USA > North Carolina > History of the North Carolina State Division American Association of University Women, 1927-1947 [1948] > Part 4
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Mrs. J. Q. Seawell, Jr. presented the nominating committee's slate of officers: Mrs. Robert Lee Humber, president; and Mrs. D. S. Spain, secretary, both of the Greenville branch. A unani- mous vote of approval resulted since there were no nominations from the floor.
Report on International Relations was given by Mrs. H. A. White in the absence of Dr. Ellen Winston, committee chairman. This showed an unusual interest in and study of international situations and many fine programs.
Special work of the branches which cannot be reported here gave much information. Outstanding were the reports of special study groups and lectures on international relations, with each branch reporting some emphasis on this phase of the work. Shelby has sponsored the World Peace contest in 14 county schools.
Miss Mary Cobb, president of the Chapel Hill branch, reported
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for Mrs. Fred Terrell, Fellowship chairman, showing total con- tributions to the Fellowship fund in the amount of $688.25, with Asheville sending in addition to its regular contribution, the sum of $500.00 to National Headquarters as a gift from the branch's Refugee Shop for Reconstruction Aid in Europe.
Charlotte reported plans to send a contribution for Recon- struction Aid and Shelby and Oxford reported gifts already sent to bring the total to $1,198.25 representing one hundred percent branch participation.
Mrs. S. D. Foster, Publicity chairman, had sponsored a branch scrapbook contest carrying a $5.00 award. This was won by the Asheville branch with honorable mention given to the publicity displays of Alamance, Charlotte, and Greensboro.
Miss Noma Hardin, Greensboro, and Mrs. J. W. Moore, Ashe- ville, were appointed as delegates to the National Convention to be held in Dallas during the summer.
The nominating committee, with Miss Selma Webb of Shelby as chairman, presented Mrs. J. W. Moore for vice-president, and Mrs. Edwin Ford of Shelby for treasurer. They were unani- mously elected.
The legislative committee's report, with Miss Flossie Marsh- banks of Raleigh as chairman, included the following outstand- ing achievements in regard to measures sponsored by the AAUW for legislative enactment during the 1947 Legislature:
1. Passage of the bill providing for special educational classes; 2. Increase in appropriations for expanded facilities for the care and treatment of feeble-minded children of both races.
Recommended to the Legislature but not yet acted upon, were bills carrying provisions for modernizing the jail systems, for setting up a minimum wage and maximum hour standard, and provision for more adequate medical service and increased hospital facilities.
Miss Noma Hardin, State Arts Chairman, submitted a written report showing that only ten branches had reported an arts pro- gram with studies in architecture, drama, dance, music, literature, painting, design, and sculpture, promoted during the year. Twelve lectures, eleven exhibits, three workshops, and four study groups in art were also reported.
Miss Hardin's evaluation of the program indicated there seemed to be too little experiencing in the arts, and expressed the hope that while appreciation is a commendable feature, more active participation was to be desired.
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Since the reports of the Recent Graduates Committee and that of the Committee on Economic and Legal Status of Women are given elsewhere no excerpts from these are included here.
Dr. Lucille Delano in reporting as State Education Committee chairman, stated that most of the branches had been concerned with the fight for an increase in teachers' salaries, and added that the AAUW can certainly claim credit for a part of what has been accomplished for education in North Carolina during recent years, and that we must continue the fight for the improvement of the State's schools.
Important features of the Resolutions Committee included reso- lutions which were approved as follows: (1) The North Caro- lina State Division of the AAUW expresses its deep and urgent concern for the status of the American teacher and for the future of the teaching profession; (2) endorses Federal Aid to educa- tion without Federal control of funds; (3) recommends that local branches petition their school authorities to provide for kinder- garten advantages and to cooperate with local boards in this under- taking looking toward a public financing of the project; (4) sup- ports the recommendations of the State Medical Care Commission for (a) an increase in the number of hospitals and health centers in the state with adequate staffs to service them, and (b) that health insurance be made available to a greater number of the citizens of the state.
A lively discussion centered around Miss Marion Townsend's plea that branches encourage women to apply for fellowships for the study of practical politics.
Social features of the Charlotte convention included a tea by the hostess branch at Mint Museum, attractive gifts presented to guests at the Friday evening banquet at the Hotel Charlotte with Mrs. W. W. Petersen, president of the Charlotte branch, presid- ing; a coffee hour with Queen's College as hostess on Saturday morning preceding the business session, and the annual luncheon at Hotel Charlotte at 1:00 P.M.
Special guest speakers were Dr. George G. Kabat of the United States Office of Education, Mrs. Charles W. Tillett of Washing- ton, and Dr. George M. Cooper of the North Carolina State Board of Health.
THE GREENVILLE WORKSHOP-October 25, 1947
The Board of Directors met for the annual fall meeting in a very profitable workshop at East Carolina Teacher's College, Saturday, October 25, 1947 with the Greenville branch as hostess
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to the more than fifty representatives from eleven branches.
Mrs. Robert Lee Humber, new president, got the meeting off to a good start by presenting a number of problems confronting the State Division. She urged support of U.N.E.S.C.O. and the study of international relations. She gave as the theme for the year, "We Earn The Future".
New State Committee Chairmen were announced as follows: Bulletin Editor and Publicity, Mrs. S. D. Foster, Asheville; Crea- tive Arts, Noma Hardin, Greensboro; Economic and Legal Status of Women, Mrs. Mary Green Matthews, High Point; Educa- tion, Mrs. Thomas W. Sharpe, Charlotte; Fellowship, Mrs. Fred Terrell, Raleigh; Historian, Carrie B. Wilson, Burlington; Inter- national Relations, Mrs. J. Allen Hunter, Elon College; Legis- lative, Flossie Marshbanks, Raleigh; Membership, Mrs. J. W. Moore, Asheville; Radio, Miss Mamie Jenkins, Greenville; Recent Graduates, Mrs. Reginald Kepler, Durham; Social Studies, Mrs. Clyde A. Milner, Guilford College; Standards, Mrs. R. A. Mc- Cuiston, Winston-Salem.
Mrs. Ralph Howland, Cary; Flossie Marshbanks, Raleigh; Dr. Alice B. Keith, of Meredith College, Raleigh, and Mrs. Robert Lee Humber were named as delegates to the meeting of the State Legislative Council in Raleigh, November 19, 1947.
Mrs. J. Q. Seawell, Jr. of Greensboro, after announcing the O'Henry Hotel, Greensboro, as the place of the 1948 Convention extended a cordial invitation to the branches to send a large dele- gation to the meeting in April.
Mrs. Carl Plonk of Asheville announced that the South At- lantic Regional meeting would be held in Asheville, July 1-3, 1948 and that her branch desired to have a large North Carolina delegation attend the sessions at Grove Park Inn.
In discussing publicity, Mrs. S. D. Foster announced that the publicity award of $5.00 was again offered for the best display of branch publicity at the State Convention.
Mrs. J. Q. Seawell, Jr. for Dr. Edna Arundell of Women's College gave a report of the latter's reactions to the International Federation Convention which she had recently attended in To- ronto, Canada.
Mrs. J. W. Moore reported on her pleasant experiences as an official delegate of the State Division at the National Convention held in Dallas, Texas in July.
The State Historian was authorized to proceed with the publi- cation of the history.
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Two special long-range projects were approved after lengthy discussion. (1) A state-wide project to continue year after year is the sponsorship of the writing of county histories with a yearly award of a silver loving cup from the North Carolina Division of the AAUW; (2) A project international in scope is that of stimulating and establishing contact, especially through corres- pondence, between branches of the North Carolina AAUW and branches of the International Federation of University Women in foreign countries, as a gesture toward world peace and friend- ship. The first project falls under the direction of Mrs. Clyde A. Milner, and the second is being directed by Mrs. J. Allen Hunter.
Detailed reports from the various state committee chairmen reflected a year's purposeful work and showed the many phases of the AAUW program in the state.
The state legislative program accepted for the two-year period includes: (1) Provision for the supervision of instruction in the public schools; (2) Reduction of the teacher load; (3) An effective plan for the enforcement of the compulsory school at- tendance law; (4) Continued interest for better and more suit- able education for a-typical children.
Dr. Clyde A. Milner of Guilford College, as guest speaker gave a highly provocative discussion of "What Next In Higher Educa- tion", emphasizing the need to give more time and thought to the cultural and social, rather than the materialistic, as a factor in world understanding and world peace.
A busy workshop in the afternoon with committee chairmen heading the various groups completed a profitable day.
Not only were the business features of the day well planned, but the social courtesies which began on Friday evening and ex- tended through Saturday made the Board meeting highly enjoy- able. Mention should be made of the coffee hour at East Carolina Teachers College, and the luncheon at the Women's Club at which Miss Hooper, branch chairman presided and presented at- tractive gifts and souvenirs to the guests.
CHAPTER XIII-COMMITTEE REPORTS-1947
Reports to be included in the History were received from Maggie Lou Blackmon Barker (Mrs. W. M.) of High Point, recent arts chairman, for Noma Hardin (out of the state at the time) ; from Mrs. F. A. G. Cowper of Durham, Chairman of Committee on Legal and Economic Status of Women for 1945-47; from Lucy Lee Marvin (Mrs. James), Greensboro, State Chairman for Recent
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Graduates; and from Dr. Katherine Jocher, Chapel Hill, Social Studies chairman. These are appended as reported except the Social Studies report which had to be briefly summarized by the Historian with certain excerpts quoted from the highly informa- tive original. These reports follow.
Report of State Arts Chairman April 24, 1947
In the Fall of 1942, the Branch Art Chairmen, under the guidance of Miss Maggie Lou Blackmon, of High Point, N. C., undertook to unify the State Arts Program by sponsoring a State Wide School Art Exhibit. This project met with interest and success with Greensboro, Asheville and High Point leading in the entries. The winning entries were sent to Miss Adams, Chapel Hill, then Curator of Person Hall Art Gallery, to be used as a Circulating A.A.U.W. Exhibit.
In the year 1943, Miss Adams was elected State Arts Chair- man, and it was then that the A.A.U.W. joined the Womans Club and other organizations, to sponsor a wider-fuller program of school art in the state.
In 1944 Miss Noma Hardin of the Woman's College in Greensboro picked up where Miss Adams left off. The program has grown so steadily that all the Branches in the State are called on to participate in the Spring Art Exhibits that are held in the individual cities before the winning entries are sent to Chapel Hill for the Travelling Exhibit that can be obtained by any school in N. C. or any A.A.U.W. Branch.
Asheville has reached more than 100 schools and colleges in her city-wide exhibit. She has also done much in the field of the Theatre.
High Point has made strides in her Music study.
Greensboro is next to Asheville in her individual Art Exhibit. Mrs. Maggie Lou Blackmon Barker.
Report of State Chairman of Committee on Legal and Economic Status of Women-1945-47
Effort was made to get local branches to study the status of women and see if anything could be done by the Branches to im- prove it. Asked Branches to take active part in getting Constitu- tion changed to allow women to serve on juries.
Have cooperated with National in writing members of Congress whenever it was requested. Especially asked that Woman's Bureau receive adequate support.
Signed-Mrs. F. A. G. Cowper.
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Report of the Chairman of the Recent Graduates Committee-April 16, 1947
The Recent Graduates Committee is a new committee, insti- tuted, I believe, by Mrs. Herring herself. At the spring conven- tion in Durham in '46, she asked me if I would head this com- mittee starting in the fall of that same year, which I did. So altho' most of the other chairmen of standing committees are re- porting on activities of long standing, we had to start "from scratch".
A local chairman was appointed in each chapter by the presi- dent, and then I contacted each of these girls by letters and cards, asking their help and giving suggestions as to how we could best interest those women who have graduated from accredited schools and colleges within the past few years in becoming members of our organization. One local chairman wrote to me and said frankly there was no one in her chapter but school teachers who felt that they more or less had to belong, and that no one else seemed interested. That is the kind of situation we have tried to remedy by presenting our cause in its most attractive light to recent graduates.
We have taken steps to contact such girls individually, inviting them to our membership tea in the fall. We have cooperated with the Publicity Chairman in seeing that our activities are explained in the newspaper. We have written to colleges asking for lists of graduates in this vicinity, and have tried to interest our own friends in joining. Nearly every branch has reported that a few "recent graduates" have joined this year, and some have promised to join next year.
Of course, once they are a member of A.A.U.W., they should not be neglected or forgotten. All in all, this has been a very in- teresting job.
Signed-Lucy Lee Marvin (Mrs. James) . Social Studies Report
Note-In response to the Historian's request for Committee Chairmen's reports of the various phases of the work, Dr. Kath- erine Jocher, Chapel Hill, State Chairman of Social Studies sub- mitted a comprehensive and highly informational report of her program for 1945-46 and 1946-47. While this cannot be printed in full, some of the most pertinent parts are shown below.
From the 1945-46 report we quote from Dr. Jocher:
"In preparation for the Executive Committee meeting in High Point on October 20, 1945, the local Social Studies Chairmen
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were asked to consider the practicability of working out (1) a coordinated social studies program in the State, and (2) a closer tie-up with other committees, particularly the legislative com- mittee, because of the difficulties of giving adequate time to the consideration by the Branch of the work of each committee when there are no special study groups. The several local social studies chairmen present were of the opinion that it would be feasible and desirable to work out such a coordinated social studies pro- gram. They felt, too, the need for a closer tie-up with other com- mittees, particularly in the smaller branches where it is not pos- sible, for one reason or another, to have a number of study groups. Then, too, where one program a year is assigned each local chair- man, a coordinated program would permit taking a central theme and breaking it down for study among the various committees.
"Early in November, a letter introducing the above suggestions, was sent to all local social studies chairmen, with copies to the President and other State chairmen . . .
"Although there has been little exchange of letters between the Branch chairmen and the State chairman, and few Branches have asked for specific help, the reports that have come in are definitely encouraging, and Branches appear to be working along the lines suggested".
We quote from Dr. Jocher's 1946-47 report:
"Following the pattern of the last several years, social studies chairmen in the ten branches reporting to date to the State chair- man for the year 1946-47, work was centered around community problems and projects. An encouraging feature was the attempt at coordination of activities, not only within the local branch, but with other agencies and organized groups in the community".
Dr. Jocher then gives a concise report from the branches, broken down into the various phases to show how each branch had worked to improve its local situation in regard to Juvenile De- linquency, Education, and Health, with the results obtained. Such reports as Dr. Jocher's might be released to the State's newspapers to good advantage, since the AAUW has probably done a broader and more constructive piece of work through its program of service to the social and educational welfare of the state than the public knows, and even more than many of our members realize.
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CHAPTER XIV THE STATE DIVISION BULLETIN AND IT'S EDITORS
Bulletins were evidently published in some form during the early years of the organization but no copies of these are available for reference. Minutes state that the Convention of 1933 approved a recommendation of the Board of Directors that "an official State Bulletin be issued for the fall of 1933."
Minutes for 1934 say that the Board of Directors "decided to issue two bulletins yearly, one for the fall and one for the spring, with the Publicity Chairman in charge of publication." Minutes of the fall Board meeting of 1935 say that due to the resignation of Mrs. Wingate Johnson, Publicity Chairman, there would be no spring issue of the bulletin in 1936. However, a mimeographed bulletin labeled "Volume III, Fall Bulletin 1936," seems to in- dicate that Mrs. Johnson or someone else had issued two volumes prior to this, although there is no verification record.
The Editor's name is not stated as such in Volume III, but since the list of State Committee Chairmen shown in the Bulletin gives Marjorie Knox as Publicity Chairman, it seems safe to assume that Miss Knox edited this very informative and highly creditable mimeographed twelve-page issue. There is no copy of Volume IV on file.
Fortunately, "Volume V, Number 1" has been preserved. This four-page bulletin bearing the headline, "Published twice yearly, Edited in Charlotte, N. C., Mrs. E. B. Hunter, Editor," is the first printed bulletin. As Publicity Chairman, Mrs. Hunter also edited Volume VI (but there is no copy of this on file), and Vol- umes VII and VIII.
Beginning with Volume IX, Number 1 dated November, 1941, Mrs. S. D. Foster of Asheville assumed the editorship as State Publicity Chairman and is still handing out an excellent Bulletin which has gradually grown to eight pages of print in very small type to conserve space. Mrs. Foster says in her last issue, "The Bulletin has tried, honestly to reduce, without, as is obvious, much success. When we get nicely laced into four pages, along comes a branch or a committee or a national budget of news, and we bust out again. There seems to be no foundation available to solve the problems of middle age expansion. But after all the Bulletin is no longer an adolescent-why should it expect a teen- age figure?"
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CHAPTER XV AAUW FELLOWS IN NORTH CAROLINA
Very little information is available as to AAUW fellows from North Carolina or those who received fellowships in other states before they came to this state or those who have studied in this state. Such information as could be obtained follows.
Miss Louise Dauner, formerly an English instructor at the University of Wisconsin held a fellowship from AAUW which enabled her to do research at the University of North Carolina while completing her book on Edward Arlington Robinson.
Mrs. Howard K. Beale of Chapel Hill used an international study grant for special work in Paris and elsewhere in Europe.
Mrs. Alfred G. Engstrom also living in Chapel Hill used the Vassie James Hill Fellowship in completing work for Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of North Carolina 1942-43.
Dr. Lucille Delano, formerly of the faculty of the University of Iowa, now professor of Spanish at Queen's College, Charlotte, was awarded an international fellowship grant in 1932 which she used just prior to coming to this state. She studied in Spain at the Centro de Estudios Historicos, Madrid, did private research in the Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, and also at the British Museum in London. Dr. Delano's studies were applied on her Doctor of Philosophy degree conferred by the University of Iowa in 1934.
Dr. Dorothy Quinn, Duke University, and Miss Elizabeth Moore, Flora McDonald College, held AAUW fellowships which enabled them to complete the necessary study and research for their degrees.
Dr. Elizabeth Jastrow of the Art Department of Woman's Col- lege, Greensboro, studied in Greece and Italy on an International Fellowship grant.
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Part Two
STATISTICS PAST AND PRESENT Seniority Organization Status (Data Obtained From National Office)
Raleigh 1909, Greensboro 1912, Charlotte 1913, Durham 1913, Winston-Salem 1914, Asheville 1915, Chapel Hill 1922, High Point 1926, Greenville 1929, Statesville also 1929 but dis- banded 1936, Alamance, formerly Elon, 1932, Shelby 1938, Bry- son City 1941, Reidsville also 1941 but disbanded 1943, Louis- burg 1942, Oxford 1942, Thomasville 1946.
High Point disbanded in 1933 but reorganized in 1938. Win- ston-Salem disbanded 1939 and reorganized 1947.
Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, Durham, Winston-Salem, and Asheville were organized under the Southern Association of Col- lege Women and when this group merged with the Association of Collegiate Alumnae in 1921 these branches became charter members of the AAUW.
Chapel Hill was the first branch organized under the AAUW, and High Point was second. These eight were charter members of the State Division.
The reports in regard to charter members who have held con- tinuous membership through 1946-47 revealed the following: Alamance one, Greensboro three, Greenville six, High Point ten (since reorganization in 1938, with at least one since original organization), Louisburg five, Oxford seven, Shelby twelve. At the time of the report Thomasville had been organized only one year and so had no report as all were charter members.
FIRST BRANCH PRESIDENTS.
Names of first presidents of the branches were ascertained as far as possible. These are shown below.
Alamance- (Elon) -Mrs. W. A. Honeycutt-1932-36.
Asheville- (Western N. C.)-May Carbritt SACW-1915.
Martha E. Tracy AAUW-1922.
Bryson City-Mrs. B. C. Thomasson-1941-43.
Chapel Hill-Louise Venable (Mrs. W. C. Coker)-1922-24. Charlotte-Mrs. B. T. Groome AAUW-1921. No record of first president SACW-1913.
Durham-Lila B. Markham SACW-1913. No record of first president AAUW.
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Greensboro-Mary M. Petty SACW-1912-13. No record of first president AAUW.
Greenville-Mrs. E. L. Hillman AAUW-1929-30.
High Point-Mrs. Henry White-1938 when branch became re-
activated. Responsible for original organization prior to 1927.
Louisburg-Mrs. Margaret B. Kilby-1942.
Oxford-Mrs. D. H. Hall, Jr .- 1942-44.
Raleigh-Almiral Royal SACW-1909.
Catherine Allen AAUW-1921.
Reidsville-Winona Williams-1941. (Branch disbanded 1943).
Shelby-Mrs. Walter Abernathy-1938-39.
Statesville-No record of officers. (Disbanded 1936) .
Thomasville-Mrs. Mary Green Matthews-1945-47.
Warrenton-Mrs. John Kerr, Jr.,-1940. (Branch disbanded after one year) .
Winston-Salem-No report of the SACW or of the AAUW first presidents.
OFFICERS N. C. STATE DIVISION-1927-47
PRESIDENTS AND SECRETARIES
1927-29-Catherine Allen, Raleigh; Catherine Wright, Greens- boro.
1929-31-Mrs. E. R. Mosher, Chapel Hill; Sara Rowe, and Mar- guerite Herr both of Durham, one year each.
1932-33-Alice Meserve, Raleigh; Marguerite Herr, Durham.
1933-35-Mrs. Clyde Milner, Guilford College; Mrs. E. P. Dav- idson, Charlotte.
1935-37-Elizabeth Anderson, Durham; Mrs. G. T. Schwen- ning, Chapel Hill.
1937-41-Mrs. C. T. Wanzer, Charlotte; Mrs. G. T. Schwen- ning, Chapel Hill and Virginia Bryan, Asheville. 1 1941-43-Mrs. C. E. Blackstock, Asheville; Miss Nora Raysor, Asheville.
1943-47-Mrs. R. A. Herring, High Point; Mrs. Robert Conner, one year and Mrs. Blake Thompson three years, both of High Point.
1947-49-Mrs. Robert Lee Humber, Greenville; Mrs. D. S. Spain, Greenville.
VICE-PRESIDENTS AND TREASURERS
1927-28-Bessie Pfohl, Winston-Salem; Helen Lethco, Charlotte. 1928-29-Mrs. W. E. Caldwell, Chapel Hill; Catherine Wright, Greensboro.
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1929-30-Helen Garrett, Greensboro; Mrs. W. T. Powell, High Point.
1930-31-Mrs. Francis D. Clarkson, Charlotte; Maurine Bled- soe, Asheville.
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