The collection consists of material from former Republican state legislator Bess Reed from Missoula, Montana who served in the Montana Assembly from 1951-1961. Included are correspondence and subject files (1945-1982) on many issues with which Reed was prominently involved including School Foundation Program for public education, water pollution control, extension of Social Security to public employees, and gender equity. There are also extensive files pertaining to Reed's involvement in local political organizations such as the Montana Federation of Business and Professional Women's Club, Missoula County Republican Club, Montana Federation of Republican Women's Club, Montana Young Republicans, Parent-Teacher Organization, School Board Association, Missoula Chamber of Commerce, Montana Health Planning Council, Missoula City Hall Planning Committee, Council on Aging, Montana Society for Crippled Children, Montana Story Project, Sojourners Club of Missoula, Soroptimist Club of Missoula, and United Way. [Artifacts, photographs, and printed materials have been separated to the Museum, Photo Archives, and Library respectively.] The collection documents Bess Reed's career as a member of the Montana Assembly and her involvement in Missoula community organizations. The collection is organized into 8 series: Series 1: The bulk of the Personal files series contain material from the period 1940-1980, related to Bess Reed's political and social life. These files include biographical information, diaries, legal documents, research notes, school notes and records, speeches, writings, and newspaper clippings. Included are correspondence materials covering the period 1913 to 1981. Correspondence include family; Ann Allison (Coordinator of Women's Activities); Governor and Mrs. Tim Babcock; Stella E. Barker (Polk County Recorder); Ronald Reagan; Richard Simpson (Chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee); and Kay Thompson (President Missoula Business and Professional Women's Club). Newspaper clippings, which date from the 1940s through the 1980s, specifically focus on Bess Reed and her social and political involvements. Series 2: The bulk of the Legislative files contain material from 1948-1961. This series documents Reed's service while a member of the Montana Assembly. The series includes correspondence; subject files on education, domestic relationships, Indian affairs and equal rights; campaign leaflets; drawings of state legislators; and a list of the Republican members. Series 3-7: These series contain records from 1942-1982 that document Bess Reed's involvement in community political organizations. The files contain correspondence, board minutes, financial records, speeches, subject files, and printed material of the Montana Federation of Business and Professional Women's Club, Missoula County Republican club, Montana Federation of Republican Women's Club, Montana Young Republicans, Montana Republican Club, Parent-Teacher Organization, School Board Association, Missoula Chamber of Commerce, Montana Health Planning Council, Missoula City Hall Planning Committee, Montana Society for Crippled Children, Montana Story Project, Sojourners Club of Missoula, Soroptimist Club of Missoula, and United Way. Series 8: The bulk of the Dallas Reed, Sr. files contains material about the period 1901 to 1945. The files include Reed's World War I enrollment papers and general correspondence from the United States Veterans' Bureau and the Veterans' Welfare Commission. Also included are correspondence about Reed's death and his application to attend the National College of Chiropractic in Chicago. (Manuscript Collection 336)
