Throughout Meeker County, there has been a long and varied history of women’s clubs. Most of the clubs started in an era when few women worked outside of the home and provided the women with social and community outlets. Here’s a look at three such clubs.
Litchfield Women’s Club
The Litchfield Women’s Club started in 1894 and became part of the Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1895. Originally, the club was called the Women’s Literary Club, and as the name suggests, literature was an early focus. In the Museum’s archives is the club’s program booklet for 1900-1901. The group met weekly, with multiple presentations and discussions at each meeting. For example, one week’s agenda included talks on the history of the late Middle Ages, the poem “The Faerie Queen,” Calvinism, and the Renaissance. It was up to the group members to present topics each week.
As the club evolved, “literary” was dropped from the name, and much of the group’s work focused on helping others. During both World Wars, the club assisted the Red Cross. They helped raise money for those in need during the Great Depression. They were also instrumental in starting the local Girl Scouts, raising money and supporting the girls’ different projects. Other activities included Arbor Day, Litchfield Watercade, and Litchfield’s Christmas decorations.
The Sunshine Club
The Sunshine Club of Swede Grove Township started in 1933 as a “friendship club.” The women met each month at members’ homes. Like similar groups, the club had strict rules as to the amount of food that could be served. The hostess was limited to coffee, two kinds of sandwiches, and three other items.
Each attendee paid 5 cents per meeting and the funds were used to purchase project materials and gifts. A baby shower was thrown for the members upon the birth of their first child and bridal showers were given for any members’ children. The group always gifted the new couple with a card table and chairs. Each Christmas, the treasury was all but emptied and given to charity.
Stitch and Chatter Club
Collinwood Stitch and Chatter Club started out as a chance for young women to do just that – stitch and chatter. Most, if not all, of the original members were newlyweds. Early meetings were held once a month during the day, but as the members started having children, the women met in the evenings so the working husbands could tend to the children.
The families weren’t always excluded, however, and the group welcomed their families to several events including dinner parties, scavenger hunts, and fish fries. Over the decades, the chatter evolved – going from newlywed life to raising children to the grandparent years. The women also sought to learn things through home extension classes. There was one memorable class that involved an exploding pressure cooker! The club was first organized in 1940 with eight members and grew over the years. Over forty years later, five of the original members were still attending the meetings.
These club histories were adapted from the Meeker County Historical Society’s 1987 publication Meeker County Memories.
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