Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-04-18
MONTGOMERY
Nl SIDELICHTS
BIZ ELSIE WHITE HA1NEs

shades of Susan B. Anthony
and her pioneers" writes Mrs.
G. w. Stone, Thirty years ago
the women of Chevy Chase who
had worked early and late to col
lect the funds for the installation
of lights, had to have one of the
husbands sign the contract-be-
cause a wonlan's signature was
not considered any good in those
days.!
Intrigued by an account Of
those early days on Brookeville
Road, Chevy Chase, as told by
Mrs. Stone at a meeting of the
Woman's Board of the Montgom-
cry County General Hospital, we
wrote asking permission to use
some of her remarks, and received
a most interesting letter in reply.
We do wish that all those folks
who come from other States to
work in Washington - come out
here to live-and Immediately
start pointing out our faults, and
telling US how our County should
be run-could read that letter.
There were no paved streets
no sidewalls-no street lights
the water was pumped into the
tanks by husband power-10O
strokes each morning before said
husband went into the city by
street car-for there were few
automobile in that section thirty
years ago-no stores North of the
Circle, and no movie house short
of the Cityl
We were especially interested
in their Community Club, of
which Mrs. Stone writes, Finally
a group of women who had been
used to more modern ways met
one afternoon for tea, and then
and there formed the club, taking
for their motto the words OF
George Bernard Shaw, I am of
the opinion that my life belongs
to the whole community, and as
long as L live, it is my privilege
to do for it what I CAM"
There was a Citizens committee
who undertook the street paving
but the Is or 20 members Of the
Community Club raised the money
and had sidewalk laid for six
blocks on Brookeville Road, and
then the street lights on six side
streets.
The club met at the various
homes for travel talks, book re-
views, there was an enthusiastic
literary group in which their hus-
bands added their helpful part to
the program-but most of all they
talked ways to raise more money
for more improvements!
AS time went on trees were
given by the county for street
planting-city water was installed,
and gradually the little sub-divis-
ion (Martin's) began to look less
like large farm-which it really
was in the beginning-and more
like a town of small, comfortable
homes.
The club, besides its club work
did really great deal for its
members in friendly acquaintance,
according to Mrs. Stone, and the
older members in thinking back,
found themselves none the worse
for their experiences.
Now everything is changed,
many of the first residents have
dled-some have moved away
new people have bought the houses
which have sprung up like mush-
rooms-stores have come tc the
one commercial block-every FAM
NY has car-or maybe two
There is 6. movie house at the
Circle, and so they have become
citifedl
The large Woman's Club has
absorbed most of the women
tnere is no longer need for the
Community Club and so they have
olsbanded. Mrs. Stone as their
hospital representative, has re-
signed from the Board. But those
pioneers who are so used to put
@'ng their shoulders to the wheels,
wiz continue to work for the hos
pltal and for their community
not as a club, but as individuals,
and still consider it a privilege.