, 1935-07-21

OF interest TO a great many club
women In Brownsville and in other
parts Of the Valley is the publica-
ton OF some OF the earliest records
OF the activities Of the Learners
club. Records Of the clubs oreani-
zation and initial meetings have
not been available to the clubs
members, SO that, when one OF the
clubs members. in going through
old Herald files for another rea-
son. found the accounts OF the
clubs organization. the accounts
were deemed OF sufficient interest
70 warrant re-publishing.
The Learners club, the oldest
study club in the Valley, was or
gained November %. 1906. b. a
group OF ladies many OF wnon. ar
still active In the club today. Sew
eral Of the charter members are
deceased, and many are no longer
residents Of Brownsville. while
other have been out OF touch with
Brownsville for many years.
Mrs. y. G. Fernandez and Miss
May Lott who later married p. a.
Stegman. owner Of the Steqmar
building In which Is the Elks hall
are the only members Of the club
not living SO far as II known. Mrs.
Blanche LOew and Mrs. B. u. Cain
have made their home for the past
few years In Utah, with Mrs. Gains
son, Lambert. Miss Marie Fernan-
dez Is Mrs. Lee Butler, and Miss
Eugenia Brulay l. Mrs. Eugenia
Workman.
The Learners club was the first
civic or cultural club to be organized
In Brownsville, the only other club
In existence at that time being a
social club called the Twentieth
Century club, which has long since
gone out OF existence.
The year 1906 which marked the
first club movement In Brownsville
was an interesting year historical
~, two things OF Importance among
others taking place during that
year: namely. the negro raid. and
the building OF the international
bridge at Brownsville.
The first three accounts taken
from The Herald files, dated Nov.
rs. Dec. 8. and Dec. 10. 1906. are
accounts dealing with the actual
organization OF the club. The
fourth item, dated March "a, 1907.
was included because 1t told OF the
formulation OF the plan for the
first public circulating library IN
Brownsville. a plan that was put
In working order and that grew in
to the present public library or
Brownsville.
From The Brownsville Herald
Files-CNov. 20. lgO6).
"A number OF the ladies OF Browns
vile met In the Elks parlorS. yes
terday afternoon. for the purpose
OF organizing a literary club. The
meeting was called to order, and
on motion, Mrs. r. ID. Creager was
elected Temporary Chairman and
Mrs. Ira q. Killough. Temporary
Secretary. The next thing In order
being the election OF permanent Of
ficers. upon ballot Of the members.
49, lAASWAAB NEAC QCI4dIEQ ElECLEU
Ter the first term, the duration OF
which Is TO be regulated by the
constitution and bylaws: Mrs. Jesse
Wheeler. President: Mrs r. =. Bar
bour, Vice-President: Mrs. r.. ID.
Creager, Secretary and Treasurer:
and Mrs. Ira q. Killough, Cores
ponding Secretary.
After considerable discussion as
to the name OF the club, the mat
ter was postponed until the next
meeting for the final selection.
IL was decided TO limit the mem
bership OF the club 70 ID, and new
can be admitted only in
case OF vacancies occurring.
Also the work 10 be pursued BY
the club was raised. and after con-
siderable discussion, the choice be-
tween Shakespeare, Dickens and
English literature was made In IA
vOr Of the last. taken with con-