CIVIC LEAGUE OF DENVER RECORDS

Collection

Identifier: WH69

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Ranging from 1912 to 1947, the papers include lists of members, correspondence and the actual pamphlets distributed to voters. Most of the correspondence relates to membership and requests for donations.

SERIES 1 ORGANIZATIONAL RECORDS 1930-1938 BOX 1 (FF1-FF6)

By-laws, articles of incorporations, forms and a procedure manual comprise this series.

SERIES 2 FINANCIAL AND MEMBERSHIP RECORDS 1912-1944 BOX 1 (FF7-FF29) - BOX 2

Financed by donations and dues from its members, the Civic League of Denver regularly corresponded with the public asking for financial donations. This series includes that correspondence, lists of potential members or donors and some financial records such as invoices and receipts. To become a member, it was necessary for a man to be recommended. Any two votes against the prospective member meant that he was rejected. Recommendations as well as the comments about prospects are contained in this series.

Examination of the papers in this series reveals the names of the individuals who provided the most support for the organization. Often these people were not members but sent a check if asked. These pages contain familiar Denver names such as Woolcott, Toll, Newton and Kountze.

This series also contains index cards arranged alphabetically with information about members and contributors.

SERIES 3 VOTING INFORMATION PAMPHLETS 1912-1946 BOX 1 (FF30-FF46)

The pamphlets that the Civic League created and printed constitute this series. Each pamphlet contains information about bond issues, budget proposals, amendments and franchise proposals as well as information about the candidates running for office. The descriptions of candidates changed over the years. For example, in the years 1924 and 1925, candidates who were Ku Klux Klan members were identified in the pamphlets. Candidates were often classified as Communists, Socialists, troublemakers, as young and untrained, and as reform agitators. Inside information might include details such as Roady Kenehan's, a candidate for State Auditor in 1917, refusal to pay the Colorado militia after the coal strike episode known as the Ludlow Massacre. By the 1940s, the information about the candidates was more subdued.

Dates

1912-1947

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Copyright

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.

HISTORICAL NOTE

In 1912, James Grafton Rogers, James Randolph Walker and Henry Wolcott Toll founded the Civic League of Denver to provide information about candidates in coming elections. The organization focused on city, county and state elections. The Civic League members investigated and interviewed election candidates and produced pamphlets that disseminated information to voters. The information for each candidate included name, age, marital status, number of children, ownership of property, education, experience and an evaluation produced by the League. The League stressed social graces and formal education. At elections, citizens could take the booklet into the voting booth to help make political decisions.

Lawyers, architects, ministers, advertising men, manufacturers, teachers and writers are some who comprised the membership of the Civic League of Denver. When a member dropped out, a new member was carefully chosen.

Since the League was a non-profit organization, its work was supported by donations and by membership dues. Donations were not accepted from candidates or political parties. At times, though, special assessments were levied upon members to meet financial needs.

In 1938, the Civic League of Denver officially incorporated. In 1947, it was sued by Representative Alphonse Ardourel and received negative publicity for biased reports about school board candidates. The League met one last time to produce a report about the new Charter for Denver recommended by Mayor James Quigg Newton, Jr. Unable to come to a decision, the League was described by Lee Casey in a Rocky Mountain News editorial as "...quite dead and it ought to be buried." (November 11, 1947)