Introduction

The collection of Florence Mason, staff member of Consumers Union and special correspondent at the United Nations for the International Organization of Consumers Unions, was donated to the Consumer Movement Archives at Kansas State University by Mason in 1988.

The papers are housed in 4 document boxes and are contained in 92 file folders. They are divided into 2 series: 1) IOCU, 1964- 1987; 2) Subject Files, 1959-1987. Printed material has been transferred from the collection and filed with other publications in the Consumer Movement Archives.

The collection was organized in 1990 by Kylee Schultz, Consumer Movement Archives student employee. This collection's accession number is PC 106, (revised numbering, PC 1988.42).

Biographical Sketch

1896         Born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin on August 31.

1919-1926    Library, Extension Division, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

1921         Received B.A. from University of Wisconsin.

1929-1939    Librarian at American Standards Association, New York City.

1939-1959    Librarian, Consumers Union in Mt. Vernon, New York.

1949         Married Alphonso Linwood Mason on February 12.

1959-1961    Assistant to the director of Consumers Union.

1961         Assistant to the President of International Organization of Consumers Unions (IOCU), The Hague, 
                Netherlands.

1963         Appointed IOCU special correspondent to the United Nations.

Who's Who of American Women, 5th Edition, 1968-69.

Scope and Content Note

The Florence Mason Collection documents her work with the International Organization of Consumers Unions (IOCU), the United Nations, and the development of consumer associations in various countries. The collection is contained in 4 boxes consisting of 92 file folders. The material is divided into 2 series: 1) IOCU, 2) Subject Files.

The majority of the material is contained in the IOCU series. It contains annual reports, information on consumer associations in foreign countries ( India, Japan, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, etc.), proceedings from five world congresses, and speeches and papers from various members of the organization, including Anwar Fazal, former IOCU president, and Ruth Simmons-Vermeer, former special agent for Asia and Pacific. The series spans the years 1964-1987 and is housed in 46 file folders.

The Subject Files are arranged alphabetically and contain papers on the following topics: consumer education; how to establish educational programs; tips and suggestions on consumer protection; environmental concerns; personal papers including notes and drafts of letters; printed material; speeches from individuals involved with the consumer movement in the U.S. and abroad, such as Foo Gaik Sim and Rhoda H. Karpatkin; and the United Nations, including UNICEF information on the state of the world's children and information on the Law of the Sea. The series dates from 1959 to 1987 and is contained in 46 file folders.

Printed material has been removed from the collection and filed with other publications in the Consumer Movement Archives. The printed material contains items from IOCU, Consumers Union, government departments, UNICEF, the United Nations, and Consumers' Association.

Containers List

Box  Folder  

             International Organization of Consumers Unions
1      01       Annual Reports, 1968;1982
       02       Appropriate Products     
                Asia and Pacific Regional Seminar Consumer Testing and Research
       03          1976
       04          1976
       05          1976
       06          1976
       07       List of Books, 1980-1981
       08       Consumer Interpol, 1981
       09       Correspondence, Notes, and Miscellaneous
       10       Fazal,Anwar, 1979-1987
                Foreign
       11          India, 1968-1981
       12          India, 1978
       13          Japan, 1977;1979;1982
       14          Latin America, 1966-1985
       15          Malaysia, 1975-1980
       16          Malaysia,cont., 1979-1981
       17          Spanish Project, 1968
       18          Spanish Project, 1968-1969
       19          Spanish Project, 1968-1969
       20          United Kingdom, 1985;1987
       21       Health Action International,1980-1987
       22       International Baby Food Action Network, 1973-1981
       23       International Baby Food Action Network, 1975-1981
       24       International Baby Food Action Network, 1981-1985
       25       International Baby Food Action Network, 1977-1982
       26       International Baby Food Action Network
2      01       International Womens Year, 1975
       02       Manual, 1976
       03       Manual, 1976
       04       Manual Drafts
       05       Manual Drafts
       06       Medical Newsletter, 1980-1981
       07       Mediteranean Conference, 1977
       08       Mediteranean Conference, 1977
       09       Miscellaneous Papers
       10       Pesticides, 1985
       11       Printed Material-Newspaper, 1968;1972
       12       Regional Office for Asia and Pacific
       13       Simmons-Vermeer,Ruth, 1978
       14       Third World Congress-Oslo,Norway, 1964
       15       Fifth World Conference, 1968
       16       Eighth World Congress-Sydney, Australia, 1975
       17       Ninth World Congress,London,England, 1978
       18       Ninth World Congress,London,England,1978, 
       19       Ninth World Congress,London,England, 1978 
       20       Tenth World Congress, The Hague, 1981
             Subject Files
       21       Budgets and Finances
       22       Comite National De La Consommation
       23       Constitutions
       24       Consumer Education, 1965-1986
       25       Consumer Education, 1965-1986
3      01       Consumer Protection
       02       Disarmament, 1982;1984
       03       Disarmament, 1982;1984
       04       Distribution Records
       05       Drugs
       06       Drugs
       07       Energy, 1961-1981
       08       Environment, 1972-1981
       09       Environment, 1977-1983
       10       Environment, Consumers Association of Penang, 1972-1985
       11       Environment, Consumers Association of Penang, 1972-1985
       12       Food and Nutrition
       13       Food and Nutrition
       14       Food and Nutrition
       15       Global 2000 Report, 1980-1986
       16       Income and Inflation, 1974;1979
       17       Journalists, 1980
       18       Mason Papers
       19       People File
       20       Printed Material, Magazines
       21       Printed Material, Magazines
4      01       Printed Material, Newspaper, 1962-1986
       02       Ralph Nader
       03       Speeches, 1959-1966
       04       Speeches, 1967-1985
       05       Speeches
       06       Standards Testing
       07       Standards Testing
       08       Tobacco
       09       Transnationals
                United Nations
       10          Consumer Protection
       11          International Organization of Consumers Unions, 1963-1980
       12          Law of the Sea, 1968-1982
       13          Unicef, 1979-1987
       14          Unicef, 1979-1987
       15          Unicef (Childrens Fund), 1979-1982
       16          Unicef (Childrens Fund), 1987
       17          Drinking Water Supply, 1982
       18          U.S. Government
       19       Women
       20       Women