Back to Finding Aids
Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 Inquiries

Cage 433
Dairy Wives of Washington State
Scrapbooks, 1953-1979

The Dairy Wives of Washington State Scrapbooks were donated to the Washington State University Archives from September 1977 to January 1981 (77-59, 77-69, 78-1, 78-10, 78-21, 78-55, 80-41, 81-04, 81-12). The collection was processed by Barbara Kovarik-Gahl in April 1981. Further records of the organization can be found in Cage 521.

ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE

The Dairy Wives of Washington State is part of a national organization of the wives of dairy farmers and their families. Local and regional units that have been established in Washington include King County, Kitsap County, Clark County, and the Inland Empire (formerly known as Spokane County).

The main function of the Dairy Wives is to promote increased consumer use of milk and other dairy products throughout the country. This is accomplished in a variety of ways. Butter-making demonstrations in area schools help to teach children about the value and good taste of dairy foods. The children are also brought to dairy farms to see how milk is produced.

In the area of public relations, the Dairy Wives annually sponsor local pageants to elect a Dairy Princess. The Dairy Princess acts as the official representative of the dairy industry for her county. Her duties include demonstrations of butter or ice cream making and giving samples and nutritional information to the general public. These young women are then eligible for the state-wide competition. State winners go on to vie for the title of American Dairy Princess and the chance to represent the dairy industry nationwide. At each level increasing travel, prestige, and college scholarships are part of the benefits received.

DESCRIPTION

The scrapbooks of the Dairy Wives of Washington State are the records of both individual chapters and the state organization. Included in these generally annual volumes are photographs and newspaper clippings of the dairy princess competitions, newspaper clippings from other various club sponsored events, suggestions on how to make wider use of dairy products in the diet, and activity and financial reports.

DESCRIPTION OF ARRANGEMENT

Scrapbooks of the state organization are followed by those of the local units. Within each group the scrapbooks have been arranged in chronological order. Since the state organization and several county units have agreed to a continuing transfer of non-current records, provision has been made for future accessions.

Current holdings include:
   Washington State -- 1954 to 1979. (1955, 1956, and 1969 not included)
   Clark County -- 1953 to 1976.
   Kitsap County -- 1965 to 1967.
   Inland Empire -- 1966 to 1979. (1966 to 1968 are labeled Spokane County. 1972, 1973, and 1974 not included)
   King County -- 1953 to 1964.

CONTAINER LIST

Volume	Description
Washington State
1	1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961
2	October 1, 1962 thru October 1, 1963
3	October 1, 1963 thru October 1, 1964
4	1965
5	1966
6	1967
7	1968
8	1970
9	1970-1971
10	1972
11	1973
12	1974
13	1974-1975
14	1975-1976
15	1976-1977
16	1977-1978
17	1979
Clark County
1	1953-1959
2	1959-1960
3	1960-1961
4	1962
5	1963
6	1964
7	1964-1965
8	1966-1967
9	1967-1968
10	1968-1969
11	1969-1970
12	1970-1971
13	1971-1972
14	1972-1973
15	1973-1974
16	1975-1976
17	1975-1976
Kitsap County
1	1965-1966
2	1966-1967
Inland Empire
1	1966-1967
2	1967-1968
3	1968-1969
4	1969-1970
5	1970-1971
6	1975
7	1976
8	1977
9	1978
10	1979
King County
1	1953-1959
2	1960
3	1961
4	1962
5	1963
6	1964