The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-04-27
HISTORY OF WOMAN'S
Club Is GIVEN

Glacier for publication.
OF those who we're present when th'
infant that has developed into this vel
grown club, drew its first breath, bu
few remain in Hood River.
II was on the afternoon of October 9
1907. that q few women assembled il
the congregational parsonage. then th,
home Of Rev. and Mrs. W. c. Gilmore
This gathering was in response to
telephone call. which was an Invitation
to come and talk over the possibilitie
Of organizing q club. In which we nigh
devise ways and means Of improving
civic conditions in our valley and town
and. incidentally, do a little menta
improving Of our own.
II is the unanimous verdict Of th'
founders of the club that the honor o
being the real mother and originator o
this club of ours belongs to Mrs. A. W
Noble, who gave freely of her time ant
experience to help model the little clul
whose whose members signatures at
tached to the original constitution
would not exceed Is in number.
The meetings were held at the homes
Of the members and 1t was at one o.
these. the home of Mrs. F:W. Radford
that tie original constitution was pre-
sented and signed. Of this, IL there II
any official record in existence. hav,
not been able to find it. At the initia
meeting with Mrs. Gilmore study
course was arranged. including hons
economics. pictures, music, literature
and parliamentary law. This was car
ried out as nearly as could be done un
der existing conditions. for then we ha(
no public library, and books of refer
ence and aids to study were not easily
accessible.
On March 5, 1908, the first public
meeting was held In Odd Fellows hall
The original plan was to have mem.
bership limit of 81, but the interest
grew and deepened and applications fol
memberhip came in 30 rapidly that il
was soon evident that the infant clut
must cast aside some Of its earlier plans
and prepare for q broader organization.
1t was then that some daring SOU
ventured to suggest that we make 9
woman's club, a real Women's club. OF
it, later to federate. 1t is stated that
the credit Of this brave deed is due tC
Mrs. E. E. Goff, now of Newberg. Ore,
our first president and most efficient
leader and loyal supporter.
When the shock had somewhat sub
sieaed and the consideration due the ides
hsd been given it, a motion to that
effect was approved. This. you will
remember, was before Women's clubs
had acquired column, not to mention a
whole page, in the daily papers and
woman suffrage was only dream, in
Oregon.
On January Is, 1908, the first regular
election was held in which Mrs. E. E.
Golf was named as president, Mrs. F.
H. Button, first vice president. Mrs. j.
F. Batchelder, second vice president,
Mrs. H. s. Richmond, recording secre-
tary, Mrs. 7. j. Cunning, financial Sec
retary, and Mrs. G. r. Castner, treas
urer. OF these, the first officers of our
club. we still have Mrs. Button and
Mrs. Batchelder with Us. The others
have found homes in different localities
and other clubs have their living pres
ence, but the work they have done still
lives in ours.
On the 18th day of the following
March, the first step toward doing civic
work was taken. Two committees we're
appointed. one to act with the cemetery
association. the object being to care for
and beautify the cemetery, and one to
confer with the mayor regarding a
cleanup day. d8
In connection with this it is rather
amusing to look back and recall the
numerous ard varied excuses many of
the members of the young club gave
for joining "woman's club" At the
initial meeting one woman said. when
the object of the gathering became ap-
parent, well. never yet belonged to
any sort of club and let my children
roam the streets. and don't know if |
can begin now." And l believe she
didn't begin.
Another who has since gone far afield
in the work, said, 81 should not have
Joined the club had it not been for the
proposed plan of improving and beauti-
fyin the cemetery"
Others who were new among US,
we're lonely and missed the social life
and mental stimulus their home clubs
had given them. However, the club
movement soon became so strong that
excuses for joining were no longer
given. They did it just because they
wanted to. On the first of April we
moved again; this time to the Unitar-
ian church. The civic committee then
reported the first work actually done.
consisting of much needed improve
ments in the cemetery, and on the 29th
of April, 1908, the question of public
library and rest room as objects for the
club to work toward was brought up.
On May 18 the constitution was
amended and adopted and Mrs. Golf
was reelected president.
In October the club became men,
ber of the state federation, and the
first delegates sent to a convention
were Mrs. A. A. Jayne, Mrs. W. F.
Laraway and Mrs. H. F. Davidson.
The convention was held at La Grande
that year. This winter the first Red
Cross seal work was done. and the first
loan fund day was observed.
In March, at the suggestion of the
state federation hostess was appoint
ed in the Oregon building at the Seattle
fair, Mrs. E. L.. Smith being chosen.
Once more we moved, taking up our
quarters in the Knights of Pythias hall.
Still arguing, you see.
In April II was reported to the club
that the county court house grounds
had been plowed. graded and seeded,
two flower beds made and the band
stand painted. Also another lot of
improvements.
In May committee was appointed
10 give an entertainment to raise money
for a public library. This committee
ater reported about SITS as begii-
hing. Mrs. j. F. Batchelder was
.hosen president for the term Of 1908
%.
Our next library money was gift Of
$50 from the ministerial association,
his sum being proceeds left over for a
revival.
On February 2 we became a part of
he national federation. 10 March the
,lub held joint entertainment with
he Commercial club in which the wo-
men OF our club lined up against the