The
Gleason Club
Home
Economics Clubs have been around a long time, the first in
Monroe County was the Gleason Club, organized in April of
1922—before the county had a Home Demonstration Agent. The
first president was Mrs. Jess Lipp with Mrs. Clyde Houghton
as vice-president and Mrs. John Fulton the
secretary-treasurer. Lessons then were on the care of
poultry, turkey raising, cold packing and use of the
pressure cooker. There were 14 members of the club at first.
When
the club was celebrating 50 years, a golden anniversary was
held to honor the “Gleason Home and Community Club”.
Mrs. Jim Miller had been present when the club was organized
and was the last of the charter members to die.
At
that celebration, honoring Mrs. Miller and the Club, Mrs.
Tom Callis presented a “This is Your Life, Mrs. Miller”.
Mrs. Callis told of teaching in the Gleason district at the
time and boarding in the home of Mrs. Fulton, remembering
some of the recipes Mrs. Fulton brought home from the club
and tried out on the family—some becoming favorites and
some not so. One new recipe was for chili, now a favorite
with most families.
When
the club was 25 years old the date was marked at Polly
Wilson’s with four charter members at that time: Mrs.
Miller, Mrs. Lipp, Mrs. Fulton and Mrs. John Gorrell.
At
the 40th a meeting at Mrs. Wilson Crigler’s
recognized the loss of three of the charter members, leaving
only Mrs. Miller who was specially honored at the 50th
in 1972.
Ten
years after the Golden Anniversary, Gleason Club celebrated
the 60th with a salad luncheon at the Community
Center, formerly the G.F.S. school formed by Gleason, Peak
and Sharp schools uniting. Mrs. Crigler read a poem which
the late Kathryn Simon had composed in 1942, Dorothy
Kendrick conducted a memorial service, Pauline Rogers told a
story and Peggy Jones read the club’s history. Flowers
were presented to members who had many years of membership.
President
of Gleason Club in 1993 is Dorothy Kendrick with her
daughter-in-law, Julie Kendrick, the vice-president. Other
members are: Anna Bess Bond, Karen and Martha Conley, Jennie
Crigler, Deena and Rilla Dye, Ethel Fulton, Virginia Heckart,
Marguerite and Peggy Jones, Susan Kendrick, Karen Nordwald,
Sandy Sheerman, Marge Starrett and Tracy Windmann. |