Marceline, Missouri – Organized 1934
Third District Federated – 1937
Early in the year 1934 a group of young mothers in Marceline interested in child care and training read in the Parents’ Magazine of study articles that could be obtained from the University of Missouri at Columbia, Child Raising Department. They sent for the monthly article, which was priced at 75 cents. These articles also told how to form the study groups into clubs and the University sent a woman representative to help them get organized.
The first meeting of the Mother’s Study Club was held the second Wednesday in October, 1934. “Parental Responsibility” was the first topic of discussion. Mrs. Catherine Diekroeger was the first president, Mrs. H. E. Lillingston, vice-president, and Mrs. Doris Hise, secretary. Other charter members were: Mrs. Leona Downing, Mrs. Virginia Embree, Mrs. Curlette Foster, Mrs. Lucille Myers, Mrs. Myron Redd, Mrs. Cecilia Craighead, Mrs. Iva Cantwell, Mrs. A. Dorman, Mrs. Lewis Adair, Mrs. Joe Burnside, Mrs. Denzil Bunch, Mrs. Hurst.
In the club year of 1936-37 the Club affiliated with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. Eight of the members went to Kansas City that year to attend the Triennial Convention of Federated Clubs.
In 1936 the Mother’s Study Club sponsored the first hot lunch program in the Marceline schools. Mrs. Doris Hise and Mrs. Freddy Redd worked together with the WPA who provided the labor. Government food was obtained and cooked in the home economics room in the high school by Mrs. Edna DeLong, WPA Supervisor. The custodian, Joe Oliver, distributed the food in large containers to the 3 schools where the club members were responsible for serving in dishes they had begged, borrowed, or purchased with money they had raised.
In 1948-50 Mrs. Lucille Myers was president of the District.
During the World War II years. War Bonds were purchased by the club with money raised from rummage sales, etc. The club members also assisted in taking surveys of sales of War Bonds sold in this area.
From its beginning, the Mother’s Study Club has always cooperated with teachers in the local schools to provide clothing and hot lunch money for those pupils in need. Also to provide holiday baskets of food and clothing for needy families and to assist in any way for the betterment of Marceline, our state, and country.
A complete list of past presidents are: 1934-35, Catherine Diekroeger; 1935-36, Virginia Embree; 1936-37, Mrs. H.E. Lillingston; 1937-38, Doris Hise; 1938-39, Cecilia Craighead; 1939-40, Leona Downing; 1940-41, Iva Cantwell; 1941-42, Dorothy Bond; 1942-43, Lucille Myers; 1943-44, Tessie Boddy; 1944-45, Fidelis Lohmar; 1945-46, Barbara Machen; 1946-47, Thelma Murray; 1947-48, Mildred Putman; 1948-49, Deloma Houser; 1949-50, Melva Schutte; 1950-51, Rosalind Malone; 1951-52, Veronica Wampler; 1952-53, Frances Embree; 1953-54, Dorothy Kelly; 1954-55, MaryJune Robertson; 1955-56, Fonda Gucker; 1956-57, Florence Leach; 1957-58, Frances Coen; 1958-59, Bettie Smith; 1959-60, Marjorie Milliron; 1960-61, Laverne Sage; 1961-62, Hannah Adair; 1962-63, Mary Betty Dorrell.