Mission: Founded in 1897 to promote the intellectual and social life of its members and to contribute to the welfare of the community.
History
Our club officially began in 1897 with 10 local women, likely emulating Jane Cunningham Croly, a vocal advocate for the advancement of women and their changing role in society. Jane is wholly credited with starting the Women’s club movement including the formation of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. The South Deerfield Women’s Club joined the General Federation on June 25th, 1898. You can read more about Jane in a recent blog post here.
Through the years we have evolved but we still hold true to the purpose Jane believed Women’s Clubs could fulfill all those years ago, and we still read Mary Stewart’s Collect at each meeting (read more about her here).
Nowadays, we meet on the 4th Wednesday of the month (unless otherwise noted) from September to April at the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in South Deerfield, MA. We gather to plan upcoming events, enjoy presentations from neighbors, and enjoy the camaraderie of women working together “with wide interests for large purpose” as Mary Stewart said.
Jane Cunningham Croly and Mary Stewart inspired countless women across the United States, including our ten founding members, to form their own women’s club. For a glimpse into the lives of those founding members, please enjoy this humorous excerpt taken from a Women’s Club letter archived at the PVMA library:
“It was in the fall of 1897 that Mrs. Marcia Rice and Miss Flora Mentor began to take a great interest in Women’s Clubs. They had heard of the growth in wisdom of our sisters across the river since they had had such an organization and did not want to be outdone. So on a Saturday afternoon, November 11th, 1897, the ladies of the village were summoned to appear at the chapel parlor. Ten women responded and listened intently to the story of the workings of the Sunderland Club. Before the sun went down our club was born, been christened, and the doctor said it wouldn’t live.”
Today
125 years later, we remain and we remember all the pioneering women who went before us, promoting the ideals established long ago in support of our community. Since that time, our club has grown and changed. We have maintained a quiet yet unwavering presence in our community supporting veterans, scouts, seniors, the Town Common, educational scholarships, Adopt-A-Family, community meals, the Tilton Library, and one another. (Want to read more about the SDWC’s history with the Tilton Library? Read on!)
In any given year we participate in and host a number of civic-minded programs including but not limited to
- 3 community meals a year
- Adopt-A-Family at the holidays
- direct support for local veterans and seniors
- funding scholarships for graduating high school seniors
- supporting local social service agencies through small grants
- tending to community gardens
- lighting up the Town Common with deer at the holidays
- the Pillowcase Project, where we sew pillowcases for several charitable groups including hospitalized children
South Deerfield Women’s Club 