The Soroptimist Club was formed in Oakland, California in 1921 for women who hold executive status in business, government or a profession. Membership was by invitation only and was limited to women with careers outside of the home. The aim of the Soroptimist Club was to provide service to the community, usually through fundraising and donations, to promote the advancement of women in business and to maintain high ethical standards in professional life.
The Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District was chartered on January 29, 1949. It was founded by Margaret Kerr of Montreal. Elizabeth Soutar (Bess Soutar), head of the local Victorian Order of Nurses (V.O.N.), was the first President of the Sudbury Nickel District chapter. The club met twice monthly, on the second and fourth Mondays, the first only for business and the second to have a dinner meeting followed by business and/or a speaker. These early meetings were held mainly at Cassio's Motor Hotel or in members' homes.
During it's life, the Soroptimist Club sponsored many community projects, including providing a monthly allowance for three years to a nurse in training; Christmas dinners to elderly members of the community; sponsoring the Soutar Senior Citizen's Club; sending underprivileged children to summer camp; giving a clothing allowance to a secondary school student, which allowed her to graduate; providing rent for underprivileged college students during the summer months; donating $500 to the Centennial Project for trees in Bell Park; giving a donation of $1000 so a room could be refurnished at the Y.W.C.A. and putting on concerts.
The club celebrated their 25th Anniversary with dinner at Cassio's Motor Hotel in the Venetian Room on June 8, 1974. However, membership and participation in the club was declining. By 1975 meetings dwindled and only seven or eight women were taking an active interest, so in 1976 the club's activities came to an end after 27 years.
Club Presidents:
Bess Soutor 1949-1950
Kay Elliott 1950-1950
Allegra Walker 1951-1952
Eleanor Hambley 1952-1954
Lempi Johnson 1954-1955
Grace Wigg 1955-1957
Thelma Paulson 1957-1959
Ursala Black 1959-1961
Margaret Blue 1961-1962
Mary Brown 1962-1964
Florence Tomlinson 1964-1966
Myrtle Kennedy 1966-1969
Editha McLellan 1969-1970
Mary Brown 1970-1972
Myrtle Kennedy 1972-1974
published
Title based on the content of the fonds.
Fonds consists of two scrapbooks which contain newspaper clippings, congratulatory greeting cards, photographs, correspondence, brochures, programs and a written history, all pertaining to the Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District.
ACC2010-029; Greater Sudbury Public Library
Further accruals are not expected.
The Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District records were donated to the Sudbury & District Historical Society in 1979. These records were later donated to the Greater Sudbury Public Library by the Sudbury & District Historical Society. In 1999, the Greater Sudbury Public Library transferred the Sudbury Historical Society records to the Laurentian University Archives. These two scrapbooks, however, were kept by the Greater Sudbury Public Library and then transferred to the City of Greater Sudbury Archives in 2010.
Laurentian University Archives has a Soroptimist Club Fonds under identifier number P018. http://www.laurentian.ca/NR/rdonlyres/2AE5244A-0981-4FB3-AEEC-F7E405A395B6/0/p018.pdf
Item list is available.
published
Item is a scrapbook, created by the Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District, to document their history from its inception on January 30, 1949 to their 25th anniversary in 1974. This scrapbook contains newspaper clippings regarding the formation of the Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District, an invitation to the inaugural meeting along with two programs for the Soroptimist International Association Eastern Canada Region of the American Federation of Soroptimist Clubs Installation of Officers and Charter Dinner at Sudbury, Ontario, the Soroptimist Pledge, and a Soroptimist International Association pamphlet. One of the first large events held by the club was a fashion show in March 1949 and seven newspaper clippings about this activity are included. Congratulatory greeting cards and telegrams (2 Canadian Pacific Telegraphs telegrams and 1 Canadian National Telegraphs telegram) sent by Soroptimist Clubs from across Canada and the United States of America on the inception of the Sudbury Nickel District chapter are interspersed with a Canadian Pacific Telegraphs telegram and holiday greeting cards from numerous club chapters along with newspaper clippings on the one year anniversary of the Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District. One card, from the Soroptimists Club of Montana, has an arrowhead taped to the card. Other newspaper clippings include another fashion show held in October 1951; regional meetings, the Soroptimists 19th Conference held in Timmins, Ontario in May of 1951; another fashion show in November 1953; a fishing expedition; a number of activities for senior citizens in the area, including a picnic, a Christmas party for the Perpetual Youth Club and afternoon teas, and books on First Nations history and culture being donated to the Sudbury Public Library. The Soroptimist Club of Sudbury presents 1952 Winners of "Singing Stars of Tomorrow" program, a 1951-52 typed one page President's Message, and an invitation to Miss A. Walker from the Mayor and Council of the City of Sudbury for a Civic Reception in honour of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent on Sunday January 20, 1952 at 8:00 p.m. are also included. In addition is a 1967 Christmas card and two cards congratulating the Soroptimist's of Sudbury Nickel District on their 25th Anniversary. A program for the 25th Anniversary celebration held at Cassio's Motor Hotel on June 8, 1974, as well as eleven colour photographs and a number of newspaper clippings, also mark this event. Finally, a number of typed and handwritten notes are included in a folder in the back of the scrapbook explaining why the invitee could not make the 25th Anniversary celebrations. Notes are from: Joe Fabbro, Sudbury Mayor; L. Grace Wellwood, Past President, Soroptimist Federation of the Americas and Past International Officer; Soroptimist International of Cornwall, Ontario; Soroptimists of Port Hope, Ontario; Soroptimist Club of Barrie, Ontario, and K. Elliot, member, Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District.
published
This scrapbook documents various activities of the Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury District from 1968 to their 25th anniversary in 1974. Included are photographs and newspaper clippings from the Soroptimist Scholarship Award Dinner on November 3rd, 1969 at which Edith McLennan, President of the Soroptimist Club of the Sudbury Nickel District, awarded four young student nurses their scholarships. Award recipients present in the photographs are: Margaret Houle, Louise Picard and Mary Hagan, all winners of the Edna L. Moore Scholarships, and Bonita Groulx, winner of the Soroptimist Award. The scrapbook also contains newspaper clippings covering other Soroptimist Club activities and general happenings in the community, including the presentation of a citizenship award to Christine Kleber, a high school student from Lively, Ontario, based on an essay she wrote explaining her commitment to her role in the community; the donation of books to the Sudbury Public Library about First Nations history in Canada, which was part of a larger project undertaken by the Eastern Canadian region of the Soroptimists to promote knowledge of First Nations culture, and a Christmas dinner held by the Soroptimist Club for 100 members of the Soutar Senior Citizens Club. The scrapbook also contains an honourary membership certificate presented to the 'Sudbury Club' by the Eastern Canada Region of the Soroptimists Federation of the Americas Inc. for increasing active members by 20% between March 31, 1969 and March 31, 1970, as well as three pages from the May-June 1971 issue of 'The American Soroptimist,' which includes a photograph of Christine Maria Kleber, as well as other young men and women from across North America who received a 1971 Youth Citizenship Award. Three greeting cards from the Soroptimist Clubs of Thunder Bay, Oshawa and District and Verdun LaSalle congratulating the Sudbury Nickel District chapter on their 25th Anniversary, as well as a handwritten note on the occasion from Nora Jean Quigley, have also been placed inside the scrapbook. Two identical brochures from the Soroptimist International Association promoting their clubs are also included.