Evening star., 1952-07-06
Soroptinnists
To Meet
Here
18th Biennial
Convention
July 2O-25


July 2O-25
A reception at the Greek En-
bassy and talks by two career
women in government will high
light the 18th biennial convention
of the American Federation of
Soroptimist Clubs, to be held here
July 20-25.
The Washington Soroptimist
Club will be hostess to the con-
vention, which will be held at the
Hotel Statler. It is the first time
that Washington has been hostess
to the federation since its forma-
ton here in 1928.
The approximately 1000 dele
gates expected to attend, will be-
gin arriving from all parts of the
United States and Canada on
Sunday, July 20. They will be
greeted by hospitality committee
of local club members, headed by
their president. Miss A. Olivia
Nicoll.
The Virginia and Maryland
Soroptimist clubs will act as CO.
hosteSses.
The Greek Embassy tea will be
held on Wednesday. July %. 1t
will be one of the main events
scheduled for that date which has
been designated "play day" by the
convention planners.
The tea will have special signi-
ficance for the delegates. During
the two-year administration OF
Miss L. Grace Nichols, the Ameri-
can Federation aided in the re-
habilitation of one of the Greek
towns which were destroyed dur
ing World War II. The $4,000 do
nation was made through UNESCO.
Miss Nichols, who halls from
Toronto, Canada, will preside at
the convention sessions. The Rev.
DR.. Bernard Braskamp, chaplain
of the House of Representatives.
will offer the invocation at the
opening session on July 81.
Miss Nichols has announced
that the theme of the convention
will be Stand Up and Be
Counted" a challenge to all So
roptimistS to give concrete evil
dence Of their participation in
and service to the affairs OF their
country, their community and the
world.
The Thursday session will be
devoted to speeches and the elec-
ton of new officers for the next
two years.
Judge Lucy S. Howorth, assis-
tant general counsel for the War
Claims Commission, will address
the Thursday morning session. In
the afternoon, the delegates will
hear an address by Miss Frieda S.
Miller, director Of the Women's
Bureau of the Department of La
Dor. Her topic will be 'Women's
Role in Today's Economy"
One of the main events will be
the installation dinner on July rs.
Two charter members of the Or
ganization, Mrs. Ruby Lee Minar
and Mrs. Mary Catherine Lewis,
will be honor guests. Mrs. Minar.
was the first president of the
American Federation and Mrs.
Lewis is a past first vice presl-
dent. Mrs. Minar was also the
first president of the Washington
club. She is now a resident OF
Miami Springs, Fla, however. and
belongs to the Soroptimist club
there. Mrs. Lewis is charter
member and past president OF the
local club.
On July %, the delegates will
have their choice of being the
guests of the Virginia Soroptimists
on a tour of Arlington Cemetery
and Mount Vernon. or the Mary
land clubs on a trip to Baltimore
and Annapolis.
Wreath laying ceremonies are
scheduled to take place at the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at
1915 am, and at the tombS OF
George and Martha Washington at
Mount Vernon at 1915 pm. The
delegates will have luncheon at
the Old Club and the George Ma
son Hotel in Alexandria.
For those staying in town, there
will be tour of the embassies in
the late afternoon, winding up
with the tea at the Greek Embassy.
Returning to the hotel for dinner,
the delegates will afterwards view
a fashion show of styles dating
back through the "a years the So
roptimists federation has been Or
ganized. The show will be directed
by Miss Estelle Zirkin, member Of
the local Soroptimist club.
The American Federation of So
roptimist Clubs now has over 500
active clubs with a membership
of more than 10000 executive
women. The first club was organ
lied by a group of civic-minded
women in Oakland. Calf, in 1921.
They selected the name Sorop-
timist which is a coined word from
the Latin "Soror" meaning sister
and optima" meaning "the best
and highest good" which trans
lates into "The Best For Women" "
the Soroptimist slogan.