Cabarrus County, NC - North Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs

North Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs 
CONCORD--1903 

The second Convention of the North Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs 
was called to order by the President, Mrs. Patterson, in the Pythian 
Hall of Concord, on October 14, 1903. Mrs. Robert Gibson welcomed the 
club women and Mrs. Hugh Murrill responded for the Federation. The 
President's address was so fine that it was printed in the Sunday 
papers, which was then quite an honor for a woman.

Three new clubs had been added, among them the now famous Charlotte 
Woman's Club, which made the number of federated clubs 20, with a 
membership of 440, and a voting strength of 24 present. It was voted to 
join the General Federation, and four delegates, Mesdames Patterson, 
Alderman, Murrill, and Candler were elected to represent North Carolina 
at the St. Louis Biennial.

The Departments made fine reports. The Chairman of Music and Art 
declared the combination too much for one department and at her 
suggestion the Department was divided into two: one of Art, the other 
of Music. New departments were created, one of Publication with Mrs. T. 
M. Pittman, chairman, and one of Reciprocity with Mrs. G. W. Whitsett, 
chairman. Through the Department of Reciprocity the club women 
exchanged papers on various subjects, wise and otherwise, and secured 
information for papers they were writing. The subjects of papers thus 
written and exchanged would astonish, and perhaps puzzle many a college 
professor, but those women were in earnest, and the papers were 
instructive, interesting, and mutually beneficial. Moreover a small fee 
of ten cents was charged for every paper loaned so there was a small 
revenue for the department and in those days the question of finance 
was a serious one to a young Federation.

The Chairman of Library Extension reported 28 new traveling libraries, 
making a total of 39 traveling libraries in operation in 1903. It 
should be recorded and remembered that the North Carolina Women's Clubs 
started traveling libraries in the State at their own expense. Later 
the clubs were largely instrumental in getting a bill passed by the 
Legislature, authorizing the appointment of a Library Commission for 
the State. In recognition of that activity, when the Commission was 
appointed, an active club woman, former chairman of Library Extension, 
Mrs. Sol Weil of Goldsboro, was made Vice Chairman of that Commission.
A reception by the New South Club, one by the Concord Woman's Club at 
the home of Mrs. J. C. Wadsworth, a drive to Sunderland Hall, where 
another reception was given by Miss Montgomery, were all delightful 
social features of the meeting. An interesting incident was the 
presentation to Mrs. Patterson, from Captain Charles McDonald, through 
the Julia Magruder Club, of a beautiful pin, made from a nugget of pure 
gold taken from a mine in Cabarrus County.

The same officers were unanimously reelected and great interest and 
enthusiasm prevailed, while the second annual convention passed into 
history.

FIFTH CONVENTION  
WILMINGTON--1907 
 
It was at the Wilmington Convention that the first official action was 
taken in regard to the Stonewall Jackson Training School at Concord. 
The North Carolina Legislature had authorized the establishment at 
Concord of an Industrial Training School for Boys, as a needed reform 
for the good of the State and as a memorial to Stonewall Jackson of 
Confederate fame.

The clubs had been invited to join with the King's Daughters in 
erecting a cottage at that school. At Wilmington the name of the 
Department of State Charities was changed to Industrial and Child Labor 
and the Chairman, Mrs. D. Y. Cooper, was instructed to take up the 
special work of a cottage at the Stonewall Jackson School.

The Chairman, Mrs. D. Y. Cooper, reported $1,000 in hand for the 
cottage at the Stonewall Jackson Training School, and she was 
instructed to present check for the full amount to the King's Daughters 
at their approaching Convention. Illness in the family of Mrs. Cooper 
prevented her attendance at that Convention, and at her request, Mrs. 
Cotten, who in the meantime had been elected President of the 
Federation, presented the check and expressed the good wishes of the 
clubwomen for the work of the King's Daughters and for the School at 
Concord.

In June, 1912, the King's Daughters held another meeting--that time in 
their cottage at the School, at which time a tablet placed on the 
Cottage, commemorating the donation from the Federation was unveiled by 
Mrs. Cooper for the King's Daughters, and acknowledged by Mrs. Cotten, 
then serving as President of the Federation. The spirit of unity and 
love which pervaded that occasion marked an epoch in cooperative 
philanthropy in this State.