West End Literacy Club (1915-1950)
The West End Literacy Club was established in January 1915 as a club for not more than 20 women who lived “in the district West of Western Ave, and North of Seventh, including Heading Avenue”. NOTE: In 1985, 7th Street was changed to Martin Luther King Drive. The last entry made in the club’s books was 25 May 1950.
The purpose of this club was “to develop the manifold interests of the home, to promote conference and sociability among the women of this community.”
Charter members included Elizabeth Abele (Theo, 408 Kellogg), Mary Clark (Ray, 420 Sherman), Mary Day (B.F., 206 Waverly), Sophie Eilers (Otto, 405 W. Moss), Minnie Frye (John, 525 Laura), Mary Gibson (Lee, 700 Ayres), Tina Kupper (Gus, 601 W Moss), Hattie Mohr (Frank, 708 Ayres), Fannie Ringness (Henry, 623 Heading), Edith Turner (unknown), Rene Wenke (600 Rohman), May Cressey (Chas., 305 Sherman), Nell Cripe (Rolly, 123 Alice), and Juia Reichel (Robt., 309 Aiken).
Ladies took turns hosting meetings in their homes. Books were read like Freckles (1915). Programs included a variety of topics led by members or other speakers. Members researched, wrote, and presented papers on topics such as the Panama Pacific Exposition, “Popular Literature and Songs and their effect on the public”, “Misunderstood Children”, and fruit canning. A presentation was given by the Diamond Disc company on their new Edison machine [phonograph] (1916). Other programs included Poverty and Old Age, Capital Punishment (1917), member spelling contest (1918), Mazola Oil Demonstration (1918), and The Early History of Peoria (1921),
Each meeting had a report from the Civic Federation including this one by Mrs. Sheppard from the Colored Women’s Home who talked on “The Closed Door” noting that “the door of opportunity was always closed to the well-educated negro.” (Feb 1916).
Politics played a role in the meetings as the constitutional amendment for National Prohibition was discussed, instructions in voting-showed members how to mark the ballots (Oct 1916), and in 1922 Mr. Seibold talked on the condition of Peoria Township, politically explaining many points of interest. “Playgrounds” was a topic because the commissioner of Public Works was planning to establish a playground on Wisconsin Avenue – “every vacant space should be utilized in this way rather than become weed infested as they had in the past” (1916).
Finding Aid for West End Literacy Club Collection
Summary Information
History or Biographical Information related to collection: Volunteers found the 4 volumes on a shelf in the PCGS genealogy workroom (2021) with no knowledge of how they came to be donated to PCGS. The books have not been scanned at this time (2021).
Scope and Content:
The West End Literacy Club (1915-1950) was established in January of 1915 as a club for not more than 20 women who lived “in the district West of Western, and North of Seventh, including Heading Avenue”, currently part of West Peoria. NOTE: In 1985, 7th Street was changed to Martin Luther King Drive. The purpose of this club was “to develop the manifold interests of the home, to promote conference and sociability among the women of this community.”
Charter members included Elizabeth Abele (Theo, 408 Kellogg), Mary Clark (Ray, 420 Sherman), Mary Day (B.F. 206 Waverly), Sophie Eilers (Otto, 405 W. Moss), Minnie Frye (John, 525 Laura), Mary Gibson (Lee, 700 Ayres), Tina Kupper (Gus, 601 W Moss), Hattie Mohr (Frank, 708 Ayres), Fannie Ringness (Henry, 623 Heading), Edith Turner (unknown), Rene Wenke (600 Rohman), May Cressey (Chas. 305 Sherman), Nell Cripe (Rolly, 123 Alice), and Juia Reichel (Robt., 309 Aiken).
The four volumes cover 1915-1950. The books detail the membership for each year and often lists spouse names, addresses, and attendance at meetings. Other information in the books include roll, minutes, membership, treasurer reports. The minutes include speakers, other clubs the West End Literacy Club collaborated with, political, educational, and social topics.
Surnames: The membership list changed each year, but Book 1 surnames are consistent.
Abele, Clark, Day, Eilers, Frye, Gibson, Kupper, Mohr, Ringness, Turner, Wenke, Cressey, Cripe, Reichel, Kupper, Nelson, Meinel, Miller, Smith, Wolfram, Meyer, Vandorn, Allahands, Mohn, Medaris, Armfield, Shoenbeck, Winters
Access Restrictions: none
Deed of Gift: none
How to Access:
To access this collection, ask the librarian at the Local History/Genealogy Dept. in the Peoria Public Library Main Branch. You will be able to see one volume at a time. You also may be able prearrange a visit with a PCGS volunteer by using the Contact Us on the website: peoriacountygenealogy.org.
CONTENTS LISTING: 4 Books
Book 1: 1915-1926
Page 1: Constitution 15 January 1915
Page 6: Constitution, Roll, Minutes
Page 8: Members on 15 Jan 1915
[Surnames: Abele, Clark, Day, Eilers, Frye, Gibson, Kupper, Mohr, Ringness, Turner, Wenke, Cressey, Cripe, Reichel, Kupper, Nelson, Meinel, Miller, Smith, Wolfram, Meyer, Vandorn, Allahands, Mohn, Medaris, Armfield, Shoenbeck, Winters]
Page 10: Members 1916-1917 with addresses & spouse
Page 12: members 1919-1920 with addresses & spouse
Page 15: minutes 15 Jan 1915 first meeting
Page 17: Charter Members 24 Feb 1915, club name chosen
Minutes, Treasury report, attendance, member list, constitution
Page 21: First luncheon at Ringness farm 26 May 1915
Page 58: 1917-1918 members, minutes following pages
[Other: Proctor Recreation Centre, Peace Delegate at the Woman’s Club (p18), Civic Federation, Child’s Welfare League, Neighborhood House, YWCA, Diamond Disc/Edison machine (p45), Red Cross, Liberty Loan, Mothers’ Club/Whittier School, Mazola Oil demonstration, West Minster Church, Women’s Recreation Camp]
Page 84; 1920-1921 Member with addresses, phone, spouse
Page 92: 1921-1922 Member with addresses, phone, spouse
Book 2: 1922-1926
Page 3: Constitution, Roll, attendance, treasury reports, minutes, membership
Page 10: 1922-1923 membership
Page 50: 1923-1924 membership
Page 84: 1924-1925 membership
Page 112: 1925-1926 membership
Book 3: 1926-1939
Page 3: Constitution, membership, roll, attendance,treasury reports, minutes
Page 10: 1926-1927 membership
Page 17: History of Jubilee College speaker
Page 18: Zoning speaker
Page 21: Municipal Tubercular Sanitorium
Page 44: 1927-1928 membership
Page 70: 1928-1929 membership
Page 1929-1930 membership
Page 101: 15th anniversary party
Page 120: 1930-1931 membership
Page 140: Tribute to Mrs. Elliott (insert)
Page 154: 1932-1933 membership
Page 176: 1933-1934 membership
Page 194: 1934-1935 membership
Page 208: 20th celebration photo from paper insert
Page 220: 1935-1936 membership
Page 242: 1936-1937 membership
Page 276: 1938-1939 membership
Book 4: 1939-1950
Page 6: Constitution, membership, roll, minutes, treasury reports
Page 10: 1939-1940 membership
Page 34: 1940-1941 membership
Page 84: 1941-1942 membership
Page 112: 1942-1943 membership
Page 137-138: missing
Page 140: 1943-1944 membership
Page 154: Mrs. Budelier 110 Clifton Crtobituary April 1944
Page 160: 1944-1945 membership
Page 180: 1945-1946 membership
Page 202: 1946-1947 membership
Page 217: Mrs (John) Mary Schmitt obituary March 28, 1947
Page 222: Mrs Effie J Winters obituary
Page 224: 1947-1948 membership
Page 248: 1948-1949 membership
Page 259: Mrs. Rena Armfield 121 Clifton Court obituary Jan 6, 1949
Page 270: 1949-1950 membership
Last entry 25 May 1950
Created from Society of American Archivists by Kim Hanks, https://www2.archivists.org/usingarchives/appendix, recommended by The Archive Lady and reviewed by IL State Archives, January 2019