History

THE HISTORY OF THE WOMAN’S CLUB   OF WINDSOR
1930 -2024

     “On Friday afternoon, May 23, 1930 about twelve representative ladies of Windsor, Virginia met at the home of Mrs. J. M. Raby’s for the purpose of organizing a Woman’s Club.”  (Minutes of first meeting) They elected temporary officers to organize the club and write the Constitution.  A small number of committees were established to undertake the work of the club.  The group decided to meet twice a month, the first to be business and the second to be social.  The club year was to run from October to June.  Today, the club year is from September to May.  Minutes of March 13, 1952 show a vote to go to one meeting a month.
 

    At the second meeting, the group set the number of members for the first year at thirty.  New members were voted in by the body.  Open meetings were planned where ladies interested in joining could attend.  This practice continued for many years until more recent times, where today, if a person attends a meeting and wishes to become a member she is welcomed.  The club continued to grow and limits were placed on membership.  By the 1950’s membership had reached the eighties but then the numbers began a decline.  Today, however, thanks to some vigorous recruiting the numbers again are in the eighties.
           

    There were interesting rules governing members in the 1930’s.  Roll call required members to answer with a current event or quotes from Shakespeare or Will Rogers. Other times it was to name your favorite plant or give the name of a Famous Nursery.  This probably would not last long today.   Some members were lack in attendance, just as today.  A committee was appointed to visit those members and encourage attendance.  Also, members had to notify the hostess by noon of the meeting day of her attendance  and any house guests that she planned to bring.  Failure to do this or arriving late to the meeting resulted in a 10 cent fine.  In more recent times, failure to wear your name tag to a meeting was a 25 cent fine.
           

    The meetings were in members homes at first. By 1934, they had moved to the Science Building at the school.  (This was a separate building at Windsor High School that was used for Shop classes and Home Economic classes.  The school cafeteria was later placed in the upstairs with Home Ec.)  On March 8, 1951, meetings were moved to the new Community House where we meet today.
           

    In 1930, when the club organized, programs were to be on Early Virginia History, such as the Life of Pocahontas or Jamestown.  Other years, papers were presented on historical figures, such as Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Thomas J. Jackson.  These gave way to more Worldly topics with guest speakers presenting the remarks.  People spoke on the World Disarmament Conference, National Recovery Act and Parliamentary Procedure.  State and District Presidents spoke on Constitution and By-Laws or other topics of GFWC.  People gave talks on recent trips they had taken.  Book Reviews were given, in 1937 one such review was GONE WITH THE WIND.
         

    It is amazing that today, topics for meetings are not that different.  We have had State Representatives giving an address on the “State” of Virginia, Town Council members speaking about the town and one address on the, then being built, county fairgrounds.  We still have book reviews.  We have health issues, quilting talks and talks by military personnel.   Rev. Basil Ballard gave a talk about his experience in Vietnam and Capt. Michelle Rose spoke on the village she helped as the commander of a base in Afghanistan.  We have had talks on gardening by Master Gardeners and painting by a local artist, John Taylor.  Then there have been fun nights at meetings, the Woman’s Club version of Christmas Carols, the story-telling at our Western Roundup night by Kathy Queen and who could forget the “Royal Trivia Game” with Julia Perkins and her fishing pole.

    From the first, there has been an annual banquet or today guest night.  It is the one night that someone else prepares the food and everyone is a guest.  Most often this was at the Elliott Hotel in Suffolk.  There is one report that the meal would cost $1.00 per plate.  There would be a guest speaker of note for the evening.  We have had dinners in The Pace House in Franklin, Mystery Night in Virginia Beach, a USO Party- replete with blackout curtains, an 18th Century Costume Party, a skating party, a 1950’s party with Elvis in the house.  We had a baseball theme night with the presentation of A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.  We even had a real fancy dress party in a member’s home for Christmas.
           

    As the club began its second year, four committees were created: By-Laws, Program, Music and Garden.  Most meetings had a member or two providing a musical selection at the meeting.  The club also sang the club song.  (This is nowhere in evidence today, but I think it may have the Federation Song that we sometimes sing today.)  The Garden Committee was very active in the Town.  The ladies worked on creating a park named Washington Park at the intersection of 460 and 258.  They had it landscaped and placed benches in the park.  At Christmas, a tree was placed in the park and the club sponsored a Christmas Carol Sing on Christmas Eve.  The club paid for the electric lights on the tree something like $1.20.   There is a note in the minutes that the lights were lost so new ones would have to be purchased, then the next minutes reported that the lights had been found.  This park would later give way to the fire station and today it is the location of the post office.   There is mention of inquiries about a lawn mower for the park. A man was hired to cut the grass instead.   With the building of the new Community House, the club took on the job of landscaping the new property.  Since 2012, the Conservation Committee has physically taken on the care of the plot in front the Community House. 
           

    This committee also worked to clean up the town. The Town Council and the Ruritans were approached on numerous occasions to sponsor a cleanup day.  The ladies even offered to pay for a truck to pick up the trash.  They did pay and there were a number of clean up days.
           

    Another element of the woman’s club work has been an interest in maintaining a library.  The club collected books for the enjoyment of its members.  Several times, the club ordered books.  Then members donated books.  These were kept at a member’s house and she acted as librarian. In 1938, the books were moved to the Science Hall and borrowing books took place one day a week when a member would act as librarian.  In 1958, the collection was given to the Windsor High School library.  The Woman’s Club interest in books continued however.  The group worked to obtain a library for the town.  This did occur and today the town has a very active library.
         

    In 2000, the club would join the GFWC in supporting “Libraries 2000”.  As a fundraiser, the club purchased a doll house which was built by Helen Hill and furnished by the members.  Jan Morgan was so excited when her tax refund check arrived, she said, “ Now, I can buy the stairs for Helen.”  With the proceeds, books were purchased for the Library.
           

    Education is a cornerstone in the club.  Starting in 1952, the club has sponsored a rising Senior girl to attend Girl’s State.  In 1980, the Club presented it’s first $500.00 scholarship to Elizabeth Ann Carr.  That has been presented every year since and as of 2016 it is $1000.00.  Other students have received assistance from the Woman’s Club to attend summer programs in their field of study.  The club has supported the “Books for Babies” program at Obici Hospital.  The program provides books for new mothers to read to their new babies hoping to stimulate an interest in learning.
           

    One of the major interest of any club is fundraising in order to carry on its charitable work.  The Woman’s Club has done many things in the name of fundraising.  There have been “Baby Contests”, herb sales (this did not do very well--four bunches sold at the fair), sponsoring dances and serving dinners.  The minutes from February 22, 1951, state that the club should “serve as good meals as possible as a ‘drawing card’ to the community house.”  To the present day, the club has a reputation of serving delicious meals.  Two cookbooks have been printed by the club, TASTE OF THE TOWN, one in 1995 and a new one in 2002.  The members of the club performed plays both for the club and to raise funds.  The club sponsored fashion shows and card parties.  In the early shows, school girls along with members served as models.  More recent times, just the members were models.
           

    Today, there are craft fairs, 5-K Runs, Boston Butt sales and trips to many destinations.  Remember the Christmas lights in Nags Head, Christmas tours of Edenton, the Illumination in Williamsburg, the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, Atlantic city, Monticello and Mount Vernon.  There have been other activities.  We even made concrete leaves and sold them.
           

    The club has also raised funds for causes outside our community.  When a county drive was on the raise funds to restore Boykins Tavern the club sold an afghan with buildings in the county woven in it.   This resulted in a large donation to the Tavern.  Later, one of the Elvis shows was to raise funds for the Virginia Tech ambulance given by GFWCVA to the Rescue Squad.  The clubs were asked to give $30.00 per member, our club gave $60.00 per member.
           

    The Woman’s Club has been and is a part of most celebrations in town.  There is the Christmas caroling around the town tree in the 1930s.  The July 4th Picnic, which is sponsored by the Ruritans, Woman’s Club and the town.  (The first picnic was 1991.) The Woman’s Club also sponsors the Children’s Parade on the 4th.  Parades are another thing that the club takes part in.  We have been invited to join Homecoming Parades, the 100th Anniversary Parade (we won first place) and the Christmas Parade which the town started in 2013.  Parades have not just been in Windsor.  There was the Peanut Parade in Suffolk and the Christmas Parade in Zuni.   Beginning in 1952 the club sponsored a Christmas Home Decorating Contest until recent times.   We have helped purchased seasonal banners for the main street in Windsor.
         

    Two projects the Woman’s Club was engaged in were police and fire protection.  In 1947, the Woman’s Club and the Ruritans joined with the Town Council to plan for a fire department.  The town acquired a fire truck and built a fire station by 1952.   Both clubs raised funds for this project.   The town would not act on a town police department so in 1981-82, the woman’s club made it a priority.  Today, we have a Police Chief and several Deputies.
           

    One of the concepts of GFWC is charitable works.  The Woman’s Club has made this the goal from the beginning.  Early minutes indicate purchases of milk for two families for several months.   Several baskets were filled at Christmas time for families. In 1938 nine baskets were filled with fruit and groceries for $7.88.  More recent times families have been adopted and provided with gifts and food for Christmas.   At the Neighbours Place, a home for adults, club members provide a birthday gift for each resident.  We have collected food for a local foodbank as a year project.  Contributions of clothing are made to the Genieve Shelter.   A special donation was made to repair the roof of the shelter after Isabel.  The club supports Western Tidewater Free Clinic through donations and making cookies for the Doctor Appreciation Day. While it is not done under the umbrella of the Woman’s Club, several of our members volunteer at the clinic.  The club has made dolls, stuffed bags and made monetary contributions to Operation Smile.  There have been clothes drives for drought victims in the west as well as in Isle of Wight County.  When Windsor, Colorado was hit by a tornado the Woman’s Club of Windsor buckets filled with cleaning supplies.  Several years, the club dressed dolls for the Salvation Army Christmas Drive.
           

    For several years, the club has collected store coupons for military families to use in commissaries. T-shirts have been collected for the SEW MUCH COMFORT program.  These are altered so that soldiers with disabilities can dress themselves.  The club has made cookies for soldiers as well.  A grandmother learned from her grandson that many soldiers did not receive gifts from home.  This grandmother made a difference and solicited our help.
   

    We honor our veterans in other ways as well.  During World War II, the club sponsored a War Bond Drive.  Today, local World War II veterans are invited to ride in the Children’s Parade on July 4th.  The Albert Horton Virginia Military Cemetery is part of the Wreaths Across America Program and this is supported by the Club.  Members do help lay the wreaths in early December.  The club helped collect information on residents from Isle of Wight that served in World War II for the memorial in Washington.  The club received a drawing of the memorial and a pin.  When the traveling replica of the Viet Nam Wall was on display in our area, members volunteered to help.  On Memorial Day, the club places a flag on each grave in the Windsor Cemetery and holds a service for the Veterans buried there.  A Retired Army Chaplain, Buzz Ballard has given the service for several years.
           

    An interesting note:  in 1933, the Woman’s Club started a lunch program at school.  Soup bowls and spoons were purchased and lunch was provided for students that could not bring lunch from home.  Soup was sold to other students as well, they reported a profit of $2.13 on March 16, 1933.  This led to the county establishing a lunchroom for the school.
Almost from the beginning of club members talked of building a clubhouse.  A fund was created for that purpose.  A committee searched for a suitable spot.  There is even mention of preparing to purchase a lot from Mrs. R.G. Eley, but there is no indication that the sale was ever completed.  The minutes after May, 1939 until April, 1947 are missing, so the answer could be there.  However, the minutes do record putting building fund monies into the regular treasury on November 17, 1947.  By that point, discussion was underway with the Ruritans to build a clubhouse.  The building was opened in 1951.  The Woman’s Club held its first meeting in the new facility on March 8, 1951.   The club set about furnishing the kitchen with utensils, pots and pans, dishes and glasses.  The Club War Bonds were cashed in to pay for these purchases.  It also provided drapes for the main room and blinds for the others.  The club piano was moved to the Community House.  Throughout the years, the Woman’s Club has replaced the curtains or helped the Ruritans do this.  In recent years, the building has been given a thorough cleaning by the club about once a year.  Several members power washed the building one spring.  (Brenda, we will not do this again.)  The Woman’s Club has been responsible for decorating the building for Christmas.  Chairs and dishes have been replaced and round tables have been purchased.   Today, the club does not own any part of the building.
           

    The Club is a part of a larger organization.  There are four parts: the local club, Southside District, GFWC Virginia and GFWC.  There is leadership training on all levels.  All members can attend any of these meetings and do.  The name of the District was changed from the Seventh District to Southside in 1952.  During this time, Mrs. Regina Johnson was District President.  There have been three other members to serve Southside, Mary Lee Willis served as District Treasurer as has Kay Stephenson.  Helen Hill served as District Treasurer, Second Vice-President, First Vice-President and President.  The club has its own logo, created by Jean Claud. This logo has been placed on aprons, totes and shirts.  For the 75th Anniversary, a pin was created using the logo.
           

    Reporting of activities is done on a yearly basis.  The Club reports to the District Committee Chairmen, then the District Chairmen reports to the state.  At the state level, reports are bound yearly and shelved in State Headquarters.  The Woman’s Club of Windsor has won a fair number of awards on both levels.  The newsletter has been first in the state on a number of occasions. It was first published in 1977 by Dot Gwaltney.  The club has won a national award for its membership recruiting efforts with the Ice Cream Social and its Get the Scoop Award.
           

    Ladies, this is a worthwhile organization with a long and active role in helping the community in which we live.   It has interests in government, education and welfare of local people as well as afar.  It is a group that enjoys friendship and working together.   On our 75th Anniversary, Mrs. Regena Johnson was asked  about the club and her response was, “One of the best things a community can have is a strong woman’s club!”