Guide to the Westminster College Women's Glee Club scrapbook

The Westminster College Girls' Glee Club was a student organization that existed for thirty-seven years between 1917-1956. College Archives has photographs taken of the Girls' Glee Club in 1917-1918, 1920-1921, 1929-1930, and the "Westminster College Women's Glee Club" in 1954. In addition, the Girls' Glee Club is listed in other college records as having existed in 1918-1921, 1926-1927, 1929-1933, 1935, 1939-1942, 1946, and 1948-1956. The Club appears in the first school yearbook in 1919 and is last listed in 1956. There is no reference to its disbanding in the student newspaper The Parson in 1956 or 1957.

During most its history the club was known as the "Girls' Glee Club" and in fact the 1956 yearbook is the only yearbook where it was listed as the "Women's Glee Club." Throughout the club's existence the members functioned primarily as a choral group singing at college events and local community functions. They differed from the schools official choir in that the Glee Club was an outreach program meant to raise awareness of the school and foster goodwill among community members.

There are also several photographs in college archives of the Boys' Glee Club (1917-1918) and the Boys' Glee Club Quartette (1918). College records of this group's existence are fewer, but there is evidence that it was a club in 1918-1921, 1939, 1942, and 1949-1950.

As of the 2013/2014 school year, Westminster College's choral and vocal groups include the following:

• Westminster Chamber Singers, described as an elite 30-voice touring choir. Formed in 1996 under the leadership of Dr. Christopher Quinn, the group is open to students only by audition;
• Westminster's Griffin5 (or "G5"), a men's vocal group drawn from members of the Chamber Singers;
• Westminster Chorale, open to all students, faculty, and staff; and
• Opera Studio, which gives young singers the chance to learn the art of singing on stage

This collection consists of a single scrapbook of the Women's Glee Club of Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah. The materials mounted in the scrapbook date from 1952-1956 and include a rosters, newspaper clippings,letters, and a program. Included loosely and without notation is a program for a 1938 production titled "The Mikado." It is unknown whether this 1938 program was part of the original scrapbook when it was assembled, presumably about 1956, or laid in the scrapbook at a later date.

The scrapbook contains primarily newspaper clippings (with publication and dates removed) and letters from appreciative audiences. There are two group photographs, one from the 1952-1953 academic year, and the other from the 1954-1955 year. There are also two photographs from the group's 1953 Christmas program entitled "A Mystery for Christmas." Individuals in the photographs are not identified. Included loosely and without notation is a program for a 1938 production titled "The Mikado."

The scrapbook is arranged horizontally over forty-four pages and is divided by academic year. Each section has a handwritten title page with the club name and year, followed by a page listing the club's officers and choral roster. The handwriting of each section's title page changed from year to year, indicating changing responsibilities. Newspaper clippings throughout the book report on the club's activities and are usually accompanied by letters in response to those activities. Most letters are addressed to the group's director, Mrs. Elizabeth Hayes Simpson, and are letters of appreciation for concerts, community service, or participation in larger programs. Both titles, Women's Glee Club and Girl's Glee Club are used throughout the scrapbook. Club publications consistently use the title "Women's" while usage in letters and newspaper clippings seems dependant on the gender of the author. Letters written by men call the group "Girls" and refer to its members as "girls" while letters by women refer to the group as "women" but the members as "girls."

Restrictions on Access:

Open to public research.

Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Twenty-four hours advance notice is encouraged.

Restrictions on Use:

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material must be obtained from the director of the Giovale Library.

Preferred Citation:

Westminster College Women's Glee Club scrapbook, 1938, 1952-1956, ACC-132, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically by school year.

Processing Note:

Processed March 2006 by Jonathan Haglund.

Creator:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). Girls' Glee Club

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

0.2 linear feet; 1 volume

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written March 2006 by Jonathan Haglund; expanded March 2014 by Sarah Shaw.

EAD Creation Date:

2014 March 13 by Sarah Shaw

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Related Material:

Related collection and photographs in Giovale Library Archives:

• Westminster College Girls' Glee Club minutes, 1945-1946 (ACC-034)
• Photograph of the Girls' Glee Club of 1917-1918
• Photograph of the Girls' Glee Club of 1920-1921
• Photograph of the Girls' Glee Club of 1929-1930
• Photograph of the Westminster College Girls' Glee Club of 1954, with Elizabeth Simpson, director

Corporate Names:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Choral organizations
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Students--Societies, etc.
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). Girls' Glee Club--Archives

Subject Terms:

Choral societies--Utah--Salt Lake City
Young women--Societies and clubs

Form or Genre Terms:

Clippings (information artifacts)
Letters (correspondence)
Programs (documents)
Rosters
Scrapbooks

Personal Names:

Simpson, Elizabeth Hayes

Geographical Names:

Salt Lake City (Utah)--History--Sources