USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > Waban, early days, 1681-1918 > Part 14
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WABAN - EARLY DAYS
In concluding a history of the Waban Improvement So- ciety, grateful acknowledgment must be made to other Waban organizations down through the years for their help and co-op- eration, such as the church groups, the Waban Woman's Club, the Parent-Teacher's group, the Waban Neighborhood Club, and many other smaller groups. Unless a person has been an officer or a member of the board or the head of some committee of the Society, he can hardly imagine the time and effort put into this work by these public-spirited citizens of the village. It would be impossible to pick out certain names of individuals who have given so much of their time to this civic work, for to name one it would be necessary to name all. Suffice it to say here that the past and present residents of this village have the Society and these individuals to thank for the splendid growth and development of Waban into the attractive suburb we have always so much enjoyed and in which we take so much pride.
I would like to quote from the report of President H. J. Pettengill, Jr., made at the Annual Meeting of the Society on March 8th, 1932, feeling that his words best express the general scope and functions of the organization from its inception: "We are all of us very fond of Waban and are jealous of its good name. We want the best for our village and aspire to have it equal to or better than any in Metropolitan Boston or elsewhere.
"There is but one way that a group of citizens can accom- plish these aims and obtain real results, and that is through banding together in a unified effort to eliminate the objection- able and to promote the worth while; to keep out things not of value to the community at large, and stand back of those objectives which to the village, as a unit, seem desirable.
"Such accomplishment is best obtained through an or- ganized group which acts as a vigilant society. Let me call to your attention a portion of the By-Laws of the Improvement Society as originally adopted in 1889: 'It shall be the duty of
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HISTORY OF THE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
the Executive Committee to watch constantly the interests of the neighborhood.'
"Your vigilant organization, then, is your Waban Improve- ment Society, and while it may fall down here and there and not be letter-perfect, nevertheless it is constructively working with the interests of the village at heart and is always ready to consider the suggestions and constructive criticism of its members."
Waban Improvement Society
F. H. Henshaw, Pres.
Dear Sir:
The ladies of the Eunice L. Collins Benevolent Society have spent $34.62 for crockery and silver; half of it to belong to the Improvement Society, and half to the E.L.C.B.S., each to have the use of all of it, without permission from the other.
Eunice L. Collins Benevolent Society. Alice A. Gould, Tres.
Waban, June 2nd, 1891.
Articles Bought
16 Doz. Spoons
2 Pitchers
8 Teas
2 Small Pitchers
8 Plates
6 Platters
1 Bowls
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WABAN - EARLY DAYS
WABAN IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY - PRESIDENTS
1889-90 William C. Strong
1923-24
Walter J. Meadows
1890-91 William C. Strong 1924-25
Sidney A. Clark (Resigned) ; Wil- liam C. Holbrook
1891-92
Frederic H. Henshaw
1892-93 Frederic H. Henshaw
1925-26
William C. Holbrook
1893-94
William Saville
1926-27 William C. Holbrook
(Resigned) ; F. A. Childs
1927-28
William C. Holbrook 3 yr. tenure by by- laws
1894-95
Edwin A. Phelps
1895-96
W. H. Gould
1896-97 W. H. Gould
1928-29
. John T. Croghan
1897-98 W. H. Gould
1929-30
John T. Croghan
1897-1906 (Lapsed)
1930-31
John T. Croghan 3 yr. tenure
1907-08 Lucius P. Folsom
1931-32
H. J. Pettengill, Jr.
1908-09 Charles C. Blaney
1932-33 H. J. Pettengill, Jr.
1909-10 Joseph H. Chadbourne
1933-34
H. J. Pettengill, Jr. 3 yr. tenure
1910-11 Lewis H. Bacon, Sr.
1934-35
Louis A. Estes 1 yr. tenure by by- laws henceforth
1913-14
George M. Angier
1935-36
Lawrence Allen
1914-15 Charles A. Andrews
1936-37
Lawrence. Allen
1915-16 Charles A. Andrews
1937-38
John H. Underhill
1916-17
Herbert R. Lane
1938-39 John H. Underhill
1917-18
Lawrence Allen
1939-40
Philip VerPlanck
1918-19
George F. Reinhardt
1940-41
William B. Plumer
1919-20
Hector M: Holmes
1941-42
Walter B. "Hatfield
1920-21 Gifford LeClear
1942-43
Newton C. Burnett
1921-22 Oscar R. Rice, Sr.
1943-44 Thomas E. Shirley
1922-23
Henry C. Robbins
1944-45
Fred T. Hackley
(Resigned) ; Walter J. Meadows
1906-07 Lewis H. Bacon, Sr.
1911-12 Lewis H. Bacon, Sr.
1912-13
George M. Angier
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HISTORY OF THE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
EARLY RESIDENTS OF WABAN ACTIVE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE CITY OF NEWTON
Members of the City Council:
Collins - 1890:1 McGee - 1892 Childs - 1894-5 Heymer - 1896 1
School Committee:
Bacon - 1899-90
Waban Aldermen of the Early Days:
Heymer - 1898 Wardwell - 1900-1 Webster - 1902-6 Bacon - 1907-9 Chadbourne - 1910-12 Bartlett - 1913-15 Angier - 1916-19
Waban became a Ward in itself, severed from Auburndale, in 1896. Previously, West Newton had also claimed Waban.
Putting the sewer through Waban started activity in 1907. Lewis Bacon was then Alderman. We acquired the sewer without blood- shed - by some miracle. The sewer was more of an event than a present-day resident can possibly imagine. Sent in by Mr. Harry Cragin Walker: "A very witty remark was made to me by Herbert Stetson as the sewer was being dug through Chestnut Street which was lighted by lanterns every night. Mr. Stetson was leaving my home one evening and looking at the display of lanterns said, 'Harry, it won't be long now before you will be connected with some of the best families in town.'"
THE WABAN WOMAN'S CLUB 1896
HELEN S. ANDREWS
During the latter part of the nineteenth century a great movement started among women. They wanted more inde- pendence and more knowledge and a greater participation in the life of the community. To satisfy this desire organizations arose founded and directed by women, namely Women's Clubs. The first one was Sorosis in New York City in 1868, but Boston also had a club that same year and soon they were everywhere. Newton had an early share in this development and when in 1889 a convention of clubs was called in New York, which resulted in the organization of the General Federation, two Newton clubs responded, the Woman's Educational Club of West Newton and the Social Science Club of Newton.
So it is not surprising that by 1896 a little band of women met together in Waban, the smallest of the Newton villages, and decided to start a club. Preliminary meetings were held in the fall of '95 and on December 19 it was decided to organize a club, and a committee of three was appointed to draw up a constitution and by-laws. On January 21, 1896, at a meeting held with Mrs. William R. Gould, the constitution was sub- mitted, approved and adopted, and Mrs. Gould became the first president. This original constitution has been amended and changed repeatedly, in fact during the early years it seems as if the club existed mainly to change its by-laws, but the first articles have endured.
Article I. The name of this organization shall be the Waban Woman's Club.
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THE WABAN WOMAN'S CLUB
Article II. The object of this club shall be to promote the educational, social and ethical culture of this community.
Twice the name has narrowly escaped being changed to Women's Club, but I can find no record that the object of the club has even been brought in question.
The charter members numbered ten. But since all ladies of Waban were cordially invited to join the club without re- gard to color or creed, the only requisite being "respectability," the number increased to over thirty before the end of the year. The annual fee was put at 25 cents, but almost at once the club was in financial distress. A gentlemen's night was held
A WOMAN'S CLUB PLAY. A "JANE AUSTIN AFTERNOON" APRIL 8, 1912
Standing: Mrs. Marsh, Crain, Isola, Johnson, Rane and Kimball.
Sitting: Jane Bacon and Janet Rane.
Courtesy of (Mrs.) Jane Bacon MacIntire
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WABAN - EARLY DAYS
in March, 1896, and an outside speaker furnished the enter- tainment. The first treasurer's report is as follows:
Receipts
Expenditures
Dues
$9.50
Speaker $10.00
Expenses 4.83
Deficit
$5.33 Total $14.83
The dues were immediately raised to $1.00. In 1899 the club joined the Newton Federation and each member was assessed ten cents to contribute to the support of that organization. Perhaps because of this extra drain on the treasury the dues were raised that year to $2.00 and in 1905 to $3.00. The recollections of Mrs. John Preston True, the secretary and treasurer of the club in '98 and '99, have been most helpful in compiling these early facts. Mrs. True's treasurer's report for that year shows that $3.50 was paid to the Newton Federation so that the club then numbered thirty-five.
The club followed the regular pattern of early woman's clubs, meeting at members' homes and furnishing their own entertainment. All were generous with their hospitality and these gracious hostesses bound us together in a friendly intimate group. The first winter they chose the following subjects for discussion: Government, Philanthropy, Sociology, Literature, Art and Archæology. It is easy to see that they had courage as well as brains. But the following year they were less ambitious and took up the study of the Cathedrals of England.
Their courage was shown in another way also. In one of the earliest records we find the following resolutions drawn up:
"Resolved. That we the Waban Woman's Club do hereby protest against the action taken by the Board of Directors in refusing to the General Federation the Woman's Era Club of Boston.
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THE WABAN WOMAN'S CLUB
"Resolved. That we are strenuously opposed to any amendment of the By-laws which shall exclude from member- ship because of nationality or color.
"Resolved. That these resolutions be sent to the President and Board of Directors of the General Federation of Women's Clubs and to the President of the State Federation."
Very soon outside speakers furnished much of the enter- tainment and many well-known names appear in the record:
Mrs. May Alden Ward and Prof. William G. Ward on Current Events.
Rabbi Charles Fleischer - Democracy.
Alice Stone Blackwell - Woman's Suffrage.
Mr. Schuyler Matthews - Wild Birds and Their Music. Sarah Louise Arnold - Education.
Mrs. Margaret Deland - The Duty of Happiness.
But for many years the members furnished much of the entertainment with literary papers, readings, music, dramatics or even discussion. In April, 1896, there was held an "informal discussion on the question of woman in various places and con- ditions." After another meeting that same year the secretary includes in her report: "after discussion of the wonderful new telegraph which is to have no visible means of support and yet make a fortune for somebody." Again, at a meeting in 1904, the following subject was discussed: "Should the Bible be taught as literature in the schools?" A majority was in favor.
A few of the programs presented by members illustrate their varied interests and abilities:
1905. "Members were entertained by songs by Mrs. Gifford LeClear, piano solos by Mrs. Donald M. Hill and an original paper on the Marble Faun by Mrs. Joseph Congdon.
1906. "A Cranford Tea was held with readings from Cranford illustrated by music and with living pictures in cos- tume."
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WABAN - EARLY DAYS
1906. "Miss Strong read a most delightful paper. Her subject was the life and works of Brahms and her paper was illustrated with piano solos, duets and songs."
1907. Reading of Longfellow's "Courtship of Miles Standish" accompanied by music.
1907. A Whittier afternoon by Mrs. Arthur M. Crain.
Gentlemen's Night in 1900 was held at the home of Mrs. Strong. The entertainment was a stereopticon lecture by Mr. William Saville with the Rev. William Hall Williams, the rector of the Episcopal Church, running the lantern.
The first record of a play given by club members was on guest night in 1907 when the farce "Petticoat Fever" was pre- sented by Miss Esther Saville, Mrs. Frederick Putnam and Mrs. Clinton Hill.
In 1902, during the presidency of Mrs. Frank L. Miller, the club was very active. It numbered seventy-five members, the day of meeting was changed from Tuesday to Monday, and a new constitution and by-laws were adopted. Also the first Presidents' Day was held. There was a suggestion of raising money for a club house and a committee was appointed, but there is nothing in the records to show that anything further was done about it. Also at this time we come upon the first philanthropic card party. It was called a "Heart Party." The tickets were 35 cents and the receipts were $10.85. Mrs. George M. Angier was chairman.
One of the charter members, Mrs. William C. Strong. deserves very special mention for she was a prime mover in every action of the club. She was president in 1898-99 when the club numbered forty-six and the average attendance was twenty-four, and she frequently entertained the club in her home. But more than that she took an active part in many of the meetings as is evidenced by the following incomplete list of her club talks and papers:
Woman's Progress.
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THE WABAN WOMAN'S CLUB
Rosa Bonheur.
Resolution of Congress with regard to Cuba, February 18, 1896.
American feeling toward England.
Lincoln Cathedral.
Education.
Article relative to the late balloon explorations at the North Pole by Dr. Andree - 1897.
Under her leadership the club joined the Newton Federa- tion and the following year she became the first delegate from the Waban Club to that organization. In 1903, at a club luncheon held in Waban Hall for the presidents of the State and Newton Federations and of the Newton clubs, Mrs. Strong invoked the blessing. She resigned from the club that year and became the first honorary member. Quoting from the records we find the following:
"On November 7, 1904, the Waban Woman's Club opened the season by a reception and tea, the honored guest of the occasion being a former president, Mrs. William C. Strong, who read a paper on 'The Growth and Progress of the Novel'; taking Fielding, Walter Scott and Victor Hugo as characteristic stepping stones from the age of formalism and loose morals to our own time."
So in every possible way she served the club, and doubtless much of its early success was due to her unfailing interest and to her able leadership. There have been others who have given generously of their time and effort, but she had unusual gifts and she put them all to the development of the club. It seems fair to call her the guiding spirit of those early years.
In 1902 a project was started to beautify the Roger Wal- cott School "for the culture and æsthetic development of the children." Subscriptions were asked for five consecutive years and each family in town was asked to contribute. By 1907, $63.25 had been raised. The committee chosen to purchase
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WABAN - EARLY DAYS
the art objects were assisted by Mr. Pietro Isola. He and his wife, who was also an early president, did much to foster an interest in art among the club members. Mr. Isola conducted study classes and lectured at the regular club meetings many, many times. The first standing committees were those of music and art.
Art was not the only thing provided for the children. Perhaps the annual children's party seemed more important to them. For many years they were entertained first in Waban Hall, then in Besse Hall, and finally in the Club House. Be- sides the inevitable ice cream and dancing they were amused in various ways. Once a Punch and Judy show was provided. Another time Alice in Wonderland was presented. In March, 1912, Mother Goose rhymes were sung by Mrs. Adrian Sawyer and acted in pantomime by the children. Perhaps the most suc- cessful was a costume party, when the children actually became the famous members of the Mother Goose clan. Such things have had to go their way with the growth of the village and the increase in the number of children.
A dozen years after the beginning of the Waban Woman's Club it was still a small club. The organization of the club was very simple. The one committee headed by the president made all the plans for the meetings and made recommendations for any other activities. But those plans were thoroughly discussed by all the members at the regular club meetings, sometimes with approval, sometimes not. And so suggestions were often made by members in a most informal way and these frequently led to projects which had not occurred to the executive com- mittee. Thus the club itself was a committee of the whole and the presiding officer never knew what interesting or exciting topic might be introduced from the floor.
Every woman who moved to Waban was thereby eligible for membership. There was an annual fee but no initiation fee, so that members dropped in and out at will. When the
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THE WABAN WOMAN'S CLUB
fall arrived and the program was printed, if it was not sufficiently exciting many women would decide to stay out that year. Consequently, the income was fluctuating and planning for the programs without knowing the amount of money avail- able to pay the bills was a difficult problem for the committee. Neither, of course, was the club limited, and there were some who couldn't bear the idea that any woman in our friendly little village should be denied membership in it. However, in 1909, after a very free discussion, the necessary changes were made in the by-laws so that the club became limited; an in- itiation fee was established and the dues were made payable in the spring in advance. In order to insure against any hardship to anyone the limit was placed at eighty although there were only sixty-four in the club at the time. From that time the club has been run in a more business-like manner. Soon there was a waiting list, and the limit has been raised again and again as the town has grown until now it is five hundred.
At a meeting in the spring of 1910 our most persuasive member, Mrs. Frank Miller, proposed that for the election of officers that year the nominating committee bring in two can- didates for each office so that we should have a real election. She convinced the club that the idea was a good one and so the nominating committee was instructed to bring in two slates. It was hard enough to find one woman who was willing to take office and finding two was almost impossible. However, the committee did manage to get the candidates and we had an exciting election, but when it was over, we decided with one accord to return to the old custom. Some changes were made in the method of selecting the nominating committee and from that time one set of officers has been presented for election and we gratefully accept them.
In 1910 a project was started under the leadership of Mrs. J. H. Pillsbury to place a hygienic fountain in the Roger Wal- cott School. In May of that year in the records of the annual
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WABAN - EARLY DAYS
meeting we find, "It was voted that $30.00 or a trifle over be taken from the treasury and applied to the purchasing and in- stallation of a fountain in the school." In 1912 we find the record that $25.00 was contributed from the treasury towards the purchase of a victrola for the school.
In 1911 Mrs. F. W. Pingree made a plea for better library facilities in Waban. At that time there was a small lending library in Miss Blood's store. A committee, including Mrs. Pingree, chairman, Mrs. Crain and Mrs. W. H. Parker, was appointed to investigate the possibility of better library service in Waban. On April 25 we find this record: "A report from the Library would maintain it after January 1, 1912." It was voted that the library committee notify the trustees of the Newton Library that it is the opinion of this club that a larger place for a branch library than could be provided at Miss Blood's is needed." On May 8, Mrs. Pingree submitted to the club the following reply from the trustees of the Newton Library:
"If the community would equip a branch library and maintain it for three months at an estimated cost of $500.00 the Library would maintain it after January 1, 1912." It was estimated by the committee that with the contribution of furniture by the Improvement Society, and without purchasing the reference books for the present, the cost could be reduced to $137.50. It was voted that $50.00 be appropriated from the treasury provided the rest of the sum could be raised. It was further voted "that the library committee continue to serve and see if they can raise the remainder of this sum." The record is silent as to how the money was obtained, but the committee's efforts were successful and a branch library was started in the back of Rhodes' Drug Store.
At a meeting on January 10, 1916, when Mrs. Herbert S. Kimball was president, Mr. Charles Andrews talked to the club on Civic Affairs. In the secretary's report we find the fol-
€
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THE WABAN WOMAN'S CLUB
lowing: "Mr. Andrews made an earnest appeal to the people of Waban to wake up to the situation in this community. He believes it is for us here to shape the future. He spoke in particular of the need of a club house properly located and he urged the women of Waban to use their influence in its be- half." Mrs. Kimball was inspired to call together a group of representative townspeople that later put the matter before a gathering of the residents, and as a result the present Neigh- borhood Club House was financed and built.
In 1920, when Mrs. Louis W. Arnold was president, a balance in the treasury seemed large enough to warrant the offering of a scholarship of one hundred dollars to some Waban girl for advanced study. That was another beginning which has resulted in a yearly scholarship, much larger than the original gift, for which money is raised each fall by a large bridge party given in the Club House.
And so, although the club has been primarily a means of social intercourse amongst the women of the village, it has also been the sponsor of many projects for the good of the community. It always gave as generously as it could to philanthropic causes, and with its increase in size and wealth it has done its part in furthering worth while projects in the city. But it has also been successful in its primary purpose which was the education of women,-that purpose which was the basis of the woman's club movement and which has done so much to broaden and deepen the lives of women as well as to increase their power to serve their communities.
THE BEACON CLUB 1898
HERBERT O. STETSON
In attempting to record the history of the Beacon Club for the enlightenment of posterity, we (editorially speaking) approach the subject with the memories of our membership and the consequential sense of the high purpose and dignity in which it was conceived by its founder. It had the dis- tinction of being the first, and was the only all-Waban club ever organized exclusively for men.
Let us get to its history as set forth in the rather brief and inadequate records still in existence. We quote these record's as set down by the Club's first secretary, Mr. Alexander David- son. The records show that the founder of the Club was Mr. William Saville, who invited a group to an eight o'clock sup- per at his home on November 9, 1898, and proposed that a club be formed. Those present were Messrs. Strong, Williams, Bacon, True, Heymer, Alexander Davidson, Louis Harlow, Wiley, Ripley, Kempe, Clark, Norris, Jordan, Flint and Saville. It was proposed that the membership be limited to twenty and that the meetings be held in the various homes, the members to be guests of that member, and that at each meet- ing a paper be read on some subject which that member felt of interest to the others, the subject to be one in which he may have had personal experience. Now we will have to ac- knowledge that this is a good trick if you can do it, and the fact that this plan was carried out for fifteen recorded meet- ings is evidence of the endurance and fortitude of the men of the Gay Nineties.
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THE BEACON CLUB
Names were drawn to decide upon whose shoulders would fall the entertainment for the six meetings of that first season, resulting in the following schedule: Mr. Kempe to entertain in December, Alexander Davidson in January, the Reverend William Hall Williams in February, Mr. William C. Strong in March, Mr. Ripley and Dr. Clark the following months.
At first this club was called merely the Men's Club of Waban. The papers read at the meetings were to be put on file by the secretary, but have unfortunately disappeared. It is worthy of note that these meetings were written up each time by the Boston Transcript, which headed: a column with the tidings of doings at the Men's Club of Waban. The first such report is titled, "They Discussed the Clothing of Man." The host was Mr. Arthur Kempe, who lived on Beacon Street, the paper for the evening was prepared by Mr. Charles S. Norris. He dealt with the manufacture of clothing from the time of Adam to the present day. "An animated discussion and ex- change of views followed the reading of the paper," states the secretary. One would like to have listened in!
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