The 1918 Club, national and international in scope, was started by John Marko and Aura Jane Vannoy to promote friendship throughout the world. The only requirement to join was having a birthday in the year 1918. This unique club sponsored social and charitable events for years, hosting national conferences for all members, running programs for shut-ins, and printing a monthly newsletter for members. Some of the most popular programs were the “birthday twins”, and "round robin" chain letters - the latter being informative "update letters" sent between small groups (3-5 people) over a number of years. The 1918 Club was active for forty-four years registering over 6000 members internationally until 2004. Administrative duties, within the organization, shifted from chapter to chapter during the life of the organization.
The Rhode Island Chapter (# 21) of the 1918 Club was officially formed in 1979 with four members. Membership had grown to make Rhode Island one of the most active state memberships in the country, among whose ranks was Walter "Salty" Brine (1918-2004), radio broadcaster and local celebrity. In 1988 the Rhode Island Chapter took on a leadership role in the organization when Charles Carr was elected president of the national club and Dorothy "Dot" Smith was selected to be the editor of the national newsletter. The Rhode Island chapter continued to collect dues and print the monthly and bi-monthly newsletter until April of 2004. The Club records, then in Dorothy's custody, were donated to the University of Rhode Island Special Collections for historical preservation.
Open for research.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Records of the Nineteen Eighteen (1918) Club, 1960-2005, Mss. Gr. 178, University of Rhode Island Library.
The 1918 Club Collection consists of two series:
Series I, Subject Files, 1960-2004, contains correspondence, member rosters, Club history, news clippings, photographs, non-bulletin publications - "This is My Life" (biographical information on some members) - and collected "round robin" letters. The records document the latter years of the Club (mostly from 1997-2004), when the Rhode Island Chapter was in charge of the Club administration. As various members from different chapters took turns running the administrative duties of the Club, the whereabouts of the earlier records are unknown. The folders in the Subject File are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series II, Scrapbooks, 1982-1998, includes two scrapbooks of the California Chapter of the 1918 Club, which were donated to Special Collections in 2005 by Edward Gershman. The scrapbooks contain a history of the 1918 Club and copies of the newsletters. They also document local chapter events with news clippings, photos, brochures, and invitations.
The 1918 Club Newsletters, a nearly complete set, has been removed from the collection, cataloged, and is located in the Rhode Island Book Collection.
The 1918 Club Records are arranged in two series:
Dorothy "Dot" Smith was selected to be the editor of the 1918 Club's national newsletter in 1988. In 2004 when the club dispersed, Mrs. Smith held custody of the Club's records. She donated the records to the University of Rhode Island Special Collections for historical preservation in 2004.
The Subject File series contains records that document the administrative functions of the Club. These records cover the latter years of the club (1997-2004), when the Rhode Island Chapter took over the Club administration. The Subject File includes folders on conventions, correspondence, member rosters, Club history, news clippings, and various information that would have been of interest to members. The folders in this series are arranged alphabetically by subject.
The Scrapbooks series includes two scrapbooks of the California Chapter of the 1918 Club, which were donated to Special Collections in 2005 by Edward Gershman. The scrapbooks contain a history of the 1918 Club and copies of the newsletters. They also document local chapter events with news clippings, photos, brochures, and invitations.