Manuscript Group 371

MORTAR BOARD

Records, 1929-1975
1 cubic foot

The records of the University of Idaho chapter of Mortar Board were donated the library by Student Advisory Services in January 1992. They were processed by Judith Nielsen in March 1995.

INTRODUCTION

Mortar Board, Inc., is a national honor society of college seniors, which recognizes in its membership the qualities of superior scholastic ability, outstanding and continual leadership, and dedicated service to the college or university community.

The University of Idaho chapter was organized in 1921, and chartered by the national organization in 1923, although no records exist until 1929. Among their activities were selling mums for homecoming, serving as hostesses for campus functions, sponsoring the Spinster Skip dance and the Narthex table, a tea which honored outstanding junior women, and overseeing the May Fete during which plaques were awarded to outstanding freshmen and sophomores. The group remained active on campus until the mid 1970's when apathy set in. In recent years attempts have been made to revitalize the group.

The first recorded meeting of the University of Idaho chapter of Mortar Board was held at the Blue Bucket, October 1, 1929; its officers were President, Laura Clark; Treasurer, Ruth Newhouse; and Secretary, Marylou Craven. Minutes for all subsequent meetings through 1956 were originally contained in a three ring notebook, but were transferred to folders during processing. Many years are missing, indicating either that regular meetings were not held or that no minutes were kept.

Other records, mostly dating from the 1960s, include chapter reports, historian's correspondence from the national organization, plans for the May fete, membership lists, correspondence from the national organization, and the national membership directory for 1979-1982. An index to the Quarterly, the publication of Mortarboard, is also part of the collection.

Several scrapbooks of activities and two plaques awarded to outstanding sophomores conclude the records.

A final item is a membership register for the Cardinal Key , another honorary group, for the years 1934/35-1945.

MORTAR BOARD

INVENTORY

1	1-3	Minutes, 1929/30 - 1955/56	221
	4	Chapter reports and programs, 1964-1969	6
	5	Historian, 1966-1975	18
	6	May fete, 1964-1972	10
	7	Membership lists, 1921-1969	23
	8	National Council meetings, annual, 1967-1968	3
	9	National conferences, triennial, 1964	2
	10	National correspondence, 1966-1969	26
	11	National membership directory, 1979-1982	1
	12	Quarterly index, 1964-1967	2
	13	Scrapbook, 1938-1952	1
	14	Scrapbook, 1960/61	1
	15	Scrapbook, 1966/67	1
	16	Mortar Board plaque presented by Leah Tuttle Buchanan in honor of the sophomore woman with the highest scholastic average, 1953/54-1960/61	1
	17	Plaque presented by Mortar Board in honor of the sophomore women with the highest scholastic average, 1962-1971	1
	18	Cardinal Key membership register, 1934/35-1945(?)	1