Agora Society records

Collection

Identifier: 6SS-Agora

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Collection consists of the records of the Agora Society, dating from 1892-1970, including the Constitution and By-laws, membership records, correspondence, the President’s Book (1908-1932), multiple books of meeting minutes (1891-1944), programs from events, the publication “Agora” and “The Agora News,” alumnae association records, a guest book of visitors, records relating to the Society’s House (including funding, insurance, planning, contracts, correspondence), the Treasurer’s Account Books, policies, reports and correspondence, records of various Funds, records of the Inter-Society Council including minutes and a President’s Book, photo albums, a scrapbook of programs, a woodcut of their House, and a membership card file.

Dates

1892-1970

Creator

Wellesley College. Agora (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. To make an appointment to view materials, please contact the Archives staff by email at archives@wellesley.edu or by phone at (781) 283-3745.

Conditions Governing Use

The Wellesley College Archives welcomes researchers to use materials in the public domain, to make fair use of copyrighted materials as defined by copyright law, and to request permission to use works whose copyright is held by Wellesley College. All materials from the Archives, regardless of copyright status, should be attributed to the Wellesley College Archives, Library and Technology Services when cited, quoted, or reproduced.

Biographical / Historical

The Agora Society was formed in 1891 from the Cottage Street Political Club, which had been formed in November, 1890 and which had not been a college organization. The organization of the Agora Society was in part inspired by Professor Katharine Coman’s interest in social issues and politics. The Society’s aim was to inspire interest in and discussion of politics, and to support political action. The Agora Society House was built in 1901. During World War I, a Red Cross workroom was set up in the Agora Society House. The House was converted into the Slater International Center in 1972.

[Information from: Glasscock, Jean, and Katharine Canby Balderston. Wellesley College, 1875-1975: a Century of Women. Wellesley College, 1975. Pages 167, 175. See also the 1906 Legenda, pages 19, 163.]