A LOOK BACK:

This year may truly be the Year of the Woman, with the Huntington Beach Woman’s Club celebrating its 100th anniversary.

I recently received a call from one of its oldest members, Rosemary Trout, who gave me the good news that her organization will be holding a day-long celebration Feb. 12 at its clubhouse at 420 10th Street. The event will feature a luncheon at noon and in the afternoon the Goodtime singers vocal ensemble, including its illustrious new member Stan Cohen, will perform several of the group’s favorite numbers.

The Huntington Beach Woman’s Club has been an asset to our community since 1908. When the idea of incorporation of our city was discussed in 1909, the ladies of the club were firmly behind it and, as we all know, it came about Feb. 17, 1909.

We’ll begin with the club meeting of Jan. 11, 1944, when the club’s 36th anniversary was celebrated and its past presidents were honored.

Members chose the theme “America the Beautiful” for that meeting and decorated the clubhouse to emphasize the line in the song “above the fruited plain.”

A large cornucopia filled with nuts and fruits formed the centerpiece at the head table. On individual tables were placed small white-frosted cakes, each having a lighted candle and place cards with a miniature painting of the clubhouse.

Following the luncheon, Ida Blossom introduced the past presidents who were able to attend: Margaret Colvin, Ila Dabney, Edna Flaws, Marion Miller and Jessie Todd. Mary Vidal sang a song especially written for the occasion by Marion Miller that symbolized the wealth of fruits grown in our county.

The girls’ chorus from Huntington High sang two selections, “The Indian Love Call” and “There Is Something about a Soldier.” The club’s historian, Ethel Catching, gave a history quiz of the organization from its founding to the start of World War II.

The highlight of the meeting was a talk given by Mrs. Albert Launer on early pioneer women and men of California.

Continuing the theme of “America the Beautiful” for the Feb. 8 open house meeting, Vice President Margaret Elliott welcomed those present. The club had expected a much larger turnout, but thanks to “Mother Nature,” many stayed at home.

But the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the ladies who helped decorate the clubhouse with patriotic colors and a Valentine motif of red and white camellia blossoms on dark blue mirrors centered on lace-covered tables.

Elliott gave an interpretation of the special line “America, America” from the theme poem. Lt. Ledbetter from the WACS gave a short talk and urged members to sponsor a campaign to enlist young ladies into the WACS, WAVES and SPARS, the women’s division of the Army, Navy and Marines.

Meanwhile, it was announced that Elma Robidoux, Florence Redford and Ethel Wheat would be speaking on KVOE radio that month.

While the ladies relaxed at the tables, Miller introduced the guest artist, Joy Robinson. Robinson’s program featured stories, anecdotes and songs with a virile piano background of rich harmony and crisp rhythm.

The open house concluded with a program devoted to great Americans and included the poem “John Smith, U.S.A.”

Carrying out the club theme of “America the Beautiful” for the March 14 meeting and the interpretation of the line “God Shed His Grace on Thee,” the tables in the clubhouse were decorated with bowls of calla lilies and on the head table was a small model dressed in white, representing an angel of peace.

All the decorations were the result of the ladies of the decoration committee consisting of Nancy Pann, Margaret Hoxsie, Effie Frost and Floteal Gisler.

It was announced that the Woman’s Club had sponsored the sale of war bonds and stamps to the amount of $5,895 to help in the war effort.

Elliott introduced the March speaker, Oswell Logan from Laguna Beach, who lectured on old china and pottery from the beginning of history to the present time. Logan brought along several fine examples, and club members also contributed items to be exhibited at the meeting.

Trout would like to borrow old memorabilia someone may have from the Woman’s Club to be displayed at the centennial program.

If any of you do have items, please drop me a note at P.O. Box 7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615 and I’ll see that she gets in touch with you.

Next week we’ll continue our look at the Woman’s Club as it continues with its theme “America the Beautiful” and other events and programs the club held during 1944.

JERRY PERSON is the city’s historian and a longtime Huntington Beach resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box 7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.