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History of the NORTH CAROLINA STATE DIVISION
American
Associ ssociation of
U nice niversity
Women
1927-1947 CARRIE B. WILSON BURLINGTON, N. C.
HISTORY OF THE North Carolina State Division
OF THE
American Association of University Women
1927-1947
ATION OF
UN
no
IVERSITY
MERICA
Y WOMEN
CARRIE B. WILSON Burlington, North Carolina
Copyright 1948 PRINTED BY RISER PRINTING COMPANY GREENSBORO, N. C.
Foreword
This history, compiled by Miss Carrie B. Wilson, first Historian of the N. C. State Division AAUW, from scattered branch and state records, has one purpose-to give the membership a simple and factual account of the State Division from its inception in 1927.
Of course "Our task is to go from Today, not Yesterday", but yesterday is the background for today, and plays its part in the vision and resourcefulness with which we meet the ever chang- ing and uncertain tomorrows.
Knowing that there is a real need for this information, and that it will be of interest and value to every Tar Heel member of AAUW this booklet goes to press February 15, 1948.
Emily H. Herring
8th President N. C. State Division A. A. U. W.
Explanations and Acknowledgments
To the Membership of the A. A. U. W. in North Carolina:
Your historian has approached the task of writing a history of the North Carolina Division of the American Association of University Women knowing the limited possibilities for an under- taking which merits much more time, careful study, and research, than could be given to the task.
Collecting narrative reports and gathering statistical data have not been easy, but the general spirit of cooperation shown by local, state, regional, and national officers facilitated the work from the beginning.
The activities of the AAUW cannot be lightly treated for they have been many and varied and of far reaching consequence in the social and economic life of the state, pointing always toward a higher cultural and intellectual level.
Much of our history has been preserved through the Minutes kept by careful Secretaries throughout the years, in the Committee Reports, in the State Division Bulletin, and in the national Journal of the AAUW.
The preliminary foundation for this volume was laid in 1945 at the request of state president, Mrs. R. A. Herring, with the expectation of publishing the history late in 1946 or early in 1947. However, unavoidable circumstances have delayed publication until this date.
In view of the fact that we are celebrating our twenty-first anni- versary with the State Convention in Greensboro next April, it may be wise that release of the history coincides with the attain- ment of our adulthood.
From the material which has come from far and near, the writer has attempted a logical arrangement in an effort to give an over-all view of what the AAUW is and does, has done and will do. While no index is provided, the table of contents should serve to locate the various phases of the history set up under three headings.
Part One, "How We Grew" is a running narrative giving the sequential history of the State Division from its formation in Greensboro, March 17, 1927, through the State Board meeting in Greenville, November 25, 1947, with some additional informa- tion to further explain the AAUW and its work.
Part Two, "Statistics-Past and Present" is chiefly statistical information gathered from whatever source possible.
Part Three, "Branch Histories", contributions from the home
iii
base, should make us more keenly aware of what the fifteen branches with their more than 1000 members are accomplishing.
Thanks are due not only to those of you who have served in the near-past, but also to those stalwart leaders of our early days who, after establishing branches of the Southern Association of College Women, provided for these to later become charter mem- bers of the AAUW. Much praise and credit should be given to the late Elizabeth Avery Colton, Dr. Catherine Allen, Dr. Alice Baldwin, Mrs. Henry A. White, and the late Dr. Harriet Elliott. We should hold high and keep trimmed and brightly burning the candles they lighted.
The insistent prodding of Mrs. Herring who dreamed of a printed record as one of the accomplishments of her four-year term as our public servant (sans pay) has been accompanied all along the way by her sincere interest and invaluable assistance in reading and checking the manuscript.
Mrs. Robert Lee Humber, our new president, has sponsored the work wholeheartedly and has aided in many ways.
Grace Sharpe (now Mrs. Harold M. Draper, Jr.) of Greens- boro, and Miss Catherine Dennis of Raleigh, who gathered in- formation for me regarding the Southern Association of College Women, gave a much appreciated service.
Mrs. Blake Thompson of High Point, state secretary for 1944-47, rendered assistance without parallel by loaning the state records and helping in other ways. Our thanks are due also to Mrs. D. S. Spain of Greenville, our present secretary, for the loan of the minutes of the Greenville meeting October 25, 1947, and for other help.
Mrs. Ernest B. Hunter of Charlotte and Mrs. S. D. Foster of Asheville, the two most recent editors of our Division Bulletin, deserve especial thanks for the information they have furnished. Our Regional Vice-presidents, past and present, and our National Director have helped in clarifying records.
Dr. Lucille Delano of Charlotte and Mary L. Cobb and Louise Dalton of Chapel Hill gave helpful information in regard to Fellowships and the AAUW Fellows in North Carolina.
Without the sympathetic interest and support of all who have helped there would be no history to print; and without the action of the Executive Committee on the morning of the State Board Meeting in Greenville October 25, 1947, and later approved by the general session, there would be no printing of the history. For it was in this meeting that the green light of authoritative approval
iv
and inclusion in the budget made it possible to proceed with the financial aspects of bringing the book off the press. The Executive Committee is composed of Mrs. Humber, president; Mrs. Herring, immediate past-president; Mrs. J. W. Moore, vice-president; Mrs. D. S. Spain, secretary, and Miss Sarah Nooe, treasurer.
In submitting this history to the North Carolina membership of the AAUW, the writer confesses a feeling of pride in being asked to do something she has enjoyed doing, even though it had to be done at odd moments snatched in the evenings after busy days in an exacting full-time position.
As a parting word, may I ask that you trip lightly over the shortcomings of this history, and take joy in furthering the work of the AAUW so that we may really live up to our 1947-48 slogan, "We Earn The Future".
February 20, 1948
The Author
V
Where to Find What You Care to Read
Part One-How We Grew
Page
Chapter I-The Beginning
1
Chapter II-Organization, 1927 2
Chapter III-The First Year, 1927-28 4
Chapter IV-The Second Year, 1928-29 5
Chapter V-The Third Year, 1929-30 7
Chapter VI-First Board Meeting, 1930 8
Chapter VII-The Years 1931-33 10
Chapter VIII-Highlights of 1933-35 12
Chapter IX-Further Progress 1935-39
15
Chapter X-The Years 1939-41 20
Chapter XI-War! The AAUW Carries On 1941-45
23
Chapter XII-Return to Normalcy 1946-47 28
Chapter XIII-Committee Reports 1947 34
Chapter XIV-The State Division Bulletin and Its Editors . 38
Chapter XV-AAUW Fellows in North Carolina 39
Part Two-Statistics Past and Present
Seniority Organization Status 40
First Branch Presidents 40
Officers of The State Division 1927-47 41
Present Branch Officers 42
Some Comparisons 43
Part Three-Branch Histories
Page
Page
Greensboro
44
High Point 63
Raleigh
49
Greenville 65
Charlotte 51
Alamance 68
Durham 54
Shelby 70
Winston-Salem 57
Bryson City 71
Asheville
59
Louisburg 73
Chapel Hill 62
Thomasville 74
AND IN CONCLUSION 77
vi
Part One-How We Grew
CHAPTER I-THE BEGINNING
More than three-score years ago the seeds were sown for what is now the American Association of University Women when a group of seventeen young college graduates irked by the restric- tions against the learnings and doings of women, met in Boston in the fall of 1881 to form a national alumnae association which they called the "Association of Collegiate Alumnae". At the first annual meeting held in January, 1882, a constitution was formed by the group of sixty-six women present, representing Boston University, Cornell, Oberlin, Smith, Vassar, Wellesley, and the Universities of Michigan and Wisconsin.
The purpose as expressed by that group is the bedrock of our association today: "The object of this association shall be to unite . for practical, educational work".
From that beginning in which representatives of eight colleges met in 1882 for a first national meeting we have grown to a na- tional association of 1016 branches and nearly 90,000 members drawn from 272 approved colleges, with an International Federa- tion spanning the world.
The North Carolina State Division of AAUW is only six years younger than the national organization of the AAUW. Both stem from the Association of Collegiate Alumnae organized in 1881 and the Southern Association of College Women organized in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1903. These merged at a meeting held in Washington April, 1921, to become the American Association of University Women.
This was a change chiefly in name only as the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae (which had been chartered as a national organization) were passed on to the AAUW.
Records in the Library of Woman's College, Greensboro, reveal the work of the Southern Association of College Women for the years 1912-1921. A report of the merger of SACW with the ACA includes names of charter members of the branches then in existence.
Elizabeth Avery Colton of Meredith College, Raleigh, was sec- retary of the SACW 1912-1913, president 1914-1919 and first vice-president 1919-1921.
The Raleigh branch of the AAUW appears to be the oldest
1
branch in the state, having become officially a member of the Southern Association of College Women in 1909.
Only two other branches of the South Atlantic Region can claim priority over Raleigh, for according to the records, Atlanta and Richmond (both organized in 1905) are the only branches that pre-date Raleigh's organization.
When the AAUW was formed in 1921, North Carolina had more branches than any state in the South Atlantic Region. Na- tional records show that the District of Columbia, Florida, Mary- land, and South Carolina had only one branch each, Georgia had two, and Virginia four, while North Carolina had six branches. West Virginia, the only other state in the group, had not organ- ized a branch. This gave North Carolina more than one-third of the total branches of the Region.
At that time, North Carolina did not have a college on the approved list for membership.
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What is now Duke University was approved late in 1921. The others followed in this order: Meredith College 1924, North Carolina College for Women (now Woman's College) 1927, Salem College 1932, The University of North Carolina 1946. The state University was not approved for the B.S. and A.B. degrees until 1946 but it had been approved for the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees along with other state universities prior to 1931.
CHAPTER II-ORGANIZATION 1927
On a March day twenty-one years ago a lusty youngster who has grown apace with the years, was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, to spread culture and justice and to fight for better things for the people of this state. Whether March 17, 1927, was blustery or fair, the record does not tell, but we do know that whatever the weather, this infant soon had a name and was placed for its first two years under the fostering care of Miss Cath- erine Allen, a member of the faculty of Meredith College, Raleigh, who together with a succession of other foster mothers helped to develop this infant into a woman now fully grown, able to cope with mighty problems and to take her stand for all that is finest and best.
Proceeding under the name of "The North Carolina State Divi- sion of the American Association of University Women", our baby of yesteryear has quite an interesting biography.
From the minutes written by Miss Catherine Wright, first secretary of the North Carolina Division of the AAUW, we quote the following notes of the initial organization:
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2
"At the invitation of the Greensboro branch of the American Association of University Women, on the morning of March 17th, 1927, about forty representatives from seven of the eight branches in North Carolina, met at the King Cotton Hotel in Greensboro to discuss the possibility of perfecting a state organization of the Association".
From later mention of branches by name, we know that Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, High Point, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem were represented in this meeting, and were there- fore charter members of the North Carolina State Division. Ashe- ville evidently was also a charter member even though not repre- sented at the time.
"The morning meeting was called to order by the president of the Greensboro branch who presided at the election of Miss Cath- erine Allen of Raleigh as the temporary chairman. The meeting was then thrown open for the discussion of the desirability of organization. Miss Alice Baldwin of Durham, representing Na- tional Headquarters, urged such action as a step in completing the national policy of delegating more power to state and local groups. She also outlined the field of work in which such an organization in the state would be advantageous to the branches themselves, suggesting for their attention a survey of the work, professional and otherwise, open to women in the state, the study of college standards in the state, and the provision of funds for scholarships.
"At the close of this discussion a motion was made, seconded, and carried, that the group would proceed with definite organiza- tion plans. Two committees were appointed by the chairman: a Nominating Committee, made up of Miss Mary V. Long, Greensboro, Chairman; Mrs. Franklin Smith, Durham; and Mrs. Wheeler, Chapel Hill: a Committee of Constitution and By-Laws, made up of Miss Alice Baldwin, Durham, Chairman; Miss Helen Law, Raleigh; and Mrs. White, High Point. At this point the morning session was adjourned for meeting of the committees and for luncheon."
Constitution is Adopted
"The Committee on Constitution and By-Laws submitted a report calling for the adoption of the model constitution and by- laws sent out by the Washington office, with the following altera- tions to be made:
In Article III, Section 2 of the by-laws, dealing with the duties of the vice-president, the statement, She shall make an annual re-
3
port to the sectional director and to the national secretary to be omitted.
Article IV, Section I, of the by-laws to read: The executive committee shall consist of the state officers, the retiring president, ex-officio (rather than the past president) and the chairman of the standing committees.
Article VII, Section 3, dealing with the representation of gen- eral members to read: Fifteen members, instead of twenty-five members.
Article IX, Section 2, dealing with dues, to read: Each branch shall, through its treasurer, pay annual dues of ten cents per mem- ber. General members shall pay fifty cents (instead of ten cents) to the state treasurer.
"The report was accepted as read.
"The report of the Nominating Committee was accepted and the following officers thereby elected:
President, Miss Catherine Allen, Raleigh;
Vice-President, Miss Bessie Pfohl, Winston-Salem;
Secretary, Miss Catherine Wright, Greensboro;
Treasurer, Miss Helen Lethco, Charlotte.
"After these matters of business were finished the meeting was again opened for discussion of general problems. Attention was centered upon the purpose of the organization and its fields of activity. The general feeling of the group was that there should be a more careful statement of the aims and purposes, with specific objectives outlined. No definite action was taken on this matter.
"The delegation from Chapel Hill requested the President to send a letter from the state association to the Committee on Recog- nitions at the National Convention, meeting in Washington within a few days, urging that the University of North Carolina be con- tinued on the starred list until certain requirements of the Associa- tion could be met.
"The meeting was then adjourned, sine die."
Signed-E. Catherine Wright, Secretary.
March 18, 1927.
CHAPTER III-THE FIRST YEAR-1927-28
Again we quote from the very enlightening minutes of Miss Wright, under date of May 19, 1928, slightly more than one year later, and giving a report of the first annual convention which was held in Chapel Hill in conjunction with the South Atlantic Region's second biennial meeting:
4
"On May 19, 1928, at 11 A.M. in the Carolina Inn at Chapel Hill, N. C., there was begun the first regular meeting of the North Carolina State Division of the American Association of Uni- versity Women. Miss Catherine Allen, State President, was in the chair .. .
"The acting Treasurer reported that $26.10 had been received from the branches in the state .
"In a brief presidential address, Miss Allen spoke of the ad- vantages of state organization in furthering the work of the na- tional organization. She explained salient features in the national program and emphasized particularly the international features. She paid tributes to the late Elizabeth Avery Colton and Penelope McDuffy.
"Reports of the local branches followed, reports being given from Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Charlotte, High Point, Greens- boro, Durham, and Chapel Hill. News came in of a new branch in Statesville, with approximately 20 members.
"Dr. Esther Caukins, International Relations Secretary of the AAUW, spoke on the million dollar fellowship fund and urged the cooperation of the states and branches . . . A committee was appointed to consider fellowship funds with Mrs. Holmes of Chapel Hill as chairman ... "
From the foregoing we catch a glimpse of what has made the North Carolina Division a growing, potent force in the state.
Not only did the presidents help things along through the years, but efficient secretaries kept the records straight. While the minutes of every meeting cannot be quoted, we continue with excerpts from the early years before going into a more general historical overview and statistical summary.
CHAPTER IV-THE SECOND YEAR-1928-29
From the minutes of Miss Wright dated April 26, 1929, we quote as follows:
"The second annual conference of the North Carolina Division of the AAUW was held at the O'Henry Hotel in Greensboro, N. C., on April 19, 1929. The delegates were called to order at 11 A.M. by the State President, Miss Catherine Allen . . .
"Miss Allen, in a brief presidential talk, told of some of the high lights of the National Convention in New Orleans and com- mented on the inspiration received from Dr. Wooley, National President of the AAUW, and from Dr. Gleditch of Oslo, Presi- dent of the International Federation of University Women . . . She said that all of the nine North Carolina branches had ex-
5
pressed themselves as being in sympathy with the Fellowship movement and desirous of making contributions to the fund, and that North Carolina had been called the banner state of the South Atlantic Section with respect to this .. .
"Miss Allen urged that the state had three important objectives for the following year-more effective publicity work, educational work, and united efforts on the Fellowship campaign. She em- phasized the importance of working with the State Legislature in connection with the Education Bill . .
"Forty-nine people were present for luncheon. The speaker was Miss Harriet Elliott of the Political Science Department of N. C. C. W. She discussed progress in international peace in 1928-29 . .
"The first speaker of the afternoon was Miss Belle Rankin, Executive Secretary at National Headquarters in Washington .. .
"Then followed branch reports of their fellowship campaign work. All made some report except Statesville and Asheville. All were working and were trying to reconcile the Fellowship fund drive with their other obligations. Miss Allen had brought a mes- sage from the Sectional Director, Mrs. Harmer, who had urged the states to work steadily and earnestly this year for the fund and give as encouraging a report as possible by the Regional meet- ing of 1930 at Williamsburg. At that time she hoped the section would assume the responsibility of endowing one Fellowship.
"A Japanese student at Duke University spoke briefly on what the holding of a fellowship meant to her. Mrs. Mosher, Fellow- ship Chairman for North Carolina, gave interesting statistics in connection with AAUW fellowships obtained by Southern women. She mentioned a North Carolina woman, Dr. Mary Sherrill, working in Belgium at present on an AAUW fellowship.
"Mrs. Mosher urged enthusiasm in the fellowship campaign and was in favor of a quota for the state. Chapel Hill Branch said it would give $25.00 a year to the fund; Charlotte promised $100.00 this year. Winston-Salem thought it could give $25.00 a year; and Greensboro reported plans which would probably raise considerable sums this year. Durham promised $1.00 per member per year, and Raleigh $1.50 per member per year . . .
"The Nominating Committee suggested the following names: President, Mrs. E. R. Mosher of Chapel Hill;
Vice-President, Miss Helen Garrett of Greensboro;
Secretary, Miss Sara Rowe of Durham;
Treasurer, Mrs. W. T. Powell of High Point.
"The report was unanimously adopted.
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"The Resolutions Committee suggested endorsement of the eight months school term, expressed thanks to Greensboro Branch for arrangements for the meeting and for prospective tea, and gratitude to the retiring officers. These suggestions were unani- mously adopted and the meeting adjourned.
"Registration by Branches was as follows: Chapel Hill 9, Charlotte 3, Durham 2, Greensboro 20, High Point 4, Raleigh 2, Winston-Salem 4, Visitors 2, total 46. Asheville and Statesville were not represented."
Signed-E. Catherine Wright, Secretary.
CHAPTER V-THE THIRD YEAR-1929-30
We find from the minutes of the state meeting held in Char- lotte February 7-8, 1930, and written by Secretary Sara Rowe of Durham, that Mrs. E. R. Mosher of Chapel Hill, state president, pointed out the weaknesses and the strong points of the branches she had observed through visits and from their reports.
We quote the following from the minutes of Miss Rowe:
"Mrs. Mosher said she thought that all the branches in the state ought to adhere to the big project of national and interna- tional fellowships. Her challenge to every officer was first to read the proceedings of the last National Convention; second, to read the Journal for the past two years; third, to read the material sent in from headquarters; fourth, to know who the national officers are and their policies . . .
"The ten branches of the state were all represented at the meet- ing and a five-minute report was given by a delegate from each branch . . .
"Miss Catherine Allen gave a fifteen minute report of her visit to the Geneva Conference. Miss Allen said the 1929 meeting was the most international of all the conventions that she had attended. Thirty-five countries were represented. The language question was a heated one. French, English, and German were the languages spoken by the greatest number. It was finally decided that each could speak in her native tongue but she must have an interpreter.
"Miss Allen thinks that European women are in advance of American women in entering professions that men have been active in for years. Representatives of the League of Nations and the International Bureau of Labor spoke at the Conference and visits were made by the delegates to each of these organizations. The climax to Miss Allen's speech was her emphasis on the Million Dollar Fellowship Fund, telling as she did, most interesting stories
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cf a better understanding of nations coming about through women holding fellowships in foreign countries . ..
"During lunch, Mrs. B. B. Swift spoke for a few minutes on the bills concerning child labor in North Carolina, which are coming up before the Legislature in 1931. Mrs. Mosher then introduced Mrs. Harvey W. Harmer, Director of the South At- lantic Section.
"Mrs. Harmer's subject was the Million Dollar Fellowship Fund. She brought out the fact that investment in a fellowship was a much surer one in its return than investment in a scholar- ship, for women applying for fellowships in graduate work are those who already have proved their worth . .
"Mrs. Harmer wanted the money to be a free will offering from university women. For convenience, she suggested that the South Atlantic Section, which has 30 branches, assume the sum of $30,000.00.
"At the conclusion of the luncheon address, Mrs. White, chair- man of the nominating committee, announced the names of Mrs. Francis Clarkson for vice-president, and Miss Maurine Bledsoe for treasurer. The report was unanimously adopted ... "
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