Washington Women's History Consortium

Washington Women's History Consortium

Women's Clubs and Organizations

Vi Francisco, Junior Director, 1950-1952

Washington State Federation of Junior Women's Clubs


During Mrs. Edward C. Francisco's term, there were 58 clubs with a membership of 1,498.

The minutes state her first mid-year board meeting was a disaster "because the weather decided to wait until March 10 to be horrid, only 10 board members were present."

Convention 1951 was in Tacoma with 50 clubs represented and 121 present. Puget Sound District was asked to aid in organizing clubs around Montesano, Hoquiam and Aberdeen.

Under the Council of International Relations Department, Juniors sent aid and CARE packages to orphans in England, Holland, Italy, Greece, Arabia and France.

Under Welfare and Youth Conservation, they worked for establishment of kindergartens, for new school buildings, aided county hospitals and aided Navajo Indians.

The Scholarship Loan Fund was now officially a Nursing Scholarship.

An amendment to the bylaws inserted the word "approximately" before age limit of 16 to 35. Each club contributed annually ten cents per capita toward a fund to pay state officers and department chairmen's convention expenses. The Treasurer became bonded. Standing rules which were adopted gave department chairmen $ 10 yearly for prize money. Essential phone and telegraph charges were allowed for the President.

The Wapato Junior Woman's Club was presented the award as "Club of the Year."

At the post convention board meeting it was moved that the Legislative Chairman investigate the law in Washington State regarding criminal sentences for sex offenders and dope addicts. It was the general opinion of the board that the punishment was not severe enough.

In 1952, only two Junior Clubs did not enter the Sears-Roebuck CIP contest.

A State President's pin was purchased to be passed on each term, with guard pins given to the retiring president.

The l7th annual convention was called to order in the lounge of the YWCA in Walla Walla, with 150 present. Mrs. Francisco's annual report stated she had been away from home 86 days and written over 360 letters.

Civil Defense and the Atomic Age were subjects of club speakers and many hours were given to the Red Cross and Korean War veterans.

Juniors pledged to aid with recreational expenses for the Washington State School for the Blind, and agreed to pay expenses for the pre-school clinic at the school which would cost $350 in 1951.

There was an united effort to establish uniform safety and traffic laws, especially hand signals and drivers' licenses.

An emphasis was placed on E.S.O.

Work was done for better informed voters and better legislation.

A special effort was made in club extension work. New clubs introduced were West Seattle, Sapphire, Delta Juniors of Wenatchee, Scvoge in Naches Heights, Selah, Wednesday Young Women in Entiat, and Zillah.

Sources

This biographical sketch, compiled by WSFWC's The History Resource Committee, appeared in The First 100 Years 1886-1996: A Condensed of Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs.

WSFWC's The History Resource Committee

Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs Resource Committee.

Corroborative Source Material

  • Biographical Histories by Serena Mathews and Leona Burke McCulloch
  • District and State Minutes
  • Club Member Books Club Yearbooks
  • The Washington Club Woman

Additional Reading

If you would like to do additional reading or research on the history of Women's Clubs consider the following:

  • Houde, Mary Jean, Reaching Out, A Story of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1989.
  • Wells, Mildred White, Unity in Diversity, The History of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, Published by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1965.
  • Wells, Mildred White, Unity in Diversity, The History of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. Volume IL Published by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1975.
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