18 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE. 
aS 
MANCHESTER WOMAN’S CLUB. 
Paper Read by Miss Martha C. Knight on the History of the Club; Ad- 
dress by the Retiring President, Mrs. Fred’ M. Johnson. ° 
-. Below is printed an interesting 
paper, read before the Manchester 
Woman’s club last week, by Miss 
Martha C. Knight on the First Chap- 
ter of the History of the club. We 
print the paper in full: 
Preface. 
Histories and many literary pro- 
ductions have prefaces and right- 
fully. the first volume of the History 
of The Manchester Woman’s Club 
should have one. When I received 
the announcement that I was ap- 
pointed to the nominal position of 
-historian of the Manchester Wo- 
man’s club I thought that as history 
must be lived before it is written, 
Isaiah’s admonition to his people. 
that their ‘‘strength was to sit still” 
was applicable in my case and I set- 
tled at my ease. When the summons 
came from the powers that be ‘‘Now 
go and write it before them in a 
table and note it in a book, that it 
may be for the time to come, forever 
and ever.’’ I was somewhat dis- 
turbed, and eried, ‘‘How ean I, who 
have been of but not in the club, tell 
its story?’’ Then I reflected that 
many historians prepared their 
work from no personal knowledge 
of the events recorded, but from in- 
formation obtained from authentie 
sources, so I have been turning 
musty (?) records, and listening to 
the tales of eye-witnesses and if 
what I bring before you appears mis- 
stated, distorted or lacking, remem- 
ber that all historians have the same 
line of criticism to face and will al- 
ways find readers to Spree the 
work unreliable.. So I, by your in- 
dulgence. 
Chapter I. 
January, 1908, as it ushered in the 
new year with its annual survey of 
the accomplishment of the past. 
needs of the present and promise oi 
the future included an idea that stir. 
ring in the brains of three women 
was destined to develop and shape 
a lively. body. 
Old Manchester, sitting in comfort - 
and luxury on the beautiful North 
shore. of Massachusetts Bay, whose 
blue waves dance to the music of its 
singing sands, and give it the dis- 
tinetive title—by the sea—Manches- 
ter favored among towns for beauty, 
ior situation, for environment, lur- 
ing by its charms the great, the 
noble, the wealthy, the wise, to its 
borders, with all its advantages and 
proud record was in the estimation 
of these women yet lacking some 
‘a club. 
things. 
Hitherto it had kept step with 
progress in the transaction of its 
municipal affairs and equipments, 
schools, highways, public parks, 
play-grounds, water and _ lighting 
systems and fire and police depart- 
ments attesting; but with the great 
movement conserving feminine pow- 
er and ability sweeping through the 
land it had no part. In fact there 
was no woman’s club. To be sure 
women practically ran the churches, 
the G. A. R. and the Odd Fellows, 
but their organizations were auxill- 
ary and did not meet the needs. 
Nothing by the women, of the women 
and for women. 
Mrs. Hattie Lee Harris, who drew 
her first breath and lived her early 
years in the aristocratic air of Man- 
chester, although at present a resi- 
dent of Salem, Mrs. Carrie Leonard 
Knight and Mrs. Elizabeth Frances 
Johnson, in view of this. fact, con- 
ceived the idea of forming a elub. 
Mrs. Harris had for years been an 
active and leading member of. the 
Thought and Work club of Salem 
and the subject was one of especial 
interest to her. She cheerfully gave 
practical knowledge and the benefit 
of her executive ability to its forma- 
‘tion with the result that on April 24, 
1908, sixteen (16) women met at the 
home of Mrs. Carrie L. Knight to 
ecnsider the feasibility of organizing 
Those present were: Mrs. 
Catherine B. Campbell, Mrs. Carolyn 
Allen, Mrs. Alan H. Wing, Mrs. Em- 
ma M. Knight, Mrs. Mary E. Blais- 
dell, Mrs. Annie M. Sinnicks, Mrs. 
Elizabeth F. Johnson, Mrs. Hattie L. 
Harris, Mrs. Carrie L. Knight, Miss 
Bertha A. Stone, Mrs. Mary Merrill, 
Mrs. Josephine Ruge, Mrs. lida 
Glendenning, Mrs. Helen 8. J. Mead, 
Mrs. Emily P. Sabin, Miss Martha C. 
Knight. 
-After discussing the matter fully 
a temporary organization was form- 
ed, Mrs. Hattie L. Harris, chairman, 
Mrs. Carrie L. Knight; secretary. 
The company was unanimous in its 
desire to establish such an organiza- 
tion and named a committee to draw 
up a constitution and nominate a 
board of officers. The committee be- 
ing: Mrs. Marianna Cheever, Mrs. 
Mellie Fish and Mrs. Annie Sinnicks. 
The meeting then adjourned to meet 
with Mrs. Mary Blaisdell, which 
meeting took place May 16, 12 wo- 
men being present. The constitu- 
tion, as prepared by the committee 
-to accomplish what men, 
was, accepted and voted upon, each _ 
article separately. The membership 
was limited to one hundred. The 
following list of officers was elected: 
President, Mrs. Elizabeth Frances 
Johnson; first vice-president, Mrs. 
Josephine Ruge; second vice-presi- 
dent, Mrs. Hattie Kitfield; recording 
secretary, Mrs.-Mary Elien Blais- 
dall; corresponding secretary, Mrs. 
Carrie Leonard Knight; treasurer, 
Miss Bertha Allen Stone; auditor, 
Mrs. Alan Hathaway Wing. Direc- 
tors: 1 year, Mrs. Marianna Cheever, 
Mrs. Kate B. Campbell, Mrs. Emily 
P. Sabin; 2 years, Miss Lila Gold- 
smith, Mrs. Annie H. Knight, Mrs. 
Grace Beaton; 3 years, Mrs. Hattie 
L. Harris, Mrs. Helen S. J. Mead, 
Mrs. Annie Sinnicks. 
And behold, the Manchester Wo- 
man’s club, Minerva-like springing 
into existence a full grown, healthy, 
perfectly developed club—at 1s: first 
eeneral meeting the roster being full. 
Subsequently the article in the con- 
stitution relating to membership 
was amended extending the limit to 
125. Mythology tells us that Jupiter 
swallowed his wife Intelligence, fear- 
ing she would bear him a son and 
forthwith sprang. from his brain, full 
grown and panopled for battle, 
Minerva, goddess of wisdom and 
power, not to ‘‘will to do”? but to 
do the will of her father as his pur- 
pose was that she might do what he 
would plan, but as the supreme and 
impartial god could not carry out. 
Thus long before the advent of Eve 
the gods recognized the superior 
power and ability of woman-kind 
though 
they be gods, may not. 
Claiming this power the elub 
joined the Federation of like-minded 
sisters and entered on its mission to 
promote a higher, broader and bet- - 
ter culture, morally, intellectually 
and socially with ‘‘to will is to do’’ 
for its motto and the carnation its 
symbolic flower. 
Its first regular meeting was held 
Oct. 6th, 1908, and thereafter on the 
first and third Tuesday in every 
month until April, inclusive. The va- 
rious committees entered with zeal. 
upon their work, being cheered and 
encouraged by & helpful talk on elub 
work, is aims and objects from Mrs. 
Caroline Stone Atherton, vice-presi- 
dent of the State Federation and la- 
ter, Mrs. May Alden Ward, ex-presi- | 
~dent of the State Federation enter- 
tained them in her inimitable man- 
ner. The eivies committee estab- 
lished a stamp savings bank for the 
school children with marked success. 
The deposits from December, 1908 
to June, 1909, amounting to $375.89. 
