Vermilion County, Illinois - Chapter 39: The Woman's Clubs in Danville, 1911

The fad or natural demand or fashion, call it what you choose, to organize the women of a place into woman's clubs, did not miss Danville. Clubs with every reason to exist or not to exist have taken possession not only of Danville but of every village of the county. Social clubs of every description have come to stay. All these clubs naturally have an effect of dissipating the forces of the individual and the community as well. Not all the women of Danville by any means became members of any of these clubs, but a large number did.

There had been an old Chautauqua class, and in 1895 this class decided to become a part of the state federation, and organized themselves into an incorporated body with about thirty-five members. This organization was called The Woman's Club. Mrs. Joseph Carter, at that time the wife of the superintendent of Danville schools, made great effort to bring about this organization. Mr. W. R. Jewell was also active in bringing about the making of a woman's club in Danville.

The first president of the Woman's Club was fittingly Mrs. Joseph Carter (Mrs. Jane Fennel Carter). Under her management, the club grew in numbers, and was well organized. An ideal of the duties of the organization's opportunities was made high. Several sections were formed, in which different courses of study could be pursued, and the club bid fair to help raise the standard of woman's effort.

Miss Sherman was the next president, and under her administration the club grew in numbers and efficiency. Josephine Lawrence was the third president, and the club comprised many of the women of the city. Mrs. Fannie Pearson Meeks was the next president. Mrs. Meeks is a woman of high appreciation of literary attainments, and during her administration the club made efforts to make progress in this direction. Mrs. Glidden was the president for the next year. She was active in increasing the membership and raising the social tone of the club. Mrs. Nanny Kelly Guy was the president immediately following. Mrs. Glidden and she made popular and efficient leaders. Jane Head Fithian succeeded Mrs. Guy. It was while Mrs. Fithian was president that the State Federation of Woman's Clubs met at Danville. This meeting was a great success and reflected great credit on the management of the Woman's Club of Danville. Mrs. Fithian is a woman eminently fitted to manage such an affair.

Mrs. Gertrude T. D. Samuels followed Mrs. Fithian, and under her administration the matter of domestic science was favorably considered. Mrs. Kate Aull Heath followed Mrs. Samuel as president of the Woman's Club, and made a splendid presiding officer. Mrs. Heath has had much experience in such work, and knew how to handle the club matters. Mrs. Myra Clark was the presiding officer for the following year. Mrs. Clark is a faithful worker in anything she undertakes, and the club found her always ready.

Mrs. Clark was followed by Mrs. Thompson, and she is serving her second year as president of the Woman's Club of Danville. The club privileges are not restricted to Danville, and the women of other parts of the county are welcome to become members. During Mrs. Thompson's rule a very important work has been inaugurated in the help given to shoe the children who are without these necessities. The Woman's Club has done good work, both in the literary and civic field and in the domestic science line. The Woman's Club is particularly to be commended for the work they have done here since it was directly through their efforts that domestic science was put into the regular school work as a study.

In civics they have worked more particularly along the line of pure food and clean groceries. Their object at present is to secure playgrounds for children. The present philanthropic work is something a little unusual. This is under the charge of the shoe and stocking section. The club works through the teachers of the public schools. There is a committee in the club who take care of all cases. When a teacher finds a pupil in need of shoes and not able to buy them, she sends a note with the child, who takes it to the club rooms on Saturday, where one of the members of this section is in waiting to take the child or children to a shoe store and buy a pair of shoes, providing also two pairs of stockings. This section has been in existence for two years and have kept one hundred and fifty children in school. In connection with this work, it is only just to credit Mrs. Muir with the success of the undertaking. She has given her time, her energies and her best endeavor into this work, and never has been discouraged nor dismayed.