By Staff Correspondent
When the Civics Division of the Roanoke Chamber of Commerce was dissolved in 1923, the group of county women who as members of the Rural Affairs Committee had during the brief existence of that after-the-war organization had been active as a starter for civic betterment moves in the county, decided that the time was ripe for organizing a county Woman’s Club.
Mrs. Annie B. Whitner called a meeting for the purpose at her home, Southview, and an open invitation was extended through the press to county women interested in such a move, to be present at that meeting, June 7th. The response was phenomenal in that all the members of the Civics Division were there, and a number of other ladies of the county who said they had followed with interest the activities of the R. A. Committee.
It was the month of roses, and Southview was at its loveliest, with the rose bower in full bloom.
The meeting called to order by the hostess, Mrs. R. K. Temple was made temporary chairman, and the organization proceeded with expedition, and election of officers. Mrs. Whitner became the first president; Mrs. Temple, vice-president; Mrs. Joseph A. Turner, secretary; Mrs. G. E. Miles, treasurer and Mrs. J. P. Bowman, chaplain.
Departmentalized
It was decided that the club become departmental in its plan, and sponsor the agencies already established in the county – Home Demonstration work; public health as being carried on by the Roanoke County Nursing Committee; to direct the affairs of the rest room in Roanoke for county women; and to consider plans for starting a county library. In addition, departments of fine arts, current events, education, citizenship, of conservation and of child welfare were created. So, with a nice nest-egg of $112.00, in the treasury, the gift of the Chamber of Commerce in recognition of services rendered and of the fine vision prompting the organization, everything started off with enthusiasm. Meetings were held in the homes at first, and this gave opportunity for getting acquainted and for a health growth of the membership.
Naturally, a clubhouse for a central meeting place soon took shape in the imagination of the members, and to follow out this objective, under the efficient and generous guidance of John P. Saul, the club became an incorporated body of the State of Virginia.
The first finds were raised through a system of pledges, extending over a period of five years, and with this fund in hand, and in prospect about an acre and 1-3 of land in the geographical center or Roanoke County, at Conehurst, was purchased as a club site. When this was paid for, steps were taken immediately for building the clubhouse, just off the Lakeside Highway.
Only Sub-Junior Club
The Roanoke County Woman’s Club hears the distinction of being the first club for rural women organized in the first District of the Federation. Its growth has been uninterrupted, membership now numbering 185 seniors, 50 juniors and 30 sub-juniors. It has been stated by Mrs. Alexander, State Federation president, that the Roanoke County Woman’s Club is the only club in the state that has a sub-junior membership. These are girls of high school age.
The clubhouse, a rustic building of most attractive architecture, has a roomy auditorium with state and dressing-rooms; a lounge cozily furnished and having a huge open fireplace; an electrically equipped kitchen, and living rooms on the second floor, for the care-taker. An arrangement of folding doors makes it possible to shut off the lounge for smaller social gatherings, or to throw both rooms open to the public, as occasion requires.
At one end of the building, built around what was originally a barbecue fireplace (and this was the first gift of the juniors) is the county library room. More than 3000 volumes are now on the shelves. These are well selected books, consignments of which are being sent to some of the more remote sections, in request and under the care of the county homes demonstration agent.
There is one room, smallest of all in size, but with a far-reading purpose, and that is the Jane Adams Peace center. From this room has come out lately, letters written by the chairman of the international relations, Mrs. Whitner, to club leaders in thirty five foreign countries, requesting small consignments of soil from those countries, as a mark of their friendship as their part in a cooperative woman’s movement throughout the world for peace, to be used in nourishing the peace tree which as planted on the club grounds April 19th.
Department of the club have been increased to include these – citizenship, current events, education, federation, fine arts, music literature, garden, home economics, international relations, junior, and Needlework Guild. It is the purpose of the officers, it is understood, to this year inaugurate a new department of social welfare.
Dream Comes True
On the mantel over the fireplace on the auditorium stage, is a poster which readers – “The Little Clubhouse with the Big Dream.” Literally the little clubhouse at Conehurst has come to a full realization of its big dream, for it ranks not only as a leader in civic moments of the county, but it is providing a center of culture and recreation for young people of the county. It might be added in this connection, that the “old folks” which includes a number of those veteran charter members, get a “big kick” out of the occasional square dances held at the clubhouse in the winter season.
Mrs. Nettie C. Howard of Bennett Springs, historian for the club, has faithfully kept club records, so that a complete history of the club and its accomplishments were displayed at the convention of the State Federation, in Roanoke.
At the annual meeting of the club, Thursday afternoon, April 7th., Mrs. J. H. Cunningham was re-elected president; other officers elected were – Mrs. Arthur Wood, first vice-president: Mrs. C. H. Murphey, second vice-president; Mrs. L. M. Walthall, third vice-president; Mrs. Henry McNeil, recording secretary; Mrs. M. H. Christeley, corresponding secretary; Mrs. E. L. Rowell, treasurer; Mrs. T. T. Harris, parliamentarian; and Mrs. J. F. Harris, chaplain.
– Prepared by Lingjie Gu
