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League of Women Voters of Greater Newark, Delaware, records
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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
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The League of Women Voters of Greater Newark (LWVGN) was established in Newark, Delaware, in 1952 as the local branch of the national, non-partisan women's organization which promotes citizen education and encourages participation in government. The Newark League participated in programs at the local, state, and national levels. Members selected issues, studied them, reached consensus on the effectiveness of legislation on the issue, and then lobbied in order to get specific legislation passed. Its national counterpart, The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) was founded in 1920, six months before the 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed women the right to vote. Early League statements on the aims of the organization still hold true today: "The organization has three purposes: to foster education in citizenship, to promote forums and public discussions of civic reforms and to support needed legislation." In addition to guiding the organizational structure of the state and local Leagues, the national League has its own "program," or agenda of issues and study topics.
At a convention held on March 29, 1958, the League of Women Voters of Delaware (LWVD) was officially recognized by the national League. Having met minimum standards regarding by-laws, local participation, policy, procedures, and finance factors, the state League was allowed to use both the name and insignia of the League of Women Voters. The group soon undertook its first study, An Evaluation of the Financial System of the State of Delaware. In April of 1961, the LWVD announced its position on the financial system of the state, asserting "support of measures that promote sound fiscal administration and provide revenue adequate to meet the needs of a growing state." An earlier version of the LWVD existed during the early 1920s. Specific information about these early years is unavailable in this collection, except for reports that their activities included work toward the abolition of child labor and support for school and highway construction projects. Delaware board members were listed from all three state counties, including members from Newark and Wilmington. After 1926, this LWVD faded away, with no indication in this collection as to why it disbanded. The League reappeared in Delaware with the formation of the Newark League in 1952. Norma Handloff, a founding member of the Newark League, went on to become the first president of the LWVD as well as mayor of Newark. During the six years between its founding and the national League's recognition of the state League, other local Leagues were established throughout the state. Each reflected the organization and issue focus of the national League.
The organizational structure of the local League followed the national guidelines, which also shaped state League organization. A board of directors consisting of a president, vice president/s (optional upon the size of membership), secretary, treasurer, and committee chairpersons ran the League. The board could propose changes to the bylaws as well as make suggestions for program study areas. The resource chairperson and her committee performed intense, if brief, studies on selected issues and then presented each issue to the membership as a program study area to adopt into their official League program. The LWVGN determined its local program at its annual meeting, at which time the calendar for program study was also adopted.
According to the state League bylaws, in even-numbered years local members gathered to give suggestions for a two-year National Program. The opinions of local Leagues were often collected in the form of a consensus that was reported to the national League for consideration. Also during the even-numbered years, the League's state council met in order to judge the organization's progress. The first state council meeting was held on April 1, 1960, during which the aforementioned study of the state financial system was undertaken. The program handouts from the state council meetings of 1960 and 1962 are included in this collection. It appears that the tradition of state council meetings faded with the third and final council meeting held in 1964. A state convention was held annually to elect officers, adopt the state program and budget, and to consider bylaw amendments. The number of local League members determined representation at the convention. State program items considered at the convention were those issues requiring state legislative action or issues that affected all three counties in Delaware. The state convention was originally convened during the odd-number years, but after the elimination of the council meetings, the convention began to be held annually.
Though the organization originally targeted women in an effort to encourage their participation in government, membership and participation were not limited to women or women's issues. The League was a non-partisan organization; however, members were encouraged to be active in party politics. Only League board members and lobbyists were prohibited from running for office or taking any visible role in city, county, state, federal, or school board elections.
All members were expected to join a committee of their choice and to attend unit discussion meetings pertaining to study topics. Because of the LWVGN's constant community involvement and concern, many issue areas evolved into "continuing responsibilities." The responsibilities included areas such as voter services, government study, land use, and social policy. While the committee members continued to follow current events in each issue area, it also adopted its study to programs suggested by the state and national League. Members of the Newark branch actively participated in deciding their local program, which usually involved several different areas of community interest. A membership newsletter,
The Voter, was published several times a year. The newsletter highlighted programs, reported position statements, and outlined future activities and studies. Membership dues supported such publications and financed community committee work. Fundraising was an ongoing concern for the League as members appealed to both private citizens and businesses for financial support. National and state-level education funds were established. The education funds allowed local Leagues, such as Newark, to provide donors with a tax deductible giving option. For a small fee, the local Leagues could then use the money they raised through the education fund to conduct community education projects.At all levels, the League of Women Voters is probably best known for its work in, and devotion to, voter services. The LWVGN lobbied for simplified single registration procedures and its members volunteered in the community to register citizens to vote. An early voter registration program used a "Voter Wagon" to travel to different neighborhoods in Newark making registration more convenient. At the city the Newark's annual Community Day, the League and other sponsors provided a voting machine to allow citizens an opportunity to practice voting. The Newark League also held receptions for local elected officials and independently published
They Represent You, a guide to local officials. The Newark League also presented educational programs and sponsored candidate debates. They published local election information in They Want to Represent You and gathered information for the "Voter's Guide", which was published by the LWVD in the Wilmington News Journal during elections years. The Newark and Wilmington Leagues often combined forces for voter services projects, as well as for land use issues that were specific to New Castle County, Delaware. Candidates meetings and debates were often co-sponsored by the Leagues in order to pool resources and to avoid over-burdening the campaigns, candidates, and public.League members were concerned with the large-scale functioning of government, a process they examined at the local, state, and national levels. At the local level, the Newark League concentrated on issues such as the city charter, the rights and representation of all citizens, and the city revenue structure. The LWVGN was a supporter of home rule for the city of Newark, which the city achieved in 1965. It conducted community education programs about the city, such as a "Know Your Newark" tour in 1960. It has published
This Is Greater Newark, a guide containing information about the city and its services. The guide was distributed to citizens, government officials, and businesses, often as an example of fundraising dollars put to good use. Joining with the Greater Wilmington League (LWVGW), the two Leagues conducted a study of county finance, considering alternative possibilities. The LWVGN often supported reorganization efforts for New Castle County government, including programs for more efficient and effective government. The Newark and Wilmington groups supported a revenue structure in New Castle County based on property taxes and income, with user fees for measurable services. They campaigned for reforms such as a shorter voting ballot, an employment system based upon merit, and a comprehensive plan for the county. The League also supported the creation of the New Castle County Ethics Commission in 1988.At the state government level, the LWVGN participated in a study of Delaware's constitution (1966-1968) as well as a consensus on the state's General Assembly (1973). Throughout this same time period, League studies on government structure and services included studies of election laws. A sunshine law passed the Delaware legislature with the full support of the Newark and state Leagues. The Newark League also participated in a national program on international relations, which included such topics as trade, foreign assistance, military policies, and the United Nations.
The LWVGN maintained a Land Use Committee that focused on city planning and zoning, transportation, land preservation, and agriculture. The League offered numerous position statements on proposed legislation and collected issue information at all governmental levels. The state League reached consensus in 1977 on policies regarding floodplains, watersheds, and aquifer recharge areas. In 1987 and 1988 the LWVGN participated in a national consensus study on the role of federal government in agriculture.
The LWVGN Social Policy Committee was active on many issues, though its main focus at the local and state levels was on criminal justice, education, and housing. Newark and Wilmington Leagues studied after-school childcare and all local Leagues participated in a statewide study and consensus on the Family Court in Delaware. In 1987, the LWVGN participated in the LWVUS consensus study, Meeting Basic Human Needs. This study focused on evaluation of public and private responsibilities for providing food, shelter, basic income, and access to health care
Continued commitment to national program studies, the increasing complexity of issues and the competition for League members' time led to serious questions about the future of the Newark League. In 1994, after careful consideration, the Wilmington and Newark Leagues officially merged. Their history of collaboration on county issues, as well as state programs, facilitated the merger. On April 13, 1994, with the passage of their official bylaws and with a vote of support from members of both Leagues, the League of Women Voters of New Castle County (LWVNCC) was formed. Since that time, the LWVNCC has continued in its service to members and citizens alike. Under the guidance of both the state and national Leagues, it continues to actively lobby the Delaware legislature and study contemporary issues.
Information derived from the contetnts of the collection.
The League of Women Voters of Greater Newark, Delaware, records consists of material separated into three series, spanning the dates 1949-1998. Comprising correspondence, calendars, financial papers, minutes and agendas, reports, slides, photographs, audio cassette, records, press releases, flyers, voter registration cards, books, pamphlets, brochures, clippings, maps, bylaws, position statements, membership directories, and ephemera, this collection details the organization and community efforts of this non-partisan citizens' group.
Series I consists of material directly related to the Newark League, including founding papers and the history of the League. Series II contains papers of the League of Women Voters of Delaware, many of which were sent to local Leagues as guidelines and reports from the state Board. Series III encompasses the papers that the Newark League received from the League of Women Voters of the United States. Though a considerably smaller amount of material, state and national information found in Series II and III reflects the organizational aspects of the League, as well as the issues being studied at the time.
Although the Newark League was involved in study areas that encompassed national issues, most of their work concentrated on those issues at the local level. The group's Action Committee followed the issues of the day, assuring that any results from League study were publicized through letter-writing, public position statements, news articles, and radio spots. The LWVGN had a Government Study Committee that considered and produced position statements on the city charter, reapportionment, and city revenue structure. The group also produced informative guides to the city and its services, such as
This Is Greater Newark, published between 1969 and 1987.The Newark League's involvement in community issues is also apparent through its committee work on land use issues. Study issues included planning and zoning changes, transportation proposals, and environmental preservation concerns. The LWVGN was concerned about park areas in the city of Newark as well as development of safe bicycling areas. It conducted a survey of local businesses in order to gauge support for changes in Newark traffic patterns and parking needs. The LWVGN combined with other citizens and groups in its support for library resources.
The archive documents the creation of an "Observer Corps" that monitored court cases in Family Court. The work of the observers led to League position statements on Family Court, court procedures, and Community Legal Aid. The Newark League also produced documents concerning desegregation of schools in Wilmington, Delaware, and after-school child care.
The LWVGN's Voter Services Committee produced and collected information on candidates and elected officials. This material was presented to citizens in several formats, including the local publication of Newark candidate information in
They Want to Represent You and statewide information published by the Wilmington News Journal.In addition to the information available in this collection regarding the Newark League and the state's work on issues, the archive documents the organizational structure of the League of Women Voters of Greater Newark. Membership recruitment and fundraising activities reflect the concerns about the longevity of the organization. The membership newsletter,
The Voter, provided information concerning social events for members and their families, and updated members on issue study areas.The documents from both the state and national Leagues available in this collection demonstrate how Newark's committee structure mirrors national guidelines. These documents also highlight the issues of greatest importance to citizens, and particularly women at the time. Because the Newark League was active in the local community, the archive is a source of information about Newark and the state of Delaware, particularly with regard to government response to social issues. Local and national concerns are further documented by the League's collection of clippings and printed information for study areas.
The archive also demonstrates how the organization developed and changed. For the League of Women Voters of Newark, the changes, including the merger with the Wilmington League, reflected the realities of more women working, less volunteer time, and a growing complexity of issues. Its willingness to change has allowed the Newark League to continue its commitment to community involvement.
The collection is organized into three series: I. League of Women Voters of Greater Newark, II. League of Women Voters of Delaware, and III. League of Women Voters of the United States of America. Each of these series has three subseries, A. Organization, B. Intra-League Committees, and C. League Community Committees. Series II. adds a fourth subseries: D. Papers of Other Delaware Leagues.
Within each subseries the material is organized by committee or function, for example material in subseries A. Organization is grouped by Board of Directors, Annual Reports, Budgets, etc. Within each of these groups the material is arranged in chronological order. Folder numbering begins anew with each series.
- Boxes 1-12: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons
- Oversize: Shelved in MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)
- Oversize removals: Shelved in MSS oversize mapcases
Gift of League of Women Voters of Greater Newark, Delaware, 1993-2001
Processed by Dianne K. Pledgie, 1999-2000, completed by Anita A. Wellner, August 2002. Finding aid encoded by Anna Nuzzolese, September 2018.
People
Organization
- League of Women Voters of Greater Wilmington, Delaware
- League of Women Voters of Sussex County, Delaware
- League of Women Voters of Dover, Delaware
- League of Women Voters (U.S.)
- League of Women Voters of New Castle County, Delaware
- League of Women Voters of Greater Newark, Delaware
- League of Women Voters of Delaware
Subject
- Women--Suffrage--United States--20th century
- Delaware--Politics and government--1775-1865
- Political campaigns--United States--History--20th century
- Political participation
- Local elections--Delaware
- Politicians--Delaware--20th century
- Women's rights--United States--History--20th century
- Political participation--United States--History--20th century
Place
- Newark (Del.)
- Wilmington (Del.)
- Delaware--Politics and government
- Dover (Del.)
- Sussex County (Del.)
- New Castle County (Del.)
Occupation
- Publisher
- University of Delaware Library Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
- Finding Aid Date
- 2018 September 12
- Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
-
Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/static/purl.php?askspec
Collection Inventory
Series I documents the organizational structure of the Newark branch of the League of Women Voters, a non-partisan organization concerned with educating citizens and encouraging participation in government. The material further chronicles the Newark League's participation in programs at the local, state and national levels. The documents particularly reflect the Newark League's involvement with the local community. Papers in this series record the issues studied by the Newark League, the consensus reached on those issues, and in most cases report the consensus-driven actions taken by the League.
The series includes information collected for issue studies, publications produced by the LWVGN, and the League's membership and financial records. Records for each of Newark's intra-league and community committees, as well as for the board of directors, are also available.
Overall the papers in this series clearly document the history and legacy of the Newark League of Women Voters, from its beginning in 1952, until the merger with the Wilmington League in 1994, for which documents are available in this series.
This series includes bylaws, membership directories, minutes and agendas, annual reports, meeting supplements, calendars, correspondence, financial records, maps, clippings, publications, flyers, press releases, position statements, posters, voter registration cards, ephemera, and collection information.
Series I is arranged in three subseries. Series I.A includes documents related to the organizational aspects of the Newark League. Series I.B consists of the papers of Intra-League committee such as Finance and Membership. Series I.C includes documents from the League's Community Committees (for example Action and Voter Services). Within each subseries the material is arranged by Committee or function and then in chronological order.
Index cards kept as tallying cards for member dues and in some cases they list the activities in which members participated.
These guidelines lay out the organizational structure of the League. Committee positions, as well as committee interactions, are explained.
Copies of the board meeting minutes were mailed to all members of the Newark League. They provide detailed documentation of the issues and options discussed as well as the opinions of individual members, reports of committee work, and discussion of the direction of the League.
Minutes of the meetings with the LWV of Greater Wilmington to merge the two groups into the LWV of New Castle County.
LWVGN prepared these reports for the LWVD Board. They summarize annual activities, budget, and future goals.
LWVGN prepared these reports for the LWVD Board. They summarize annual activities, budget, and future goals.
LWVGN prepared these reports for the LWVD Board. They summarize annual activities, budget, and future goals.
The local and state programs contain general statements on areas of concern to the LWVGN as well as specific proposals or issues for the year. The LWVGN participated in the development of both the state and national League programs. The reports in the second folder in this section reflect local member opinion of the national agenda items and a ranking of issues purposed for future study.
The budget for the LWVGN ran from April to March. These budget reports show operating costs, proposed changes in the budget and committee project expenses. For some years there are monthly reports and most years include quarterly reports.
The basis for these can be found in the national League standards regarding standards and principles. The local Leagues, however, often reformatted such information for their members while keeping the substance the same.
Both Leagues agreed to work together on a County item. The Leagues studied New Castle County government, including its adequacy for meeting growing needs, a comparison with other types of county government and study on the composition of the Levy Court. This sheet notes that "no doubt other informal conferences will develop on matter of joint concern and will lay the basis for smooth functioning of the necessary formalities in the County Council Agreement."
In 1976, the Newark League was granted permission to expand its boundaries to include the entire Newark metropolitan area. Both Newark and Wilmington League members met in order to decide upon the boundaries.
Includes thank you notes, recommendation letters for local awards, project information, correspondence with other Leagues, and letters to newspapers.
The purpose of the Membership Committee was to organize membership coffees, help new members get acquainted and provide services for all members. These members also worked on membership recruitment and development and they surveyed member interests. The League held an annual reception for elected city and county officials. Those members participating in the League Event Committee were responsible for inviting and hosting elected officials, organizing and serving food, and decorating.
The Voter is the LWVGN membership newsletter. It contained meeting announcements, study information, program items from all levels of the League and member and committee announcements. The Voter was a time-consuming and expensive product for the League. It often provided the only link between non-active League members and the positions and activities of the League.
The Action Committee was charged with supporting action on issues through letter-writing, public statements, articles and radio spots. Information produced by other League community committees could pass through the Action Committee and/or the Publicity Committee. Also, issues that developed quickly, without time for in-depth study by all members, could be assigned to members of the Action Committee. The Action Committee allowed the League to stay involved in the issues of the day.
Members of the Fraternal Order of Policy challenged a city code that prohibited their participation in city elections. The State Bill of Rights permitted city employees to participate in city election campaigns. Although the LWVGN took no position at the time, one of their members (Betty Hutchinson) was on the City Council Charter Committee so they collected a lot of information on the subject. In their 1988 statement, the LWVGN remained a strong supporter of Newark homerule and an activist for discussion and distribution of information.
These notes were used for a member tour of Newark, although they may also have been used for citizen information systems. The same possibilities hold for the quiz and fact sheet in the following folder.
Many of these positions, as well as the study behind them, were joint efforts between the Newark and Wilmington Leagues.
This study and consensus information notes the participation of the LWVGN in the state program set by the LWVD.
In 1985, LWVGN and LVWGW presented a seminar entitled "Public Forum on Economic Diplomacy and Assistance." Speakers were from the government, a private agency and the University of Delaware. In 1987, speaker Willard A. Workman, a special negotiator for International Trade Controls U.S. Department of State, discussed "Current Trade Policy Issues."
This folder, along with the next four folders, contains the LWVGN member consensus on an international relations topic each of which were studied by all leagues participating in the national program study. The LWVGN submitted consensus to the national and state League and retained a copy for its own records.
For intense League study, member participated in detailed research for "units" presentations. Once information was collected, unit members would present to the entire membership and then consensus would be reached.
While support for expanded library services was an important issue for League members, the information here far exceeds a simple passing interest. One of the LWVGN members, Truth Schiffhauer, participated in the New Castle County (NCC) Advisory Board and the rest of the collected information appears to be from her participation in library advocacy. Also includes material collected by Miriam Willis, who helped found the Friends of Newark Library.
The Observer Corps was created to monitor the activities of the court system. Members would observe the proceedings and make reports on the speed of the trial, practice of attorneys and whether the rights of the accused were protected. Such observations were then used as members formulated consensus on other aspects of the legal system.
Entitled "New Castle County School District, Referendum Information Sheet," this League publication provides information on voting requirements and a breakdown of the proposed tax increase to cover operating expenses.
This study included accessing "the feasibility of after school child care using the public school buildings by comparing two latchkey programs currently in operation in New Castle County." The study also attempted to gauge demand for after school child care programs for the county as a whole. Because of the scope of the study, the Newark and Wilmington Leagues worked together on the study. They used a survey and interviews of directors of child care facilities.
These are the LWVGN papers on the national League study. All of the information gathered is local and the Leader's guide contains the markings for how the survey was divided among members.
Published by the LWV of New Jersey.
Published by the LWV of Pennsylvania.
Flyer for "The Election Process," a panel discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of the election process nationally and in Delaware.
Radio announcements include reminders to register or to change registration if one's legal name changes, information regarding polling places and election times, and ads for LWVGN sponsored events, such as candidate debates and meetings.
F363 1993-1994 A listing of elected officials in New Castle County that appears to be the first joint project of the Newark and Wilmington Leagues after their merger in 1994.
This is an annual event in the city of Newark, Delaware. The LWVGN used this opportunity to provide the community with information and to recruit new members. During several years the League sponsored a voting booth for citizens to practice on. Literature produced by the League was available.
The Speakers' Corner was a scheduled time available for candidates to address citizens in attendance at Community Day.
The Speakers Bureau was a separate service of the League. Because of their in-depth study on issues and aspects of democracy, members of the League made themselves available as presenters for schools and other groups. The Speakers Bureau is one aspect of the League's commitment to community education.
The American Heritage Foundation was another organization concerned with voter apathy. It promoted voter registration and information while encouraging all citizens to exercise their voice in democracy by voting.
Includes a copy of Promoting Voting: A Citizen's Guide to Media.
This series consists of documents related to the League of Women Voters of Delaware and three other Delaware Leagues, namely the Greater Wilmington, Dover, and Sussex County Leagues. Most of this material was sent to the League of Women Voters of Newark by these groups to distribute information. Some papers, such as minutes of State League Board or committee meetings, were collected by Newark's representatives to the Board or those committees. Other papers record joint projects with the State or Greater Wilmington League. For example, Newark and the Wilmington League frequently worked together on issues related to New Castle County government or services. These joint projects ultimately facilitated the merger of the Newark and Wilmington Leagues.
Unique to this series is material related to the "League Day in Dover"event, which was sponsored by the LWVD. This annual event offered League members an opportunity to lobby legislators on issues of concern. Also unique are some of the founding papers for the LWV Dover, which the Newark League inherited after the original Dover League disbanded in 1957. The Dover League was reconstituted in 1966.
This series includes bylaws, membership directories, minutes and agendas, reports, programs, correspondence, financial records, forms, clippings, publications, flyers, position statements, posters, exhibition display, ephemera, and collection information.
Series II is arranged in four subseries. Series II.A includes documents related to the organizational aspects of the State League. Series II.B consists of the papers of Intra-League committee such as Finance and Membership. Series II.C includes documents from the State League's Community Committees. Series II.D. consists of papers of other Delaware Leagues, including Greater Wilmington, Dover, and Sussex County. Within each subseries the material is arranged by Committee or function and then in chronological order.
The State Council was described in 1960 by then president Norma Handloff as "a small gathering, informal in nature, called to exchange views on program and procedures and to give advice and guidance to the State Board which is charged with the responsibility of furthering League program in the state until the time of our next convention." It appears that the tradition of State Council meetings faded, with the third and final Council meeting held in 1964.
As noted in the national standards for local and state leagues, this is the annual meeting held in order to elect officers, adopt a state program and budget, and to consider by-law amendments.
The Delaware LWV Education Fund was established in September 1985. Initially, it operated on money transferred from special accounts of the LWVD, and used all volunteer labor. Fundraising for the Education Fund began in the fall of 1986. The fund supervised all projects to ensure conformity with IRS regulations for the use of tax-deductible contributions. The fund was used for educational projects of a local nature, such as the Voter's Guide, New Citizens Project, and phone and mail voter information.
Annual event that allowed League members a chance to meet with legislators.
This consensus ended with the following conclusion regarding levels of government control: "rights of local government should be protected by constitution and should be allowed to exercise any power not denied by their own charter, state law or state constitution."
The Sunshine bill, which eventually passed the Delaware legislature, provided that citizens be allowed an opportunity to witness governmental meetings, except for those of the strictest confidence. The League advocated citizen involvement through observation of government at the local, state and federal levels.
The LWVD hosted Robert D. Bauerlein as speaker for their program on foreign assistance. This is a copy of his remarks and explanation of his position as the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology.
A folding display that was used by the LWVD as its Convention voter services exhibit. In a state board letter the display and its purpose is explained: "It will be a cartoon-type backdrop dramatizing the five 1920 pamphlets recently found in the University of Delaware Library, and we are depending on the local leagues to bring out the contrast with the 1960s…"
Guide published in the Wilmington News Journal during election years. Most of these guides have been removed to the oversize section.
This league divides its committees by service (voter services), in-house (finance, membership, publications, Voter), and action/study committees (government study, social policy, libraries).
Script for a skit.
Includes reports for the Women and Mortgage Credit Project.
Includes handbook
Newsletter issued after the merge of Wilmington and Newark.
In its 1985 action position statement, the LWVGW stated that the purpose of the social policy committee was to promote social justice by securing equal rights for all and combating discrimination and poverty.
Includes
The Path of Public Education in Delaware by Robert Taggart.The LWV Dover was founded on March 3, 1955. Mrs. T. Scudder served as the first President. When the Dover branch disbanded later in 1957, the LVWGN inherited some of the founding papers of the LWV Dover. The Dover League was reborn in 1966; however, information about what has happened since then is not available in this collection. The materials from LWV Dover collected here are those of the early organization or mailings which were received by members of the LWVGN from the Dover group.
"Know Dover" materials
A Greater Rehoboth League was started in January 1961, with 26 members. It appears that the Laurel and Rehoboth Beach Leagues merged into the Sussex League. Information regarding that merger or the league's activities is not fully documented in this collection.
Founded in 1920, the League of Women Voters of the United States of America has three purposes: to foster education in citizenship, to promote forums and public discussions or civic reforms, and to support needed legislation. The material in this series reflects the league's programming toward these goals.
The national league provides guidance for the state and local leagues but also has its own agenda of issues and study topics. The documents in this series represent communications between the Newark League and the LWVUS, particularly information, guidelines, and publications sent by the national league to state and local groups. Papers documenting the national organization include bylaws, documents from national conventions, guidelines for committees, packets of study materials, action kits, and voter guides for national elections.
The series includes several distinctive items, including a phonograph recordings of a 1958 "Report from the Convention," and a slide presentation, "What's in US for YOU," which was used as a recruitment tool. Bylaws, guidelines, reports, programs, correspondence, budgets, forms, clippings, brochures, publications, flyers, position statements, posters, records, slide presentation, ephemera, and collection information are also included.
Series III is arranged in four subseries. Series III.A includes documents related to the organizational aspects of the League of Women Voters of the United States of America. Series III.B consists of the papers of Intra-League committees. Series III.C includes documents from the National League's Community Committees. Within each subseries the material is arranged by Committee or function and then in chronological order.
Includes clippings regarding the history of the league.
Includes three memos written by participants in the 1958 Convention. One memo includes a visitor credential card/badge for admittance to the meetings. George H. Watkins addressed the Convention delegates in a speech, which is included in the collection.
Includes two phonograph recordings.
These member mailings contain long-range plans for the league, reports on the action of specific days, and post-convention summaries.
Includes slides and a cassette tape presentation entitled "What's in US for YOU." Also includes a copy of the script and directions.
Report of the President's Commission for a National Agenda for the Eighties.
The league produced two publications,
A Nuclear Power Primer and The Nuclear Waste Primer. Both are considered handbooks for citizens and provide base information as well as citizen involvement opportunities.Includes the 1993 book
The Garbage Primer.Includes a copy of "Recreation and Parks."
Includes a copy of
The Conditions of the American City.Includes information concerning gun control issues.