Minneapolis spokesman., 1963-08-08
Continental Society
Split Revealed BY
incorporation & Letter

n oPhI Ia 'IIiC 1"HA NiIJ NOAl
tinental Society, a promising
women's group which was organ,
lied over a year ago, was revealed
last week.
The division of the members
was revealed by the announcement
in a news story in this paper last
week that the society had been
incorporated. 1t was then revealed
that the majority of the members
of the original chapter were not
among the group which incorpor-
ated.
The list of officers elected by
the corporation for a two year
term were different than the list
of new officers printed in a story
in this papers July 4 edition de-
failing the June 20 election.
That list included: Sarah Flet-
cher, president; Lillian Balenger,
Wce-president; Eddris Pridgen, re-
cording secretary; Mary 10 How
ell, corresponding secretary and
Bernyce Yelling, treasurer. These
officers were elected on June 20,
with the exception of Mrs. Bal
enger who was elected at a call
meeting held June 26.
Apparently the election Of Mrs.
Balenger as Wce-president to fill
the post to which Mrs. Irene
North had been elected was the
straw which broke the camel's
back"
The group which supports Mrs.
yelling contended that the cleo
ton of Mrs. Balenger at a call
meeting was not legal and the dis
sension which arose over this act
resulted in the incorporation which
in fact excludes a part of the
membership.
The list of officers announced in
the August /, edition Of this paper
by the Minnesota Chapter Of Con-
tinental Societies, Inc, included
Bernyce yelling, as president;
Irene North, Wce-president; Zul-
ena Young, recording secretary;
Mary 10 Howell, corresponding
secretary, the same post she was
elected to at the June 20 meeting.
Mrs. Sara Fletcher, 656 Iglehart
Av., St. Paul chapter president
elected June 20, stated in a brief
interview Monday that she was
shocked to learn that the society
had been Incorporated without hav-
ing the matter brought before the
majority of the club" The entire
situation is too bad" Mrs. Fletcher
stated, because of the need for,
and the purpose of the organiza-
tion."
Mrs. Fletcher added that the
society had enjoyed a very sue
cessful year and hoped it could
continue. She stated she hoped the
present division could be reconciled
for the benefit of the organization
and the two communities.
The position of the group which
Mrs. Fletcher heads is given in de-
tail in a letter on page Of this
edition.
Mrs. Bernyce Yelling, 1887
Fifth Av. s., Minneapolis, organ
izer of the Continentals in Min
nesota, stated Monday, Aug. 5,
that all active members had been
invited by letter to apply for men,
bership in the Incorporated society.
The chapter will, Mrs. yelling
stated, continue to carry out the
program of the Continental Socie-
ty with the blessing and encour-
agement of its sponsoring chapter
and sister chapters.
She also stated in connection
with the evident division that she
had talked by phone and written
to Mrs. Fletcher about the future
of the society and had made some
suggestions which she felt would
conciliate certain differences over
procedures, but that she had not
heard from Mrs. Fletcher.
Mrs. yelling further stated
she felt that in a charitable organ
izahon such as the Continentals
there must be spirit of together
ness and meeting of minds, to en-
able the carrying out of the groups
aims