Friendship Internationale Scrapbook, 1964-1977

Title: Friendship Internationale Scrapbook, 1964-1977

ID: MSS FriendsInt

Primary Creator: Friendship Internationale (Oregon State University)

Extent: 0.25 cubic feet. More info below.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

The Friendship Internationale Scrapbook documents the programs and activities offered by this organization for the wives of male international students and staff as well as single international female students and staff at Oregon State University.  The scrapbook consists predominantly of newspaper clippings from the Corvallis Gazette-Times and the Barometer.  The scrapbook also includes by-laws, historical information about the organization, one photograph, and recipes.

Loose materials that were not affixed in the scrapbook have been foldered separately.  These include newspaper clippings (Box 1, Folder 2); photographs (Box 2, Folder 1); and press releases, recipes, and other materials (Box 2, Folder 2).

The photographs depict club members participating in events and activities.  The photographs consist of 6 b/w prints (one of which is affixed in the scrapbook) and 1 color print.

The materials highlight events featuring the food, clothing, and cultural practices of the members and often involved their children.

Established in 1964, the Chatter Club (which became known as the International Chatter Club and Friendship Internationale by 1968) sought to promote interaction and exchange between unmarried foreign female students and the wives of international students and staff. Consisting of several informal interest groups, such as cooking, sewing, English language practice, and child care,  the Club offered events and program that featured food, clothing, and traditions of the members.  General membership meetings were held once a month. Although not an official organization of the university, the club received strong encouragement and secretarial assistance from the Office of International Education. In 1979, Friendship Internationale and another group, Crossroads, merged to form Crossroads International.

The club was modeled on the International Chatter Club of Davis, California.  It was conceived of as not only a social club, but a way to assist the wives of international students with practical matters and offer community interaction.  The club was "dedicated to friendship among women from all over the world."

More Extent Information: 7 photographs; 2 boxes, including 1 oversize box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: This scrapbook and associated materials were transferred to the former University Archives in 2004 by the Office of International Education.

Related Materials: Extensive documention of programs, activities, and organizations of international students at Oregon State University is available in the International Students of Oregon State University (ISOSU) Records (RG 247) and the Student Club and Organization Records (RG 276).  The Co-Signers Engineer Students' Wives Club Collection (MSS Cosigners) provides information about another organization for the wives of Oregon State students.  The International Education Records (RG 164)  and the English Language Institute (ELI) Records (RG 234) document the full scope of academic programs and services provided for international students.

Preferred Citation: Friendship Internationale Scrapbook (MSS FriendsInt), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Processing Information: As part of the physical processing of this collection, the scrapbook pages were removed from the scrapbook cover.  The cover and blank pages were discarded.

Finding Aid Revision History: This finding aid supersedes preliminary information about the collection that was placed online in 2012.

Friendship Internationale (Oregon State University)

Clubs--Oregon--Corvallis.
English language--Study and teaching--Oregon--Corvallis--Foreign speakers.
Friendship Internationale (Oregon State University)
Oregon Multicultural Archives
Oregon State University--Societies, etc.
Oregon State University. Office of International Education
Students, Foreign--Oregon--Corvallis.
University History
Women--Oregon--Corvallis--Societies and clubs.

Photographic prints.
Scrapbooks.