MS-33
HELEN HUNT CIRCLE COLLECTION
INTRODUCTION
The collection of the Helen Hunt Circle was accessioned into the Flesh Public Library Archives in December, 1992. The collection has been informally stored at the library since the 1950’s.
The collection fills three Hollinger boxes and twenty-two individual file folders.
The collection covers the years 1894 to 1993.
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection and the literary copyright has been deeded to the public.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The Helen Hunt Circle Collection is divided into four series: Minutes of Meetings, Financial, Membership, and Programs.
SERIES I –MINUTES OF MEETINGS: covers minutes of meetings from 1895 to 1970.
SERIES II –FINANCIAL: covers Treasurer’s Reports of the 1920’s.
SERIES III –MEMBERSHIP: covers the club’s constitution, member rolls, tributes to deceased members, newspaper clippings pertaining to the club and limited correspondence, some from past members.
SERIES IV –PROGRAMS: covers yearly programs from 1894-95 to 1992-93, with the exception of two missing -1987-88 and 1988-89.
HISTORY
On January 14, 1895 a number of ladies met at the home of Mrs. George Curtis for the purpose of organizing a reading circle. Mrs. Libbie Robinson, temporary chairman, called for nominations for president –she was elected permanent president. Mrs. Willis Slausen was chosen vice president. Mrs. Wilder was elected secretary, and Mrs. Hetherington was elected treasurer.
Charter members were:
|
Miss Martha Betz |
Mrs. Frances Slauson |
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Mrs. Jeanette Brown |
Mrs. Nettie Smith |
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Mrs. Laura Brotherton |
Mrs. Charlotte Tydings |
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Mrs. Allie Curtis |
Miss Carrie Upton |
|
Miss Anna Finfrock |
Mrs. Margaret Wall |
|
Mrs. Lida Hetherington |
Mrs. Nora Wilson |
|
Mrs. Olive Hersch |
Mrs. Martha Wilder |
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Mrs. Anna Irvin |
|
|
Mrs. Gertrude Irvin |
|
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Mrs. Almarine Johnson |
|
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Mrs. Lovina McCurdy |
|
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Mrs. Alice McKee |
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Mrs. Mary Robinson |
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The club selected their name “Helen Hunt” after researching the following: Helen Maria Fiske Hunt Jackson, author: born Amherst, Mass. October 15, 1830, the daughter of Nathan Welby and Deborah Vinal Fiske; attended Abbott Bros. School in New York City; married Edward Bissell Hunt, October 28, 1852; married William Sharpless Jackson, October 22, 1875 –two children. She wrote her first poem for Nation magazine in 1865; she wrote her first prose for New York Independent in 1866; appointed U.S. special commissioner to investigate needs on Cal. Mission Indiana, 1882. Her writings include: Verses, 1870; Bits of Travel, 1872; Hetty’s Strange History, 1877; The Story of Boon (poem), 1847; Ramona (novel), 1884; Between Whiles, 1887. She died in Colorado Springs, Colorado on August 12, 1885, and was buried near the summit of Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, and reinterred in Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs.
The club celebrates their 95th Anniversary in 1989 and they are still meeting once a month. (1992) Their programs are current topics, keeping abreast with changing times and events. The last meeting of the Helen Hunt Circle was May 20, 1996, at which time it was disbanded.
CONTAINER LISTING
SERIES I –MINUTES OF MEETINGS
Box 1
File
1. Minutes of Meetings –Jan. 14, 1895-April 30, 1900
2. Minutes of Meetings –Oct. 1, 1900-Feb. 26, 1906
3. Minutes of Meetings –Oct. 7, 1912-May 16, 1921
4. Minutes of Meetings –October 3, 1921-May 13, 1929
5. Minutes of Meetings –Oct. 7, 1929-Jan. 31, 1938
6. Minutes of Meetings –Feb. 14, 1938-May 13, 1946
Box 2
File
1. Minutes of Meetings –Oct. 7, 1946-Dec. 19, 1955
2. Minutes of Meetings –Jan. 2, 1956-May 7, 1962
3. Minutes of Meetings –Oct. 15, 1962-May 14, 1970
4. Minutes of Meetings –Oct. 5, 1970-May 16, 1983
5. Minutes of Meetings –Sept. 19, 1983-May 20, 1996
Box 3
SERIES II –FINANCIAL
File
1. Treasurer’s Reports -1920’s, 1965-66
SERIES III –MEMBERSHIP
2. Constitution
3. Membership Roll –compiled in 1944 and updated in 1993
4. Tributes to deceased members
5. 75th Anniversary Review –Oct. 7, 1968
6. Newspaper Clippings and Photographs
7. Correspondence
SERIES IV –PROGRAMS
8. Programs for year -1894-95 – 1918-19
9. Programs for year -1919-20 - 1948-49
10. Programs for year -1949-50 -1968-69
Box 4
File
1. Programs for year -1969-70 -1994-95
2. Programs
3. Programs
GAVEL FROM HELEN HUNT CIRCLE ENCLOSED
The last meeting of the Helen Hunt Circle was held at Terry’s Cafeteria on May 20, 1996. The money was sent to Clear Creek Farm and the books and memoirs were taken to the Flesh Public Library and were put in the archives collection.