Part One: 
The American Association of University Women, founded in 1881, is open to all graduates who hold the baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

Mrs. Ralph Lloyd organized the Maryville Branch . She was the wife of the Maryville College president and served as our first president. She worked diligently to ensure that Maryville College would meet all the criteria for accreditation by AAUW so that its women graduates would be eligible for membership at a time when women graduates of many other colleges and universities were being denied membership because of the insignificant place of women in those institutions.

In January 1943, AAUW National accepted the branch’s constitution and the Maryville Branch began. Without delay the branch set out to take a survey of the Maryville – Alcoa community to determine the need for nursery schools. This project was sparked by the national AAUW as an imperative need for our country at war, when women by the thousands –remember Rosie the Riveter ? – were sought to replace men in industry.

During the early years the members of the Branch were very active in community affairs, local schools, legislative attempts to improve funding and standards of schools, always with emphasis on equal opportunities for women and girls.

In 1962 the first Book Fair was undertaken. It was held in front of the old downtown location of Proffitts and made $100 in 2 days of sales. By 1972 the annual Book Fair made $500 and had become a town institution. In the following years the Book Fair profits have provided funds to donate to the Educational Foundation, Eleanor Roosevelt Fund, Legal Advocacy Fund, and the scholarship fund at Maryville College.

The Educational Foundation provides funds to advance education, research and self-development for women and to foster equity and positive societal change.

In the 1980’s the Association changed its policy on approved branch gifts to a local college and inaugurated the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund for scholarships to women interested in teaching math and science in the elementary and secondary schools.

The Legal Advocacy Fund was begun in 1981. It provides funding and a support system for women seeding judicial redress for sex discrimination at colleges and universities .

Donations given to Maryville College for the scholarship fund were designated for a woman student from Blount County.