MS-36
THE NONdeSCRIPT CLUB COLLECTION
INTRODUCTION
The NondeScript Club Collection was accessioned into the Flesh Public Library Archives 22 March 1986. The collection fills one Hollinger box and eight individual file folders. The collection covers the years 1905-1952. There are no restrictions on the use of the collection and the literary copyright has been deeded to the public.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The NondeScript Club Collection is divided into four series: minutes of meetings, yearly programs, correspondence and miscellaneous.
SERIES I: MINUTES OF MEETING: covers minutes from 17 October 1905 to 10 June 1941.
SERIES II: YEARLY PROGRAMS: covers programs from 1904 to 1952 with the exception of 1907-1908.
SERIES III: CORRESPONDENCE: covers letters received from former members on the occasion of the club’s 25th and 50th Anniversaries.
SERIES IV: MISCELLANEOUS: covers newspaper clippings pertaining to club meetings and programs.
HISTORY
1901 saw Mr. James Fisher forming a reading club for his daughter Celia and some of her friends. The next year the girls enlisted the help of one of their high school teachers, Mr. Fletcher Moffett, who dubbed them “The NondeScripts” and the name stuck. Formation of the club was described in the Piqua Daily Call as follows: “Last Saturday evening 8 March 1902, at the home of Miss Florence Curtis of Caldwell Street, the final steps were taken by a number of young ladies with literary inclinations, and a permanent society was fully organized and constitution signed. The name of this literary society will be the NondeScripts and the object the mutual improvement of its members in standard literature. Prof. Fletcher Moffett was chosen by the society to be the leader. Miss Maude Miller was chosen President and Florence Curtis, Secretary and Treasurer. The number of members is limited to 20. The motto for the society is ‘Better not to be at all than not to be noble.’”
The charter members were: Maude Miller, Florence Curtis, Florence Shipley, Madge PerDieu, Celia Fisher, Mabel Miller, Eva Munger, Florence Prugh, Helen Breidenbach, Nellie Kennedy and Bessie LeFetra. Subsequent years found the club researching a variety of subjects from Countries and Habits to Drama, History, Music and Collections. A hayride was enjoyed by the members. The club celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 1952.
CONTAINER LISTING
SERIES I: MINUTES OF MEETINGS
BOX 1
File
1 17 October 1905-15 April 1913
2 15 September 1914-6 May 1924
3 16 April 1929-10 June 1941
SERIES II: YEARLY PROGRAMS
File
4 1904-1940 *
5 1940-1952
SERIES III: CORRESPONDENCE
File
6 25th Anniversary – 1927 – Correspondence
7 50th Anniversary – 1952 – Correspondence
SERIES IV: MISCELLANEOUS
File
8 Newspaper Clippings
* 1907-1908 Program booklet missing.
(1 photograph in File 6)