Mother’s Study Club
Marceline, Missouri – Organized 1934Third 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.
The Ladies’ Home Culture Club
The Ladies’ Home Culture Club was organized October 3, 1901. The club had its beginning as four friends sat around a card table at the home of Mrs. Grace West. The date was September of 1901 and the other three women were Mrs. Bird Sweet, Mrs. Yocum, and Miss Nine Kendrick. Conversation turned to the need for more social life in the then comparatively new town of Marceline. As a result, seven ladies – Mrs. Sweet, Mrs. Yocum, Miss Kendrick (later Woodworth), Mrs. Murray, Mrs. White, Mrs. West, and Mrs. Shelton – became charter members and gathered together 24 ladies who met with Mrs. Sweet on October 3, 1901, for the purpose of organizing a club. Mrs. Olive Shelton became the first president. Her suggestion for a name and motto were adopted. Programs at each meeting were suggested and arranged for the following meeting. Several years later, yearbooks were introduced. On October 12, 1951, the Home Culture Club celebrated its 15th anniversary. The occasion was observed at the Christian Church reception room. Two charter members were honored at this meeting, Mrs. Murray and Mrs. White. Four former members from out-of-town were present and greetings were read from many others. It was a gala occasion. An outstanding event through the years was the annual New Year’s Feast which was the high point of the year’s activities. This was enjoyed by the families of members and eagerly anticipated from year to year. Probably the most colorful event in the history of the Club took place in the earlier days when the husbands of the Ladies’ Home Culture Club members staged a surprise party for them aboard a private Santa Fe dining car. The dining car was attached to Santa Fe Train No. 10, arriving here about 9 o’clock at night. A Harvey House Chef and a full corps of waiters served a ten-course dinner. Cut flowers decorated the tables and the women were in formal attire. There were toasts to the ladies and many speeches. Among the husbands who proved ability as orators were Senator B. L. White, Clarence Kendrick, George Early, C. U. Murray, W. N. Wheeler, and E. W. Taylor. Through the years the membership has been limited to twenty-four women. The purpose of the Club remains chiefly social, and the motto continues to be “”EACH FOR THE OTHER AND ALL FOR TRUTH.”