mums478 League of Women Voters of Central Berkshire Records Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Lori Satter. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Dubois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, Mass.
2008

© University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro2008-11-11 Finding aid written in English Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst League of Women Voters of Central Berkshire Records Finding Aid MS 478 Compiled by Lori Satter November 2008

© 2008 University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Collection Overview League of Women Voters of Central Berkshire League of Women Voters of Central Berkshire Records 1959-2001 MS 478 9 boxes (4 linear ft.) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst First founded as a chapter for Pittsfield and later for all of central Berkshire county, this local league is one of many Massachusetts chapters of the national non-partisan political organization, League of Women Voters, that influences public policy through education and advocacy by registering voters, organizing candidate forums, publishing voting guides, and disseminating general information on the legislative process and the functioning of government on the local, state, and federal levels. The bulk of the collection documents the activities and topics of interest to members of the League of Women Voters of Central Berkshire during the last three decades of their work before disbanding in 2001. The chapter consistently served to educate the public on voter registration, the voting process, and on the functioning of local and state government. Other issues of importance included child care and rights, prison reform, clean water, and health care. English Historical Note

LWVCB brochure

Established during the early 1960s, the League of Women Voters of Central Berkshire started out as a league chapter for the town of Pittsfield. Meeting with members of the Boston League of Women Voters in 1927 at the Tally Ho Inn, Mrs. George W. Edman and Mrs. Sheridan R. Cate paved the way to create a local league in Pittsfield. Three years later the group nominated its first slate of leaders, electing Mrs. Brace W. Paddock as president, Mrs. Norman C. Hull as vice-president in charge of finance, and Mrs. Edman as vice-president of publicity on January 19, 1931. By the time the league held its first annual meeting members had already identified issues to focus their initial educational efforts and advocacy on including efficiency in government, child welfare, education, legal status, international relations to prevent war and legislation.

Throughout the 1940s the League targeted housing problems in Pittsfield; their 1941 housing study committee reported: "Pittsfield has no slum clearance project ... no housing authority to condemn dangerous and indecent slum dwellings, no factual survey of local housing conditions, no organized citizens' housing association." The League's interest in housing did not waver and together with residents of the city and Mayor James Fallon a preliminary committee was formed which later resulted in the formation of a permanent citizen's housing association. During the 1950s-1960s the LWV of Pittsfield continued to study and inform the public on issues ranging from the impact of foreign trade on the local economy to the operation of Massachusetts state government.

By the 1960s membership in the LWV of Pittsfield expanded beyond the city lines reaching out in every direction to towns in the surrounding area. Instead of sponsoring a fourth league in the county (chapters existed already in Williamstown and North Adams) Leaguers decided to expand the Pittsfield chapter to encompass all of central Berkshire. During the next few decades the newly expanded League led significant campaigns on a number of key issues: voter registration, prison reform, child care, and clean drinking water.

After decades of successfully fulfilling the League's mission as a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to encouraging active participation of citizens in government and influencing public policy through education and advocacy, the Central Berkshire chapter disbanded in 2001.

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

The records of the central Berkshire county League of Women document the group's efforts to encourage the public to participate in government as well as their efforts to educate the community about key issues of local importance from the 1970s until the chapter disbanded in 2001. Through a variety of media, including newspaper articles, meeting minutes, and newsletters, this collection provides a rich body of materials useful for evaluating the various issues of significance to Leaguers over the course of three decades and the resulting public policy that helped shape the social and political climate of central Berkshire.

An example of one local issue in which the support of the LWVCB played an important role was the Washington Mountain Brook watershed project. As the demand for a new supply of clean water for the towns of Lee and Lenox increased it became clear that drilling for new wells would not be the answer, since the possibility of PCB contamination was high. The towns endorsed the Washington Mountain Brook watershed project as the best solution for the water shortage. Concerned about the potential environmental impact of the watershed project, the LWVCB examined the case carefully and determined that given the likelihood of contaminated ground water sources the WMB project was the only viable alternative for a new water supply. The Massachusetts Audubon Society reviewed the same data and concurred; the Conservation Law Foundation of New England, Inc., however, disagreed and filed a lawsuit to stop construction. The LWVCB teamed up with the We Need Water Now Committee, formed by concerned citizens of Lee and Lenox, to intervene in the lawsuit in an effort to have it withdrawn altogether. Ultimately, the groups' combined efforts played a critical role in achieving the approval necessary to move forward with the construction.

The collection is open for research.

 Preferred Citation

Cite as: League of Women Voters of Berkshire County (MS 478). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Acquired in November 2004.

Processed by Lori Satter, 2008.

 Search Terms League of Women Voters of Central Berkshire. Drinking water--Massachusetts Education--Massachusetts Prisons--Massachusetts Water--Pollution--Massachusetts Berkshire County (Mass.)--Politics and government. Massachusetts--Politics and government--1951- Related Material

For materials related to the history of the League of Women Voters, see:

League of Women Voters of Amherst Records, 1939-2001 Series 1: Administration 2.5 linear ft.

This series contains materials associated with the LWVBC's daily activities, including meeting minutes, membership files, financial records, and newsletters. Together these materials offer insight into the chapter's structure and function as well as its methods for reaching the public. Also included are printed materials and correspondence from the state and national Leagues that convey the broader agendas proposed by the parent organization.

 Series 2: Issue Campaigns 1.5 linear ft.

Subject files within this series identify the political, social, and cultural issues in which members of the League were involved. Topics of primary focus include voter registration drives, prison and election reform, elder health care, children's rights, clean water, and education.

 Series 1: Administration 1959-2001 1 1 Annual reports 1985-1989 1 2 Berkshire Voter 1988-1989 1 3 Berkshire Voter 1990-1991 1 4 Berkshire Voter 1992-1993 1 5 Berkshire Voter 1994-1995 1 6 Berskhire Voter 1996-1997 1 7 Berkshire Voter 1998-2001 1 8 Board meeting minutes 1985-1988 1 9 Board meeting minutes 1989-1990 1 10 Board meeting minutes 1991-1993 1 11 Board meeting minutes 1994-1996 1 12 Board meeting minutes 1997-2001 1 13 Board meeting minutes undated 1 14 Brochures: letter writing 1989-1995 1 15 Bumper sticker ca. 1990 1 16 Bylaws 1972-1986 1 17 Correspondence 1995, undated 1 18 Events 1996 1 19 Events: luncheons and potlucks 1987-1996 1 20 Fundraising 1959-1984 2 1 Fundraising 1985-1989 2 2 Fundraising 1990-1996 2 3 Guest book 1986-1990 2 4 History: 50th anniversary 1981 2 5 Items: LWVCB newsletter 1978-1981 2 6 Items: LWVCB newsletter 1982-1983 2 7 Items: LWVCB newsletter 1984-1985 2 8 Items: LWVCB newsletter 1986-1987 2 9 Items: LWVCB newsletter 1988-1989 2 10 League of Women Voters of Massachusetts: campaigns 1988 2 11 League of Women Voters of Massachusetts: correspondence 1981-1988 2 12 League of Women Voters of Massachusetts: committees 1979-1987 2 13 League of Women Voters of Massachusetts: legalized casino gambling 1979-1982 2 14 League of Women Voters of Massachusetts: memos and reports 1985-1989 2 14 League of Women Voters of the United States: printed material 1982-1988 2 15 Lobbying 1965-1982 3 1 Lobbying 1982-1984 3 2 Lobbying 1987-1988 8 Media and ephemera ca. 1994-1996 3 3 Membership 1985-1992 9 Membership cards 1971-2000 3 4 Membership dues 1995-1996 3 5 Membership lists 1983-1987 3 6 Membership lists 1987-1988 3 7 Membership lists 1989 3 8 Membership lists 1991-2000 3 9 Newspaper clippings 1982-1988 3 10 Non-partisanship policy 1970-1986 3 11 Pamphlets: Know Your Town 1963-1969 3 12 Pamphlets: Know Your Town 1982-1983, 1992 3 13 Pittsfield (Mass.) Certificate of Recognition 1995 3 14 Pittsfield (Mass.): map 1977 3 15 Press releases 1980-1984 3 16 Publicity 1976-1982 3 17 Publicity 1988-1991 3 18 Publicity 1994-1996 3 19 Publicity 1997 3 20 Publicity 1998 3 21 Script: Lucy Leaguer Goes to Washington ca. 1985 3 22 Treasurer's reports 1983-1988 4 1 Treasurer's reports 1989-1993 4 2 Treasurer's reports 1994-1997 4 3 Treasurer's reports 1998-2001 Series 2: Issue Campaigns 1968-2000 4 4 Campaign finance reform 1995-1996 4 5 Campaign finance reform 1996-1997 4 6 Candidates forum 1984 4 7 Candidates forum 1984 4 8 Central Berkshire housing project 1976-1980 4 9 Children's rights 1980-1984 4 10 Children's rights 1985 4 11 Children's rights issue campaign 1985 4 12 County government 1968-1981 4 13 County government 1982-1984 4 14 County government 1986 4 15 County government 1987-1990 5 1 Economic conversion 1985-1990 5 2 Elder care 1984-1985 5 3 Election education 1980, 2000 5 4 Election educational for schools 1980 5 5 Election educational for schools 1984, 1989 5 6 Financing federal goovernment 1985-1986 5 7 Financing state government 1979-1981 5 8 Flouridation of water 1988 5 9 Health Care 1975-1998 5 10 Land use 1989 5 11 Legislative action 1985-1989 5 12 Mental health 1985 5 13 National security 1985-1988 5 14 Nuclear waste 1979-1988 5 15 Pittsfield mayorial election forum 1989 5 16 Poverty 1981-1988 5 17 Presidential debates 1988 5 18 Prison reform 1972-1984 5 19 Prison reform 1985 6 1 Prison reform 1985 6 2 Prison reform 1985 6 3 Prison reform 1986-1987 6 4 Prison reform:articles 1972-1985 6 5 Prison reform 1986 6 6 Prison reform:articles 1987 6 7 Proposition 2 1/2 1980 6 8 Recycling 1988-1989 6 9 Right to Know legislation 1984 6 10 Schools 1991 6 11 Taxes 1989 6 12 Voter registration 1988-1989 6 13 Voter registration 1994 6 14 Voter service 1971-1978 6 15 Voter service 1980 6 16 Voter service 1982 6 17 Voter service 1983 6 18 Voter service 1984 7 1 Voter service 1985 7 2 Voter service 1987-1988 7 3 Voter service 1989-1990 7 4 Voter service 1992 7 5 Voter service 1992 7 6 Voter service 1994-1995 7 7 Voter service 1996 7 8 Voter service 1996 7 9 Voter service 1996 7 10 Voter service 1997-1998 7 11 Voter service 2000 7 12 Washington Mountain Brook 1982 7 12 Water 1979-1987 7 13 Water conservation 1975-1987 7 14 Women 1982-1998 7 15 Zoning: Lenox Green 1988