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CHAPTER 1903-1905 Miss Anna S. Chaires (deceased) Mrs. Howard Gamble, acting president

This chapter deals with the early history of the organization which came into being in 1903, known as the Woman's club of Tallahassee.

In talking with the oldest living charter member of the club, who probably has the minutes of the first term in her possession but does not know just where to locate them among many old books stored in her attic,./She recalled the fact that she was the first acting president, although at the organization meeting she was elected first vice-president. Miss Anna S. Chaires was elected president at this memorable gathering of only a handful of courageous women, who had visions of a better and bigger Tallahassee. The organization officers represented some of the most influential women in the Capital City at that time, and their meetings were held in homes from time to time when a quorum was present. During the time between the organization and the first monthly meeting of the club, Miss Chaires, the president, accepted a call to do kindergarten work in DeFuniak, consequently Mrs. Howard Gamble, first vice president, took the president's chair for 1903-1905 and served the club with honor and distinction.

According to information gathered from Mrs. Gamble, the organization took place in a building owned by Miss Jessie Meginniss which was located on Park avenue just behind the corner store now occupied by the Brown Clothing store, while another charter member recalled that the organization took place in the old city hall building. At any rate, the club was perfected and from time to time meetings were held upstairs over the Western Union office as this space had been given either to the club or city as a library.

In accepting the president's chair, Mrs. Gamble stated she had not sought the office but it had been thrust upon her and her first official act was

to pass slips of paper and asked each one present to write what they thought the principal interest of the club should be. Her principal interest was SCHOOLS, and from all accounts a good many worthwhile things were accomplished during the years following in the interest of the public school of the city and for the college which at that time was a fema[le?] institution.

In this way the club found out what each charter member thought what was best for Tallahassee and then the women had something to work toward as, no doubt, the principal interest of each one must have covered a varied field of objectives for civic, cultural and social improvment for Florida's capital city.

Committees were appointed and in time new members came into the club, all working together for the things they wanted most for Tallahassee. During the legislative session committees found their way into legislative committee rooms to present before proper heads bills the club wanted passed. Sometimes they waited for hours before they could be hear, and sometimes several visits to the capital had to be made in order to even see the law makers they believed would cooperate in helping to get their bills passed. But they were untiring and had patience and this is what kept the club going and growing. They had very little cooperation in those days and were considered nuisances, but they never let up and kept hammering away until their work stood out so prominently that the club was soon recognized for its worth and came into prominence after a couple of years operation.

Programs were well planned and the college lent help by giving of its talent. Plays were put on, the women made cake and candy for sale, there were handkerchief bazaars, and any number of money-making projects which supported club activity in the way of keeping the parks in good condition, doing things for the city schools, planting trees and shrubbery,

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and always keeping something in reserve for a club lot on which to build the club a home. Those women, courageous and true, worked and their labors have not been in vain. They laid the foundation for one of the largest and best clubs in the Florida federation, and a few of the charter members are living and are today rejoicing in the fact that the club now has a permanent home and one that has been paid for by labor of every club member enrolled since 1903 to 1940 when the clubhouse mortgage was burned with appropriate ceremonies.

It is said that the first donation made toward the clubhouse building fund was $25.00 given by Miss Lilla Lewis and Miss Mary S. Lewis at a meeting held in the Leon Hotel during the early days of the organization. From that time on through the years the clubhouse was the main objective of every administration until the home was built in the late twenties.

One of the early money-making projects was the Demonstration fair. The fairs were popular and helped the club to do many things which called for cash in the way of carrying through their well-planned programs for civic, cultural and social betterment.

The club could not federate under the original charter, consequently another charter was drawn up after Mrs. Gamble took the president's chair, then the club federated in 1905. It was incorporated in 1908. Mrs. Gamble has served officially during several administrations, and during the early twenties she became an honorary member. At the close of her administration the club had a membership of thirty-four. In the early days of the organization the club succeeded in calling and

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carrying an election to raise a sub-district tax for the benefit of the school. The club nominated the trustees for this fund every year and through them obtained by exchange the present site of the old Leon High school which formerly belonged to the West Floriday Seminary. The club was intrumental in removing the Lincoln Academy (colored school) from the present site of the Florida State University grounds. Afterwards, this building was used as a kindergarten.

Mrs. Gamble is known and loved by a wide circle of friends and she had the cooperation of every club member during her administration, although she recounts very little cooperation from other sources when appeals were made made by the club for important things to be done in the club program. Had they not been courageous women they would have given up in despair, but they worked for the things they wanted until the objective was accomplished. In addition to the club kindergarter the club established and maintained a Country kindergarten.

Mrs. Gamble said that through perseverance and determination the club soon became recognized by the city fathers and state and county officials to whom appeals had been made, and that the work of the club stood out for itself in all fields touched.

Charter members: Miss Annie Ames, Miss Sallie Blake, Mrs. Ida B. Bradford, *Mrs. Charlie Cay, Mrs. H. Clay Crawford, Mrs. George I. Davis, Mrs. Crosby Dawkins, Mrs. Julius Diamond, Mrs. H. T. Felkel, *Mrs. Howard Gamble, Mrs. F. O. Gilmore, Mrs. George Greenhow, Mrs. Mena W. Hirschberg Mrs. Evelyn Hodges, Mrs. George Lewis, Miss Lilla Lewis, Miss Mary S. Lewis, Mrs. W. E. Lewis, *Mrs. Thomas M. Shackleford, Miss Lizzie Tatum, *Mrs. S. May Walker, Mrs. L. C. Yeager, Mrs. W. L. Moor, Mrs. P. W. Wilson. Note: Stars represent living charter members.

CHAPTER 1908–1911

Mrs. Charles A. Cay President

On the morning of May 12, 1909, the club met at the home of Mrs. T. M. Shackleford, with Mrs. Charles A. Cay, presiding. Present at this meeting were Mrs. Cay, president; Miss Mamie Lewis, Mrs. Crosby Dawkins, Mrs. Aaron Levy, and Miss Sallie Blake.

Mrs. Cay was beloved by a host of friends, took up her work at the end of Mrs. Shackleford's administration from 1905–1908, and she renderoutstanding work during her term in office.

At this meeting Mrs. Crosby Dawkins reported a net profit of $54.20 from the play "Facing the Music", given by the Dramatic club for the Woman's club. The club already had to their credit in the First National Bank $58.02, and in the Savings bank the sum of $515.75 for club house lot. On October 13 of 1909 the deed for the Woman's club lot was received from W. C. Lewis and a check for $1008.00 given him in return. The amount left in Savings bank was 37 cts, and in National bak $3.82.

A report was made by the Lyceum committee at this time, a net profit of $211.50.

One of the main projects during this period was to keep wayne Square in good shape. A colored man was hired for a small sum and given the fertilizer from the square, and the city council cooperated by moving the fountain to a proper place and repair it. In 1910 the treasurer reported $15.57 for club house fund, and a total of $150.00 in bank for Boulevard park, another project of the club.

Mrs. T. H. Felkel announced that 55 trees had been planted on the street south and east of cemetery, and they hoped for means and way of grading West Park avenue. The amount of $104.92 was reported for the club house fund in November of 1910.

On Mrs. Cay's board for the first year were Mrs. Howard Gamble, first vice