Material Type

Mixed Media

Date Range

1912 -2007

Description Level

Fonds

Physical Description

0.65 m of textual records. -- 33 photographs

Physical Condition

Excellent

History Biographical

The Mathesis Club of Lethbridge was organized on 11 September 1912 by a group of nine women who were interested in self education and self improvement during a period in the city’s history when formal educational opportunities for women were very rare. The club name was taken from a Greek word meaning "searcher of knowledge". A committee consisting of Mrs. Alice J. Heeb, Mrs. Cumming and Mrs. Maurine Daniel was appointed to draft a constitution for the new club. The club’s objectives as stated in that constitution included "self-improvement and united effort toward the highest development of home and community". The first officers of the Mathesis Club were Mrs. F. Stoltze (president), Mrs. A. M. Lafferty (vice president), Mrs. Alice J. Heeb (secretary), Mrs. F. Cumming (treasurer). The club was organized into ‘departments’ that reflected the study interests of the members: Music and Art, History and Literature. Members chose topics of interest from these broad categories and then researched, wrote and presented a paper on their topic at the regular meetings. When the club began meetings were held every two weeks, but later the meeting schedule became monthly. In addition to the departmental programs, meetings frequently featured guest speakers who presented on a variety of topics ranging from religion to scientific advances.At the time there was no public library in Lethbridge and the group arranged to borrow thirty books from the collection of McGill University in Montreal which would remain in the home of one of the members for the use of any of those in the group. During the First World War members joined the local Council of Women and Traveler’s Aid to work through those organizations. Fundraising teas and other events were also held. In World War II the club entertained the armed forces for a week. Membership in the club reached a high in 1917 with 87 members, by 2002 the membership had fallen to 20. Over the years, educational and self-improvement programs became widely available for women and the role of the Mathesis Club as a provider of those opportunities was diminished. A declining and aging membership put more and more pressure on the club, until in 2007 the members decided to dissolve the Mathesis Club. The final meeting was held at Luigi’s Restaurant, 1119 Mayor Magrath Drive South, on 19 June 2007.

Language

English

Acquisition Source

Croskery, Joan 609 12 Street South Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 2S1

Custodial History

The records were donated to the Galt Museum by Joan Croskery on behalf of the Mathesis Club. Before their arrival at the Galt the records were unaccounted for for some years before their discovery by Ethel Dunn at the home of a Mr. Kennedy.

Scope and Content

2007.1034/1 Minutes of the Club 1912 3 Lethbridge Historical Newslettersd March 1981 ( march 2002, History of the Club, Modern Mathesis Members, Songs - Mathesis Club Songs 1972 & 2002 & Songsheet, Award announcement Rita Cemulini,Meeting Agenda June 2002, Luncheon Invitation 2005, Club survey,Changes to aggenda and organization of club, Newsclippings, Mathesis Club Constitution Report reference, Name tags Joan Croskery, Name labels, obituaris of club members, 33 color photographs individually numbered. 2007.1034/1/001 Mathesis Club Luncheon 1987 Left to right: Rita Cemulini, Hazel Ross and Jean Fennell 2007.1034/1/002 Mathesis Club Luncheon Hazel Ross left with Senator Joyce Fairbairn guest speaker. 2007.1034/1/003 Mathesis Club Luncheon Cake 1912-1987 2007.1034/1/004 Mathesis Club Luncheon Left-right: Rita Wiebe, Elaine Cairns, Fran Bertand and Hazel McKenzie 2007.1034/1/005 Mathesis Club Luncheon Left to right: Rita Cemulini, Fran Bertand. 2007.1034/1/006 Mathesis Club Luncheon Sheila Petherbridge 2007.1034/1/007 Mathesis Club Luncheon Left to right: Elaine Cairns, Marie Fraser, Lois Barr, Senator Joyce Fairbairn 2007.1034/1/008 Mathesis Club Luncheon Guest Speacker Senator Joyce Fairbairn, Lois Barr in back 2007.1034/1/009 Mathesis Club Luncheon Harda Niilo and Betty Kennedy 2007.1034/1/010 Mathesis Club Luncheon Dr Ruby Larson 2007.1034/1/011 Mathesis Club Luncheon Retha Weibe and Harda Niilos 2007.1034/1/012 Mathesis Club Luncheon Ruth Jensen 2007.1034/1/013 Mathesis Club Luncheon Skit Jean Fennell, Betty Chollack and Elaine Cairns 2007.1034/1/014 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 at Erickson's Elaine Cairns, Mildred Byrne and Lillian Noble 2007.1034/1/015 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 at Erickson's Marie Fraser left and Elaine Cairns. 2007.1034/1/015 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 at Erickson's Ethel Dunn left and Christine Dubetz 2007.1034/1/015 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 at Erickson's Left to right: Betty Chollack, President, Retha Weibe and Hazel Ross 2007.1034/1/015 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 at Erickson's Left to right Ruth Jensen, harla Niilo, Dorothea Pragnesll and Marie Wylie 2007.1034/1/016 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25, 2004. The whole group. Left side table at end is Hazel McKenzie. Joan Croskery is opposite her. Right table Gladys MacDonald is at centre next to her is Elain Cairns, others are unidentified. 2007.1034/1/017 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Betty Kennedy, Ethel Dunn and Hazel Ross. 2007.1034/1/018 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25.Head Table Sheila Petherbridge, Ruby Larson, Fran Bertrand, Rita Cemuline, Hazel Ross and Elaine Cairns. 2007.1034/1/018A. Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Left -right: Rheta Weibe, Hazel Ross and Sheila Petherbridge 2007.1034/1/018B. Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Joan Croskery 2007.1034/1/018C. Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Jean Dalziel 2007.1034/1/019 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Table 1 Right side: Bev Pastuk, Joan Croskery, Lois Barr. Across back: Sheila Petherbridge Lillian Wakelon. Left side from back: Harda Niilo, Jenny Au,? guest, Hazel McKenzie. 2007.1034/1/020 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25, 2001 90th Birthday celebrations, Ladies wore 1912 fashions. Guest speacker Senator Joyce Fairbairn. Cutting the cake Hazel Ross and Jean Fennell. 2007.1034/1/021 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Left side of table Mildred Byrne, Lorna Brown guest, Lillian Wakelin, Letty Croskery guest and Joan Croskery 2007.1034/1/022 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Jean Fennell left Lois Barr. 2007.1034/1/023 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Fran Bertrand dressed in 1912 fashion.Photo is blurred. 2007.1034/1/024 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. Standing at left is Harda Niilo, ? in white hat,Ethel Dunn in red, Hazel McKenzie, Mildred Byrne and Lorna Brown. 2007.1034/1/025 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25. left to right: Rita Cemulini, Jean Fennell, Ruby Larsen, Fran Bertrand, Eliane Cairns, Lois Barr and Lillian Wakelin 2007.1034/1/026 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 Various years. Joan Croskery standing and Betty Chollack sitting 2007.1034/1/027 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 Right side of table going back: Hazel McKenzie, Joan Croskery, Ruth Jensen, Rheta Weibe, Harda Niilo, Ethel Dunn, Betty Kennedy, Bev Pahuk and Glenys MacDonald. 2007.1034/1/028 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25Left to right: Rita Cemulini, Jean Fennell, Ruby Larsen, Fran Bertrand, Elaine Cairnes, Lois Barr, Lillian Wakelin and Hazel Ross. 2007.1034/1/029 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 left to right around the table: Ruth Jensen, Joan Croskery, Hazel McKenzie, Sheila Petherbridge, Glenys MacDonald, Rita Cemulinie, Jean Fennell, Ruby Larsen and Fran Bertrand 2007.1034/1/030 Mathesis Club Luncheon May 25 possibly 1993. Hazel Ross with guest specker Celesta Pryda 2007.1034/2 Literature Department; meeting minutes and reports (2003-2007) 2007.1034/3 Mathesis Club history, constitution 2003, meeting minutes and reports (1980-2007) 2007.1034/4 Mathesis Club calendars 2002/03 - 2006/07

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

20071034

Collection

Archive

Less detail