|
First Thursday Club 1904. First Row L to R (Sitting): Mrs. Braker, Mrs. S. S. Long, Grandma Cushing, Fannie Croyle
Second Row: Mrs. E. E. Sanford, Mrs. Pierson, Mary E. Lovejoy (Later Mrs. LeGrave), Mrs. Gearhart, Mrs. Cook, Clara Meyer, Minnie Staiff
Third Row: Minnie Jones, Bertine Croyle
|
The First Thursday Club was organized May 8th, 1902, by Mrs. Alma Gearhart. The following were charter members:
|
Mrs. Alma Gearhart
Mrs. E. E. Sanford
Mrs. Mary E. Le Grave
Mrs. Nancy Davison
Mrs. Minnie Jones
|
Mrs. Bertine Croyle
Mrs. Ethel D. Sanford
Mrs. Sadie Shaw
Mrs. S. S. Long
|
|
There were no minutes found of any meetings held the first two years. For some time the First Thursday Club was a literary club, with meetings being help at the homes of different members. Each meeting opened and closed with a song, often a hymn.
The club studied history, geography, physiology, government and so forth.
At each meeting members were prepared to give a reading, poem, book review, or a five minute talk on “What I have been reading.” Topics of general interest were discussed such as:
|
I. The harm of wearing long skirts
II. How to manage a husband
III. Medicine and the art of healing
IV. Noted women of the world
V. What should be the attitude of earnest women toward their fallen sisters?
VI. Property rights of women in the state of Washington
|
|
The club purchased books and magazines. These were studied by the club and loaned to the community.
In June of 1905 the Penny March was instituted, with members marching to music and dropping a penny into the box as they passed. The same year the question box was started. Questions dropped into the box were drawn and answered at the following meeting. Roll call was answered by memorizing a quotation.
Besides their literary work the club worked to look after the helpless and infirm of the neighborhood.
|