History and Political Science Club (Indiana University) records, 1902-1958
A Guide to their records at the Indiana University Archives
Christopher S. Eaton
Electronic finding aid
encoded by Kristen R. Sanders
Summary Information
Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives
Creator
History and Political Science Club
(Indiana University).
Logan Esarey Graduate History Club
(Indiana University).
TitleHistory and Political Science Club
(Indiana University) records,1902-1958
Collection No.
C106
Extent
.6 cu. ft.
Language
Materials are in English
Abstract
The original Indiana University History
Club was chartered in 1902 with various name changes and grouping changes in the years
leading up to 1958. The intent of the clubs was to promote historical research, method
of historical study and teaching interests. This collection includes constitutions,
meeting minutes and officer books of the Indiana University History Club, the Graduate
History Club, and the Logan Esarey Graduate History Club. The collection includes
records of two distinct organizations due to the fact that the records were bound
together in a series of journal style notebooks.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Advance notice is required.
Administrative History
The History Club was started during the Fall Semester 1902 at Indiana University. This
organization was conceived of with the purpose to promote historical research, method of
historical study and teaching, and to cultivate mutual interest in historical study. At
one point the club was the largest departmental organization on the Bloomington campus.
The organizational structure of the History Club was as follows: a President, a Vice
President, and a Secretary-Treasurer. An Executive Committee with the club’s Vice
President as Chairman and two other members appointed by the President were responsible
for preparing the club’s programs and notifying members of their duties. At first,
membership was restricted to undergraduates majoring in history with a minimum of 30
credit hours completed in their major. Membership was also open to professors in the
History department as well as other individuals with special historical interests. On
February 23, 1911, the club’s constitution was amended to allow membership for graduate
students as well as undergraduates having completed only 20 credit hours in the history
major.
The History Club met every 2 weeks at faculty homes, university buildings, or other
Bloomington locations. At the meetings members presented papers and were called upon to
lead discussions. Aside from serious scholarly discourse, the club also enjoyed social
activities including a mysterious game they often played at their monthly meetings
called “Woodburn’s Delight.” The club sponsored many scholarly and social activities
beyond their meetings, such as the celebration of Benjamin Franklin’s 200th birthday on
January 21, 1906.
In 1918, the club was renamed the History and Political Science Club, and a new
constitution was written in 1922-1923. The History and Political Science Club was very
similar to the History Club with the exception that membership was open to faculty,
seniors, and graduate students in the Political Science department.
Since the History and Political Science Club was mainly an undergraduate organization,
the Graduate History Club was formed on October 6, 1938. Membership in this scholarly
club was open to graduate students pursuing history degrees as well as faculty. Due to
the minimal organization of the club, the only offices created were those of President
and Secretary-Treasurer; Mr. Henrickson being elected as the club’s first President and
Miss Bay elected to the position of Secretary-Treasurer.
One of the first committees appointed by the President of the Graduate History Club was
the Program Committee which was comprised of 3 members who were responsible for
considering the topics suggested for the group to discuss relating to history and
current issues. Later committees appointed by the President were the News-Letter
committee, Ways and Means Banquet Committee, and the Nominating Committee. The
News-Letter committee resulted from the club’s desire to continue contact with Indiana
graduates now working in history related fields.
In the early years of the Graduate History Club, meetings were held on a monthly
schedule most of which took place at the homes of faculty and later on university
property, sometimes in connection with the meetings of the undergraduate History and
Political Science Club. During these meetings the club entertained presentations of
topics by faculty and other scholarly researchers as well as presented their own papers
and criticisms of published works.
On October 29, 1942, after the death of I.U. professor Logan Esarey, the Graduate
History Club officially adopted and continued their scholarly pursuits as the “Logan
Esarey History Club” in tribute of the first man to earn a Ph.D. in History from I.U.
Arrangement
This collection is organized into two series: Administrative files and
Secretary-Treasurer books.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains information on three Indiana University organizations: The
History Club, which became the History and Political Science Club, and The Logan Esarey
Graduate History Club which first assembled under the name the “Graduate History Club”.
The earliest records start in 1902 regarding the beginning of the History Club and end
with the General file in 1958. The records of these two clubs are all contained together
due to the fact that they are bound in a series of journal style notebooks.
The collection is organized into two series. The Administrative files series includes
general information on the History Club, constitutions, and minutes. The second series
is entitled Secretary-Treasurer books and consists of the Secretary-Treasurer books of
the History and Political Science Club.
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Indexing Terms
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The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online
catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the
catalog using these terms.
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Administrative Information
Acquisition InformationAccessions 7195 and 94/039.
Deposited by Jim Madison, Indiana University History Department, Ballantine Hall
835.
Usage Restrictions For information regarding the copyright status of this collection, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.
The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for
non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility
for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials.
Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these
materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.
Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational
and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its
inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.
Preferred Citation
[Item], History and Political Science Club (Indiana University) records, Collection C106, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Processing InformationProcessed by Christopher S. Eaton.
Completed in 2003.
Series:
Administrative files, 1902-1958
Box 1
History Club, General, 1938-1958
History and Political Science Club, Constitution, 1922-1923
![[image]](images/image_icon.gif)
View item(s)
Meeting minutes and proceedings,
History Club, 1902-1912
History and Political Science Club, 1918-1920
History Club, Graduate, Logan Esarey Club, 1938-1954
Series:
Secretary-Treasurer books, 1920-1943
Box 1
1920-1929
1931-1943
