Melton (Betty L.) papers

These boxes contain the personal files of Betty Melton when she was involved in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and more specifically as head of the Girls' Sports Advisory Committee of the CIF. CIF is the parent organization begun by a group of LA area high school principals in 1914. By 1917 the CIF had grown into a statewide organization dedicated to setting standards of conduct, eligibility, and scholastic conduct for school athletes. (Original Article of Incorporation 1939.)

The papers span 1966-1979 and contain materials related to Melton's involvement in CIF in various capacities. She was instrumental in helping to establish rules for California girls' high school athletic competition. Melton also chaired the Physical Education department at La Sierra High School in Sacramento.

1973: Council Member from La Sierra High School. Melton attended meetings as a council member at a time when the CIF was expanding into women's athletics. Member of the Salary and Fees Committee, and the Capital Valley Conference (CVC). Also member of Sacramento Joint Unified School District High School Girls' Athletic Directors group. Chairman of Sac-Joaquin Girls' Athletics.

1974-1975: Representative to CIF of San Joaquin Section of the Girls' Advisory Committee.

1975: Secretary of the State CIF Girls' Sports Advisory Committee.

1976: Member of Board of Directors of CIF Protection Fund (which oversaw insurance)

1976-1977: Chair of the Girls' Sports Advisory Committee of the CIF.

1978-1979: Membership status unclear.

Melton was also a member of DGWS - "Division of Girls and Women in Sport" of the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (AAHPER). DGWS was a separate governing section for girls' sports. In 1974 the CIF started discussing integrating all girls' sports programs under CIF by-laws. Betty Melton gathered federation-wide feedback regarding the proposal.

The Betty Melton papers highlight the growth of women's athletics in high schools after the passage of Title IX prohibited discrimination based on gender. They illustrate the need to establish gender equity in high school sports by setting and enforcing standards for women's participation in interscholastic athletics. While specific Title IX regulations were not worked out until 1975, the CIF and its Girls' Advisory Sports Committee were already grappling with gender equity issues in sports as evidenced in these materials dating from 1973. Also reflects CIF's struggle to improve administrative processes and standards of representational equity within the organization.