DeKalb Kiwanis Collection

Collection — Volume: 1

Identifier: RHC-RC-018

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

These records partially document the history of the DeKalb Kiwanis Club from 1921-1966. Although there are no meeting minutes following 1930 and the financial reports are incomplete, the Club’s correspondence and newsletters provide extensive information on the organization’s activities and functions from 1921-1962. Elmer Embree’s correspondence and official reports while he was Lieutenant Governor of the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District (1934-1935) comprise a major series of the collection. These records document Embree’s duties throughout the district as well as the district’s operations. Information on the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District also is available in The Illeiowan (1929-1966), district rosters (1939-1961), annual reports (1933-1958), and in convention programs (1921-1947). Background information on the national Kiwanis organization is contained in several manuals and official publications from Kiwanis International (1924-1959). Researchers should note that historical information on the club can be found in Box 1, File Folder 1. The notebooks dated 1996 through 2006 contain the following as well as miscellaneous material: attendance, minutes, financial reports, correspondence, publicity, and bulletins.

Dates

created: 1921-1996
Other: Date acquired: 00/00/1967

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to materials in the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Biographical or Historical Information

In 1920 Frank Greenaway, editor of the DeKalb Chronicle, F.J. Raymond, business manager for the Chronicle, and Frank and Andrew Anderson, clothiers, started working on founding a Kiwanis Club in DeKalb. The DeKalb Club, sponsored by the Aurora Kiwanis, finally secured a charter on January 25, 1921. E. G. Clark of the Clark Orchestra Roll Company acted as the first president over a group of 88 charter members. Over the years several members served as officers to the Illinois-Eastern Iowa Kiwanis District; Elmer, Embree, Karl Adams, J. A. Spickerman, and C. B. Watson were elected Lieutenant Governors and in 1951, Mr. Watson was appointed District Governor. The DeKalb Kiwanis Club sponsored numerous community projects throughout it’s history. It was instrumental in creating the DeKalb Park District and in building the Hopkins Park swimming pool. Annual events such as the DeKalb County Basketball Banquet and Kiwanis Pancake Day provide enjoyment to hundreds of participants from DeKalb and surrounding communities. In addition, the military tank war memorial located on the corner of Fourth Street and Lincoln Highway, as well as it’s predecessor, a captured German cannon, were brought to DeKalb by the Kiwanis Club’s efforts. Today, the DeKalb Kiwanians continue to play an active and beneficial role in community affairs.

Note written by

Extent

17.50 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Source of Acquisition

Mrs. Mattie Welch Embree

Method of Acquisition

Elmer Embree, charter member of the DeKalb Kiwanis Club and Waite Embree, club historian, gathered together the DeKalb Kiwanis Club Records. Mrs. Mattie Welch Embree donated these materials to the University Archives in 1967. J. Joseph Bauxer, University Archivist, transferred the collection to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center in June 1978.

Related Materials

Complementary organizational records held by the Regional History Center include: DeKalb Public Speaking and Discussion Club (RC 30); Rockford Harmony Singing Society (RC 40); American Association for University Women, DeKalb (RC 56); International Organization of Good Templars (RC 66); and the Sycamore, Rochelle, and DeKalb Business and Professional Women’s Club Records (RC 97, 98, 99). The Embree Collection (RC 2) also might provide additional background information