College Women’s Club celebrates 75th Anniversary
Annapolis suffragette Margaret Boone Moss was angered when an Evening Capital editorial outlined reasons a College Education Pays, but barely mentioned women. She was perturbed enough to write a letter to the editor. It was published in the Aug. 30, 1932, edition of the paper. She noted the obvious discrepancy and continued: I have had the same thought regarding the local University Club.
One would imagine from its title that its membership would include all graduates of universities of whichever or both sexes. Not so. Its membership and meetings are for men only. Mrs. Moss didn t stay angry. Along with nearly three-dozen other female college graduates, she founded the College Women s Club in February of 1933. Annapolitans Louise Hicks, Katharine Kibbler, Elizabeth Davis and Dr. Dorothy Noble were among the first members. In a January 1973 article, Mrs.
Moss, who died at age 74 in 1942, was described as a little lady of mettle and spirit, a civic leader, an ardent suffragette and a born organizer. She organized the first Anne Arundel County chapter of the Congress of Mothers, later known as the Parent Teacher Association, or PTA; was the first female member of the Board of Trustees of the county public schools system; and helped found the local YWCA.
In the early 1970s, the roster of the College Women s Club had grown to more than 60 active members. Gala dances, card parties, fashion shows and potlucks were frequent events on their calendar. The club brought cultural groups to tour local elementary schools and, a club hallmark, they began awarding scholarships almost before the ink was dry on their charter. The all-male University Club folded decades ago.