History of the Sippican Woman’s Club
April 11 @ 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
On Friday, April 11 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm The Sippican Woman’s Club’s dedicated Historian, Jeanne Bruen, will give an oral and visual overview of the club’s history. Jeanne has been a member of the club since 2007. A nurse by profession, Jeanne has dedicated much of her artistic talents and enthusiasm by sharing her own abundance of holiday décor and leading members in decorating our clubhouse for our annual fundraiser the Holiday House Tour. Many new members have found by participating in the annual Tavern Holiday decorating they have enjoyed the opportunity to bond with new friends. She has led a table scape design submission for the holidays sponsored by the Rotch Jones Duff House in New Bedford and recently decorated our club’s holiday tree for the Friends of Marion COA’s Holiday fundraiser. Her talents have included designing and marketing a Handy’s Tavern plate as a fundraiser. Never idle, Jeanne has throughout her years as a Club member has culled our numerous scrap books, organized piles of photos, clippings, etc. The program will be culmination of Jeannie’s interest in sharing her efforts to catalogue and organize much of the club’s history.
The club has a long history:
-SWC was established in 1904 when 2 Marion ladies groups combined efforts.
-One, a discussion group founded in the late 1890’s by Mrs. John Allen; The other organized in 1904 by Mrs. E.O. Rundell for “social and intellectual improvement”.
-By 1914, the Club was holding fairs and rummage sales to benefit public health and a nursing association. The Tavern housed a clinic & living quarters for the town nurse.
-On June 24 and 25, 1915 the Sippican Woman’s Club hosted the State Federation of Women’s Clubs for their annual meeting and to vote on women’s suffrage. Over 400 women, from around the state gathered in Marion for two days staying at the Sippican Hotel. This annual meeting added their voice to the suffrage movement. It took 5 more years for Women’s Right to Vote to pass in 1920.
-In 1923 the women purchased Handy’s Tavern. Apartments were then rented to the town nurse and schoolteachers. During WWII, the Red Cross utilized the Tavern to support the war effort. Today there are 2 small residential units above the meeting room and an adjacent commercial unit.
-In 1947 the Club began and continue to award scholarships to deserving high school graduating Marion residents. The Club also supports other community needs.
-Scholarship funds are raised through annual Club events i.e. the annual Holiday
-House Tour. During COVID, in 2020 Dollars for Scholars was supported by our membership and community and in 2021 and 2022 Illuminate to Educate were very successful fundraisers supported by the community.
Our April 11 meeting will start with finger-food luncheon at 12:30 pm followed by a business meeting and Club’s History Program from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm.
Our meetings are open to guests. Membership is open to any woman whose primary interests are in the Town of Marion. We traditionally meet on the second Friday of the month during the months of September through April at 12:30 pm for social time, accompanied by finger foods, followed by a business meeting at 1:00 pm. The speaker/program generally starts at 1:30/1:45pm. Parking is available in parking lot in front of the bandstand off Island Wharf Road across from the Music Hall. For club information: see our website: www.sippicanwomansclub.org.