Collection # M 0338 BV 1886–1887; 5111 OM 0316 INDIANAPOLIS LITERARY CLUB RECORDS, 1877–2014 Collection Information Historical Sketch Scope and Content Note Series Contents Processed by Charles Latham, 1985, 1993, 1995 Revised by Chris Harter, 1997 Revised by Betsy Caldwell, October 2002 Revised by Pam Tranfield, 31 January 2003 Revised by Maire Gurevitz, December 2009 Revised by Bobbi Fisher, December 2014 Update by William Gillespie, August, 2015 Manuscript and Visual Collections Department William Henry Smith Memorial Library Indiana Historical Society 450 West Ohio Street Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269 www.indianahistory.org COLLECTION INFORMATION VOLUME OF 38 manuscript boxes, 3 bound volumes, 2 card boxes, 2 boxes COLLECTION: of lantern slides, 2 folders of black and white photographs, 2 folders of color photographs, 1 oversize (color) photograph COLLECTION 1877–2014 DATES: PROVENANCE: Francis H. Insley, Secretary, 1980–85; H. Richard Rosengarten, Secretary, 1988–93; Thomas Mason, Indianapolis, IN, 27 February 1997; Thomas Krasean, Indianapolis, IN, 5 March 1997, 21 May 1997, 11 July 1997, 10 March 2000, 30 May 2000, 31 January 2001; 8 June 2001; Raymond E. Gnat, 2001– 2003; David G. Vanderstel, 2009 RESTRICTIONS: Lantern slides may be viewed by appointment only. Inquire at the Reference Desk. COPYRIGHT: REPRODUCTION Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection RIGHTS: must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. ALTERNATE FORMATS: RELATED Stephen C. Noland, History of Club to 1934 (PN 22.155); HOLDINGS: Francis H. Insley, History of Club to 1976 (PN 22.1552 I977) Raymond E. Gnat, History of the Club to 2002 (PN 22.1553 2004) ACCESSION 1940.0005; 1966.0008p0006; 1977.0307; 1980.1004; NUMBER: 1984.1016; 1985.0106; 1985.0211; 1985.0508; 1985.0509; 1985.0619; 1985.0620; 1988.0223; 1993.0430x; 1996.0079; 1997.0264; 1997.0313; 1997.0518; 1997.0594; 1998.0312; 1998.0535; 1998.0691X; 1998.1082; 2000.0422; 2000.0713; 2001.0017; 2001.0298; 2001.0795; 2002.0655; 2003.0102; 2003.0474; 2004.0030; 2004.0232; 2005.0257; 2006.0130; 2009.0007; 2009.0247; 2013.0223; 2014.0131; 2014.0293; 2015.0159; 2015.0194; 2015.0223 NOTES: This is an open collection to which periodic additions (usually annual) are made. HISTORICAL SKETCH The Indianapolis Literary Club was organized on 10 January 1877, at the home of John D. Howland, who became the club’s first president. The stated purpose of the club is the pursuit of ‘social, literary, and aesthetic culture.’ Informally, the club has acted as a meeting place for a number of the city’s leaders from various professions. Membership lists indicate that the club has continued this function throughout its history and into the present. A usual meeting consists of the president introducing the speaker, a club member, who presents an original paper on the topic of his choice; then a discussion takes place. The only business handled by the club as a whole is the election of new members (still done with a box of white and black balls) and officers. Most officers change yearly, but secretaries have usually served for decades. The officers hold an annual meeting in June at which most club business is handled. Over the years, minor changes have occurred. The club now meets on the first and third Monday of the month rather than on every Monday. Membership was originally one hundred; now it is one hundred fifty. Membership is still restricted to men, and is by invitation only, after one ‘reading’ (formerly three). The club’s ranks have always been filled with notable Indianapolis residents; the list has included such names as Albert J. Beveridge, Charles W. Fairbanks, Walter Q. Gresham, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas A. Hendricks, Daniel Wait Howe, Meredith Nicholson, George and Allen Clowes, James Whitcomb Riley, Booth Tarkington, and Lew Wallace. The club does not undertake any activities beyond the regular meetings and dinners, although its members are involved individually in a number of service organizations. The club has had a small endowment, but is mainly supported by modest yearly dues. Over the years it has met in a number of places, including in the more recent past the D.A.R. chapter house on Pennsylvania Street, the Propylaeum, the 38th Street branch of the Merchants Bank, the Robertson Library at Butler University, and now Park Tudor School. Dating back to the period when it had a room of its own, the club owns about ten paintings by artists of the Indiana School, and two Piranesi engravings. The paintings and engravings are on loan to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Columbia Club. The club also owned a number of historical chairs, however, it sold many of them at an auction in 1993. Until recently, essays by club members were considered the property of the author, and copies were not kept with the records. However, the group is currently working to donate most of the papers to the Indiana Historical Society. Some of the papers were deposited at the Indiana State Library and the Indianapolis Public Library as well. Sources: Material in collection. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE This collection includes minutes, correspondence, financial papers, essays, newspaper clippings, memorials to deceased members, lantern slides, card files, and a small number of photographs. The collection is divided into series based on the format of the material. Series 1 (1877–2014), Minutes and Attendance, dates from 1877 to 2007. Series 2, Correspondence (1877−2014) includes general correspondence and correspondence concerning specific club concerns, such as: the loan of a T.C. Steele painting to the Fort Wayne Art Museum; the preparation and writing of a 125th anniversary Summarized Record of the literary club activities from 1877-2003; and the appraisal of various art and portraits owned by the club. Letters of the Committee on Arrangements and Exercises (1947−95) and the Committee on Officers and Members (1982−92) are also included in this series. Series 3, Membership (1877–2014), includes membership nominations, letters of acceptance, and letters of resignation. Much of the material exists in correspondence files. Series 4, Constitution (1877–2003), consists of correspondence and reports concerning amendments to the club’s constitution. Series 5, Memorials (1953–2014), contains memorials written by literary club members following the death of a fellow member. Also included are obituary notices and some funeral programs. Series 6, Annual Dinner (1878–2014), contains menus, correspondence, and financial information concerning the society’s annual banquet. Series 7, Correspondence re: Yearbooks (1954–2005), consists of correspondence regarding the publication of annual yearbooks. Series 8, Treasurer’s Reports and Correspondence (1896–2013), includes general financial records, the official financial report of each year, correspondence, and receipts concerning club activities. Series 9, Summarized Records (1877–2003), consists of yearly summaries of the clubs’ activities. Series 10, Yearbooks (1877–2015), contains membership lists and lists of officers, past presidents and speakers, along with the current year's program. Series 11, Secretary’s Letter (1915–2015), consists of correspondence generated and circulated by the club secretary concerning club activities, membership, and protocol. Series 12, Card files on members and programs, consists of two boxes which contain file cards concerning biographical and membership information on club members. Series 13, Lantern Slides, contains a number of images of club members as children and youths. Series 14, Photographs, contains group photographs of members in 1977, 1985, 1999, and 2003. Series 15, Cincinnati Literary Club, includes correspondence concerning joint club meetings, and papers read at joint meetings in 1982 and 2002. Series 16, Papers Read by Members (1887– 2015), includes photocopies and original copies of papers read by literary club members. SERIES CONTENTS Series 1: Minutes and Attendance 1877–2007 CONTENTS CONTAINER Early committee reports, ca. 1879–1989, n.d. Box 1, Folder 1 Minutes. The Rohbach Papers, p. 122, 1916–May Box 1, Folder 2 1927 Minutes. The Rohbach Papers, p. 23–64, May 1927– Box 1, Folder 3 May 1930 Minute Book 1936–1937 Box 1, Folder 4 Minute Books 1937–1938 Box 1, Folder 5 Minutes 1938–1939 Box 1, Folder 6 Minutes 1939–1940 Box 1, Folder 7 Minutes 1940–1941 Box 1, Folder 8 Minutes 1941–1942 Box 1, Folder 9 Minutes 1942–1943 Box 1, Folder 10 Minutes 1943–1944 Box 1, Folder 11 Minutes 1944–1945 Box 1, Folder 12 Minutes 1945–1946 Box 1, Folder 13 Minutes 1946–1947 Box 1, Folder 14 Minutes 1947–1948 Box 1, Folder 15 Minutes 1948–1949 Box 1, Folder 16 Minutes 1949–1950 Box 1, Folder 17 Minutes 1950–1951, 1951–1952 Box 1, Folder 18 Minutes 1952–1953, 1953–1954 Box 2, Folder 1 Minutes 1954–1955, 1955–1956 Box 2, Folder 2 Minutes 1956–1957, 1957–1958 Box 2, Folder 3 Minutes 1958–1959, 1959–1960 Box 2, Folder 4 Minutes and Attendance 1905–1916, 1930–1936 BV 1886–1887 Minutes 1960–1961, 1961–1962 Box 2, Folder 5 Minutes, 1962–1963, 1963–1964, 1964–1965 Box 2, Folder 6 Minutes, 1965–1966, 1966–1967 Box 2, Folder 7 Minutes, 1967–1968, 1968–1969 Box 2, Folder 8 Minutes, 1969–1970 Box 2, Folder 9 Minutes, 1970–1971 Box 2, Folder 10 Minutes, 1971–1972 Box 2, Folder 11 Minutes, 1972−1973 Box 2, Folder 12 Minutes, 1973–1974 Box 2, Folder 13 Minutes, 1974–1975 Box 2, Folder 14 Minutes, 1975–1976 Box 2, Folder 15 Minutes, 1976–1977 Box 2, Folder 16 Minutes, 1977–1978 Box 2, Folder 17 Minutes, 1978–1979 Box 2, Folder 18 Minutes, 1979–1980