History: History of Eau Claire Woman's Club, Eau Claire, WI, 1895 ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Nance Sampson 9 April 1999 ==================================================================== Eau Claire Woman's Club in 72nd Year "A brief history cannot record all the name so women who have taken an active part in the Woman's Club, who through the years have headed departments or have worked faithfully in them. They have been seeking no honor for themselves but they do rejoice that they have had a part in making Eau Claire a better place in which to live." Stated in 1935 by Mrs. A. H. Shoemaker, who was president of the organization from 1910-1911 and who was also responsible for starting the Wisconsin Clubwoman, official organ of the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs, the idea still stands. The Eau Claire Woman's Club is the city's largest women's organization and the idea of crediting all the women who have taken an active part in the club's history since it was organized on Oct. 31, 1895, is next to impossible. In 1935 Mrs. Shoemaker was already aware of the work that many women were doing for the club and fully realized that they would probably never receive full credit for their efforts. Eleven women singed the charter on that October day in 1895. They were Fannie M. D. Galloway, Elizabeth N. Day, Bessie Doolittle, Ida May Hill Starr, Fannie E. Buffington, Annette J. Shaw, Belle F. Cutter, Cordelia M. Allen, Augusta E. Kidder, Sara W. Holm, and Mary O. M. Walmsley. The purpose of the club then, as it is now, 72 years later, remains the same -- "creating an organized center of thought and action among women, for the promotion of social, educational, literary, and artistic growth, and what ever relates to the best interest of the city." To this purpose an additional phrase was added "whatever relates to the State, National and World levels" for the club joined with the State Federation in 1895, and with the General Federation in 1896. First Officers The first officers elected were President, Fannie M. D. Galloway; First Vice President, Elizabeth N. Day; Second Vice President, Mary O. M. Walmsley; Recording Secretary, Ida May Hill Starr; and Treasurer, Fannie E. Buffington. The entrance fee when organized was $1 and the annual dues were $3. Life membership then was $25. The membership list of 1895-1896 showed the signatures of the 48 women. Today, with a membership of approximately 500 women, the entrance fees remain at $1, the dues at $6, and the life membership, $100. With the organization of the club five departments were organized: art and literature; philanthropy and reform; home and education; history and travel, and current events. Today, the club lists the following departments: literature; American home and fine arts; music, and public affairs. Some of the projects the early club members completed were the organization of the Associated Charities in 1896 which became the Family Service Association; the assistance towards the purchase of the Mt. Washington site, when they contributed $3,000 for the purchase of land and furnishings; the Memorial Highway between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls which is a memorial to the soldiers and sailors of the two counties. (Today [1968], however, the project was abandoned with the construction of Highway 53 but a park and marker have been put in its place); and the grade school milk program and the PTA were first introduced by club members. Early meetings were held in the homes of the members and in the Unity Church which today is the First Church of Christ, Scientist. Post cards were mailed to the individual members to remind them of the monthly meetings. As time progressed and the membership of the organization grew the members desired to have a building of their own. On Dec. 18, 1923, Mrs. E. S. Hayes donated to the club a deed to the building lots on the river bank along Graham Avenue to be used as a site for the Woman's Club building. Revenue from these lots each year contributed to the funds of the club. In 1941 the club voted to purchase some additional property from the Standard Oil Company to add to the lots given by Mrs. Hayes. Net worth in 1942 was $22,191. When off-street parking was adopted by the city council in 1951-52, the city offered to buy the land from the club. The Woman's Club agreed to sell the land after the city attorney made the necessary arrangements with the heirs of the Hayes estate that the lots be released. The club accepted the city's offer of $33,000. A committee was chosen to investigate and study the advisability of building a club house. After an extensive study the committee decided that the costs of building and maintenance would not be realistic. When discussion centered in the city on the possibility of building a new YMCA building the club became interested for they thought that here would be a place where all the women and girls of the city could get together in one centrally located place. Mrs. E. M. Hale, past president of the club and chairman of the building and finance committee at that time and Mrs. C. E. Guthrie, then secretary of the old YMCA building, met with the members of the club. After much discussion the club voted to give their financial support to the new YMCA with the understanding that the Woman's Club would have within the building a permanent place to hold their meetings. Fund Drive A city-wide drive for funds started with many of the club women participating. The Woman's Club pledged $12,000 towards the drive. On Feb. 17, 1953, the club voted to donate $53,390 towards the construction of the new YMCA with the agreement that payment would begin as soon as the members voted that they were satisfied with the arrangements and space given them in the new building. In September of 1961 the club moved into their present facilities in the YMCA. The Woman's Day Room as it is known is now used by the women of the city and their Woman's Club for all their meetings. Other city projects the organization has been involved in include the creation of the "Spirit of Christmas" festivities which were handled by Mrs. Frank Betz when she was president. The program incorporated the services of the various community churches, schools, and individuals through caroling, decorating, and working together. Another community project they started is the annual "Garden Walk", which is held in the gardens of Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Gaal. All proceeds go to worthwhile causes. In the past money has been devoted to Scouting, Family Service Association, the Historical Society, Visiting Nurses, Shelter for the Handicapped, and the Mt. Washington Home. Residents of the Home for Aged are remembered each Christmas when club members bring gifts to the November meeting to be distributed to the men and women at Christmas time. The fields of music, art, American Field Service, teaching, American Indians, nursing and foreign students at Wisconsin State University-Eau Claire all are helped by the club. A $500 loan is also made available to students at the university. The department of music sponsors the Junior Music Club, Federated Music Club, and annually sends young artists to Interlochen Music Camp in Michigan. Mark Anniversaries The Woman's Club has also celebrated five major anniversaries: the fifteenth; the fortieth when Mrs. H. A. White was president; the sixtieth when Mrs. Ronald Buckley was president, the history of which was written by Mrs. David Barnes in the form of a play, "Forward-Always Together"; and the seventieth, 1965, when Mrs. A. S. Gaal was president. Five state conventions have been held in Eau Claire. The first was when Mrs. Frawley was president; the second at the time when Mrs. J. D. R. Stevens was president; the third when Mrs. Jeanne Day Hancock was president; the fourth when Mrs. W. R. Davies was president and in 1965 when Mrs. T. A. Gustafson was serving as president. Mrs. David Barnes was chairman of the 1965 convention which was also the diamond anniversary of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. The club also was presented with a check for $500 from the Shell Oil Scholarship program. Mrs. Orrie J. Sanasac was elected president of the organization in March, 1967. Mrs. Ernest T. C. Hanson is president-elect; Mrs. William Duerst, vice president; Mrs. William Lindsay, treasurer; Mrs. L. H. Stolp, and Mrs. Stanley Sowerwine, directors; Mrs. Donald Enerson, recording secretary; Miss Meta Trebus, corresponding secretary, and Mrs. Ralph Gooding, assistant treasurer. --Taken from the Eau Claire Leader / The Daily Telegram, Progress Edition, 1968