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FFWC History....continued

a program, "Assemblry of Women of the Americas". Greater emphasis was placed
on Fine Arts, and welfare work stressed education for better human relations,
rehabilitation of physically and mentally ill, and prevention of disease.

The Royal State Park was presented to the United States Government by Mrs.
McCaffery on December 6, 1947, with President Harry S. Truman, Senator
Spessard Holland, Senator Claude Pepper, Secretary J. A. Krug and other not-
ables present. Mrs. W. S. Jennings was cited at the dedication ceremonies for
her foresight in securing the acreage and the Federation was complimented for
keeping the park open to the public. On April 16, 1948 a plaque was un-
veiled.

To bring Presidents and Chairmen the plans of GFWC a mimeographed booklet was
prepared by the state President. She was appointed Dean of Presidents by
Mrs. J. L. Blair Buck, President of GFWC. In recognition of Mrs. McCaffrey's
outstanding community service, she was named the first Outstanding Woman of
Dade County and presented with a silver plaque.

The Federation now numbered 21,200 members in 248 clubs. The constant efforts
of the clubwomen to raise the standards of education in Florida were bearing
fruit. The Education Chairman was a member of the Continuing Council on Ed-
ucation. The Florida statutes------"kindergartens, when organziaed as public
school or public school classes....shall be supported and maintained by state,
county, district, federal or other lawful sources...."and clubs pushed local
boards to take advantage of the ruling. Teachers' salaries were raised,
several clubwomen-mothers were placed on school boards. "The Clubwoman of
Florida have exerted a gigantic influence toward equal educational opportun-
ities for all", wrote the Education Chairman.

The GFWC came to Florida for the first time while Mrs. A. T. McKay, Orlando
Sorosis Club, was President. In 1949 the national group convened in Holly-
wood Beach with Mrs. L.J. McCaffrey as general chairman. This has often been
referred to as one of the most glamorous and beautiful of GFWC conventions.

Sub-Junior groups of High School girls were formed and held their first State
Convention in Jacksonville in March, 1950. The Division of Pan American Re-
lations was added to the International Relations Department. The Federation
won the GFWC award for the largest number of subscriptions to the GFWC Club-
woman and also the first prize for the press book.

Clubs worked hard on the Build a Better Community Contest sponsored by the
GFWC and the Kroger Grocery Company. The Marianna Senior and Junior Clubs
and the Sorosis Juniors and Seniors of Orlando received national awards. Dur-
ing the two years 78 students were awarded $21,417 in scholarships by the
state and individual clubs, and three scholarships amounting to $1,500 were
given to foreign students. Program building contests were held for clubs.
There were 271 member clubs with 185 Senior clubs of which 138 owned their
own clubhouses. Mrs. McKay's theme, "Women Alert", was typical of the wide
range of club activities throughout the state.

Mrs. L.J. McCaffrey was elected Recording Secretary of the General Federation
of Women's Clubs at the convention in Boston.

Mrs. Raeburn C. Horne, Madison Woman's Club, chose the theme, "Service", when
she assumed the presidency in 1950, and the program of the club activities was