About the GFWC Monroe Woman's Club

The GFWC Monroe Woman’s Club is 142 years strong, having been organized on July 10, 1884.

Our incorporation date came four years later on February 7, 1888 and we joined the General Federation on December 2, 1896. The General Federation of Woman’s Clubs Federation day is Monday, April 24, 2017. The General Federation of Woman’s Clubs started because Jane Cunningham Crowly was denied entrance to an all-male press club event and responded by organizing a woman’s club. Her club was called Sorosis meaning An Aggregation, a sweet flavor of many fruits. In 1889 the Sorosis Club of New York City convenes with 61 woman’s clubs from around the country for organizing a federation. President, Ella Dietz Clumer closed her address with these words, “we look for unity, but unity in diversity.” The original GFWC pin was designed and commissioned by a committee on the Federation Badge Pin featuring the quote in 1892. 

Our beginnings unofficially started prior to 1884 when the first public session of the High School Literary society was held in 1875. The organizers were Lida Ludlow and Emily Abbott. The first president of this group was Lida Ludlow. Other member’s last names were Bingham, White, Treat, Smock and Conon. Henry Ludlow notarized the Articles of Incorporation in Green County. They included Name of the club, location, object, No stock or dividends, officers and their duties, members, election of officers, annual meeting and how to amend the bylaws. Building from the High School Literary Society, in 1887 the Monroe Woman’s Club helped to form the Monroe Public Library by combining books from Monroe High School and the Literary Society.

The Monroe Woman’s Club was involved in many early educational milestones in our community including: In 1889, Lida Ludlow, a school board member for 14 years, persuaded the Monroe School Board to add kindergarten to the curriculum. In 1896 the club founded the first community center, two amusement rooms for teen boys. The club produced their first yearbook in 1896. In 1901, Domestic Science was added at the high school. In 1903 the Woman’s Club petitioned the city to have four wastebaskets on the four corners of the square. In 1904, were instrumental in persuading the Ludlow brothers from Monroe to build Arabut Ludlow Library. Meetings were held in the Green Room (basement) of the Arabut Ludlow Library. In 1911 Manual Training was started in Monroe Public School. In 1927 petitions were circulated with Kiwanis Club for a swimming pool. In 1949 the Woman’s Club finished a room in the new St. Clare Hospital wing. 1950 brought fund raising for Monroe City Band Uniforms. From 1953-1962 money was raised for the outdoor theatre project, and Band Shell. 

We’ve also been instrumental in many family initiatives such as: Sponsoring the first baby clinics in 1928, Purchasing Pediatric Bags for five local EMS squads starting in 2005 and replacing one of them in 2017. 

The Monroe Woman’s Club has long been a big proponent of broadening opportunities and enhancing the beauty of our community. In 1927 our members circulated petitions for a public swimming pool. We held a “Silver Tea Party” on the lawn of our founder’s historic Ludlow home in 1954 to commemorate the club’s 70th anniversary. The event was the first fundraiser held for the Twining Park Band Shell project - $1,150 was raised. The band shell still stands today and is used in the summer months for city band concerts, a 4th of July celebration and even weddings.

In 1971, the Monroe Woman’s Club helped establish recycling for the residents of Monroe. In the 1990’s, our club generously gave to the Monroe Arts Center for building restoration and

performances. Prior to a few years ago our club meetings were held at the Monroe Arts Center. We donated $10,000 over five years for the addition to the MAC. 

Monroe is fortunate to have a beautiful, historic downtown square featuring our historic courthouse which is still used today for government offices although the court offices have moved. In 2006 the Monroe Woman’s Club began taking care of the flower barrels around the square and on side streets off the square, planting them with flowers in the spring and evergreens in the fall/winter. This is a joint project with Monroe Main Street and the Monroe Lion’s Club, 4-H clubs, Girl Scouts and many volunteers. 

Many of you have heard of our Christmas Stocking project, where funds are raised to provide winter clothing, Christmas gifts, and Christmas dinner food items and cheer boxes to less fortunate families and our older friends who may be shut-ins. This was started in 1951 and has grown exponentially. The program is very much alive and well today, unfortunately with the number of families that we help growing each year. However, our community rallies behind the program each year raising over $50,000 for this program alone.

Recently our GFWC Monroe Woman’s Club has pledged $10,000, payable over five years to both the EMS new building and the Hospice House. The money for these and other projects is raised each October by our Fall Social. Some of the donations we have made recently are: sponsor a MAC program, sponsor a library summer program, Green County Literacy Council, Salvation Army, F.A.I.T.H., Girl Scouts, Park and Rec. Pool Passes, Park and Rec. South Shelter House, Badger Honor Flight, Five Quilts of Valor, AFS, MHS Post Prom, St. Vincent DePaul Personal Care Items Collected, Collected Bras for Free the Girls, Green County Food Pantry, Sew Much Love, MHS Fine Arts Festival, Monroe Dog Park, Monroe Main Street, Green County Historical Society, Jacob Swag, Green Haven, Fowler Dental Clinic and Christmas Stocking. 

We were both honored and humbled to have become the largest Woman’s Club in the state of Wisconsin in 2014 and alothough other Clubs have exceeded our numbers, we remain a large and very active group!