Evening star., 1937-10-31
University Women's Building
Is Rich in Social Tradition
Associations Headquarters Once
Housed an Embassy, Cabinet Mem
bers. and RumOrs of Ghosts and EuiI.

guest during this period and relates
many interesting stories of the gala
events.
In June, 1913. 1643 street was pur-
chased by the Mems Commercial Club
of Washington. which afterwards be-
came the Mems City Club. During the.
clubs occupancy four-story addition
was made to the rear of the house,
new heating, lighting and plumbing
were installed and a pressed brick
front put over "the weather-worn' ex-
terror
Sixteen years ago, in 1921, the Amer
ican Association of University Women
took title to the property.
The association has cherished the
best of the property's architectural
features while adding to its improve
ments, which have increased its value
to over quarter of a million dollars.
Its first floor, now the gathering
place for distinguished groups of
women from our own and other lands,
at present consists of the Goucher
Reading Room; the Elfnira Reception
AetOhis hiloNl dS bilt SuilktIl Vi
well room in the days when the
representative of the Car had his
residence here; the College Club Room,
gift from the College Womens Club
of Washington, when it merged with
the Washington branch of the asso-
citation; the Wellesley Room or Lounge,
a coat room. and telephone booth and
the Offices leading off from the central
entrance hall.
A wide. beautifully paneled STAIR
way. whose turn is hung with a full
length antique mirror. leads to the
second floor. Here is the large, main
dining room, small dining room for
private entertaining and glassed-in
porch overlooking Farragut Square,
are on this floor.
Offices on Third Floor.
The third floor is entirely given over
to the national offices of the associa-
ton. Here the associations National
Council has been meeting with the
associations president. DR.. Margaret
S. Morriss; Dean Virginia c. Glider
sleeve of Barnard College, president of
the International Federation of Uni
versity Women; Dr. Mary E. Wooley.
past president Of Holyoke College,
chairman of the Committee on Inter-
national Relations; Mrs. A. Ross Hill,
treasurer of the association; DR..
Kathryn McHale. its general director;
her associates. Harriet Ahlers Houd-
lette, specialist in adult education;
Esther Caulkin Brunauer, consultant
in international education and secre-
tary of the Committee on Interna-
tional Relations; Helen Cole Frank
lin, authority on child development
and the education of the family;
Frances Valient Speek, expert in Sec
ondary and collegiate education;
Miss Mary Smith, secretary to the
Committee on the Award of Fellow
ships and that of maintaining aca-
denic standards in colleges and uni
versities, and many other woman spe-
cialists in their respective fields.
Many of Americas leading woman
educators and college women make up
this sectional directorate which an
nually meets here in national council.
Numbered among the associations
former presidents are Dr. Aurelia
Reinhardt of Mills College, DR.. Wooley
of Holyoke, only woman to, represent
the United States at Geneva, and DR..
Meta Glass of Sweet Briar, sister OF
Senator Carter Glass of Virginia.
The fourth and fifth floors of 1643
I street with their II guest rooms are
available for the resident accommo-
dations of its membership. 1t WAS
here that Member Secretary Perkins,
first woman cabinet member. lived in
Washington during her search for
home.
The Washington branch of the as
sociation, organized In October, 1884,
and the first of its IT'S branches now
situated in every State, Alaska, Ha-
wall, the Philippines, China, Japan
and South America, runs the National
Club for the national organization,
and rents the first two floors from
the national association for its group
meetings and activities. Mrs. Rich
ard Hogue is the president OF the
nourishing Washington branch.