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The Mary Arden Club was founded in the fall of 1902 on the campus of North Texas State (now the University of North Texas) by a professor of English, Miss Edith Lanier Clark. Miss Clark decided, along with Miss Annie Webb Blanton, her colleague in the English department, that the girls enrolled at the Teacher's college needed a literary club to enrich their time at school.
Originally founded as a literary club for girls and devoted to the works of Shakespeare, the club also provided training to its members in club work and social activities. The name of the club was chosen in 1902 by members to honor Mary Arden, the mother of Shakespeare. The club flower, a white rose, and the club colors, orange and white, were also chosen at this time. In 1922, a lot on Avenue A was bought, primarily from funds collected from five dollar pledges made by members, and the Mary Arden Lodge was built to provide a space for club meetings and activities. The club was an outlet for social activities and camaraderie, but it also taught its members the benefits of club work - serving on committees, creating event programs, planning teas and other formal events, and holding officer elections.
Membership soon swelled so that Junior and Senior Mary Arden Clubs were established in 1935. Both sections of the Mary Arden membership totaled to thirty, with the seniors comprised of twenty members. The remaining ten membership spots were open for juniors who would make up the backbone of the Senior Marys’ the following year.
The first meeting held in October 11, 1902 of this club was productive as officers were elected and a membership roster was recorded. Subsequent meetings determined the name of the club - Mary Arden - which was named in honor of Shakespeare's mother. The club's flower, the white rose and the club's colors, orange and white were also decided upon during this meeting.
The club met with success as it members were enthusiastic to participate in social activities and meetings held every other week during the semester. Before the onset of WWI, the Mary Arden Club set forth to solidify their presence on campus by purchasing and planning for their own lodge located on Avenue B close to the library building. The Mary Arden Lodge was built with the funds of its members and it was architecturally designed with grace and elegance in mind. With their new lodge becoming the social spot on campus, the Mary Arden’s' influence on campus began to take shape as their formation prompted the organization of two all-male clubs, the Lee's and the Reagans.
The history of the club spans the history of the early and mid-twentieth century, providing a perspective into the women of those time periods. During the two World Wars, the Mary Arden Club mirrored the sentiments of the country. Their events were often aimed at promoting all campus war activities which proudly showed support for better times beyond the gray skies of conflict. The creation of the Mary Arden Club, both senior and junior clubs, was intended to open up social opportunities for women and to serve campus and community.
The Mary Arden Club Collection is comprised of materials related to all club and member activities from 1902 to 1935. The documents in this collection display the events, meeting details, club history, meeting minutes of the Junior Mary Arden Club. Each item is a unique glimpse into the history of this club, of women during these time periods, and of the North Texas campus. After 1935, with a few exceptions, documents concern the Senior Mary Arden Club branch. Materials include club books, correspondence, financial documents, invitations, programs, clippings, pamphlets and booklets concerning the history of the Club, roll lists, memorabilia, and guest books.
Reference:
Clark, Edith Lanier. (1944). Vignettes of Junior and Senior Mary Arden Clubs. North Texas State Teachers College.
This Collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Gift
Topic- level description available for collection in the UNT Archives. Please contact the UNT Archives for more information.
Reproduction and publication of materials in this collection are subject to the policies of the UNT Archives and Rare Books department. Copyright restrictions may apply.
This collection is not restricted.
This collection is stored off-site and requires a minimum of 24 hour notice prior to use.
Collection is arranged by document type. Document types are arranged chronologically. Collection is described at folder level.
The Mary Arden Club Collection includes materials from the club from its founding in 1902 through to the 1960s. Materials detail the happenings of the club during a specific time period and consists of membership rosters, yearbooks, event programs, financial documents, meeting minutes, and publications.
This folder contains the correspondence of Mary Arden Club members related to Club business as well as personal correspondence between members and former members.
This folder contains the correspondence of Mary Arden Club members related to Club business as well as personal correspondence between members and former members.
This Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from its first meeting in 1902 until 1907. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions.
This Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from 1907 until 1921. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions. Also included are the Constituion and Bylaws of the Club.
This Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from 1923-1924. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions.
This Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from 1924-1926. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions. Newspaper clippings of Club meetings are pasted throughout.
This Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings for the spring and summer of 1927. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions.
This Senior Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from September 0f 1953 to April of 1964. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions.
This book contains Treasurer's Reports for the Senior Mary Arden Club from 1946-1966.
This folder contains a various assortment of Mary Arden Club minutes spread from 1937-1964, though not as detailed as the minutes in the Club Books. The folder also contains various notes and a brief handwritten history of the Club written for the Golden Anniversary of the Club in 1952.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club for 1958.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club for 1959.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club from December of 1959 through September of 1960.
This Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from September of 1927 until July of 1931. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions. Newspaper clippings of Club meetings and activities are pasted throughout.
This Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from October of 1931 to July of 1937. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions. Newspaper clippings of Club meetings and activities are pasted throughout. The Club decided to split into a Junior and Senior section in 1935. See Junior Mary Arden Club Collection for materials related to the Juinor section.
This Senior Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from September of 1937 to May of 1945. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions. Newspaper clippings of Club meetings are pasted throughout.
This Senior Mary Arden Club Book contains the minutes of Mary Arden Club meetings from October of 1945 to May of 1953. Entries include membership rolls, officer and committee appointments, and meeting topics and discussions.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club from October of 1960 to January of 1962.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club for 1962.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club from January of 1963 to June of 1964.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club from July of 1964 to December of 1965.
This folder contains the bank statements and checks for the Mary Arden Club from January of 1966 to July of 1967.
This folder contains checks and check stubs of the Mary Arden Club from October of 1960 to June of 1963.
This folder contains a checkbook of checks and check stubs of the Mary Arden Club from January of 1961 to June of 1966.
This folder contains deposit slips for the Mary Arden Club from 1930 to 1967.
This folder contains bills for the Mary Arden Club from 1949 to 1967.
This folder contains receipts for the Mary Arden Club from 1922 to 1967.
This folder contains receipt books with receipts and stubs for the Mary Arden Club from 1961 to 1969.
This folder contains notes of a financial nature related to the Mary Arden Club including pledge dues, budgets, activity expenses, and contributions to the Mary Arden Lodge Fund.
This folder contains materials related to the Insurance Policy of the Mary Arden Lodge. Note: Insurance Policy has been moved to Map Case.
This folder contains a play entitled "On the Parliamentary Beam" by Mrs. Louis Caddell. The folder also contains a report and Q & A on the history of the Mary Arden Club.
This folder contains the Fall 1957 edition of Avesta, the literary magazine of North Texas State College. The publication contains Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry submissions from North Texas State College students.
This folder contains publications of the General Federation Clubwoman and The Texas Clubwoman from 1954 to 1959.
This folder contains publications of The Texas Clubwoman from April of 1963 to March of 1964.
This folder contains the booklet "Vignettes of Junior and Senior Mary Arden Clubs: 1902-1944" written by club founder Edith Lanier Clark. The booklet chronicles the history of the club from its inception in 1902 until 1944. Folder also contains the handwritten manuscript of the history.
This folder contains clippings from various newspapers related to club or club member activities. Note: Several oversized clippings have been moved to map case.
This folder contains clippings from various newspapers related to club or club member activities.
This folder contains the Certificate of Membership to the General Federation of Women's Clubs for the Senior and Junior Mary Arden Club.
This folder contains the Handbook of the Senior Mary Arden Club published in 1954. The handbook includes information on the club's history, constitution, initiation ceremonies, duties, social functions, and the Mary Arden Lodge.
This folder contains the Course of Study of the Junior Mary Arden Club for various years falling between 1945 and 1955.
This folder contains the Course of Study of the Mary Arden Club for all the years between 1936 and 1946, excepting 1943.
This folder contains the Course of Study of the Mary Arden Club for all the years between 1948 and 1954.
This folder contains the Course of Study of the Mary Arden Club for all the years between 1955 and 1959.
This folder contains the Course of Study of the Mary Arden Club for all the years between 1959 and 1962.
This folder contains the Course of Study of the Mary Arden Club for all the years between 1962 and 1965. Folder also contains printed card for 1967-1968.
This folder contains booklets and brochures from the General and Texas Federation of Women's Clubs. Folder also contains a 1962 brochure about Denton, Texas.
This folder contains the Club Song and Federated Club Collect. Folder also contains the song Mary Arden dedicated to Edith Lanier Clark.
This folder contains invitations to various events of the Mary Arden Club.
This folder contains the programs for various events connected to the Mary Arden Club.
This folder contains programs for Mary Arden Club Teas, Breakfasts, and Christmas Banquets.
This folder contains programs for Mary Arden Club and Junior Mary Arden Club Teas, Banquets, Golden Anniversary Luncheon, and May Fete.
This folder contains programs for Mary Arden Club and Junior Mary Arden Club Teas, Banquets, and May Fete.
This folder contains information regarding Mary Arden Scholarships and the Constitution of the Club.
This folder contains materials related to Mary Arden Club and Junior Mary Arden Club membership and installation activities.
This folder contains a photograph of the Mary Arden Lodge and members decorating a Christmas tree in 1962. Note: 1908 photograph of Mary Arden Club picnic moved to oversize box.
This folder contains materials regarding the installation of members and officers of the Mary Arden Club. Folder also contains ribbons in the Club colors of orange and white.
Note: Scrapbooks for 1952-1958 and 1963-1964 moved to oversize box.
This folder contains the Roll Lists of Mary Arden Club members for various years between 1902 and 1937.
This folder contains the Roll Lists of Mary Arden Club members for various years between 1937 and 1967.
This folder contains undated Roll Lists of Mary Arden Club members.
This folder contains notes and lists of Mary Arden Club spoon collection and blank Mary Arden Club stationary.
This folder contains various notes related to Mary Arden Club events and activities.
This folder contains various notes related Mary Arden Club events and activities. Also included are place cards and admission cards. Note: Mary Arden Club sign moved to oversize box.
This item is a guest book listing attendees to various Mary Arden Club events from 1950 to 1954.
This item is a guest book listing attendees to Mary Arden Club Golden Anniversary events occurring in 1952. Guest book also includes newspaper clippings, invitations, and thank you cards.
This item is a guest book commemorating the 1952 Golden Anniverary events of the Mary Arden Club. It has been re-copied by hand from Item 4 of Box 1372 of this collection.
This item is a guest book listing attendees to various Mary Arden Club events from 1954 to 1956.
This item is a guest book listing attendees to various Mary Arden Club events from 1957-1960.
This item is a guest book listing attendees to various Mary Arden Club events from 1960 to 1963.
This item is a guest book listing attendees to various Mary Arden Club events from 1963 to 1967.
This item is a guest book listing attendees to various Mary Arden Club events from 1967 to 1969.
Contains newspaper clippings, newsletters, and music programs separated from boxes 1369 and 1370 This is a multiple collections box. The John L. Adams Collection, Gus Seligmann Collection, and Domincan Republic Collections are also housed in this box.
This folder houses two invitations for the Junior Mary Arden Club Annual Formal Seated Tea which was held on May 16, 1940 at 6:30 p.m. in Marquis Hall's Crystal Room. The invitation includes a menu for the occasion, officers for 1939-1940 and for 1940-1941, and the event's program. The club song is printed on the last page of the document.
This folder houses an invitation for the Junior Mary Arden Club Annual Formal Seated Tea which was held on May 15, 1941 at 6:30 p.m. in Marquis Hall's Crystal Room. The invitation incudes a menu for the occasion, officers for 1940-1941 and for 1941-1942, and the event's progam. The club song is printed on the last page of the document.
This folder houses an invitation for the Junior Mary Arden Club Annual Formal Seated Tea which was held on May 10, 1943 at 7:00 p.m. in Marquis Hall's Crystal Room. The invitation incudes a menu for the occasion, officers for 1942-1943 and for 1943-1944, and the event's progam.
Folder contains two 1954-1955 Junior Mary Arden Club Books. The book details the club's agenda for the 1954-1955 year.
Folder contains one 1955-1956 Junior Mary Arden Club Books. The book details the club's agenda for the 1955-1956 year.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1935-1936. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members. Included in the book is an invitation for the Junior Mary Arden Club guest musicale which took place on April 21, 1936. Handwritten notes on the book include: Mary Barrett Wesson on the front cover and a list of 14 additonal members in the back of the book.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1936-1937. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1937-1938. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1938-1939. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1939-1940. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1940-1941. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members. Handwritten note includes Miss Clark written on the front of the book.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1941-1942. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members. Handwritten note includes the name of the club's faculty sponsor, Miss Clark, written on the front of the book.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1942-1943. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1943-1944. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1945-1946. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1947-1948. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1948-1949. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1949-1950. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1950-1951. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1951-1952. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members.
Folder contains one Junior Mary Arden Club Course of Study book for 1953-1954. The course of study details the officers and committees for the year, the club's agenda, the year's events, and a list of members. The name Sandra Rogers is written on the front page of the book. The following names are written on the back page of the book: Frances Kirby, Michelette Keller, Linda Crowe, Mary Bowers, Ruth Ann Averitt.
Folder contains an invitation to a Junior mary Arden club acquaintance tea held on October 11, 1954 at the Mary Arden lodge. It is addressed to Dr. Virginia Haile. Also in this folder is a thank your card to Virginia Haile from the Senior Marys. The card reads: "In appreciation for your giving unselfishly of your time and efforts - the Senior Marys."
A vignette of the Junior and Senior Mary Arden Clubs which focus on the beginning of the clubs in 1902 and spans the history of the clubs through 1944. Includes a roster of charter members and details the influence that the clubs had on social activities held on campus as well as the creation of new social clubs.
Folder contains a yearbook for the Junior Mary Arden Club from the 1956-1957 academic year. Item includes the club song, the date and time meetings were held, events, the club's officers, and a roster of members.
Folder contains a yearbook for the Junior Mary Arden Club from the 1957-1958 academic year. Item includes the club song, the date and time meetings were held, events, the club's officers, and a roster of members.
Folder contains a yearbook for the Junior Mary Arden Club from the 1964-1965 academic year. Item includes the club song, the date and time meetings were held, events, the club's officers, and a directory of members.
Folder contains the Junior Mary Arden Club record book for the 1941-1951 academic years. The book includes expense account records, membership and attendance records, and meeting minutes. The record of the club's meeting were recorded by the appointed secretary for the semester.