Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro

Collection

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro was incorporated on July 22, 1916 with a mission “to aid and encourage the social recreation, literary culture, and moral, intellectual, and social development of it members, and to promote the moral, intellectual and social improvement of the community and to take part in philanthropic work.”  The club strived to achieve these measures by holding meetings, giving lectures and providing entertainment of social, literary, musical, or other character, catering, and by maintaining and caring for a library.   

In 1915, the organization decided to secure one building in which all the clubs in Murfreesboro could meet by gathering funds from each of them to pay rent.  This effort included the United Daughter’s of the Confederacy under Miss Sarah Spence, a group of which comprised many members of the Woman’s Club. 

By March 21, 1916, however, the Woman’s Club decided to purchase a building in cooperation with the Library Board as permanent headquarters for both.  The society also divided their constituents into membership committees/groups to raise the additional funding necessary to purchase the new building.  They also agreed to allow the U.D.C. to meet their each month for a fee of $18.00 annually.  With such founding members as Mrs. W.B. Earthman, Mrs. W.A. Ransom, Mrs. Sam Mitchell, Mrs. Vickers, Mrs. Cranor, Mrs. C.B. Huggins, and Miss Sarah Spence, the 1916 membership log listed over 175 members.  The members of the Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro were able to finish paying for their permanent headquarters in its entirety by 1922, despite the fact that “not a man lifted his hand to help.”