USA > North Carolina > History of the North Carolina State Division American Association of University Women, 1927-1947 [1948] > Part 5
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1931-32-Alice Meserve, Raleigh; Maurine Bledsoe, Asheville.
1932-34-Elizabeth Anderson, Durham; Virginia Batte, Win- ston-Salem.
1934-36-Mrs. B. Y. Tyner, Raleigh; Mrs. Joseph Johnson, Winston-Salem.
1936-38-Mrs. B. Y. Tyner, Raleigh; Mrs. Luigi Zande, Ashe- ville.
1938-40-Mrs. Charles Milner, Greensboro; Alma Wyche, Dur- ham.
1940-42-Mrs. L. B. Tannenbaum, Greensboro and Mrs. Fred Terrell, Raleigh, one year each; Mrs. J. E. Winslow, Greenville.
1942-44-Mrs. Fred Terrell, Raleigh; Mrs. J. E. Winslow, Greenville.
1944-46-Mrs. Fred Terrell, Raleigh; Sarah Nooe, Charlotte.
1946-48-Mrs. J. W. Moore, Asheville; Sarah Nooe, Charlotte.
PRESENT BRANCH OFFICERS-1947-48
and
IMMEDIATE PAST OFFICERS AS REPORTED
Officers' names are shown in the following order, President first, Vice-president second, Secretary third, and Treasurer fourth. If the names for 1946-47 are not the same as for 1947-48 these are added as past officers.
Alamance: Mrs. John H. Alley, Mrs. John A. Holt, Mrs. J. Glenn McAdams (corresponding) and Ann Bridges (recording) , Ernestine Cherry. Past president, Mildred Kichline.
Asheville: Mrs. Carl A. Plonk, Mrs. Peter Callahan, Mrs. Charles H. Gaunt III, Mrs. E. L. Clasz.
Bryson City: Mrs. H. L. Bacon, Ethel Garnett, Mrs. James Light, Clara Sample. Past president, Gertrude Flannagan.
Chapel Hill: Mary L. Cobb, Mrs. C. P. Spruill, Jr., Louise Dalton, Mrs. G. T. Schwenning. Past president, Mrs. B. F. Kingsbury; past treasurer, Isabelle McLeod.
Charlotte: Mrs. James B. Ficklen. (Others not reported) .
Durham: Mrs. Hazen Smith, Annie John Williams, Maude F. Rogers (corresponding) and Mrs. W. H. Cozart (recording) , Mrs. J. B. Stone. Past president, Dr. Katherine Jeffers. (Mrs.
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W. H. Glasson, present historian, is a charter member of the branch) .
Greensboro: Mrs. J. Q. Seawell, Jr., Mrs. Joe H. Johnson (first) and Mrs. E. W. Seager (second), Mrs. John M. Betts, Mrs. J. Howard Cole. Immediate past officers: Mary York, First and Mrs. James T. Heilig, Second vice-president; Mrs. Brown Patterson, secretary, and Mrs. Carl Wesselhoft, treasurer.
Greenville: Emma L. Hooper, Agnes Fullilove, Mrs. Howard Mims, Margaret Sammon. Past vice-president, Frances Wahl.
High Point: Mrs. W. Martine Barker, Mrs. N. P. Yarborough, Louisa Hatch, Mrs. Milton H. Hadley. Past president, Mrs. James H. Hogg; Past treasurer, Ernestine Fields.
Louisburg : Mrs. Hamilton Hobgood, Mrs. Bettie Tarpey, Mrs. Dick Yarborough, Elizabeth Johnson. Past president, Mrs. Walter Patten; Past secretary, Mildred Smith.
Oxford: Mrs. Joe A. Watkins, Alice Smith, Edna Reams, Mrs. F. W. Bullock. Immediate past officers: Lois Walker, president; Mrs. Oscar McFarland, vice-president; Mrs. Joe E. Watkins, sec- retary; Lucy Taylor Baird, treasurer.
Raleigh: Mrs. Harold G. McCurdy, Daisy Waitt, Bertie Lee Whitesides (corresponding) and Kate Matthews (recording), Mabel Ellis. Past president, Catherine T. Dennis.
Shelby: Selma Webb, Mrs. Charles Burns, Mrs. Frank Love, Jr., Mrs. Walter Fanning. Past secretary, Mrs. Paul Kennedy.
Thomasville: Mrs. J. Glenn Pennington, Louise McMillan, Mrs. Charles H. Leek, Maurine Perryman. Past president, Mrs. Mary Green Matthews; past secretary, Mrs. Jesse L. Finch.
Winston-Salem : Mrs. William Neal, Mrs. Hiram S. Cody, Jr., Margaret Simpson (corresponding) and Bonnie Angelo (record- ing), Joyce Cain. This branch also reports Laura Sumner as branch historian.
Note: It is a source of regret to the Historian that all names of branch historians were not available for listing.
SOME COMPARISONS
1. The Association of Collegiate Alumnae was organized in Boston in 1881 with seventeen members; the North Carolina State Division of the AAUW was organized in Greensboro in 1927 with eight branches and possibly 125 members.
2. The AAUW was formed from a merger of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae and the Southern Association of College Women in Washington in 1921 with a total of 537 branches and slightly more than 35000 members.
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3. In July, 1947 the AAUW had 1016 branches and a mem- bership of 94,579; while the North Carolina Division had 14 branches and a membership of 917, not counting Winston-Salem.
4. The South Atlantic Region gave $7370.54 for the Fellow- ship Fund in 1946-47. Of this amount the North Carolina Divi- sion gave $688.25. Through May 31, 1946, according to the National Office, North Carolina had contributed $8125.82 to the $30,000.00 Fellowship Fund.
Part Three
Branch Histories
Requests for branch histories to be submitted early in the spring of 1947 brought responses from thirteen of the fourteen branches active during 1946-47.
The history shown for Winston-Salem is taken from a news- paper clipping which gave the story of the reorganization of the Winston-Salem branch early in the fall of 1947.
Since Greensboro is the scene of the birth and also of the cele- bration commemorating the twenty-first birthday of the State Di- vision, the history for that branch is presented first. Other branch histories follow in sequential order of original organization.
THE GREENSBORO BRANCH-1912-1946
The Greensboro branch is very proud of the fact that it is second oldest, in the State, official date of its organization being 1912. At that time it was a branch of the Southern Association of College Women (organized July, 1903) which merged with the Association of Collegiate Alumnae (organized January, 1881) on April 1, 1921, to form the American Association of University Women. First officers of the branch were as follows:
President-Miss Mary M. Petty, N. C. State Normal College.
Vice-president-Miss Annie M. Pegram, Greensboro Female College; Secretary-treasurer-Miss Cora Strong, N. C. State Nor- mal College.
Printed proceedings of the Ninth Annual Meeting of the South- ern Association of College Women at Nashville, Tenn., April 3-5, 1912, contain the following report from the new officers:
"The Greensboro chapter of the Southern Association of Col- lege Women was organized on March 26, 1912, at the instance of Misses Mary M. Petty and Julia Dameron, of the State Normal College. It reports a membership of 15, representing 11 different institutions.
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"Since it came into being so late in the school year, and since most of its members are teachers, the chapter plans to undertake no organized work before next September. Its special form of work has not been definitely settled. Several alluring possibilities are, however, floating around in the minds of the members. Among these are (1) an investigation of the 'special student' problem in local schools, and (2) a study of certain conditions in the high schools of the state. Greensboro, with its various educational insti- tutions-city, state, and church-offers abundant material for the study of these and kindred problems.
"At the end of another year the chapter hopes to report the accomplishment of something definite and tangible. Meantime, its members express their genuine interest in, and sympathy with, the efforts of those who have been longer in the work.
"Respectfully submitted, Mary M. Petty, President. Cora Strong, Secretary-treasurer."
We have the names of 13 of the charter members as follows: Bryan, Eva May-State Normal College; Bryner, Edna Clare- State Normal College; Dameron, Julia M .- State Normal Col- lege; Daniel, Mary King-State Normal College; Gove, Anna M. (M.D.)-State Normal College; Jackson, Mrs. C. W .; Men- denhall, Gertrude W .- State Normal College; Pegram, Annie M. Greensboro Female College; Petty, Mary M .- State Normal College; Ragsdale, Virginia-State Normal College; Strong, Cora -State Normal College; Wilson, Alice V .- Greensboro Female College; McLelland, May-(Assoc.)-State Normal College.
Of the charter members, Miss Petty, Miss Pegram and Dr. Gove have been in continuous membership since organization.
Records show that membership fluctuated from the original 15 members, the branch having 11 members in 1913, 15 active and 3 associate members in 1914, 22 active and 2 associate mem- bers in 1915, 26 members in 1916 (19 of these being on the faculty at N. C. State Normal College whose graduates were not eligible for membership until 1927 when as North Carolina Col- lege for Women the school was admitted into the AAUW), 21 active and 2 associate members in 1917, and 13 members in 1921. Through the years, with graduates of more and more schools be- coming eligible for membership in the AAUW, membership has continued to increase, at the present time consisting of 89 national and 12 associate members.
Meetings of the original organization were held quarterly,
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being changed to monthly in 1917. For a number of years, meet- ings were held in a centrally located civic center or hotel, but in March, 1944, decision was made to meet in private homes and serve light refreshments. Meetings are now held on the second Friday afternoon of the month at 3:30 P.M. except for three open meetings; the March meeting is held in the evening with the Mayflower Cup award winner as guest speaker. There is an afternoon picnic meeting in May. In the fall there is always a tea in a member's home at which new members are welcomed into the branch.
The Greensboro branch is fortunate in having so many nearby schools and colleges from which to draw outstanding speakers for its programs. For a number of years it has been customary to have a review of current events by a history professor from one of the colleges; Dr. Elliott O. Watson (Greensboro College) beginning this custom for us in 1940, and Dr. Richard Bardolph (W.C.U.N.C.) continuing for us at the present time. Dr. Eliza- beth Jastrow (originally from Germany), of the faculty of W.C.U.N.C. and one of our active members, who continued her archaeological studies in Italy and Greece under an AAUW International Fellowship in 1934-35, spoke to us in February, 1942, on her studies under this Fellowship. An outstanding series of programs in 1942 dealt with "Woman's Place in the War, on the Home Front, etc.", with conversant speakers for each meet- ing. Our International Relations Study Group has had charge of several meetings, presenting a number of students in schools here who have come from foreign countries. Our program chairmen plan for speakers who will continue to tie in with a study pro- gram in education, social studies and the arts, pointing towards better participation by our members in community activities.
Mayflower Cup award winners who have been with us at our March meeting since the custom originated, are Miss Adalaide Fries, Winston-Salem, "The Road to Salem" (1944) at the 1945 meeting; and Miss Josephine Niggli, Chapel Hill, "Mexican Vil- lage" (1946) at the 1947 meeting. Dr. Richard Bardolph re- viewed for us at the 1946 meeting the 1945 winner, "The Wilson Era", by Josephus Daniels.
The branch has always been an outstanding contributor to the community through its projects, among these being:
1. Toy Exhibit. This project was sponsored for two years just before Christmas as a guide to parents in selecting toys for their children.
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2. Public Nutrition Clinic. This project was sponsored in 1942 under the C.D.V.O. program. Meetings were held once a month, with discussions by experts on food and health.
3. Volunteer services to various community organizations (1941-45) such as Greensboro Planning Council, U.S.O. Trav- eler's Aid, O.P.A. Board, C.D.V.O., American Red Cross and Canteen Service. Members manned a daily information booth on point rationing (in connection with C.D.V.O.) and also staffed War Bond booths. One member served on the local O.P.A. Board, and another was assistant to the Price Ceiling Panel of the local Board.
4. Donation to British Relief. During 1941-42 the branch raised $60 through benefit bridge parties which was donated to the British relief.
5. Art Exhibit. This project was started in 1944, proving so successful that it was decided to continue it as an annual event in the spring. Under the supervision of the Art Supervisor of the city schools, the contest is open to all students in the grammar grades, junior and senior high schools. The contest covers tem- pera, crayon work, overall design, costume design, clay work, water color, ceramics, ink drawing and textile design. An invi- tational tea, at which prizes are distributed, is held the opening day of the exhibit. Members of the branch serve as hostesses each day, length of time of the exhibit varying from 3-5 days. At- tendance has been splendid each year, drawing visitors from neigh- boring towns.
6. The branch received a letter of commendation from the superintendent of city schools for endorsing and promoting the city's special school tax election in February, 1947, which will mean improvement in teacher pay and in the general school pro- gram.
7. Adding Equipment to Schools. This is a new project adopted to furnish departments needing additional equipment with such supplies.
Greensboro has always been a contributor to the Fellowship Fund, making the largest contribution of any branch in the State in 1946 ($118). The largest amount in the history of the State organization was contributed to National in 1943 when Mrs. Montgomery K. Young from our branch was serving as State Fellowship Chairman. It is of interest to note along this same line in the records of the SACW for 1916 that "a scholarship of $150 was given to a young woman student at Barnard College
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on the strength of warm recommendations ... received from the Greensboro chapter."
Old State minutes record that "at the invitation of the Greens- boro branch, on the morning of March 17, 1927, 40 members from seven of the eight branches in N. C. met at the King Cotton Hotel to effect plans for formation of a State organization." Miss E. Katherine Wright, from Greensboro, was elected first State secretary and served two years in this capacity. Other members who have served as officers in the State organization are: Miss Helen Garrett, Mrs. Clyde A. Milner, Mrs. C. F. Milner, and Mrs. Leah Baach Tannenbaum. Greensboro has been well represented in various State Committee Chairman-Mrs. Clyde A. Milner serving as Chairman of Social Studies in 1938-39, and Mrs. Montgomery K. Young as Fellowship Chairman during 1942-44, being succeeded by Miss Mary York in 1944; Miss Noma Hardin has served as Chairman of Creative Arts, and Mrs. James G. Mar- vin, Jr. as Chairman of Recent Graduates for 1946-47.
Greensboro is proud of having had a member, in the person of Miss Harriet Ellioitt, Dean of Women at W.C.U.N.C., serve as Chairman of the National Legislative Committee for 1937-1943.
The second Annual meeting of the State organization was held in Greensboro on April 19, 1929. Our branch was hostess to the State Convention April 17-18, 1936, and is to be hostess to the State Convention in 1948. The State Board Meeting was also held here October 10, 1942.
This summary on the history of the Greensboro branch covers 34 years of progress. We believe it indicates the place our branch holds in the community, and through the progress reported would seem to forecast its further development in more varied and worth- while causes contributing to community life and accordingly the life of its members in general.
Records are not complete as to branch presidents for the years 1917-18, 1919-20 and 1921-34. The following are shown: Mary M. Petty 1912-13, Julia Dameron 1913-14, Eva M. Bryan 1914-15, with Gertrude Mendenhall finishing the year, Cora Strong 1915-16, Annie M. Pegram 1916-17, Mary M. Petty 1918-19, Mrs. T. Moody Stroud 1920-21, Jane Summerell 1934-35, Mrs. P. B. Whittington, Jr. 1935-37 with the term finished out by Mrs. Charles Milner, Mrs. Charles Milner 1937- 38, Mrs. M. K. Young 1938-39, Mrs. Raymond A. Smith 1939- 40, Mrs. M. K. Young 1940-41, Mrs. Richard B. Dunn 1941-43, Mrs. G. E. Cory 1943-44, Mrs. F. G. Eichorn 1944-45, Mrs. M.
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L. Skaggs 1945-46 with Mrs. J. Q. Seawell, Jr. completing the year, Mrs. J. Q. Seawell, Jr. 1946-48.
Signed-Grace Sharpe Draper (Mrs. H. M., Jr.), Historian for 1947-48.
Author's Note-Mrs. Hugh A. Watson, historian for 1946-47 sent in some of the statistics covered in Mrs. Draper's report.
THE RALEIGH BRANCH-1909-1947
The Raleigh Branch of the Southern Association of College Women was organized on February 12, 1909, at Meredith Col- lege with ten members. Miss Almiral Royal was first president and Alice Meserve was secretary. Misses Elizabeth Avery Colton and Mary Shannon Smith were among the founders and it was largely due to their untiring efforts that such effective work was done in connection with standardization of colleges for women in this state and the entire south.
At the first regular meeting April 5, 1909, a definite program of work was submitted which included two objectives (1) the collecting of data in regard to the curriculum of North Carolina High Schools, with a view to urging these schools to adopt the fourteen unit Carnegie standard as soon as practicable; (2) inter- esting North Carolina Legislators in the establishment of juve- nile courts in the state.
Among the earlier activities of the Branch was the observance of College Day when students from Raleigh and nearby high schools were visited by members of the organization and told something of colleges and college standing.
Programs have centered around educational laws of the state, the legal status of women, all matters pertaining to improving social conditions affecting children and women, international rela- tions to develop a world point of view and other timely subjects.
The earlier meetings were held in the homes of the members or at the schools where they were employed, but in 1925 the custom of having dinner meetings with a speaker originated, and for a number of years that was the established custom. A bit of humor comes in connection with this, as one report speaks as if the serving of refreshments had become a burden so it was voted that only one solid and one liquid be served at a meeting.
About this time a number of study groups were formed. These included such subjects as North Carolina folk lore, North Carolina pottery, Rural Schools of North Carolina, Negro in Literature, Drama, International Relations, and the Pre-School Child.
The Association of Collegiate Alumnae and the Southern Asso-
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ciation of College Women were merged into the American Associa- tion of University Women, and in 1921 we became the Raleigh Branch of the AAUW.
Our Branch took an active part in the formation of, the State Federation of Branches and has furnished one State President, Miss Catherine Allen. Miss Allen has been outstanding for her influence in the councils of both national and international or- ganizations. As a delegate to meetings of the general association in this and foreign countries she has brought us a world view of ourselves as university women that we could have gained in no other way. We realize fully in this and many other ways our indebtedness to her.
The Branch voted on April 23, 1923, to raise $500.00 with which to establish a scholarship Loan Fund at Meredith College. It was later decided to name the scholarship for Elizabeth Avery Colton who died in 1924. The Branch also made a sizeable contribution to the Headquarters Fund Clubhouse as a memorial to Miss Colton. Regular contributions have been made also to the million dollar Fellowship Fund.
The five study groups-Child Welfare, Education, Legislation and International Relations and Fellowship took a prominent part during the decade of the thirties. The Education Committee sponsored films, books for the library, nine months school term and college guidance conferences; the Child study group sup- ported legislation both state and national on Child Welfare, gave publicity to the Childrens Charter and brought an exhibit on children's toys and clothing to the city; funds were raised an- nually for the Elizabeth Avery Colton Fellowship; all legisla- tion pertaining to the welfare of women and children was care- fully studied and supported when found desirable; and the Inter- national Study Group brought speakers who have given many interesting talks on European and Asiatic countries, their peoples, religions, and politics. In 1935-36 the Branch became especially interested in the arts, devoting almost the entire year's program to art, poetry, music and decorating.
Volunteer work, entertaining service men, raising funds and clothing for people in war torn countries, and buying bonds took the major interest of the Branch in the early years of the forties. The programs included education, legislation, and the arts, as well as talks on our allies in Europe and South America. With the end of the war our attention was directed toward the advanc- ing south and progress within our own state in the fields of edu-
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cation, industry, agriculture, and human welfare.
The Raleigh Branch has supplied many officers and committee chairmen to the state organization. Raleigh has likewise had the pleasure of entertaining the state organization at both State Con- ventions and Board of Directors meetings.
Signed-Catherine T. Dennis.
CHARLOTTE BRANCH AAUW-1921-1946
The Charlotte Branch of the AAUW had its beginnings in 1913 when a few women organized the College Club for literary study. This small group developed into a branch of the Southern Association of College Women and in the spring of 1921 became affiliated with the AAUW. The first meeting was held on October 12, 1921.
When the organization was small, the meetings were held in the homes of the various members. This has been done off and on through the years. Frequently the meetings were held at the Y.W.C.A. or the Woman's Club. In the 1930's most of the meetings were in the hut of the Meyers Park Presbyterian Church. At the present time the group is using the Mint Museum of Art.
The programs for these meetings have certainly been varied. The first year, 1921-22, plays were studied and Walter Hampden was brought here in "Hamlet." Some years the programs fol- lowed a definite theme and all meetings were on one aspect of this theme. In 1937-38 "Religions of the World" was the topic and each meeting centered around one religion. Other years there has been no theme, each meeting having a different subject.
In 1925-26 the programs consisted of one-act plays, or a scene from a longer play, acted or read by various members. A study of the little theatre movement was begun. This study continued and grew and in 1927-28 the study group broke away from the Association. This group has grown into our very successful Little Theatre.
Up until 1928 the speakers for each meeting were usually AAUW members. In 1928 outside speakers were introduced. This policy is still being followed.
In addition to having programs at the regular monthly meet- ings, the AAUW has always had projects. The earliest project was "College Day." This consisted of talks to high school girls by members of the AAUW and by representatives of the different colleges.
From the beginning we have always contributed to a Student Loan Fund. From 1923 to 1928 a student was sent to Duke
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University. In 1928 the Loan Fund was changed to a scholar- ship and this was awarded to a student at the Woman's College for one year. In 1929 the Chapter voted to devote all money possible to the International Fellowship Fund, to which we have continued to contribute.
The Toy Exhibits sponsored by Ivey's Department Store had their beginning in a child study group organized in 1927-28. This study group discontinued in 1931-32, but out of it grew the Toy Exhibits. Ivey's allowed members of the AAUW to select their Christmas toys and to place these toys on sale in groups for certain age levels. The members themselves did the selling. For this service Ivey's paid the chapter one hundred dol- lars. These exhibits were sponsored until 1939.
In the year 1930-31 Miss Harriet Elliott of the Woman's College in Greensboro was engaged to give five lectures on inter- national relations. This series was so successful that Miss Elliott was asked to continue these lectures for several years. They were always open to the public.
The most popular lectures during 1933-34 were those given by Dr. Sylvia Allen, psychiatrist, and Dr. Oren Moore, obstetri- cian and gynecologist.
The Study Groups have always been popular. For a number of years, 1939-1942, the Parent-Teacher Association would at- tend a series of four lectures sponsored by the AAUW on various subjects. In 1939-40 Dr. Rene De Williamson of Davidson College led a study course on "The Meanings of Citizenship for Women." In 1940-41 Dr. M. G. Fraser of Winthrop led the course and in 1941-42 Dr. P. H. Gwynn of Davidson had as his subject "Defense Challenges American Education." In 1942-43 the course was on Pan-American relations.
In 1939-40 the Branch sponsored three childrens' plays given by the Clare Tree Major Children's Theatre. The policy of bringing different entertainments was continued until 1942-43.
In 1940-41 the AAUW made a registry of Charlotte women for volunteer service for National Defense Emergencies. Over four thousand women signed. This same year one of our committees helped the Mint Museum classify, mount, and distribute prints to the city schools.
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