About this collection:

The Thursday Music Club was officially started as “The Women’s Music Club of Wheeling” on September 19, 1942, by founding members Eleanor Caldwell,  Ethyle McKee, and Anne Hilton Power. The founders began the club with intentions “...to encourage greater participation among our members: promote deeper appreciation of music, with emphasis on American Music compositions. Throughout this Valley: and to sponsor the disclosure of talent among youth. With an opportunity for its expression and study.” At this time, meetings were held at the Downtown Music Center, 2212 Chapline Street, Wheeling, before being moved to the YWCA in 1943. That same year, the name changed from “the Women’s Music Club of Wheeling” to its current name, “The Thursday Music Club ”. 

The Thursday Music Club kept true to its mission by supporting local youth musicians. Since 1949, they have hosted an annual Young Musicians Auditions, where local students perform their work and, if selected as a superior, perform in a recital hosted by the Club. Other events hosted or sponsored by the club include: The Alene Kraft Memorial Concert, Chorus and Opera Workshops, Holiday Concerts, and Spring Concerts.

The collection consists of documents relating to the Thursday Music Club of Wheeling from 1951 to 2015. The collection contains photographs, songbooks, yearbooks, club administrative and event documents, and publicity ephemera. Many photographs and documents pertain to the annual Young Musician Superiors auditions and recitals hosted by the club, and these documents span from the years 1951-1998. Songbooks contain sheet music for three separate songs, but are undated. Publicity includes newspaper clippings or media releases relating to the Thursday Music Club of Wheeling, spanning from 1962-2006.

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