Founders Day from the Archives
We are excited to revive a cherished tradition from our early years for this year's Founder's Day celebration. In honor of the club’s 139th anniversary, we invite members to present thoughtful gifts to the club, just as our founding members did in 1896.
These contributions will help us celebrate our past and look forward to the future of the Peoria Women's Club. Following this announcement, you will find a registry of items requested by the Social Committee. We look forward to celebrating this special occasion together!
From the Peoria Women’s Club archives:
Monday, January 20, 1896
“Founder’s Day was celebrated for the first time - the tenth birthday. Fifteen of the charter members were present. The club received the following gifts.
(Sampling of the List):
Punch bowl - Mrs. Clara Bourland
2 dozen silver forks - Mrs. Clara Greenhut
1 dozen silver teaspoons - Mrs. Putterbaugh
5 half-dozen silver teaspoons - Lydia Bradley
Program:
Greeting
Looking Backward
Club Classes
A Cup of Tea
Club Housekeeping
The Protective Agency
The Silent Members
Loyalty
Poem
Reminisces
The Lessons of the Year
The Outlook
Closing of entire audience singing Auld Lang Syne.
January 11, 1932 (Evening Department archives)
“As we looked at the beautiful table decorations on the speakers' table, we beheld a scantily clad figure standing defiantly on a small mound of snow. Ha, we thought, is this an announcement party? But lo and behold, taking a second glance over the room, we saw that the other tables, too, were adorned with this charming little fellow, clad in his birthday clothes, plus a “tummy band” or ribbon bow. Could this be a wholesale announcement? Why yes, t’is Leap Year; such things do happen in the best of regulated clubs. Taking a third look - to our disappointment, we found that the bow and arrow were missing and that it was only little New Year welcoming us into our first Club supper for the new year.”
Written by Lynette Woelfe Steger, Peoria Women’s Club January 2025