An excerpt from
Ellen Verner Scoville’s talk

“As you know, history is a list of true facts, a chronological record of significant facts, so I have to stick to what I’ve dug up in our minutes, and, therefore, will not be able to tell all the scandals about our own members as are in all the popular biographies being published now days. Sarah Linder said I could not do that today.

But, first let me tell you of our important legacies we have in the club. We have Georgianna Wheeler’s great aunt Sarah Davis, Betty Murdaugh’s grandmother– in–law, Ella Murdaugh, Katherine McCaskill’s mother Annie Sloan Cathcart, Ellen Verner Scoville’s mother, Elise Verner, Sandy Sanders and Mary Reed (daughter and mother).

In the beginning, the club was set up to do deep studies and be erudite. They met every two weeks, and studied for a full year on just one topic. Some of the subjects were “Cities of the World, Governments, Religion, Psychology, Drama, Music, Art”, and other profound interests. One ambitious reader gave a paper on Astronomy and Physics while another reader studied America’s first shopping center, which was constructed in 1829.

The club has always held an annual picnic. At one picnic real drinks were served, during prohibition days. This turned out to be a grand picnic, and the party lasted a long time. Later Mrs. Martin Jones made a motion that only tea be served. The motion did pass.

Sometimes the ladies would become nervous if the meetings lasted too long as they felt they must get home to tell their cooks what to prepare for supper.

The club was founded in 1910. It must have been conceived while Teddy Roosevelt was bounding around hills and dales, and it must have come to fruition when President Taft was in office and was rescued by the fire department for being stuck in the bathtub.

Our current events served a very important part in the life our club. In 1930 a notation was expressed that the extension of electricity would set civilization back 50 years.

Many, many papers which called for research and study were presented and appreciated by the listeners.

Mrs. James Cathcart (Katherine McCaskill’s mother) started a drive to have a women’s dormitory built at USC. She was the prime leader in this project, and the club did its part. In 1920 the club wrote a letter to the Lasky Corporation urging the moving picture industry to be more delicate in their picture shows – to use less vulgarity and sexual innuendos. They later received a candid reply from that company. The minutes did not report just what was in the corporation’s reply.

The club purchased Easter Seals very early. They sent toothbrushes to the Carolina Children’s Home. They sent 75¢ Victrola records to Osteen Sanatorium in Asheville, NC. Ten cents a person was donated for a Christmas tree at the penitentiary, and the members planted trees at the Home for the Blind. Of late, the club has donated money to the “Friends of the Library.”

At one time the club was requested to send three members to serve half-day manning the women’s restroom at the State Fair. This project was promptly voted down.

In 1929, a motion was passed that all members wear cotton dresses to the April meeting.

Also in 1920, the club sent a protest of the indecent sideshows at the State Fair. Dean Frierson advised that our criticism was libel. In 1941 it was decided that the meetings would be held at the Red Cross office and the members would meet there once a month. No refreshments were served and many members walked to the Red Cross office for the duration of WWII.

Many governors’ wives were invited to join the club, honorary members for the most part. Many meetings were held at the Governor’s Mansion as well as at the President of USC’s home (Mrs. Leonard Baker’s husband was president of the University several times).

Mrs. Maybank asked the club to patronize Tapp’s Department Store because of its work with “Bundles for Britain.”

Also in 1920, Judge Marcellus Whaley advised the club that women should not serve on jury duty and should be careful not to give its backing to bills which were not fundamental and not beneficial to the whole state.

In 1923 a committee was appointed to stop a measure to open a driveway around the State House grounds. Several other changes have been made for the better.

Our programs in these latter days have been very delightful. Katherine McCaskill has published a book of her poems, and she gave a reading of her work at a meeting. At one monthly meeting the ladies brought their favorite small antiques to be appraised by a qualified appraiser. The members left the meeting realizing they were wealthier than they had originally thought.

We have had outstanding officers throughout all these years. Mrs. Heyward Singley kept the secretary’s job for 25 years, but so far, no one else has volunteered to follow that suit. Our most recent activity has been a field trip to the Mepkin Abbey near Moncks Corner. The ladies drove to the Abbey where they were given an enlightening tour. They learned the monks made their living raising chickens and selling eggs. The Abbey owes its being to Clare Booth Luce and her foundation for its restoring the monastery.

Of course, the club owes its success to its outstanding beloved members and their devotion to each other and their special intelligence, beauty and skills.