Other Shakespeare Clubs

Active Shakespeare Clubs

Founded 1878 SHAKESPEARE CLUB OF DELAWARE
Delaware, Ohio.
(Men & Women, 25 members, 8 meetings per year)
The Shakespeare Club of Delaware has met without interruption since 1878. It is loosely organized with a president and vice president. The president arranges the meeting places and appoints the hosts and hostesses; the vice president arranges all the programs. There are no minutes, but the club keeps a collection of pictures, printed programs, and information about club activities from the early years to the present.
The membership numbers about 25 men and women; the majority are former staff of Ohio Wesleyan University although the club is not associated formally with the university. Most of the meetings are in members’ homes, but sometimes they are held at the OWU library or drama department, or sometimes in churches depending on need for TV access, eating facilities, a stage, etc.
The club meets eight times a year, on the second Thursday of the month. At meetings dessert is served, or sometimes a pot–luck supper is arranged, followed by the program. The programs are presented by one or more members and include: lectures by some of the club’s knowledgeable Shakespeare scholars, reading of plays aloud by the members, or a visit to Shakespeare productions at the college or in other cities. The club sponsors a Shakespeare Essay contest for high school students and awards a small sum and a citation at a special dinner. The longevity of the Delaware Club shows that the "Bard's appeal continues unabated in central Ohio."
Website: http://library.owu.edu/fr7ar12.htm

1879 SHAKESPEARE CLUB of INDIANA COUNTY
Indiana, Pennsylvania
(Couples only, 32 members (16 couples), 7 meetings per year)
On November 27, 1879, Prof. Josias H. Young, chairman of the languages department at the local normal school--now IUP—brought a “lucky thirteen” couples together to form an “amateur literary society.” The first meeting was held at the studio of B. B. Tiffany, a local photographer. The group first took up a Chautauqua course of study; but, becoming somewhat bored, they decided to read through the works of Shakespeare. At some point, possibly around 1881, the Club called itself the Indiana Shakespeare Club.
The earliest members of the club were prominent community leaders. Most of the male charter members had fought in the Civil War. One notable veteran was General Harry White, who had escaped from Libby Prison and landed in Andersonville after recapture. The Honorable Silas Clark, whose name is still recognized in Indiana, eventually served as a Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. His family home was willed to the County in 1917 and serves as the site of the Historical and Genealogical Society. Most recognizable to those outside Indiana, Pennsylvania, would be the grandparents of actor James Stewart, an Indiana native. The Stewarts were founding members of the Club.
Traditionally, the club has consisted of married couples only—although several charter members were widowed singles. Currently, widowhood or divorce ends membership. While this seems harsh, the founders of the Club sought gender balance within the group. They were concerned that at some point one sex might outnumber the other. However, in recent years, the Club has sought to maintain ties with former members by including them in special outings or events.
Several years ago, the Club changed its by-laws to include 16 couples. Members are recruited by invitation and come from various professions. The Club is a genuine cross-section of the town, with ages ranging from early 40’s to early 70’s. Attorneys, physicians, clergy, educators, business people, social service workers and community volunteers fill the ranks of the Club. One member of the Club is a professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance literature at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Thus, the professional diversity of the early Club has been carefully sustained.
Following custom, The Indiana Shakespeare Club meets once a month, on the second Friday, from September through April. Meetings are usually held at the local Indiana Country Club. For many years, dinner meetings were held in members’ homes. Outside speakers are enlisted for programs. Clearly, proximity to the local University is an advantage. Speakers and their significant others are hosted for dinner. Although members often serve as program presenters, the tradition of outside speakers has brought a fresh element into the proceedings and, at times, has led to an invitation to join. The December meeting is traditionally held in members’ homes where a progressive dinner is served. There is no meeting in January. The Club takes one or two “road trips” each year to theaters in Pittsburgh or Jennerstown. If any Shakespearean works are playing, members definitely put them on the list.
The meetings are usually in the evening, but occasionally there are afternoon garden parties. One couple is designated as “host”; they oversee menu arrangements with the country club chef, provide table centerpieces, set out name cards and greet members at the door. Other than that, there is no expense. A couple can expect to host once every other year. Some of those not on the host track serve on the program committee which meets in June to develop a year’s worth of timely, interesting topics. The Club always attempts to integrate Shakespearean themes, quotations or concepts into meetings; but it also maintains a flexible approach to meeting themes.
Meetings begin at 6:30, but many members arrive between 6 and 6:30 for cocktails or general socializing. During cocktails, members check in with the Club treasurer to pay for the meal, which runs between $24 and $30. After dinner, there is a brief business meeting and then the speaker is introduced.
Tradition requires that couples not sit together at dinner, except at the Valentine’s Day celebration. The evening’s hosts determine seating, so repeated groups or cliques are unlikely to form. This wise tradition has fostered strong friendships within the group. Another custom the Club observes is the serving of two things at each meeting-- chocolates and ice water. Needless to say, both are welcome at the end of a program. The custom may have begun when both chocolate candy and ice were luxuries. Today, members find that a bit of chocolate makes the perfect end to a perfect evening. In the past, the men and women adjourned to separate spheres, the men taking to cigars and the women to coffee. But this custom has vanished. Today, few members, if any, smoke—at least not at meetings.
Attendance at Club meetings generally takes precedence over other obligations. Members are dedicated and loyal. In Shakespearean tradition, the “show” always goes on. A theater outing had been planned for two days after 9/11. No one was in a recreational mood; but members rose to their feet, sang the National Anthem, ate dinner and went on to enjoy a mood-lifting comedy at the Apple Hill Theater in Delmont, PA. In spite of difficulty, Indiana Shakespeareans pick up and move forward! Like many other Shakespeare Clubs, members have faithfully continued the spirit and traditions of their founders. But they have also adapted to new times and ways. Members have met consistently, despite wars, the Depression and other hard times. Clearly the friendship and intellectual stimulation have kept members involved during good times and bad.
The Club’s history has been generally well-preserved. Documents and minutes are kept in the Special Collections Department of the IUP library and will soon be accessible to the public via the internet. Minutes of the meetings, some dating back to the 1920s, are on file and available to the public. The highlight of the collection is a set of scrupulously kept scrapbooks with superb vintage photographs dating back to the days of the founders. The current President is John Barbor, Esq.—whose parents were longtime members of the Indiana Shakespeare Club.
In November, 2004, the Indiana Shakespeare Club celebrated its 125th Anniversary at a joint meeting of another local organization, The Ingleside Club. This group was formed a few years after the Shakespeare Club and draws from a similar population of accomplished local residents. Unlike Shakespeare Club, Ingleside enlists members rather than outside speakers to present informative papers. Over the years, both clubs have met together for dinner or outings. Both groups preserve nineteenth-century traditions of social harmony and cultural growth while adapting to twenty-first century innovations and ideas.
Submitted by Susan I. Gatti, Recording Secretary

1884 WARREN SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Warren, Pennsylvania
(Men and Women, 40 members, 16 meetings per year)
Our club is made up of 40 “active” members, 20 men and 20 women. We also have about eight to ten "alternate" members who have the same privileges and duties of the actives, but cannot vote. Alternates aspire to become actives as openings become available. This usually only happens if someone moves away or dies, so the wait may be years. Members are expected to come to all meetings unless they are ill or out of town--no other excuses! Long-time members who are no longer able to come to weekly meetings may be granted “active honorary” status; they are welcome to come whenever they are able, but pay no dues and don’t vote.
Officers serve two year terms. The president presides at meetings, the vice president assigns the programs (members may not say no if asked to give a program), the secretary keeps the minutes (we have a complete set of minutes of every meeting from the founding until today), the corresponding secretary takes letters of regret and other communications, the treasurer collects dues and pays the bills.
We meet weekly, on Tuesday evenings, sixteen times a year between November and March. We meet in a mansion which is now owned by the Woman's Club of Warren. Men must wear tuxedos; women wear some sort of dressy attire. We arrive promptly at 6:45 and have greetings and conversation in the parlor until 7:00 when a catered dinner is served in the dining room. Four members host each dinner, providing for the catering and for often elaborate table décor.
After dinner we go upstairs to a large sitting room for the evening's program. First there is a short meeting—minutes are read, new and old business is discussed, and role is called. Members must answer roll with a quote from Shakespeare. Each year we read three Shakespeare plays, each over two nights. One member is in charge of assigning roles (at least a week in advance), giving background on the play, and making cuts. In the old days, there were also critics assigned to critique the members' reading. This has fallen by the wayside.
We read one modern play each year (act it out while reading from a script), and the remainder of the evenings are filled by lectures given by members on topics related to literature, art, music, or areas of individual interest. Members work hard on these lectures and many are excellent pieces of scholarship. Meetings usually end by 10:00.
There are three special entertainments per year which take the place of regular meetings: a Christmas party, "Mid winters" and "Alternate's Night". The club was originally "dry," but now cocktails and wine are served at the entertainments. Toasting is encouraged and some members have raised toasting to an art!
The children and grandchildren of members are invited to the annual Christmas Party. After dinner, the children put on some kind of skit, play instruments, or sing for the adults. Santa arrives with little gifts. It is always a fun evening.
"Mid winters" celebrates the founding of the club on Feb. 25, 1884. After dinner, a group of actives put on an original play, skit, or musical--in costume. These are usually very inventive and funny. For instance this year the theme was a cooking show featuring Julia Child and the Frugal Gourmet--with dialogue from Shakespeare.
For "Alternate's Night," the final meeting of the season, the alternates try to impress the actives by writing and staging an original production. In this year's skit, entitled "ShakesQuere Eye for the Straight Guy," Henry VIII got a much needed make over and burst into singing "I feel Pretty!" These evenings bring out many unsuspected talents from our members. Some are creative writers, some can sing, some play musical instruments, others are natural comedians and actors. We make our own entertainment, as our founders did before us.

1885 FREDONIA SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Fredonia, New York
(Women, 20 members, 23 meetings per year)
Like some other Shakespeare clubs, the Fredonia Shakespeare Club doesn’t spend much time on Shakespeare, but rather studies a variety of topics, with a different theme each year. However, “Shakespeare is their Inspiration!”
The club meets weekly from October to March. Each member has 4 duties:
1. She must accept any office to which she may be nominated
2. She must be present at every regular meeting unless ill or out of town.
3. She must give a paper and must act as hostess once each year.
4. She must notify the president and provide a substitute if unable to present her paper.
The season begins in early October with a tea to which members may invite guests. A guest speaker makes a presentation related to the chosen study topic. The following week, the regular meetings begin in earnest.
The 2002-2003 theme was “The Mediterranean World” and some of the papers given were: “Early Greek Architecture,” “Shipping in the Mediterranean,” “Turkey’s Sultans,” “Seafaring Homeric Heroes,” “The Moors in Spain,” “Egypt’s Pharaohs,” “The Spanish Armada,” “Dido and Aeneas,” “Alexandria,” and “The Crusades.”
In mid-April a Shakespeare’s Birthday Luncheon is held at an elegant restaurant or home where there is a birthday cake and a wine toast to the Bard. Sometimes the menu reflects the theme of the year. Last April’s luncheon featured all gourmet Mediterranean food. After the meal the members participate, in word games or something mentally challenging relating to the past year’s theme and prizes are given to the winners. This is a gala event, and former members are invited to attend.
In March, the members choose the theme for the following year. In late June a picnic is held, for members only, at the home of the president-elect. At this time the new officers pass around the titles for papers and each member chooses one.
The club has no website.

1886 DALLAS SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Dallas, Texas
(Women, 55 members, 12 meetings per year)
In January of 1886, Mrs. J. T. Trezevant and Miss Miriam Morgan paid calls on a number of their best friends, traveling about the community in Mrs. Trezevant's dogcart to deliver invitations to what turned out to be the organizational meeting of the Dallas Shakespeare Club. Every one of the invitees accepted and applauded the idea of meeting once a week to study and discuss Shakespeare. Thus did the club begin with 40 members. Mrs. Trezevant, not content with simply forming the group, took another equally important step. She declined the presidency and proposed instead Miss May Dickson (later Mrs. Henry Exall). This turned out to be an act of genius. Mrs. Exall assumed the office and held it for the next 50 years. During those years, she and other members of the Club obtained a Carnegie grant to found the Dallas Public Library, as well as engaging in countless other activities to support the cultural growth of the young city.
Over time the Club gradually expanded to its present membership of 55. There were a few honorary male members in earlier days, but there are none now. The Club has met continually since its inception, though the elaborate refreshments and tableaux each Friday afternoon in prior times have given way to somewhat simpler preparations every other Friday. From October to March, meetings are held in members' homes. A cast is chosen to read a different play each fall, followed by papers in the spring. These papers generally elaborate on themes from the play and are written and delivered by members, though outside speakers are sometimes invited to share their expertise. Occasionally the spring papers address some entirely different subject.
New members traditionally take the minutes of the meetings. The charming custom of addressing one another by the formal "Mrs. Jones" or "Miss Smith" is still maintained. Another holdover from gentler days is a gracious and supportive loyalty to one another. The club is still involved in civic matters. Its Sallie Dickson Memorial Fund, named for Mrs. Exall's mother, gives yearly contributions to local charities, mostly for Shakespeare-related activities. Its largest single grant was in honor of the club's 100th birthday, when a Shakespeare First Folio was purchased, restored, and given to the Dallas Public Library.
The Dallas Shakespeare Club continues to be a group of energetic, intelligent women, drawn together by mutual respect and friendship. The tea tables are less extraordinary and the meetings are somewhat shorter, but the members are just as committed as their predecessors were more than a hundred years ago, to honoring Shakespeare and supporting the cultural infrastructure of a thriving city.
Website: http://www.dallashistory.org/history/dallas/shakespeare_club.htm

1886 - WOODLAND SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Woodland ,California
(Women, 50 active members, 20 inactive, 7 meetings per year)

The object of this club shall be study with intellectual and spiritual growth as goals.
To quote from the club history, "The Woodland Shakespeare Club is the second oldest women's literary club in California, being formalized in 1886.  Only the Ebell Club of Oakland, formed in1876, is older - and even this ten year head start is minimized by the fact that the Woodland group met informally for the study of Shakespeare for one or two years previously, and by the fact that there
had been a so-called "prehistoric" period dating from about 1878, during which time some of the ladies had read and discussed the writings of various authors when they called upon each other."

In the early years, according to tradition, the ladies met every Saturday through the entire year. Each person studied the assigned play in advance and each took an active part at every meeting. The reading was interspersed with comments and excited discussions.  There was no limit to the time spent upon any suggestive point or passage; often many months would be occupied in the study of one play.

Later, for many years, programs were presented by three or four committee members in a lecture format and the emphasis of study was broadened to include other authors.  Since 1969, the program is given at  tables "in the round" with shorter presentations from the program committee and a lively discussion following.  At regular meetings, a "simple cup of tea" is served at intermission.

On the two guest days, the January Guest Day Tea and the Shakespeare Birthday Luncheon held in April, guests are invited and a more formal program is given since many guests would not be prepared for discussion.    At the Guest Day Tea, a formal tea is served following the program.  At the birthday luncheon, a potluck salad luncheon is served and the traditional birthday cake is cut by a person the President wishes to honor.  This person gives a short talk on the subject of her choice but often it is in regard to traditions or past events of the club.

Officers are appointed by the elected President as are all committees.  When oriented, new members are informed that "one never says 'no' to the President" and if an unforeseen emergency arises, the member must find a substitute for herself for whatever her obligation.

Although membership is limited to 50 members, one may have inactive status following 20+ years of active service or on the occasion of failing health.  Members who celebrate their 90th birthdays then become "Honorary Members" and are no longer required to pay dues.  Normally, the waiting
list of four prospective members is full and at times there is a list waiting to be placed on the waiting list.

The strength of the club is the wonderful age range of the members and in the recognition of the longevity of the club and the richness of its traditions.

1888 SHAKESPEARE CLUB OF PASADENA
Pasadena, California
(Women, about 60 members, 9 program meetings per year)
The Shakespeare Club of Pasadena is the oldest women’s club in Southern California. It began as a reading club but has expanded to include a wide range of activities. Its purpose is to serve “the cultural, educational and philanthropic interests of its members.” The club has always been a forum for progressive ideas. Public kindergartens, public restrooms, Juvenile Courts and the Pasadena Humane Society are but a few of the projects initiated by the club’s volunteers.
The club year begins in October and ends in June. The regular “program meetings” are on the first Tuesday of each month; a catered luncheon is served. Programs last year included Roberta Randall performing “Eleanor Roosevelt;” Jacques Foti, comedy & songs; a Tournament of Roses Luncheon honoring the Queen of the Tournament of Roses and her Court (each of the girls told something about herself; this event is always well attended!); Allan Gruener performing “Dirty Blond”--the life and times of Mae West; and a performance by the finalist of the Spotlight Music Awards Competition of the Performing Arts Center at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
In the weeks between program meetings, members may participate in various sub-groups. These are: “The Philanthropy Department;” “The Creative Writing Group;” “The Shakespeare Study Department” and “The Poetry and Book Review Department.” These are daytime meetings. Members usually bring a sandwich; a drink and dessert are provided.
“The Public Affairs Department” keeps club members aware of changing times by providing various speakers. Some of this year’s speakers were: Star News columnist, Dorothy Dean, speaking on life in Pasadena over the years; Lady Harrington, an archeologist, giving a talk entitled, “The Lady Digs;” and John Brown, esq., speaking on his experiences as chief tax counsel for Getty Oil Company. Other topics were: Rescuing Children from the Streets; Braille in the classroom, and the Life of Anne Morrow Lindberg.
The club sponsors outings to the theater, museums, gardens, and musical performances. There is an active bridge group, and last year, they introduced yoga three evenings per week and had a two-month long art auction!
One of the club’s early traditions was to participate in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, which began in 1897. The club contributed prizes and served picnic lunches in Tournament Park to visitors. The Club entered its first float, a decorated carriage, in 1906, and had four prize-winning floats in the years 1929-1932.
In 1927 the Shakespeare Club formed a separate group, the Shakespeare League. The League is a junior division of the Club for daughters and nieces of members. Currently the League has about 80 active members, ages 30 to 70. The original Club has about 60 members; their ages are 50 and above.
Meetings are held in the Club’s own beautiful clubhouse, Everett House, a lovely old Italian villa on South Grand Avenue.
Website: http://www.shakespeareclub.org/ShakespeareClub.htm

1888 THE GREENVILLE SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Greenville, Illinois
(Women, 20 members, 18 meetings per year)
The Greenville Shakespeare Club “believes that development of the mind and fluent speech are the results of study, reading and learning.”
The membership consists of twenty active members. Honorary membership is granted to women who retire after having been active members for 10 or more years. These ladies no longer give papers, nor do they host meetings, hold office, pay dues, or vote--they just enjoy the meetings as they have “earned” this status. Dues are $5 per year and cover printing a program and placing books in the Public Library in honor of members who have died.
If a member does not keep up regular attendance, she must submit her resignation. But “days of perfect attendance are a thing of the past—as are the ‘white glove’ inspections of the hostess’s home!”
The club meets 18 times per season. The regular meetings are at 2 pm, on alternate Fridays, in a member’s home. There are two special meetings each season: the first meeting of each year is a 9:30 am coffee, and the second meeting in December is designated as the annual Christmas Luncheon. The hostess and other members provide the menu and cook the food—members “chip in” to cover expenses.
Officers are elected every two years. A Calendar Committee is appointed by the president each year and their duty is to select a topic and make the programs for the upcoming year. Each year one member is assigned the job of selecting a trip for the club to take—usually to some site that relates to the theme of the year.
Every year each member must research, write, and present a paper on the year’s topic. For the first five years, the club studied Shakespeare’s play, but since that time the topics for study have ranged widely. Topics have included “19th century Art in Germany, Holland, and France;” “A tour through Bible Lands;” “Jewish Heroes and Prophets;” “The Romance of Illinois;” “The Wise Use of Leisure;” “Home Decorating;” “The Renaissance” “The Civil War;” and “English Authors.” This year’s topic was “Westward! Ho!” The year began with a trip to the Lewis & Clark museum in St. Louis.
In the early meetings of the club, a “critic” was named each year and she conducted discussions of the paper just given. This position has disappeared, but comments from each member are often a part of the entertainment. Members also share information on books--at each meeting a clip board is sent around for the listing of books a member has read and wishes to recommend to others.
Although the club’s constitution says nothing about civic involvement, the club has initiated several community projects over the years including support of the hospital, the library and many other community organizations.
The club member’s “endeavor to keep informed on current topics and our desire to become interested in all worthwhile subjects keeps us together as an organization and as friends.”

1889 THE SHAKESPEARE CLUB OF GENESEE COUNTY
Flint, Michigan
(Men and Women, 40 members)
The Genesee County Shakespeare Club is believed to be the oldest Shakespeare Club in the state. The club meets in the evening to read and study the works of Shakespeare and Shakespearean literature. The membership is limited to forty. Meetings are held at the homes of members.
Three plays are read by the club each season; the members take roles assigned by a committee. A carefully prepared paper on the play is read at the first meeting, quoting from authorities and commentators. A “critic-on-rendering” comments on the reading at the end of each act. A “critic-on-pronunciation” reports; then the views of each member are requested as to the rendition. The club has always worked seriously, however, there are “off nights”--open evenings to which guests are invited. “Many clever papers, original skits and burlesques, have made these occasions to be recalled with joy.”
Website: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mi/county/lapeer/gen/ch23/shakespeare5.html

1880’s OJAI SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Ojai, California
(Women & Men, reorganizing in 2004)

The original Ojai Shakespeare Club was organized sometime in the 1880’s in the Ojai Valley. The club got together on a regular basis to read and discuss Shakespeare’s plays, while creating a sense of community and having a good time.
As many Shakespeare Clubs of the time, it was open to women only, which allowed the members the freedom to read the plays uncensored and to discuss them in an uninhibited manner. During the Victorian era, Shakespeare was frequently published and performed in the sanitized, “Bowdlerized” edition.
In the early 1900’s, the club decided to mount its first production. “The women rehearsed A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an all female cast, and found a beautiful sylvan setting under a large oak tree to present their production. Due to the suggestive nature of the play, and the (relatively) revealing costumes (that is, merely a single layer of leggings and a few bare arms), only women were invited to attend the production. On the day of the performance, the cast saw that men had snuck into the audience and the production was cancelled.”
During the 1970’s the club opened its doors to men, and also added a new item to the agenda: exploration of the “authorship controversy.” Soon the club evolved into a production group, “dedicated to mounting productions of Shakespeare and to publicizing the theory that Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, was the author of the plays, not the Stratford businessman named ‘William Shakspere.’” The club reorganized and became the “Royal Shake-speare Revels.” (The use of the hyphenated name reproduces the actual spelling of the author of the plays; in Elizabethan England, a hyphenated name usually signified a pseudonym.)
Several productions were put on in the 1970’s and 80’s. In 1989, the club aspired to “become more professional, without losing its community roots, and to reach an audience beyond the Ojai Valley,” and again reorganized. It became the non-profit theatre producing company known as the “Ojai Shakespeare Festival.” This year the Festival will produce Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth.
The original reading club was lost in the evolution of this club, but just recently it is being reinstituted, thus reviving a very old tradition in the Ojai Valley. So far the new Shakespeare reading club has about 20 interested members. Good luck to you!
Website: http://www.ojaishakespeare.org

1897 PLACERVILLE SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Placerville, California
(Women, 186 members, 18 meetings per year)
The Placerville Shakespeare Club was originally limited to 20 members, but has grown in recent years to 186 members! This is a very active club as detailed in their newsletter, The Bard.
The club owns its own club house, built in 1930. Luncheon meetings are held there twice a month, on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, from September through May. The members do the cooking for most of the luncheons, but members over the age of eighty are excused from kitchen work. Many of the meetings have traditional themes: October’s meeting is a Silver Tea to honor new members; in December the Shakespeare Chorale presents a Christmas program; January is designated as Pioneer Month honoring life members; in February the Club’s Romeos (husbands of members) are honored; April is Shakespeare’s birthday month and past presidents are honored and a play is performed by the Shakespeare Players; May is Scholarship Recipients Month and the Shakespeare Singers present a musicale. In addition, there are almost monthly celebrations and fundraisers, including: Ice Cream Socials, Rummage Sales, the Shakespeare Family Feast (an Elizabethan extravaganza attended by the whole community), and the Sonnets and Bonnets Fashion Show.
As if all that isn’t enough, members may also participate in special interest sections which meet on other days during the month. These sections include: Chorale, Dancing Dollies Tap Dance Group, Museum& Fine Arts Group, Nimble Thimbles Craft Group, Literary Group, Secret Pal Group, Shakespeare Garden Group and Shakespeare Players Drama Group.
The club has always been active in community service. In 1906, they helped establish the El Dorado County Library. In 1913 they formed a civic group to clean up and beautify the city. They started a PTA and a free kindergarten, promoted school bond issues, and helped to save Cedar Grove trees along Hwy 50. In WWII they conducted blood drives and volunteered their club house as the town’s only movie theater.
A shift in demographics of the club’s membership began in the 1960’s when more women began to enter the work force. Fewer women had time for woman’s clubs and the membership declined. But beginning in the 1980’s, Placerville was “discovered” by “young” retirees from other cities who were drawn to beautiful, scenic El Dorado County. These women, many retired from careers in the business world, are finding companionship and an outlet for their talents by participation in many of the clubs activities and special events. The average age of the current membership is mid-seventies, “but they are definitely young at heart!”
The club has many treasured traditions. The White Rose is the club flower. At each meeting a “Pennies for Pines” basket is passed to collect for the planting of pine plantation in the national forest. Scholarships are given by the club to deserving high school students each year.
The club, now in its second century, is stronger than at any other time in its history. The members continue to be dedicated to the Club’s original ideals of promoting sociability and friendship, providing assistance to local charities and youth; and beautifying the neighborhood.
Club contact: mariep@d-web.com

1899 WOMAN'S SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Denton, Texas
(Women, 89 members, 12 meetings per year)
The fourteen founding members of Denton’s “Woman’s Shakespeare Club” met in the home of Mrs. W. A Ponder on July 26, 1899. Through the study of Shakespeare’s Plays the women hoped to grow intellectually and they chose as the club’s theme “Step by step we gain the height.” Green and white were picked as the club colors and the white chrysanthemum was selected as the club flower. The club met once a month on Thursday. Julius Caesar and The Tempest were studied the first season.
Over the years the club has evolved away from reading Shakespeare and on to more varied fields of study. The Club’s current theme reflects this new emphasis: “Unity and Diversity for the Improvement of the Community.” The members may choose from among five Departments with the following courses of study: Literature; Fine Arts; Forum (Revisiting our past to reclaim our heritage); Modern Arts; and New Horizons (Caring and learning about the world we live in.). The Departments meet monthly from October through May
The Club currently has 89 members who range in age from about 50 to 91. There are four general meetings per year with speakers from business, civic, educational and governmental areas of the community. The club supports several projects each year: A Christmas Party at Denton State School, The Denton County Food Bank, The City-County Day Nursery, The Denton Christian Pre-school, The Emily Fowler Library, The Fred Moore Day Nursery and HOPE, Inc.
The Club owns a building jointly with the Ariel Club and the general meetings are held there. Department meeting are held at the club building or at member’s homes. Refreshments are usually served after the meeting. Occasionally field trips to area museums and historical sites are offered.
Since 1900, the club has been a member of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs (TFWC). The TFWC was organized in 1897 to encourage cooperation between the literary clubs of the state--clubs which had their origins in home-study associations such as Shakespeare Clubs, the Lyceum movement, and Chautauqua societies. The Federation’s motto is "In small things liberty, in large things unity, in all things charity." “The Federation teaches me to give graciously of what is mine. . . to pour my strength into three great channels of love: my home and family, my church, and my world.”
The Denton Woman’s Club is rightly proud of its over one hundred year history of education and community service.

1902 THE SHAKESPEARE STUDY CLUB OF MCMINNVILLE
McMinnville, Oregon
(Women, 26 members, 6 meetings per year)
The Shakespeare Study Club of McMinnville was founded by a group of ladies who were determined that Culture should be alive and well in a small town in the Willamette Valley of Northwest Oregon. The club celebrated its centennial in 2002.
In the old days, there were meetings two times a month, with tea and cookies served. Each member was required to present an in-depth paper on some phase of Shakespeare, although other writers were allowed. The minutes of the meetings have been kept all these years and are fascinating, “even a bit hilarious.”
Today the club meets once a month, from October to April and the programs are “less formal and erudite, but always interesting.” The topics lean toward the theater and the arts, which is natural since the lovely hills which surround McMinnville are peopled with potters, poets, and painters. There have also been programs on such far reaching subjects as “Buying and selling rare old books,” and “References to Weather in Shakespeare.” For one meeting the members put on the “Fifteen Minute Hamlet” which was a lot of fun. A favorite speaker is an English professor at the local Linfield College, who is an authority on Shakespeare—he has almost become an honorary member. The April meeting is devoted to members suggestions for summer reading. The club also has a social gathering once in the summer.
The monthly meetings are held at the homes of members and a luncheon is served. The hostess provides the home and two members provide the food which is usually an interesting salad, rolls, and an irresistible fattening dessert. Dues of $10 per year are used to buy books for the library in memory of departed members and to support organizations such as the local Arts Alliance. Roll is called at each meeting and members must respond with a quote from Shakespeare.
One current club member moved to McMinnville in 1958. She and her husband bought a large 14 room mansion which had been built in 1897 by a local banker. The banker's wife had been the acknowledged Grande Dame of McMinnville society--and had been a founder of the Shakespeare Club. When members came to the home for meetings in 1902, they dressed up--wearing hats and gloves. The new owner joined the club and continued the tradition, insisting that members wear gloves and hats when she is hostess. This has become a much loved tradition for the April luncheon, the final meeting of the season.
McMinnville has an excellent community theater in which several members of the club are active. Those who can, also attend plays in Portland, and few of the very faithful manage to attend the Shakespearean Festival in Ashland, in southern Oregon. It is one of the two or three very best in the U.S.
The Shakespeare Study Club is made up of a special group of women, bonded together by a unique commonality. Each meeting is a joy. “We are part serious, part comic, and we delight in each other.” At this year’s Christmas meeting, the program theme was “gifts” and the speaker reminded them that each one has a gift she shares with the rest. The group has a published poet, a dancer who studied with Martha Graham, a talented artist, a weaver, a college professor and one member who believes that “Shakespeare was not Shakespeare,” but is beloved by the club anyway!

1903 THE FRIDAY SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Santa Cruz, California
(Women, 25 members, 17 meetings per year)
The Friday Shakespeare Club is Santa Cruz’s oldest literary society. At its earliest meetings a constitution and bylaws were adopted, officers were elected (a president, secretary-treasurer, and a “leader”), and the club flower was chosen—a red carnation, or “gilly flower.” It was thought to be Shakespeare’s favorite bloom. They also selected the club’s motto: “Influence is Responsibility.”
The club meets on Fridays, of course, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The meetings are in a local church meeting room. Currently there are 25 active members, 9 inactive members and 5 honorary members. Originally the only excuses for missing club meetings were “absence from town, severe illness, or stormy weather.”
The club studies 4 Shakespeare plays a year, devoting 3 meetings to each play. Each member makes a presentation on one of the plays each year, using reports, videos, role-playing, and exercises.
No food is served at the regular meetings, but there are luncheons each year celebrating: Christmas, President’s Day, and Shakespeare’s birthday. At some of these, there are speakers who are often from the UC Santa Cruz theater group.
Correspondence with the Shakespeare Club of Stratford-upon-Avon has played a major role in the Friday Club’s history. Communication with Stratford during and after WWII extended from 1943 through 1948. Throughout the war, club members did their part by sewing and knitting for the Red Cross. The Stratford connection was renewed briefly in the 1980’s and again in 1997.
The Club celebrated its centennial in 2003 and looks forward to another century of “study, acting, guest speakers and controversy.”
At each meeting, the club recites a Collect, written by Dr. Mary Stuart in 1904. It ends with the words: “May we strive to touch and to know the great common woman’s heart in us all; and, O Lord God, let us not forget to be kind.”
Website: http://library.ucsc.edu/speccoll/exhibits/friday_shakespeare.html

1909 THE EUGENE SHAKESPEARE CLUB
Eugene, Oregon
(Women, 18 members, 16 meetings per year)
The Eugene Shakespeare Club is devoted to the study of Shakespeare’s works. The club has a maximum of 25 members—all women. There are currently 18 members who meet every-other Monday afternoon during a season that runs from October to May. There are several “life members” who attend when they can.
The current club has met continuously since 1909. It is descended from a Shakespeare Club founded in 1893 by a Professor Luella Clay Carson, of the University of Oregon. This early club dissolved in 1899, but it “can be said to be an intellectual forbear, if not a direct predecessor” of the current club, which began meeting after a ten year hiatus.
Originally the club concentrated on performing the plays. Performances, complete with costumes, were staged for limited audiences. Over the years the club evolved into a reading and study group. Currently, the plays studied are those being performed by the Shakespeare Festival of Ashland, Oregon—usually four plays a year. One person leads each play, giving a brief talk about some aspects of it and assigning parts to be read.
The club has a fairly formal organization with a constitution. Dues are $15.00 per year. Each meeting starts with minutes and roll call. Members answer the roll call with a quote from the play that is being studied. After dealing with any outstanding business, attention is turned to reading and discussing the play.
There are three social events every year: A Christmas tea, a Twelfth Night Celebration, and Shakespeare’s Birthday Luncheon in April. The luncheon always features a speaker. While not sponsored by the University of Oregon, the group has included members from the university faculty, who, along with other guests from the faculty, have given lectures and added to discussions of the plays.
The club has also helped to promote Shakespearean studies in Oregon, sponsoring lecture series at the Eugene Public Library, as well as patronizing the Oregon Shakespeare Festival at Ashland. In past years, the club assisted materially and financially in various civic and charitable projects. The club donates part of its dues each year to the Ashland Shakespeare Festival and donations are also made in memory of members and former members.
As a group, the women have enjoyed reversing the original conventions of Elizabethan theatre, producing Shakespeare with all-female, rather than all-male casts.
Website: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/mss/inventories/eugshakespeare.html