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Descriptive Summary:
Title
Student Wives Club/Poly-Annas Collection
Collection Number
UA2001/6/1
Donor
Cal Poly Women’s Club
Extent:
Number of containers: 1 box; Linear feet: 1
Physical Location:
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: University Library Special
Collections, Bldg 15, room 4434
Abstract:
Student Wives Club/Poly-Annas was at first a support organization for the wives of students, started in 1949.
It later became a support organization (1968) for both wives and female students
of Cal Poly. The club disbanded in 1975. The collection contains notebooks,
scrapbooks and cookbooks relating to the club’s operation and activities from
1949-1975; arranged chronologically
History
The Student Wives club, chartered in the
Winter Quarter of 1949, was created for the wives of Cal Poly Voorhis students
(who were all male at the time). Many members of the club were homemakers, having
no job outside of the home and several children. These women were not only mothers
and wives who washed and cooked and ironed, but were also study mates and typists
for their student husbands.
Within the club, women could share their
joys, sorrows, and problems and gain support from other women undergoing the
same experiences. The club quickly became an outlet for these women to meet
in the evenings while hubby could baby-sit at home. Hoping to "promote
worthwhile projects" within the community, members established a student
loan fund and held fundraisers for scholarships. They also sponsored family
gatherings such as potluck dinners, dances, card clubs, and holiday parties,
to name a few. The club became so active that in the academic year 1957-1958
members were presented with honorary associate membership Student Body Cards
by the student government, A.S.I. (Associated Students, Inc.)
1957 also marked the first year of the P.H.T.
(Pushing Hubby Through) ceremony. Held on June 4th in the Voorhis
Chapel, it was a mock graduation exercise complete with caps, gowns, and diplomas
to recognize the wives for their hard work and dedication throughout their husbands’
academic careers. Cal Poly President Dr. Julian McPhee gave the address and
Mrs. Julian McPhee presented awards to 26 women. By 1974 it was estimated that
4,100 women had received P.H.T. diplomas. The ceremony continued every year
until 1975, when the club disbanded.
It was not until 1961 that Cal Poly Pomona
began to admit women to the College. In 1968, a dynamically changing student
body led the Student Wives Club to change its name to the "Poly-Annas,"
so that married women who were students themselves could be included in the
organization. After many blood drives, fashion shows, luncheons, clothing drives,
programs for needy children, loans and scholarships to students, P.H.T. diplomas,
and countless other contributions to the campus and community, the club disbanded
in 1975.
Scope and Content
The collection arrived in no discernable order and was rearranged
into chronological order. The highly acidic 1949-1958 scrapbook was interleaved
with acid-free paper, and some of the loose news clippings were gathered into
folded acid-free paper adjacent to the location where they were found. The rest
of the collection consists mainly of club organizational binders and scrapbooks,
along with a cookbook compiled by club members.
Container List:
- Scrapbook 1949 — c. 1958. Spiral-bound notebook,
front cover missing. Newsclippings, correspondence and photographs of the
Student Wives Club Sept 28, 1949 — May 28, 1958.
- Poly Views April 11, 1958. Cal Poly K-V newspaper.
(Relevance to Student Wives Club not determined.)
- Binder 1963-1964. "Student Wives Club 1963-1964."
7" x 9" black 3-ring notebook. List of officers, chairmen, and committee
members; meeting minutes from May 16, 1963 through May 26, 1964
- Binder 1965-1966. Yellow brad folder. Executive committee
listing, annual report and meeting minutes October 5, 1965 — May 17,
1966.
- Scrapbook 1966-1968. Green string-bound scrapbook "66-67,
67-68." Newsclipping, correspondence, photographs and event memorabilia
from 1966-1969.
- Scrapbook 1969-1971. Green string-bound scrapbook. Inside
front page: "Scrapbook Poly-Annas 1969-1970, 1970-1971." Photos,
correspondence, newsclippings, and misc. relating to club’s operation
1969-1971.
- President’s Notebook 1970-1971. Green binder. 8
subject tabs including: Meeting Agendas, Incoming Mail, Outgoing Mail, Schedule
& Bylaws, Board Memo. Poly-Annas, In Process, Misc., and Annual Reports.
- Binder 1971-1972. Orange brad folder. Notebook for club
operation 1971-1972. Contains meeting agendas, membership list, bylaws, newsletter
and announcements for club activities 1971-1972.
- Binder 1972-1973. Loose papers in front include 1971.
5 subject tabs: Agenda, Calendar, Membership, Mail, and Misc.
- Cookbooks. (2) 4 3/4" x 5 1/2" spiral-bound
cookbooks, "What’s Cookin’ at Poly-Annas"
- Binder 1974-75 Leadership Manual. Brown 1" 3-ring
binder. "Poly-Annas." 1974-75 Leadership Manual, published by the
Office of the Director, Department of Student Development (regarding student
government, chartered organizations, and other co-curricular programs at Cal
Poly Pomona)
- Binder "Making Meetings More Effective." Sea-green
brad folder. Ditto-copied guidebook.
Related Collections:
1. Oral Histories of Cal Poly Pomona: Student Papers
from the Pflueger Collection, UA2001/7/1 — Paper #49, "Cal Poly Student
Wives Club" by Marilyn Winterbourne (assisted by Irene Lovewell)
1 copy, 20 pgs. (no numbering)
Paper about the history of the Student Wives Club. Includes
1 page history, list of advisors, list of presidents, year-by-year chronology,
brief history of PHT ceremony, copy of 1968 newsletter announcing name change
from "Student Wives Club" to "Poly-Annas," club officers
for 1967-1968, and a copy of the bylaws (rev. 5/72).
2. Dean of the College Records: P.H.T. Ceremony files
(1959-1963) in boxes 3 and 4 of UA2000/18/1-4.
3. Commencement programs (1957-1980) document box: for
1963 PHT ceremony.
Processed by:
Wendolyn Wysock
Date Completed:
January 25, 2001
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