-1901
3. 1901-1902
4. 1905-1906
5. 1906-1907
6. 1907-1908
7. 1908-1909
Folder 2. Yearbooks, 1909-1917.
1. 1909-1910
2. 1910-1911
3. 1911-1912 (2 copies)
4. 1912-1913
5. 1913-1914
6. 1915-1916
7. 1916-1917
Folder 3. Yearbooks, 1925-1929.
1. 1925-1926 (2 copies)
2. 1926-1927 (3 copies)
3. 1927-1928 (2 copies)
4. 1928-1929
Folder 4. Yearbooks, 1929-1934.
1. 1929-1930 (2 copies)
2. 1930-1931 (2 copies)
3. 1931-1932
4. 1932-1933
5. 1933-1934 (2 copies)
Folder 5. Yearbooks, 1934-1938.
1. 1934-1935 (2 copies, University of North Carolina Extension Bulletins,
program for 1935-1936 laid-in)
2. 1936-1937 (2 copies)
3. 1937-1938
Folder 6. Yearbooks, 1938-1942.
1. 1938-1939
2. 1939-1940
3. 1940-1941
4. 1941-1942 (2 copies)
Box 5
Folder 1. Yearbooks, 1942-1946.
1. 1942-1943
2. 1943-1944 (2 copies)
3. 1944-1945 (2 copies)
4. 1945-1946 (2 copies)
Folder 2. Yearbooks, 1946-1949.
1. 1946-1947 (2 copies)
2. 1947-1948 (2 copies)
3. 1948-1949 (2 copies)
Folder 3. Yearbooks, 1950-1954.
1. 1950-1951
2. 1951-1952
3. 1952-1953 (2 copies)
4. 1953-1954
Folder 4. Yearbooks, 1954-1960.
1. 1954-1955
2. 1955-1956
3. 1956-1957
4. 1957-1958
5. 1958-1959
6. 1959-1960
Folder 5. Yearbooks, 1960-1966.
1. 1960-1961
2. 1961-1962
3. 1962-1963
4. 1963-1964
5. 1964-1965
6. 1965-1966
Folder 6. Yearbooks, 1966-1976.
1. 1966-1967
2. 1967-1968
3. 1968-1969
4. 1970-1971
5. 1971-1972
6. 1973-1974
7. 1974-1976
Folder 7. Yearbooks, 1976-1982.
1. 1976-1977
2. 1978-1979
3. 1979-1980
4. 1980-1981
5. 1981-1982
Folder 8. Yearbooks, 1982-1985.
1. 1982-1983
2. 1983-1984
3. 1984-1985
Subseries 2. Programs, Invitations, Certificates, 1912-1980.
Programs, invitations, certificates, and miscellaneous ephemera printed for the Pathfinder Club and other Morrilton civic clubs.
Box 6
1. Certificates and Awards, 1970-1980
2. Programs and Invitations, 1912-1949
Subseries 3. Newspaper Clippings, ca. 1932-1983.
Newspaper clippings pertaining to the Pathfinder Club, the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs, the National Federation of Women's Clubs, other Morrilton civic clubs, and general interest.
Box 6 (cont'd)
3. Clippings, ca. 1932-1940
4. Clippings, ca. 1960-1983, n.d.
Subseries 4. Periodicals and Pamphlets, 1900-1978.
Periodicals, pamphlets, and brochures produced by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the Sears, Roebuck and Company in cooperation with the GFWC, and other community action groups. Also included are form letters suggesting programs and instructions from the GFWC and other community action groups. Those publications produced by the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs which were originally found in the collection have been removed to the Arkansas Collection and are listed separately at the end of this series.
Box 6 (cont'd)
Folder 5. Periodicals, 1900-1979.
1. The Clubwoman, vol. 6, no. 3 (June 1900)
2. General Federation Clubwoman News, vol. 56, no. 9 (May 1978)
3. General Federation Clubwoman, vol. 58, no. 2 (October, 1979)
Folder 6. Pamphlets, 1935.
1. "A Study Outline of the Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, Part One" (Washington: GFWC, 1935)
2. "A Study Outline of the Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, Part Two" (Washington: GFWC, 1935)
3. "A Study Outline of the Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, Part Three" (Washington: GFWC, 1935)
Box 6 (cont.)
Folder 7. Pamphlets, 1968-1976.
1. "Publicity Answers for Club Leaders" (Chicago: Sears, Roebuck & Co.)
2. "Federation Focus" (Washington: GFWC, 1974)
3. "1974-1976 Community Improvement Program" (Chicago: Sears, Roebuck & Co., 1974)
4. "Bicentennial Planning" (Washington: GFWC, 1976)
5. "Federation Focus" (Washington: GFWC, 1976)
Folder 8. Pamphlets, 1976-1978.
1. "Hands Up" (Washington: GFWC, 1976)
2. "Hands Up" (Washington: GFWC, 1977)
3. "Official Call to the International Convention and 86th Annual Meeting" (Washington: GFWC, 1977)
4. "CIP News" (Phoenix: GFWC, 1977)
5. "GFWC Profile, 1978-1980" (Washington: GFWC, 1978)
Folder 9. Brochure and Form Letters, ca. 1970s.
PRINTED MATERIALS REMOVED FROM THE PATHFINDER COLLECTION
1. Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs Yearbook, 1914-1916(Helena: Nicholls Printing Co., 1914)
2. Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs Yearbook, 1916-1917(Helena: Nicholls Printing Co., 1916)
3. History of the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs, 1897-1934by Mrs. Frederick Hanger and Miss Clara Eno (Van Buren: Press-Argus Printers, 1935)
4. Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs Handbook, 1938 (Little Rock: Pattee Printing Co., 1938)
5. Departmental Programs, Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs, Suggested Outline for Club Study, 1938-1940 (Rogers: Shofner's Printing, 1938)
6. Arkansas Clubwoman, vol. 17, no. 4 (April 1969)
7. Arkansas Clubwoman, vol. 20, no. 5 (June 1972)
Series 3. Literary Productions, ca 1930-1980 (Box 7)
Manuscript and typewritten histories of the Pathfinder Club reports of the various committees and members of the Pathfinder Club handwritten programs and guest lists miscellaneous research notes pertaining to the Pathfinder Club's history and topics of general interest.
Box 7
1. Manuscript Histories (8 items).
2. Reports, ca. 1911-1950 (12 items).
3. Reports, 1972-1977 (6 items).
4. Reports, 1978-1985, n.d. (11 items).
5. Guest Lists and Handwritten Programs, 1935-1949, n.d. (5 items).
6. Poetry, Recipes, Miscellaneous Research Notes (18 items).
Series 4. Financial Documents, 1898-1970 (Box 8, folders 1-4)
Subseries 1. Receipts, 1898-1935.
Bills, receipts, and promissory notes from various parties transacting business with the Pathfinder Club. Included are receipts for membership dues, receipts for wages paid for custodial services, and statements from caterers to the Pathfinder meetings.
Box 8
1. Receipts, 1898-1935 (29 items).
Subseries 2. Treasurer's Books, 1900-1970.
Three volumes which record membership dues payments, cash disbursements and other financial data.
Box 8 (cont'd)
2. Treasurer's Book, ca. 1900
3. Treasurer's Book, 1912-1915
4. Treasurer's Book, 1948-1970
Series 5. Legal Documents, ca. 1899-1930 (Box 8, Folder 5)
Manuscript constitution for the Pathfinder Club; initial loan agreement for the Porter Book Collection, 1915; articles of agreement between the Morrilton City Council and the Pathfinder Club regarding a library building, 1915; purchase agreement for the Porter Book Collection, 1916; positive photocopy of purchase agreement; articles of agreement between the Arkansas Library Commission and the Conway County Library Board, ca 1930s; typewritten amendments to the Pathfinder Club constitution, n.d.
Box 8 (cont'd)
5. Legal Documents (7 items).
Series 6.
Correspondence, 1912-1979 (Box 8, Folders 6-7)
Series 6
Box 8, Folders 6-7~
Correspondence, 1912-1979
Correspondence to and from Pathfinder Club members per
taining to club business, membership applications, and
thank you cards.
Box 8 (cont')
6. Correspondence, 1912-1948 (11 items).
7. Correspondence, 1976-1979, n.d. (16 items).
Series 7. Photographs,
ca. 1910-1970 (Box 9, Folder 1)
Box 9
Folder 1. Photographs, ca. 1910-1970 (9 items).
1. Photograph, 3 5/8" x 2 1/4", mounted on 4" x 5" matteboard. Three-story Edwardian style residence with shade trees in yard, circa 1910. On verso, 3 5/8" x 2 1/4" photograph of 15 men wearing white uniforms and carrying musical instruments, standing in front of a large brick building with three people visible on a covered porch. [Morrilton Band, ca. 1910?]
2. Photograph, 2 1/16" x 4 7/8", mounted on a 4" x 8 3/4" matteboard.
Street scene showing two residences and a church building on an unpaved
intersection, circa 1910 3 other houses visible in
background. [Morrilton Presbyterian Church, Division Street?]
3. Photograph, 5" x 7", mounted on 8" x 10" matteboard. Interior view of library room with wood floors, floral rugs, piano in foreground, and bookshelves against the wall, circa 1914. "Little Rock. This is supposedly the library that was housed in the Presbyterian Church when it (the library) was in its beginning" written on verso in pencil and ink.
4. Photograph, 5" x 7", mounted on 8" x 10" matteboard. Interior
view of library room with wood floor, floral rugs, electric light fixtures,
large wooden table with folding wooden chairs in foreground and bookshelves
in background. "Public Library, Morrilton, Ark. 1914" written in
ink on matteboard.
"This is supposedly the library that was housed in the Presbyterian
Church when it was in its beginning. Little Rock" written on verso.
5. Photograph, 5" x 7 3/8", unmounted. 17 women, standing
and sitting in front of the Al Frank home in Morrilton, Arkansas, May,
1949. Standing, from left to right: Mrs. Roy Cutsinger, Mrs. Charles
Massey, Mrs. Landor Gordon, Mrs. J.E. Brazil, Mrs. Al Frank, Mrs.
E.E. Love, Mrs. Robert Harris, Mrs. E.A. Williams, Mrs. Karl Frank,
Mrs. Victor Boren. Seated, left to right: Mrs. Walter
Riddick, Mrs. Earl Williams, Mrs. W.E. Love, Mrs. Robert Greer, Mrs.
J.E. Ketchum, Mrs. Robert Stallings, Mrs. J.N. Winburne. "Photo by
Kassel, Morrilton, Arkansas" written on verso, along with some of the above
names.
6. Photograph, 5" x 7 3/8", unmounted. Same as Photograph 5, "made
at Mrs. Al Frank's house" written on verso. (Note identifying people in
photograph has been removed to Series 3, Literary
Productions, Box 7, Folder 6.)
7. Photograph, 3 1/8" x 5 1/2", mounted on 7 1/4" x 5 7/8" vellum
paper. 4 people standing in front of a bookshelf. Halftone
print of same mounted on verso with caption "Mr. Bill Green, Conway
County Librarian, accepts $1000 check from Mrs. Howard Warren, President
of the Pathfinders Club: Mrs. George Meadors and Mrs. Glenn Bishop, chairmen
of the club's money raising projects."
8. Photograph, 4 1/8" x 5 3/4", unmounted. Photograph of a printed
engraving showing a seated woman being visited by an angel and cherubs,
probably taken from one of the books in the Porter
Collection. "Napoleon books" written on verso.
9. Photographic negatives, 35mm, 16 images. Series of engraved and halftone illustrations from an unknown volume depicting classical statuary.
Series 8. Inventories, ca. 1901-1969 (Box 9, Folders 2-3; Box 10)
Manuscript library lending book, circa 1901 card catalog listing of the William H. Porter Book Collection positive photocopy of catalog cards.
Box 9
2. Manuscript Lending List, ca.
1901
3. Photocopy, Porter Collection
Catalog (inventoried October 1, 1969)
Box 10
1. Card Catalog, Porter Book Collection, n.d.
Series 9. Scrapbooks, 1932-1983 (Boxes 11-14)
Programs, newspaper clippings, and other memorabilia pertaining to the Pathfinder Club, mounted and laid into seventeen separate scrapbooks. One volume in the collection which contained most of the club's annual yearbooks, "Pathfinder Club-60 years," has been dismantled and the contents placed in Series 2. Another, "President's Scrapbook," is actually a positive photocopy of the original still in the possession of the club.
Box 11
Volume 1. Scrapbook,
1932-1934
Volume 2. Scrapbook,
1940-1942
Volume 3. Scrapbook,
1942-1943
Volume 4. Scrapbook,
1945-1946
Volume 5. Scrapbook,
1946-1947
Volume 6. Scrapbook,
1949
Box 12
Volume 7. Scrapbook,
1949-1950
Volume 8. Scrapbook,
1951-1952
Volume 9. Scrapbook,
1954-1955
Volume 10. Scrapbook,
1955-1956
Box 13
Volume 11. Scrapbook,
1958-1959
Volume 12. Scrapbook,
1959-1960
Volume 13. Scrapbook,
1962-1968
Volume 14. Scrapbook,
1968-1970
Box 14
Volume 15. Scrapbook,
1972-1974
Volume 16. Scrapbook,
1983
Volume 17. President's
Scrapbook