In 1868, journalist Jane Croly attempted to attend a dinner honoring British novelist Charles Dickens. The dinner was held at an all-male press club. Croly was turned away because of her gender. In response to the event, she formed a woman’s club. She hoped to inspire women to follow their dreams and to be successful – included in all facets of life.
In 1889, Croly invited women’s clubs from all over the United States to meet at a convention in New York City. In April the following year, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs was officially established when 63 clubs ratified the organization’s constitution. The mission of the group stated, “The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.”
Twenty-three years later, on this date in 1913, the Federation of Women’s Clubs announced that the group was undertaking a project that would bring benefits to rural women. The organization noted that women on the farm had not fully benefited from modern advancements enjoyed by their sisters in cities. Modern technology, it was thought, would make farm life more attractive, and women would be less likely to leave the farm for life in the city.
The Federation said the advantages enjoyed by city women, such as water and sewer systems, could easily be extended to the farm. There seemed to be a ready supply of electricity in wind power, which could facilitate modern advances like electric washing machines and cream separators. The Federation established a Rural Betterment Department and planned to assess its progress at the next national meeting, which was set to be held in Grand Forks.
At a time when women’s rights were severely limited, women’s clubs helped ensure that the voices and concerns of women were heard. Today, the Federation is made up of over 3,000 local clubs, with over 100,000 members in the United States and across the globe. It is the oldest nonpartisan, nondenominational women’s volunteer service organization.
Dakota Datebook by Carole Butcher
Sources:
Devils Lake Inter-Ocean. “Women to Engage in Farm Work.” Devils Lake ND. 24 October 1913. Page 1.
General Federation of Women’s Clubs. “History and Mission.” https://www.gfwc.org/who-we-are/history-and-mission/ Accessed 15 September 2018.
