Martha's Vineyard Museum

Table of Contents

Summary Information

Biography/Historical Note

Scope and Content of Collection

Administrative Information

Index Terms

Collection Contents

Series I. Dukes County and Oak Bluffs Chapter Records

Series II. Chilmark and West Tisbury Chapter Records

Series III. Publications

Descriptive Summary

Repository	Martha's Vineyard Museum, Gale Huntington Research Library 59 School Street P.O. Box 1310 Edgartown, MA 02539 (508)627-4441
Call Number	RU 392
Creator	Massachusetts Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Chilmark Chapter Massachusetts Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Oak Bluffs Chapter Massachusetts Woman's Christian Temperance Union. West Tisbury Chapter
Title	Woman's Christian Temperance Union records
Date	1887-1974
Extent	3 boxes
Language	The materials are in English.
Abstract	The records of the Chilmark, Oak Bluffs and West Tisbury chapters of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union contain bound journals of minutes, treasurer's accounts and membership rolls. The collection also includes Dukes County Convention reports, materials published by the Massachusetts Woman's Christian Temperance Union, poetry written by members, newspaper clippings and other ephemera.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use and Reproduction Restrictions

Requests to reproduce material from this collection should be directed to the library's staff. Reproduction fees may apply.

Acquisition Information

Chilmark Chapter records, gift of Mrs. Johnson Whiting in 1946. (Accession no. 1946.032). Oak Bluffs Chapter records and Dukes County Convention materials, gift of Jean Baird in 1976. (Accession no. 1976.027). Additional Dukes County Convention and Oak Bluffs Chapter materials, gift of Carl Siktberg in 1978. (Accession no. 1978.014).

Publication Information

Martha's Vineyard Museum

Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441

Processing Information

Finding aid prepared by Nancy Cole in May 2012 and updated by Insley Julier in January 2013. Machine-encoded by Nathaniel Janick April 2014.

 Processing of this collection and creation of this finding aid was sponsored by the towns of Aquinnah, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury through the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act. Machine-encoding of the finding aid was sponsored by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Biography/Historical Note

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is a national organization with local and statewide chapters. It purports to be the oldest continuing, non-sectarian woman's organization in the United States. It was begun in 1874 by women who were concerned about the abuse of alcohol and its impact on families and civil society. The members chose total abstinence as their lifestyle and the protection of the home as their goal.

In the 1800s, alcohol was widely used. It was indispensable as a beverage, as water was often scarce in urban areas, and both water and milk were known to carry diseases. The medical community widely accepted alcohol as an anesthetic and analgesic. During the Civil War, the production and consumption of alcohol climbed and did not abate in the post-war prosperity. By the late 19th century, the saloon was seen as a major social curse and society itself a drunken one.

The WCTU saw alcoholism as a consequence of larger social problems rather than a personal failing. As a result, it was interested in several social reform issues, including prostitution, sanitation, public health and international peace. The WTCU was also instrumental in organizing woman's suffrage leaders and in helping more women become involved in American politics. By the late 1800s, the WTCU's membership peaked, with over 200,000 dues paying members. As of 2006, its membership was approximately 8,000. On Martha's Vineyard, a chapter was formed in Oak Bluffs in 1887. Other chapters formed in Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury and Chilmark.

Scope and Content of Collection

The records of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), 1887-1974, include bound volumes containing membership rolls, minutes and treasurer's accounts for the Oak Bluffs, Chilmark and West Tisbury chapters. Many of the record books contain mixed material, for example, the membership lists are often included with the minutes. Records for some years are missing. The collection also includes materials from the Dukes County WCTU, which collected dues from the various towns and organized island-wide initiatives. The county union also held an annual convention.

Arrangement

• Series I: Dukes County and Oak Bluffs Chapter Records, 1887-1974
• Series II: West Tisbury and Chilmark Chapter Records, 1900-1939
• Series III: Publications, 1924