Sophia Smith Collection. All rights reserved.
The International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women was founded to provide "an international forum and vehicle for women physical educators to meet together and share ideas, methods, programs, problems, and solutions." Dorothy Ainsworth served as the first president. The first international Congress was held in 1949 in Copenhagen with two hundred fifty delegates attending from twenty-five nations, and since then quadrennial congresses have been held at various locations around the world. Ainsworth established the United States branch in 1961 and appointed Catherine Allen as its representative; she served until 1969. The organization informs its membership by means of a semi-annual newsletter and an annual Journal. From its inception and as recently as 1998, IAPESGW served as an affiliate of the National Council of Women, a satellite organization of the International Council of Women. By virtue of its NCW/ICW affiliation, IAPESGW was recognized as an NGO by the United Nations. IAPESGW is a member of the International Women's Group and the International Council of Sport and Physical Education. The organization is ongoing, and as of 2005 membership included forty-five countries across all five continents.
The International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women Records at Smith represent the U.S. branch of the organization. The collection includes histories, including information about Dorothy Ainsworth; documents pertaining to various IAPESGW congresses and conventions; and IAPESGW bulletins, newsletters, and reports.
[NOTE: The contents list for this collection is not online. Contact the Sophia Smith Collection if you would like one sent to you.]
The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection.
This collection has not been fully processed and therefore may be difficult to use.
The material in this collection may be protected by copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights for permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use." Permission must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.
Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:
International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (U.S. branch) Records, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
Periodic additions to collection are expected and may not be reflected in this record.
The International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women Records were donated to the Sophia Smith Collection by Barbara Kelly in 2005.
Processed by Burd Schlessinger, 2005.
Associated material located in the Dorothy Ainsworth Papers in the Smith College Archives.