Evening star., 1939-09-03

CdngemenLS.
Mrs Grattan Kerans will serve as
vice chairman with Miss Garlock,
while other committee chairmen
working on the bulletin also have
been appointed. Miss Henrietta C.
Mulahy is the editor; Miss Marie
K. Saunders, working with Dean
Grace Hays Riley and Miss Sibyl
Baker, is in charge of the history,
and Miss Elva Mcnamara is in
charge of the pictures. Mrs Mid
dlemiSs will handle the club roster,
while Mrs. Gus A. Schuldt and a
large committee will work on the
advertising.
Among members of Mrs. Schuldt's
committee already appointed are
Miss Eta Mai Russell. Mrs. Claudia
Brown, Mrs. Jean Bennett, Miss
Marguerite Griffin, Mrs. Harry Pack
ard, Mrs. Victor OKelliher, Mrs
Frank Otto and Mrs. Eva Ruff.
Although there are older clubs in
Washington, the Women's City Club
was one of the first to have a gen.
eral membership, its requirements
being principally that candidates be
sponsored by two members of the
club. It's objectives are ito furnish a
place where its members and their
friends can meet for mutual i'm
provement and social entertainment,
to promote a broader sympathy and
better understanding among all
women and to advance the civic and
social welfare of the city of Wash
ington"
Early Organization
Achieved Rapidly.
The first few weeks of the clubs
life were marked by the large num-
ber of women who joined and by
the speed with which arrangements
were made to purchase club head
quarters.
Judge Mary O'Toole, formerly on
the Municipal Court bench, was the
founder and first president, and was
responsible for the notices which
were sent out of meeting to be
held October 9, 1919, to discuss ways
and means of forming the club.
The notices were sent to So wom-
en- and 80 of them attended, each
pledging to interest at least 10
friends and bring them to the next
meeting BY November IL of the
same year, around 500 women had
been admitted to membership, and
three days later-when the charter
membership rolls were closed-2,23
women had registered
Purchase of a clubhouse at the
outset was necessitated by the hous-
ing situation in Washington for in
the days Immediately following the
World War to rent suitable quarters
was found to be virtually impos-
sible.
A central location seemed essen
tial at that time. Judge OToole, in
a resume of the club published on
its 10th anniversary, reported that
conversations with prospective men,
bers convinced us that a walk of
even block or two on our not too
well-lighted streets would be fatal
to our success as a club"
A hasty but thorough canvass
was made and popular opinion IA
vored the building at % Jackson
place-now 1856 Jackson place NV.
which was purchased almost i'm
mediately. In fact, less than five
weeks from the date of the first as
sembly, the sixth meeting of the
group was held in its own home on
Wednesday, November IL, 1919.
Such an undertaking was adven-
turous indeed. At the time of the
purchase the membership was still
small, though interest keen, and
the cost of the clubhouse, $65 900,
with an additional $4,000 for car
pets.
1t was apparent at once, however,
that possession of headquarters was
tremendously effective in building
up membership and at the time
OF the first meeting in the club
house ATS members had enrolled
since announcement of the purchase.
Striking while the IRON was hot,
the Membership Committee kept
the house open for the next three
days until late in the evening, so
that the 2,231 charter members
were registered when the rolls were
closed.
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey
Temporary Chairman.
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey-later
made the first honorary member of
the club and much feted on the
occasions of her 10th and 18th an
niversary-had been appointed
temporary chairman of the club at
Its first meeting
Temporary officers to serve until
May, when the fiscal year began,
were elected in December, however.
Judge OToole was made president,
Mrs. Mussey. first vice president;
Mrs. George Eastment, second vice
president; Miss Alice M Heaven,
recording secretary; Miss c. Lamar
corresponding secretary and Mrs,
Laura A. Bradley, treasurer. Mem
Campbell Cantrill, DR.. A. Frances
Foye, Mrs. Marie Manning Gasch,
Miss Ida May Meyers, Miss Ethel
Bagley, Mrs Meyer Cohen, Miss
Adela L. Heaven, Miss Catherine
Watkins, Mrs. E. j. Brennan, Miss
Gertrude McNally, Mrs. N. r. Street.
Miss Jane Bartlett, Mrs. A. Garrison
McClintock, Miss Anna j. Greenlees
and Mrs. A. Leftwich Sinclair.
Early members recall with amuse-
ment the first official election night,
in Maya highly spirited occasion.
The membership had reached 3253
and nearly 1000 votes were cast for
10 candidates Tellers were kept
busy until 3:15 am, while married
members were kept busy telephoning
to their husbands to explain their
absence from home at such an hour.
Financially. the club was off to a
good start. and though it was to
suffer, with other organizations,
from the effects of the depression,
headquarters were kept intact and
the club is now In the best financial
condition it has known for the last