The University of Iowa Libraries

The Friendly Circle Club ( Washington, Iowa) was founded in 1927 by Winifred Schiebel and Roxy Longer as a social club for women in their community. Originally named the Harmony Community Club after the old Harmony School nearby, the club changed its name briefly to XV Club in 1936 before settling on the name Friendly Circle Club later that year. Records were not kept until 1934. While essentially a social club, the group has made small contributions to numerous charities and community groups such as the local library, Camp Fire Girls, and the annual YWCA-Rotary Christmas Party. The club has hosted several anniversary luncheons which celebrate the group's history; former members are invited to attend. The group has also hosted farewell parties for members who move out of the area. At one time the club had as many as seventeen members, but as of 1997, its membership was about ten women.

The Friendly Circle Club ( Washington, Iowa) records date from 1934 to 2004 and measure 1.25 linear feet. The records, which consist of anniversary luncheon materials, correspondence, financial records, minutes ledgers, and scrapbooks, are arranged alphabetically.

The anniversary luncheon materials include planning materials, programs, guest books, RSVPs and letters of regret. Photographs from the anniversary luncheons are in the anniversary scrapbooks in Box 3. The 60th anniversary guestbook is hand-embroidered.

Correspondence includes letters from charities to which the Friendly Circle Club contributed, including the Iowa City Veterans Administration Hospital, the University Hospital School for Severely Handicapped Children, and the YWCA-Rotary Christmas Party. The club also provided financial assistance to send an overweight teenage girl to the Department of Social Service's Maxi-Mini Camp and sent a care package to soldiers serving in Vietnam.

The financial records contain the original coin purse used for collecting dues. The minutes are all handwritten, except for the years 1968 to 1971. A number of the yearbooks are missing. The bound scrapbooks contain mostly unidentified photographs.

Alternate Extent Statement: Photographs in Boxes 2 and 3.

Access: The records are open for research.

Use: Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to The University of Iowa.

Acquisition: The records (donor no. 935) were donated by Joyce Nebel in 2004.

Preferred Citation: Friendly Circle Club (Washington, Iowa) records, Iowa Women's Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City.

Repository:	Iowa Women's Archives
Address:	100 Main Library University of Iowa Libraries Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone:	319-335-5068
Curator:	Kären Mason
Email:	lib-women@uiowa.edu
Website:	http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa

This collection is indexed under the following subject terms.

Corporate Names:
Freedom Circle Club

Dates:
20th century
2000-2009

Topics:
Women in charitable work
Women in community organization
Clubs

Geographic Names:
Washington (Iowa)

Genre/Form of Materials:
Archives
Administrative records
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Yearbooks

Browse:
Rural and Farm Women