Women's Recreation Association Scrapbooks
Scope and Contents
The Women's Recreation Association Scrapbooks consists of scrapbooks dated 1962 to 1970 that document women's athletic competitions at Colorado State University.
Dates
- Creation: 1962-1970
Creator
- Colorado State University. Women's Recreation Association (Organization)
Restrictions on Access
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Restrictions on Use
Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.
History
Women's athletics at Colorado Agricultural College (now Colorado State University) began in the 1890s when a women's basketball team was first assembled. In 1903 the women's basketball team won what could be considered the first athletic championship by winning five out of six contests with neighboring schools, including the University of Colorado.
A Girls' Athletic Association was formed in 1915, but women were limited to intramural competition with limited access to athletic facilities. In 1922 the Women's Athletic Association (WAA) was organized by Elizabeth Forbes, who joined the faculty in 1920. The Women's Club Building (later named Ammons Hall) was opened in 1921 giving women on campus their own gymnasium, swimming pool, and locker room. Women's athletics were still only at the intramural level with some intercollegiate activity, but focus was on social gatherings, not competition. The Department of Physical Education was established during the 1925-1926 school year, with separate courses for men and women.
In 1962, the Women's Recreation Association (WRA) replaced the WAA, and physical education instructors also served as coaches. Nancy O'Connor began an intercollegiate program in swimming and diving at CSU in 1963. This program was closely followed by gymnastics (1964), field hockey (mid-1960s), and track and field (1971). Tennis (1974), basketball (1974), volleyball (1975), and softball (1975) were all established after the passage of Title IX which required universities to provide programs for women equivalent to men. Colorado State University quickly joined the newly established Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) in 1971. AIAW provided oversight and created standards for women's intercollegiate athletics. The NCAA replaced the AIAW as the oversight and management body of women's intercollegiate athletics after the 1981-1982 academic year.
Extent
7.75 linear feet (6 flat boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Women's Recreation Association (WRA) oversaw intramural sports for women as well as the expansion of women's intercollegiate athletics at Colorado State University. The collection contains scrapbooks documenting the activities of the WRA.
Arrangement
The collection consists of 1 series in 6 flat boxes:
Series 1: Scrapbooks, 1962-1970
Acquisition
The acquisition of the Women's Recreation Association Scrapbooks is unknown.
Online Materials
Materials have been scanned and are available through the Colorado State University Libraries website. In the electronic version of this document, direct links appear in context.
Processing
Processing was completed in October 2015. Materials were rehoused in acid-free boxes.
Subject
- Title
- Guide to the Women's Recreation Association Scrapbooks
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Prepared by Karen Spilman
- Date
- Copyright 2015
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the CSU Libraries Archives & Special Collections Repository
Fort Collins Colorado 80523-1019 USA
970-491-1844
library_dl_specialcollections@mail.colostate.edu