Sisters for Health Education (S.H.E.) records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSP 150

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Sisters for Health Education (S.H.E.) records (1979 – 1982; 1.4 cubic feet) documents the creation and operations of this Purdue student organization. The educational materials in this collection record the kinds of sexual and reproductive health information available to college students at the time. The collection also shows the difficulties encountered trying to establish an organization that talked openly about issues of abortion, birth control, and rape during this era. Types of materials include circulars, clippings, correspondence, and planning notes.

Dates

Creation: 1978-1982
Other: Date acquired: 10/01/2013

Creator

Sisters for Health Education (S.H.E.) (1979-1982) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

historical information

Sisters for Health Education (S.H.E.) was a Purdue University student organization which functioned to inform, support and provide referrals to women in the Purdue community regarding birth control, problem pregnancy, rape prevention and counseling, and general women’s health concerns. The group began in 1979 as an effort by three staff members to create a small women’s health center. This effort was resisted by the administration because of the fear of abortion counseling. The idea for a women’s health center was instead applied to creating a student group, led by the student Marcia Whisman and advisor Jackie Kassouff. Eventually, the organization opened a small counseling center on March 2, 1981, staffed by community volunteers and partnering with local groups such as Planned Parenthood, the YWCA, local churches, and women’s organizations. The Archives has no record of the demise of the program, however there are no collection materials created after 1982.

Extent

1.40 Cubic Feet (Three full-width letter-size manuscript boxes and one half-width letter-size manuscript box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

The S.H.E. records were housed in the Women's Studies Program office before being transferred to the Karnes Archives and Special Collections in 2013. The custodial history before this transfer is unclear.