Descriptive summary

creator:	Iota Sigma Pi
title:	Records
dates:	1900 - [ongoing]
extent:	26.53 linear feet (27 document boxes, 1 half-document box and 10 records center cartons)
collection number:	MS 321
repository:	Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

Administrative information

access:	Open for research
publication lights:	Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation:	Iota Sigma Pi Records, MS 321, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Historical note

The Iota Sigma Pi is a national honorary society for women in chemistry. The first chapter in the country was started in 1902 at the University of California at Berkeley and Iota Sigma Pi was organized on a nation-wide basis in 1916. Each chapter is named after a chemical element such as nitrogen or palladium. The group’s stated objectives are: 1) to promote interest in chemistry among women students; 2) to foster mutual advancement in academic, business, and social life; 3) to stimulate personal accomplishments in chemical fields. Iota Sigma Pi currently has approximately 41 chapters in 22 states and the District of Columbia. It sponsors conferences and meetings, and provides awards and scholarships to women researchers and students in chemistry.

The Garvan Medal Award (given by the American Chemical Society to an outstanding woman chemist) winners, who were also members of Iota Sigma Pi include the following: Emma Perry Carr (1937); Agnes Fay Morgan (1949); Pauline Berry Mack (1950); Allene R. Jeanes (1956); Ruth Benerito (1970); Mary L. Good (1973); Helen M. Free (1980); Ines Mandl (1983); and Darleane C. Hoffman (1990). National Honorary Members (for life) of Iota Sigma Pi include Marie Sklowdowska Curie (1921); Florence Rena Sabin (1935); Icie Macy Hoobler (1949); Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (1966); Rosalind Franklin (1982-posthumous); and Mildred Cohn (1988).

The URL for the Iota Sigma Pi webpage is:

http://www.iotasigmapi.info/

The current historian (1989-present ) for Iota Sigma Pi is Dr. Anne Sherren.

Collection Description

Series 1, Constitution and by-laws, contains original and revised versions of the Iota Sigma Pi constitution and by-laws from 1918-1972.

Series 2, History and rituals, contains the history publications of the organization and also includes revisions of the history and the revised initiation ritual.

Series 3, The Iotan, contains fifty-years of The Iotan, the Iota Sigma Pi newsletter, that conveys information about various chapters, individual members, and events.

Series 4, Membership, includes mailing lists, membership lists, mailing labels, and honorary membership information.

Series 5, Correspondence, contains general and chapter correspondence, detailing the administrative and programmatic activities of the organization.

Series 6, Financial records, contains dues lists, financial records and supply records.

Series 7, Administrative records, contains on award nominations, reports, membership directories, and operational guides.

Series 8, Meetings, contains Iota Sigma Pi convention agendas, handbooks and reports. The conventions, held every three years, date from 1918 through 2002. These records illustrate conference logistics and program interests.

Series 9, Chapter records, contains records, reports and correspondence for various chapters of Iota Sigma Pi.

Series 10, Printed materials, contains published newsletters by chapters and related organizations, as well as brochures, newspaper clippings, and scientific journal articles.

Series 11, Photographs, includes images (black and white, color, and slides) of chapter meetings, national officers and individual members.

Series 12, Marian College records, is connected with Iota Sigma Pi’s Historian (1972-1989), Sr. Mary Rose Stockton, and her work at Marian College with the establishment and operation of the Cobalt Chapter, and the Student Affiliates group of the American Chemical Society. The records include the applications to Iota Sigma Pi for the chapter’s charter (1930-1966), American Chemical Society correspondence, Iota Sigma Pi correspondence, and regional meetings and programs.

Series 13, Marian College/Sr. Mary Rose Stockton photographs, includes prints of Student Affiliate/ACS meetings, and personal photographs of the family of Sr. Mary Rose.

Series 14, Artifacts, includes mugs, posters, seal presses and various other Iota Sigma Pi artifacts.

National organizations can provide invaluable evidence in the scholarly study of women in science. They provide documentation on the activities, priorities, and recognition that women scientists created for themselves in their own organizations, outside of the male-dominated scientific mainstream.

Organization

This collection is arranged in the following series:

Series 1, Constitution and by-laws, 1918-1998, n.d
Series 2, History and rituals, 1924-1978, n.d.
Series 3, The Iotan, 1941-[ongoing]
Series 4, Membership records, 1921-1999, n.d.
Series 5, Correspondence, 1942-1999, n.d.
Series 6, Financial records, 1968-1999
Sereis 7, Administrative records, 1919-2001, n.d.
Series 8, Meetings, 1918-2002, n.d.
Series 9, Chapter records, 1900-2001
Series 10, Printed materials, 1930-2001, n.d.
Series 11, Photographs, 1916-1998, n.d.
Series 12, Marian College records, 1923-1989, n.d.
Series 13, Marian College/Sr. Mary Rose Stockton photographs, 1910-1999, n.d.
Series 14, Artifacts, 2002, n.d.

All series are arranged chronologically, with the exception of Chapter records, which is arranged alphabetically.

Description of series


Series 1	Constitution and by-laws	1918-1998, n.d
extent:	0.34 linear feet
description:	Series contains original and revisions of by-laws and constitution of Iota Sigma Pi.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
1	1	Constitution and by-laws	1918
1	2	Constitution and by-laws	1941
1	3	Constitution and by-laws	1949, 1998
1	4	Constitution/ officer’s handbook	1950
32	50	Constitution and by laws	1950-1998
1	5	Constitution revision	1966
1	6	Committee on Revision of Constitution and by-law records	1971-1972
32	51	By-law revisions	1998
1	7	Constitutions	n.d.
1	8	Constitutions	n.d.
1	9	Constitutions	n.d.
32	52	Revised constitution	n.d.

Description of series


Series 2	History and rituals	1924-1978, n.d.
extent:	0.47 linear feet
description:	This series contains history notes and initiation rituals.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
1	15	Induction ceremony	1924-1936
1	10	History	1930-1953
1	16	Initiation ritual and revised ritual	1936, 1963
33	19	A History of Iota Sigma Pi	1937-1969
33	21	Charter members	1947
1	12	Listing of members	1950
1	13	History	1961-1970
1	14	History	1963
33	20	Initiation ceremony procedure	1963
33	22	A History of Iota Sigma Pi	1971-1980
1	11	History (abstracted)	1978
33	23	Rituals of Iota Sigma Pi	n.d.

Description of series


Series 3	The Iotan	1941-[ongoing]
extent:	1.23 linear feet
description:	This series contains copies of The Iotan, the Iota Sigma Pi newsletter, from 1941-2001.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
29	5	The Iotan	1941-1943
2	1	The Iotan	1941-1948
34	25	The Iotan	1944-1957
2	2	The Iotan	1949-1953
2	3	The Iotan	1954-1959
34	26	The Iotan	1958-1962
2	4	The Iotan	1960-1964
34	27	The Iotan	1962-1971
2	5	The Iotan	1965-1966
2	6	The Iotan	1967-1971
2	7	The Iotan	1972-1974
35	1	The Iotan	1972-1975
2	8	The Iotan	1975-1977
35	2	The Iotan	1976-1979
3	1	The Iotan	1978-1980
35	3	The Iotan	1980-1984
3	2	The Iotan	1981-1983
3	3	The Iotan	1984-1986
35	4	The Iotan	1985-1997
3	4	The Iotan	1987
35	5	The Iotan	1999-2001

Description of series


Series 4	Membership records	1921-1999, n.d.
extent:	5.39 linear feet
description:	This series contains master membership lists, mailing labels, and honorary membership information.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
34	14	National honorary membership members	1921-1962
34	15	Membership lists	1972-1978
34	16	Deceased member cards	1972-1993
34	17	Life membership	1972-1999
34	18	National honorary membership nominees	1973-1979
4	3	Mailing labels	1975-1976
4	2	Master list	1975-1976
4	4	Membership renewals	1975-1976
34	19	Student membership	1975-1977
4	1	Mailing labels	1976-1977
34	13	Initiates	1976-1978
4	5	Master list and labels	1976-1978
4	7	Mailing labels	1978-1979
4	6	Mailing labels	1979-1980
4	8	Mailing labels	1979-1980
5	3	Mailing labels	1980-1981
5	4	Mailing labels	1980-1981
5	6	Membership	1980-1990
5	7	Membership	1980-1990
5	8	Membership	1980-1990
5	9	Membership	1980-1990
5	10	Membership	1980-1990
5	1	Membership information	1980-1990
5	2	Membership information	1980-1990
34	20	National honorary membership nomination	1982-1983
5	11	Membership information	1982-1984
5	12	Membership report	1984
34	21	National honorary membership nominations	1984
34	22	50 Year members	1995-1999
34	23	Application	1997-1999
5	14	Membership directory	1999
5	13	Honorary membership	n.d.
5	5	Life and Emeritus members	n.d.
34	24	Member birthdates	n.d.
36		Membership cards	n.d.
37		Membership cards	n.d.
38		Membership cards	n.d.
39		Membership cards	n.d.

Description of series


Series 5	Correspondence	1942-1999, n.d.
extent:	1.02 linear feet
description:	This series contains Iota Sigma Pi chapter, general and presidential correspondence.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
6	1	Correspondence	1942-1952
32	53	Morgan, Agnes Fay	1964-1969
6	2	Chapter correspondence	1968-1978
32	54	Sherren, Anne	1971-2001
6	11	Correspondence	1972
6	15	Correspondence	1972-1975
6	4	Chapter correspondence	1972-1984
6	12	Correspondence	1974
6	3	Chapter recognition correspondence	1974-1976
6	5	President’s correspondence	1975-1978
6	8	Correspondence	1976
6	9	Correspondence	1977
33	1	Einstein, Elizabeth Roboz	1977-1978
6	10	Correspondence	1978
7	1	Correspondence	1978
33	2	History Committee	1978-1980
33	3	Stockton, Sister Mary photographs (4 B&W 3x5”, 5 color 3x5”, 3 B&W 5x7”, 1 B&W 8x10”)	1978-1980
33	4	Caswell, Dr. LR	1978-1982
33	5	Diller, Vi	1978-1982