STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
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Sheila Hoffmeister, member of Women in Communications, Inc., St. Louis Chapter, donated the records of Women in Communications, Inc., to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection, University of Missouri-St. Louis in January, 1980.
Theta Sigma Phi was a national fraternity for women in journalism founded in 1909. The St. Louis Chapter of Theta Sigma Phi was organized in 1923. Besides providing a professional network for women journalists, Theta Sigma Phi was also involved in civic and professional activities. Thetas conducted publicity workshops, cosponsored the junior journalist contest with Sigma Delta Chi (the men's national fraternity for journalists), and published "Grand Views" for Veteran's Hospital in St. Louis as part of the Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project. They donated books each Christmas to children's homes in the metropolitan area, and they taught writing-to -sell classes at University High School. In the 1970's the workshops and seminars focused on other media besides journalism and emphasized management and leadership training.
Since 1956, they have sponsored an annual spring luncheon, known as "Ladies of the Press," in which they honor women who have been in the news because of outstanding civic, professional or personal achievements. In 1964 they wrote and published the St. Louis Guidebook in commemoration of St. Louis' bicentennial. The national organization held two conventions in St. Louis, in 1955 and 1965. The 1965 convention focused on world peace. Convention Chair, Bea Adams, solicited responses from prominent women from around the world on how to achieve a lasting peace which they published in a booklet, "Paths to Peace." Theta Sigma Phi changed its name in the 1970's. Women in Communications, Inc., included women from other media such as radio and TV and the emphasis on journalism and writing has shifted to mass (electronic) communications.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
SERIES 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE FILES, 1952-1972, FOLDERS 1-22
Arranged by type and chronologically within type. Correspondence, minutes, annual reports, financial reports, bylaws, constitutions, initiation and ritual, history, membership committee, international committee, directories, list of officers.
SERIES 2 - LADIES OF THE PRESS LUNCHEONS, 1956-1972, FOLDERS 23-37
Arranged chronologically by luncheon. Correspondence, programs, budgets, and news releases.
SERIES 3 - PROJECTS AND WORKSHOPS, 1948-1973, FOLDERS 38-46
Arranged chronologically by project. Correspondence, programs, brochures, news releases.
SERIES 4 - PUBLICATIONS, 1953-1971, FOLDERS 47-50A
Arranged chronologically by form. St. Louis Guidebook, correspondence, and newsletters.
SERIES 5 - NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND ADMINISTRATION, 1953-1970, FOLDERS 51-62
Arranged chronologically by type. Correspondence, memos, budgets, reports, and programs.
SERIES 6 - PHOTOGRAPHS, 1960-1970, FOLDERS 63-66
Photographs 9.1-9.97
SERIES 7 - SCRAPBOOKS, 1960-1979, VOLUMES 1-9
Arranged chronologically.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1, (020939)
FOLDERS 1-17
SERIES 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE FILES, 1952-1972
1. Correspondence, 1955-1958
2. Correspondence, 1959-1960
3. Correspondence, 1961-1962
4. Correspondence, 1963
5. Correspondence, 1964
6. Correspondence, 1965-1966
7. Correspondence, 1967-1968
8. Correspondence, 1969-1972
9. Board and Meeting Minutes, 1954-1963
10. Annual Reports, 1954-1972
11. Financial Reports, 1959-1972
12. Bylaws, Constitution
13. Initiation and Ritual, 1960, 1967
14. History of Theta Sigma Phi, 1959
15. Membership Committee, 1952-1956
16. Membership Committee, 1957-1970
17. International Committee, 1962-1963
18. Directories of Members, 1953-1972
19. Golden Matrix Anniversary, 1959
20. Margaret Ruhl Night, 1962
21. Headliner Nomination, 1964-1965
22. Past Presidents' Club, 1971-1972
SERIES 2 - LADIES OF THE PRESS LUNCHEONS, 1956-1972, FOLDERS 23-37
23. Ladies of the Press Honorees, 1956-1968
24. Ladies of the Press, 1956
25. Ladies of the Press, 1957
26. Ladies of the Press, 1958
27. Ladies of the Press, 1959
28. Ladies of the Press, 1960
29. Ladies of the Press, 1961
30. Ladies of the Press, 1962
31. Ladies of the Press, 1963
32. Ladies of the Press, 1964
33. Ladies of the Press, 1965
34. Ladies of the Press, 1966
35. Ladies of the Press, 1967
36. Ladies of the Press, 1968
37. Ladies of the Press, 1970-1972
BOX 3, FOLDERS 38-53
SERIES 3 - PROJECTS AND WORKSHOPS, 1948-1973, FOLDERS 38-46
38. Publicity Workshops, 1948-1950
39. Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project, 1954-1964
40. Scholarship Fund, 1955-1973
41. Christmas Book Project, 1956-1966
42. Junior Journalist Contest, 1958-1965
43. Webster Groves School Board, 1959
44. Writing to Sell Classes, 1961-1970
BOX 2 (020949)
45. High School Journalism Press Conference Clinic,
1962, 1969
46. Workshops, 1970s
SERIES 4 - PUBLICATIONS, 1953-1971, FOLDERS 47-50a
47. St. Louis Guidebook, 1964
48. St. Louis Guidebook, Correspondence, 1963-1967
49. Newsletters, 1953-1962
50. Newsletters, 1963-1971
50a. Press Releases, 1960-1979
SERIES 5 - NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND ADMINISTRATION, 1953-1970, FOLDERS 51-62
51. National Convention - St. Louis, 1955
52. National Convention - St. Louis, 1965
53. National Convention - St. Louis, 1965
54. National Convention - St. Louis, 1965
55. National Convention - St. Louis, 1965
56. National Convention - St. Louis, 1965
57. National Convention - St. Louis, 1965, Budgets
58. National Conventions, 1954-1968
59. Regional Conference, 1969-1970
60. National Memos, Reports, 1955-1964
61. National Memos, Reports, 1965-1969
62. Sigma Delta Chi Convention, 1953
SERIES 6 - PHOTOGRAPHS, 1960-1970; SCRAPBOOK PHOTOGRAPHS,1960-1972
63. Photographs, 1960-1970, 9.1-9.10
64. Scrapbook Photographs, 1960-1962, 9.11-9.49
65. Scrapbook Photographs, 1962-1968, 9.50-9.77
66. Scrapbook Photographs, 1970-1972, 9.78-9.97
SERIES 7 - SCRAPBOOKS, 1960-1979 (MICROFILM)
Volume 1. 1960-1963
2. 1963-1964
3. 1966-1967
4. 1967-1968
5. 1969-1970
6. 1971-1972
7. 1971-1972
8. 1977-1978
9. 1978-1979
INDEX
Adams, Bea, f. 47, 52-57, 64; v. 1-2, 4, 6-8
Annie Malone Children's Home, v. 2
Collins, Ruth Philpott, f. 64; v. 1-8
Communications, f. 1-63; v. 1-9
Davidson, Clarissa Start, f. 64, 65; v. 1-3, 7
Gellhorn, Edna, f. 25
Hickey, Margaret, f. 28, 52-56, 62; v. 2, 3, 7
Journalism, f. 1-63, v. 1-9
Ladies of the Press - Annual Luncheon, f. 23-37; v. 1-4, 6
Ruhl, Margaret, f. 20, v. 1
St. Louis Guidebook, f. 47; v. 2
Seifert, Shirley, f. 63, 65, v. 1, 2, 4
Starbird, Adele, f. 21, 47, 63; v. 1, 2, 4, 8
Theta Sigma Phi, f. 1-63; v. 1-9
Tretter, Ann Daly, v. 8
Women in Communications, Inc., f. 1-63, v. 1-9
Women Journalists, f. 1-63; v. 1-9
Wood, Sue Ann, f. 64, 66, v. 1-4, 6
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222, THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
ONE UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu