September 20, 1894 [written by Sheafe] [handwritten: Anna J.]
My mind runs rapidly back over the years to that date, September 20, 1894-- when the Fortnightly Club was organized, and I live again the few days immediately preceding that event, when the desirability of such an organization on Queen Anne Hill had taken definite form in a few minds, and the chief thought was how best to compass such a plan and how to present it so that it should stand commended. For those were busy days in this new and bustling city and few women found much leisure, for any added care or pleasure. Moreover, it was early in the club history of our country, and few there were who had known much, if anything, of club work, and still fewer--who had ever belonged to such an organization, as a literary club. It was finally decided that a personal visit to those women around likely to be interested in such an organization would the most quickly and easily accomplish the purpose, and accordingly, we set forth upon this plan, though with temerity, at the thought of presenting any scheme to any woman, which meant added work or responsibility.
However, history repeats itself and you have but to thoroughly believe in a thing yourself to be able to commend it to others, and this case proved to be no exception to the rule. And then, in the afternoon of such a September day as may only be known in this Puget Sound country, I see them getting together in that house, which has to be the “Club Home,” for so long a time, each trying to gain what of light and information might be had from the others and all agreed upon one point: that the women of this locality need just such an addition to their life, as this Club provides to be--which should serve as a common meeting ground and which should serve also as a stimulus to the mental, social and philanthropic life of the locality. We found very little of precedent to guide us in our delibera- tions, and early decided that we were to be a law unto ourselves, working out our own salvation. How far and well we have succeeded, these records are designed to tell.
A week later, we sit together this time with a definite purpose, and tolerably clear notions of procedure, and the “Fortnightly Club” is.
And as I sit here, in another September day--as full of gorgeous glory as was that one, thirteen years ago--trying to think this all out, and write it down--I find my pen gave ideas--this day melted into that--the memory of all the intervening years fled--and again we are assembled in council! How real it all seems--till I can see each dear one, just how she was dressed--where she sat, how she looked, and what she said!
But--it is fact--and not fancy I am bound to relate in these pages. As we bid the vision flee, as we realize that whether we will or no, thirteen years have not passed over, and left us all untouched. Out of the Great Beyond--some of those elect women must answer our call--if answer they will--and “Who being called, yet speak” to us.
And now, having been only organized and properly equipped, and with a membership--while not large, is yet earnest and interesting. It is not too much to hope and expect that the Fortnightly career shall unceasingly be, upward, and still upward. And--in the main this has been true.
While of course we have had our ups and downs, gaining here and losing there, and while there has not been lacking, at regular intervals, those prophets who could clearly see and surely foretell the early and more or less complete failure of the Club, yet these “false prophets” have always been outside our own fold, and we have never been a “house divided,” and consequently have always made good.
The plan for our early years was, we think, admirable, in that we gained a good running knowledge on a wide range of subjects, covering a century a year. Beginning with the fifteenth century, we worked thus, until we had scanned the time up to and including the nineteenth century. Since that time, we have retraced our steps and have undertaken less, and enough to be more thorough.
And so, as we have gone ahead, each year a little more ambitious and thorough,
than the preceding year, we reflect with pride that we have never taken a step backwards, nor let down from that standard, established at the beginning, and set forth in our motto: “We’ll work with patience, which is almost power.”
While we have never proved as a literary club, nor laid claim to any superior ability, as such, we yet recall some papers and programs which would do any club honor. Nor as a philanthropic club, we still rejoice to believe that we have steadily grown more interested in finding ways of helpfulness, and that no call goes from us, unheard. And while we do not place ourselves as having any social distinction above any other of our sister clubs, we yet point with pride to a long list of social functions, which we claim to be both clever and original.
We note that our first dues were twenty-five cents a year! Not so very ambitious a sum, truly. And our first year-book cost eight dollars ($8.00). Compare these two items with those of the present year--say--with dues four dollars ($4.00) and cost of publishing year-books thirty-one dollars ($31.00), and you perceive something of our progress.
We--at that early date--clearly recall our first regular program--on Feb. 25--1894. Mrs. Sackett discussed “Hygiene in the Home” and Mrs. Crockett--“The Ideal Home.” Both papers were of great merit, and gave us much pleasure--as well as [unclear: benefit] us forever. Another paper of those early times, and one which I shall never forget, was written by that rare woman, Mrs. Knox. “From the Deluge to the Fifteenth Century.” Think of covering four thousand years in one paper--for one afternoon! And only those who heard the paper can form any idea of its great merit.
And what a rare spirit was that of our Mrs. Knox! So quiet and unassuming, so quaint and clever--a very fountain of wit and humor of the brightest and drollest sort. And how beautiful she was--I love to think of that elect pair, both so beautiful with their wealth of white hair, and as frequently happened--dressed alike, in their favorite color of purple, which gloriously became them.