‘A beacon of service’: This Fort Worth group has been a philanthropic force for 100 years

If only we could all be in this good shape when we turn 100.

The Woman’s Club of Fort Worth turned a century old in January and the club continues to be a strong philanthropic force in Cowtown.

”The ladies who founded The Woman’s Club of Fort Worth were true visionaries,” said Woman’s Club President Jody Smith. “They identified and answered a need within the Fort Worth community to not only broaden the base of adult education for women, but to provide an open door for frequent cultural opportunities.

”While we honor the work of our founders by celebrating our past, it is our duty as current Woman’s Club members to build our future by identifying and answering the needs of today’s woman.”

The kickoff to The Club’s Centennial Celebration was on Jan. 13, exactly 100 years since the original meeting date at First Christian Church. The members-only event was hosted by Sorosis Club, a charter club of the Woman’s Club.

The event was a Decades of Dress Luncheon and Style Show with more than 200 members in attendance to celebrate. At the conclusion, a commemorative bronze seal was unveiled in the club’s Memorial Garden.

The age to become a Woman’s Club member is 40 and up. There is also a Junior Woman’s Club membership for women 21-40.

”I have been a member of TWCFW for more than 50 years, having first joined the Junior Woman’s Club and then transferring to The Woman’s Club,” Smith said. “Membership in JWC appealed to me because I had grown up elsewhere and this was an opportunity to form friendships, participate in community service projects and engage in a variety of educational opportunities.

”Friends made during the ‘70s remain a part of my dear circle of friends to this day, and every year hundreds of new members are welcomed into the club and become a cherished part of my life.”

History of the Woman’s Club

The Woman’s Club was founded under the leadership of businesswoman Anna Shelton. It was formed by the coming together of numerous independent women’s clubs that were meeting in various locations throughout the city.

On January 13, 1923, 11 clubs gathered at First Christian Church in Fort Worth to discuss a place where they could all meet together. This strategic move combined the energy, talents, and resources of the many groups into what became a club of clubs with a common stated purpose: to promote the study of literature, history, science, painting, music, and other fine arts.

A philanthropic widow, Etta Newby, realized the new club’s need for a permanent meeting location and had just the place in mind, a beautiful home in a lovely neighborhood. She also saw fit to make it a tribute to her late husband. So she purchased the property at 1316 Pennsylvania Ave. and gifted it to the newly organized group.

With a new home, club membership grew so rapidly that by 1925 plans were drawn up and funds were raised to build an auditorium that would seat 350 at tables and 700 in rows. As demand for membership continued to grow, additional buildings (neighboring homes) were purchased, and additions were made.

In 1952 a generous gift from the Amon G. Carter Foundation allowed Woman’s Club to purchase the last house on the block. With this purchase, the club’s two block campus was complete. Over the years, homes were reconfigured into meeting spaces, and a commercial kitchen, tearoom, art studio, and large parking lot were added.

The club has an extensive art collection, as well as its Texas Library, which is composed of books written by Texans or about Texas. The library is the envy of genealogists and serious Texana collectors.

And, as always been the case, member participation in community service continues to be at the forefront. Members provide financial assistance and volunteer support to a wide range of charitable organizations.

Growth

By the end of the first year Woman’s Club had more than 1,000 members. By the 1980s the club saw a full membership roster with a waiting list of hopeful members.

As women’s participation in the economy continued to rise, membership began to fall. However, in 2023, membership is once again on the rise with more than 1,100 members.

Among the club’s most renowned members have been Mary Daggett Lake, historian and botanist, who started the club’s noted Texana library, and Jennie Scott Scheuber, who was instrumental in forming the city’s library system as director of the Carnegie Library.

Past President Michelle Cyrus (2012-14) joined the Junior Club in 1978. She has a strong connection to several folks who helped create the club’s storied history.

”My paternal grandmother, Effie W. Wilson; my aunt, Margaret A. Wilson; my cousins, Janet W. Judd and Jerre W. Tracy, and my mother, Margaret G. Wilson, were all members of The Woman’s Club of Fort Worth,” she said. “There was never any doubt that I would be a member.”

Coming to the rescue

Were it not for Woman’s Club, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra might have gone by the wayside shortly after it was organized in 1925, with Brooks Morris as its director. During the winter of 1930-31 in the Great Depression, OK Shannon, honorary president of the Symphony, appealed to Woman’s Club to save the Symphony Orchestra.

The club magazine quoted President Anna Shelton saying, “The Woman’s Club of Fort Worth has had an ambition to someday be of service to the public in a big way. The directors feel that this is the looked-for opportunity.”

The Woman’s Club then took over the management of the Symphony and guaranteed at least two concerts that spring. Club women assumed responsibility for the sale of all tickets and for securing sponsors in sufficient numbers to meet expenses. The active management remained the responsibility Woman’s Club through 1938, when the financial outlook of the community was rosier.

Also during the Depression, local citizens were dazed, and business was virtually at a standstill. In order to get the channels of trade open again and to get the public into the habit of making purchases, the manufacturers and merchants in Fort Worth turned to the club for help. A luncheon was held on the last day of September 1931 which lifted the community from its lethargy. The Manufacturers Luncheon, as it was called, continued for four years.

The Woman’s Club played an active role in the 1936 Frontier Centennial, Fort Worth’s celebration of the Texas centennial, operating a Texas history speakers bureau and a small history museum on the event grounds. They also organized a Texas Centennial scrapbook project and a program to place Texas history books in local school libraries. Their work in the schools has been hailed one of the most outstanding patriotic accomplishments in the state.

Lifelong memories

Along with helping make life better for their Fort Worth neighbors throughout their history, the club has created some incredible memories for many of its members over the past century.

Suzanne Pegram, member for 13 years who is also president of the Federation of Women’s Clubs (not to be confused with the Woman’s Club, though it has its own storied history dating to 1917): “The programs I have attended have been so very interesting. Learning about people and places and the history of our area has been amazing. I have also had the opportunity to speak in front of large groups of ladies. This certainly is a growing experience.”

Past President Gaye Fuller (1998-2000), joined the Junior Club in 1961 and the Woman’s Club in 1973: “I wanted to be part of The Woman’s Club of Fort Worth because I liked what they stood for and the opportunity to meet other women. The Club was involved with the city and supporting them. Also, my closest friends have always been members of the club. Many are gone now, but I still have their memories.”

Veronica Martinez, member since 2018: “My friend, Jean, and I were approached by some colleagues in our educator group about joining the Woman’s Club. I had always admired the beautiful buildings, and I saw this as an opportunity to do something different. I have made friends outside of education and met many former educators. TWC also provides opportunities for leadership and for giving back to the community. I am now retired and have added a few more groups to my schedule. As a member, I feel that I truly benefit from the diverse programs and backgrounds that I experience.”

Carolyn King, who first joined the Junior Club in 1976, left and then returned a few years later: “My tenure in The Woman’s Club since that time reads like a novel. My devotion to the club history, the friendships formed, the amazing staff, the knowledge gained, and the committee work is a source of pride for me.

Martha Lunday, a member since 2010, is the club’s president of the Historical Preservation Trust that is responsible for the upkeep of the club’s buildings and all their beauty.

“My special love is the beautiful campus. The century-old homes where we meet have the grace and charm of another time,” Lunday said. “Just being able to spend time in these buildings is a privilege. The Woman’s Club of Fort Worth is truly one of the city’s treasures.”

Goals for 2023

Smith said a major goal for this year is to increase the club membership to 2,023, which would almost double the current amount. To help do so, another big goal is to boost exposure and awareness of the Woman’s Club within the community.

A key, she said, is creating more corporate relationships.

Now, as they begin their second century, Smith said the Woman’s Club will always strive to “serve as a beacon of service for other organizations and provide a place for women to gather who are looking to belong to something greater than themselves.”