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P.E.O. Records (Chapters N and BW)

 Collection
Identifier: MSS052

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Record of chapter activities including meeting minutes, membership lists, yearbooks, bylaws, convention materials, treasurer’s book, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous materials.

Dates

  • Creation: 1919 - 2015

Language of Materials

The records are in English.

Overview of Organization

P.E.O. is an international women’s organization. P.E.O. stands for Philanthropic Educational Organization. The original meaning of the letters, as established by the P.E.O. Founders, is reserved for members only. Seven college girls founded the original P.E.O. Sisterhood on January 21, 1869, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The P.E.O. was to support young women looking for an education and began an education fund in April of 1920. Twelve Spearfish, South Dakota women petitioned to join the P.E.O. Sisterhood and were officially recognized as Chapter N on October 1st, 1919. The first president was Mrs. Bernice Woodburn. At that time membership was limited to twenty members, but the limit increased through the course of the chapter’s development. In 1966, with the support of Chapter N, a new chapter called Chapter BW was formed. Chapter BW’s first president was Gwen Mead.

Extent

12 Boxes

1 Files

13.5 Linear Feet

Summary

This collection records the history of two P.E.O. chapters in Spearfish, South Dakota—N and BW. In addition to documenting the history of the two chapters, these materials contain biographical information on chapter members.

Organization of the Collection

Two series, one for each chapter.

Administrative Information

Received from multiple sources from 1982-2007, 2016

Processing Information

Colleen Kirby; Bobbi Sago

Title
Guide to the P.E.O. Records (Chapters N and BW)
Subtitle
At the Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies
Author
Finding aid prepared by Roberta Sago.
Date
January 14, 2016
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies Repository

Contact:
Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies
Black Hills State University
1200 University Street, Unit 9676
Spearfish South Dakota 57799-9676 USA
605-642-6361