Club Life02
Waupaca Post
CLUB LIFE IN WAUPACA
The Monday Night Club, formerly the Chautauqua, is by far the oldest in the city and in fact, was one of the first woman’s clubs in this state. It was organized as a branch of the famous C.L.S.C. in 1883, and has therefore been a factor in the social and intellectual life of Waupaca for more than eighteen years. The club has always been a very democratic one, favoring none of the exclusiveness so common with similar organizations. In fact invitations to ladies to become members were inserted in the city papers of the time. No expense other than for books was incurred by membership, so very many enjoyed the benefits of the Chautauqua courses, who otherwise might not have done so. The club was organized solely as a study club and a glance at the series of historical and literary courses that its members have taken will convince one of ht great amount of serious work accomplished. The first course studied was one of four years duration, being of a general historical and literary nature and nine ladies here received diplomas for the first course and some of them have since studied with the club through all its work. These ladies were: Mrs. R.N. Roberts, Mrs. E.L. Browne, Mrs. H.M. Lea, Mrs. C.H. Truesdell, Mrs. Murray Weeden, Mrs. Dr. Sperry, Mrs. Geo. Chamberlain, Mrs. C.J. Shearer and Mrs. Talford Jeffers. Mrs. Chas. Evans and Mrs. J.W. McCormick joined later and took part of the course.
A
brief outline of the work done by the club since then will show why it earned
such a name for serious work and steady application. A study of American Literature, followed by a
year’s work with Shakespeare, occupied the club’s time after the completion of
the regular Chautauqua course. Three
years were next spent with a Mediaeval and Modern History course. After a study of
Half of the members of the first Public Library committee appointed were from the Chautauqua Club, and the club has ever since evinced great interest in the Library and has perhaps done as much for it as any other like organization in the city.
Last
Saturday a special meeting was held at Mrs. Bronson’s for the purpose of
beginning some outside work, the aim being to beautify the city. Five committees of five members each were
appointed, each committee having a special feature of the work to look
after. As the scheme is comparatively
new, nothing definite can be stated, but as the club members are very
enthusiastic, we will surely see and hear more of it and hope to enjoy the
results of their work. Elsewhere in this paper will be found the club’s first
prize offer along this line. If they devote as much energy and time to
this movement as they have in the past to their studies and the City Library,
Waupaca will be the garden city of
Three years ago the club adopted the name “Monday Night Club”, and the same year joined the State Federation of Womans’ clubs. Mrs. H.M. Lea has been the club’s delegate at the last two annual meetings of the association. The club now has a membership of about thrity, those who have joined since the organization being, Mrs. Belle Chamberlain, Mrs. G.A. Bronson, Mrs. Colby, Mrs. E.T. Bailey, Mrs. Claussen, Mrs. Pheobe Grover, Miss Edna Grover, Miss Emma Skatvold, Mrs. Hocking, Mrs. Holmes, Miss Laura Hatch, Mrs. MacArthur, Mrs. Nielsen, Mrs. Chas. E. Roberts, Mrs. Henry R. Roberts, Mrs. Emma Ross, Mrs. J.O. Scott, Mrs. C.J. Vobsurg, Mrs. Wm. Ware, Mrs. Frank Whipple, Miss Williams, Mrs. Will VanEpps and Mrs. Emma Woodard. The dues since the new club was organized have been one dollar for entrance and fifty cents annually. Officers are elected for one club year, which lasts from October to June. The present officers are:
Pres. – Mrs. H.M. Lea
Sec. – Mrs. C.J. Shearer
Cor. Sec. – Miss Williams
Treas. – Mrs. Phoebe Grover