A History of the GFWC, GFWC Virginia and Lee District
Your club has certainly done much
to improve the lives of people in your community, but as a member of a
Federated club, you also have an impact throughout the state, the nation and
even other countries. Let’s take a look back at the history of our
organization and see how its members have influenced past events- and how
they will affect the future.
As a member of a federated woman’s club, you are part of an international organization of community volunteers--The General Federation of Women’s Clubs. With 5000 clubs in all 50 states, plus the U.S. territories and 20 foreign countries, the GFWC is dedicated to community improvement.
The GFWC had its beginning in 1868 when Jane Cunningham Croly, a New York City newspaper woman, who wrote under the pen name “Jenny June”, went to a Press Club dinner honoring Charles Dickens and found that women were excluded from attending. She became so enraged that she decided to form her own club--for women only! The women called their club Sorosis which is a Greek word meaning an aggregation or a sweet flavor of many fruits. Originally the founders of Sorosis thought their idea of a club for women was unique, but they gradually became aware that other women’s clubs existed throughout the country.
Twenty-one years later, Sorosis invited other women’s clubs to meet with them in New York to consider closer cooperation. In 1890, 67 representatives from 18 states came together and formed a federation “to seek unity in diversity” which some years later was adopted as the motto of the General Federation. The constitution was adopted in April of the following year which is why we celebrate Federation Day each year on April 24th.
As early as 1896, it was realized that women’s clubs would not continue to flourish unless younger women could be accepted into membership to carry the work into the future. Junior clubs were started in California and Pennsylvania, and in 1922, at the GFWC Biennial in Chautauqua, New York, a resolution was presented establishing a Junior Committee. With its adoption, it was requested that Junior clubs be organized in every state.
The GFWC has a proud history. Among its many accomplishments are the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the first child labor laws, the creation of the National Park Service and the U.S. Public Health Service, and the establishment of 75% of all the libraries in the United States. It also established the national model for the juvenile court system, campaigned to name official state birds and flowers, and was responsible for the installation of car seat belts.
The President of the General Federation always resides at GFWC Headquarters in Washington, DC which was purchased in 1922. The current President is Dr. Rose Ditto who is from Kansas. We in Virginia are proud to have had 3 members from our state serve as Presidents of the GFWC- Dorothea Buck (1947-50), Phyllis Roberts (1986-88), and Shelby Hamlett (2000-02).
I recently took a course on the History of Women in America, and I thought I would share with you some of the history behind the women’s club movement.
In the late 1800’s, people had accepted the idea that women were morally superior to men. They believed that women were members of the “better” sex—they were gentler, more virtuous, more fair-minded and more concerned for the general welfare than men. I am sure you all agree with that!!
It was felt that women were needed to “purify” society because of their superior qualities. The rapid changes in our country during the 19th century had caused severe problems--moral decay, corrupt government, and illicit business practices. The needs of society were too great to allow the “better” sex the luxury of remaining silent.
Reform became women’s byword. Women sought to reform America in literally hundreds of ways. Some of the issues they addressed were prohibition of alcoholic beverages, ending prostitution, physical education for girls as well as boys, tax reform, good nutrition, vocational training- and the list goes on and on.
Women participated in their reform work as members of women’s clubs, and it was during this period of history that the General Federation was born. By the way, there was a whole page on the GFWC in our textbook!
As a member of a federated woman’s club you are also a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Virginia formerly known as the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs. It was organized in 1907 in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Alice Kyle, President of the Woman’s Club of Lynchburg, had been thinking of forming a federation of clubs in Virginia and convinced her club to send out invitations to all existing women’s clubs to attend a convention on May 16, 1907 at the Lynchburg YMCA. The result of that meeting was the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs.10 clubs with a total membership of 683 signed the constitution, and Alice Kyle was elected as the first President. She is fondly remembered as “Mother Kyle”. Today there are 221 clubs with a membership of 7196.
“Service, the Debt of Education” was chosen as the Virginia Federation’s motto in 1913. Although promoting education for women was the initial purpose of the organization, they wanted to make it clear that it stood for more than just a formal education. Its emblem of the Virginia flag encircled with a wreath of goldenrod and its colors of blue and gold were also chosen in 1913. GFWC Virginia Headquarters is located on Forest Avenue in Richmond. The current President, Emma Jean Wise, has as her State Project the Virginia Tech Memorial Fund. The goal is to raise funds for the purchase of an ambulance for the student run Rescue Squad.
The Junior Organization was started in 1924 with Junior Divisions in 6 clubs. Marjorie Branch of the Newport News Woman’s Club was the first Junior Chairman. Since 1942, the Juniors have elected a member of the Executive Committee. Her title now is 3rd Vice President, Director of Junior Clubs. Currently serving in that position is Lori Rocker whose emphasis is a Focus on Junior Health in the areas of breast cancer, fertility, miscarriage and heart disease.
GFWC Virginia, too, has a proud history. In the early years, its projects were mainly education-related. It is recognized as having been instrumental in the establishment of higher education for women, vocational training in rural schools, acceptance of kindergarten, compulsory education, and adequate preparation for teachers of Learning Disabled children.
Health issues too claimed their attention early on. Infant mortality was high, tuberculosis was the number one killer, and the high incidence of typhoid and malaria was cause for alarm. Clubwomen worked to clean up open wells and outdoor privies and demanded that all stores selling food be screened to keep out insects. More recently, clubwomen donated over one half million dollars for cancer detection equipment and mental health research, conducted blood pressure and osteoporosis screenings, and worked with children with cancer.
GFWC Virginia has also been instrumental in highway safety, prison reform and environmental projects in the state of Virginia. It created the first Artmobile in the world and helped build Camp Easter Seal East in Caroline County.
In addition to donations, GFWC Virginia has supported scholarships and loans. The Mary Macon McGuire Student Loan Fund was established in 1929 for Virginia students attending college. Now known as the Mary Macon McGuire Scholarship, it is given to a woman returning to school to upgrade her education and employment skills so as to better support her family. The Phyllis V. Roberts Scholarship, formerly the VFWC Scholarship, is awarded to college graduates in a field selected by each administration. It is currently being given for graduate students in the field of Nursing.
GFWC Virginia is divided geographically into 8 districts. Your club is a member of Lee District which was formed in 1925. The first meeting of the Fifth District, as it was known until the 1950’s, was held at the Lewis Ginter Community Building with 37 delegates present. Today it is the second largest district in the state with 1447 members in 31 General clubs and 17 Junior clubs.
The current District project, the Executive Mansion Tours, began in 1970 when Mrs. Linwood Holton, wife of the Governor, first opened the Mansion for tours. During the 2008-2010 administration a District Unity Project will take place with General and Junior clubwomen working together to benefit Comfort Zone Camp for grieving children.
Ladies, you should take great pride in being a member of the Federation. Its record of achievement is outstanding! You may think that one small club like yours could never have a big impact on history, but remember, all of GFWC’s accomplishments started as grass-root efforts. Take, for example, a project that is now near and dear to our hearts, Operation Smile. A member of a woman’s club in Tidewater District first brought this project to the attention of her club and then to the other clubs in the District. Next it was embraced by federated clubs statewide, and then it became a project of GFWC. This meant that if one club could make 50 Smile bags then 5000 clubs could make 250,000!! One member can make a difference, and one club can influence history.
And as a member of a federated woman’s club, you can take your place next to such famous federated clubwomen as Julia Ward Howe who wrote “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and helped organize the New England Woman’s Club in1868; Jane Addams, who founded Hull House and was an active member of the Chicago Woman’s Club; Nellie Tayloe Ross, the first female governor and a member of the Woman’s Club of Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Eleanor Roosevelt who was a First Lady and a member of the Chautauqua, New York Woman’s Club.
We have come a long way since Jenny June’s day. I am sure that women today do attend the Press Club and probably rank among its leaders. We no longer wear hats and gloves to meetings and more of our members work outside the home than ever before. But one thing has not changed in all these years and that is women’s concern for the welfare of their communities. The issues may have changed—from child labor and kindergartens to recycling and drug abuse—but federated clubwomen have always actively sought solutions to current problems in society. Then and now, women have joined together to provide better health care, to insure public safety, and to improve education for all our citizens.
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs will continue to pursue its goal of making our communities-and the world- a safer, healthier, happier place in which to live. And you can help make that happen!!
Prepared and Presented by:
Barbara Roberts
Lee District President
2008-2010
Written: Fall 2008
As a member of a federated woman’s club, you are part of an international organization of community volunteers--The General Federation of Women’s Clubs. With 5000 clubs in all 50 states, plus the U.S. territories and 20 foreign countries, the GFWC is dedicated to community improvement.
The GFWC had its beginning in 1868 when Jane Cunningham Croly, a New York City newspaper woman, who wrote under the pen name “Jenny June”, went to a Press Club dinner honoring Charles Dickens and found that women were excluded from attending. She became so enraged that she decided to form her own club--for women only! The women called their club Sorosis which is a Greek word meaning an aggregation or a sweet flavor of many fruits. Originally the founders of Sorosis thought their idea of a club for women was unique, but they gradually became aware that other women’s clubs existed throughout the country.
Twenty-one years later, Sorosis invited other women’s clubs to meet with them in New York to consider closer cooperation. In 1890, 67 representatives from 18 states came together and formed a federation “to seek unity in diversity” which some years later was adopted as the motto of the General Federation. The constitution was adopted in April of the following year which is why we celebrate Federation Day each year on April 24th.
As early as 1896, it was realized that women’s clubs would not continue to flourish unless younger women could be accepted into membership to carry the work into the future. Junior clubs were started in California and Pennsylvania, and in 1922, at the GFWC Biennial in Chautauqua, New York, a resolution was presented establishing a Junior Committee. With its adoption, it was requested that Junior clubs be organized in every state.
The GFWC has a proud history. Among its many accomplishments are the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the first child labor laws, the creation of the National Park Service and the U.S. Public Health Service, and the establishment of 75% of all the libraries in the United States. It also established the national model for the juvenile court system, campaigned to name official state birds and flowers, and was responsible for the installation of car seat belts.
The President of the General Federation always resides at GFWC Headquarters in Washington, DC which was purchased in 1922. The current President is Dr. Rose Ditto who is from Kansas. We in Virginia are proud to have had 3 members from our state serve as Presidents of the GFWC- Dorothea Buck (1947-50), Phyllis Roberts (1986-88), and Shelby Hamlett (2000-02).
I recently took a course on the History of Women in America, and I thought I would share with you some of the history behind the women’s club movement.
In the late 1800’s, people had accepted the idea that women were morally superior to men. They believed that women were members of the “better” sex—they were gentler, more virtuous, more fair-minded and more concerned for the general welfare than men. I am sure you all agree with that!!
It was felt that women were needed to “purify” society because of their superior qualities. The rapid changes in our country during the 19th century had caused severe problems--moral decay, corrupt government, and illicit business practices. The needs of society were too great to allow the “better” sex the luxury of remaining silent.
Reform became women’s byword. Women sought to reform America in literally hundreds of ways. Some of the issues they addressed were prohibition of alcoholic beverages, ending prostitution, physical education for girls as well as boys, tax reform, good nutrition, vocational training- and the list goes on and on.
Women participated in their reform work as members of women’s clubs, and it was during this period of history that the General Federation was born. By the way, there was a whole page on the GFWC in our textbook!
As a member of a federated woman’s club you are also a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Virginia formerly known as the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs. It was organized in 1907 in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Alice Kyle, President of the Woman’s Club of Lynchburg, had been thinking of forming a federation of clubs in Virginia and convinced her club to send out invitations to all existing women’s clubs to attend a convention on May 16, 1907 at the Lynchburg YMCA. The result of that meeting was the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs.10 clubs with a total membership of 683 signed the constitution, and Alice Kyle was elected as the first President. She is fondly remembered as “Mother Kyle”. Today there are 221 clubs with a membership of 7196.
“Service, the Debt of Education” was chosen as the Virginia Federation’s motto in 1913. Although promoting education for women was the initial purpose of the organization, they wanted to make it clear that it stood for more than just a formal education. Its emblem of the Virginia flag encircled with a wreath of goldenrod and its colors of blue and gold were also chosen in 1913. GFWC Virginia Headquarters is located on Forest Avenue in Richmond. The current President, Emma Jean Wise, has as her State Project the Virginia Tech Memorial Fund. The goal is to raise funds for the purchase of an ambulance for the student run Rescue Squad.
The Junior Organization was started in 1924 with Junior Divisions in 6 clubs. Marjorie Branch of the Newport News Woman’s Club was the first Junior Chairman. Since 1942, the Juniors have elected a member of the Executive Committee. Her title now is 3rd Vice President, Director of Junior Clubs. Currently serving in that position is Lori Rocker whose emphasis is a Focus on Junior Health in the areas of breast cancer, fertility, miscarriage and heart disease.
GFWC Virginia, too, has a proud history. In the early years, its projects were mainly education-related. It is recognized as having been instrumental in the establishment of higher education for women, vocational training in rural schools, acceptance of kindergarten, compulsory education, and adequate preparation for teachers of Learning Disabled children.
Health issues too claimed their attention early on. Infant mortality was high, tuberculosis was the number one killer, and the high incidence of typhoid and malaria was cause for alarm. Clubwomen worked to clean up open wells and outdoor privies and demanded that all stores selling food be screened to keep out insects. More recently, clubwomen donated over one half million dollars for cancer detection equipment and mental health research, conducted blood pressure and osteoporosis screenings, and worked with children with cancer.
GFWC Virginia has also been instrumental in highway safety, prison reform and environmental projects in the state of Virginia. It created the first Artmobile in the world and helped build Camp Easter Seal East in Caroline County.
In addition to donations, GFWC Virginia has supported scholarships and loans. The Mary Macon McGuire Student Loan Fund was established in 1929 for Virginia students attending college. Now known as the Mary Macon McGuire Scholarship, it is given to a woman returning to school to upgrade her education and employment skills so as to better support her family. The Phyllis V. Roberts Scholarship, formerly the VFWC Scholarship, is awarded to college graduates in a field selected by each administration. It is currently being given for graduate students in the field of Nursing.
GFWC Virginia is divided geographically into 8 districts. Your club is a member of Lee District which was formed in 1925. The first meeting of the Fifth District, as it was known until the 1950’s, was held at the Lewis Ginter Community Building with 37 delegates present. Today it is the second largest district in the state with 1447 members in 31 General clubs and 17 Junior clubs.
The current District project, the Executive Mansion Tours, began in 1970 when Mrs. Linwood Holton, wife of the Governor, first opened the Mansion for tours. During the 2008-2010 administration a District Unity Project will take place with General and Junior clubwomen working together to benefit Comfort Zone Camp for grieving children.
Ladies, you should take great pride in being a member of the Federation. Its record of achievement is outstanding! You may think that one small club like yours could never have a big impact on history, but remember, all of GFWC’s accomplishments started as grass-root efforts. Take, for example, a project that is now near and dear to our hearts, Operation Smile. A member of a woman’s club in Tidewater District first brought this project to the attention of her club and then to the other clubs in the District. Next it was embraced by federated clubs statewide, and then it became a project of GFWC. This meant that if one club could make 50 Smile bags then 5000 clubs could make 250,000!! One member can make a difference, and one club can influence history.
And as a member of a federated woman’s club, you can take your place next to such famous federated clubwomen as Julia Ward Howe who wrote “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and helped organize the New England Woman’s Club in1868; Jane Addams, who founded Hull House and was an active member of the Chicago Woman’s Club; Nellie Tayloe Ross, the first female governor and a member of the Woman’s Club of Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Eleanor Roosevelt who was a First Lady and a member of the Chautauqua, New York Woman’s Club.
We have come a long way since Jenny June’s day. I am sure that women today do attend the Press Club and probably rank among its leaders. We no longer wear hats and gloves to meetings and more of our members work outside the home than ever before. But one thing has not changed in all these years and that is women’s concern for the welfare of their communities. The issues may have changed—from child labor and kindergartens to recycling and drug abuse—but federated clubwomen have always actively sought solutions to current problems in society. Then and now, women have joined together to provide better health care, to insure public safety, and to improve education for all our citizens.
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs will continue to pursue its goal of making our communities-and the world- a safer, healthier, happier place in which to live. And you can help make that happen!!
Prepared and Presented by:
Barbara Roberts
Lee District President
2008-2010
Written: Fall 2008