This collection contains the records of the Conway Shakespeare Club, which is one of the older organizations in the city of Conway, Arkansas. The club was organized in 1894, when Professor F.S. Key of Hendrix College brought together eight women for the purpose of studying Shakespeare’s Plays.
The club affiliated with the Arkansas Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1898. In 1928, the club helped established the Conway Junior Shakespeare Club, and the two organizations worked together closely (Note: The Junior Shakespeare Club disbanded in April 1989, and their records are held by the UCA Archives). As the years passed, the club expanded its programs beyond the strictly literary, though that continued as a central program theme.
Perhaps the most significant accomplishment of the club was its persevering work toward creating a public library. Even during the depression, the club continued to purchase books for their library. The club continues to function with thirty members today.
The collection is arranged in four series:
Series I – Organizational materials
Series II – Minutes
Series III – Yearbooks – Conway Shakespeare Club
Series IV – Yearbooks – Conway Junior Shakespeare Club
There is an additional box after Series IV, Box 1 that contains duplicates of the yearbooks in the previous series. Note: When requesting materials, please specify collection number [M95-7], series number, box number, and the file number.
Box 1
File 1- Club History materials
File 2- Constitutions and By-Laws
File 3- Financial records, 1958-1975, 1994
File 4- Correspondences
File 5- State and National Federation materials
File 6- Memorabilia - 1911-1997
File 7- Correspondence: Memorial made by Marvin and Connie DeBore, in memory of their daughter, Sandy, 1998-1999
File 8- The Shakespeare Globe Trust, March 1999
End of Box 1
End of Series I
Series II
Box 1
File 1- Minute Book, 1921-1932
File 2- Minute Books, 1932-1936
File 3- Minute Books, 1936-1940
File 4- Minute Books, 1940-1946
File 5- Minute Books, 1946-1950
End of Box 1
Series II
Box 2
File 1- Minute Book, 1950-1956
File 2- Minute Books, 1956-1959
File 3- Minute Books, 1960-1966
File 4- Minute Books, 1966-1973
File 5- Minute Books, 1973-1988
End of Box 2
End of Series II
Box 1
File 1- Yearbooks, 1908- '09 thru 1930-'31
File 2- Yearbooks, 1931-'32 thru 1940-'41
File 3- Yearbooks, 1941-'42 thru 1950-'51
File 4- Yearbooks, 1951-'52 thru 1960-'61
End of Box 1
Series III
Box 2
File 1- Yearbooks, 1961-1970
File 2- Yearbooks, 1971-1980
File 3- Yearbooks, 1981-1990
File 4- Yearbooks, 1991-present
End of Box 2
End of Series III
Box 1
File 1- Conway Junior Shakespeare Club Constitution, organized c. 1928
File 2- The Conway Junior Shakespeare Club Yearbooks, 1926-1940
File 3- The Conway Junior Shakespeare Club Yearbooks, 1940-1950
File 4- The Conway Junior Shakespeare Club Yearbooks, 1950-1960
File 5- The Conway Junior Shakespeare Club Yearbooks, 1960-1970
File 6- The Conway Junior Shakespeare Club Yearbooks, 1970-1980
File 7- The Conway Junior Shakespeare Club Yearbooks, 1980-1989
End of Box 1
End of Series IV
End of Collection