Saturday, July 17, 2010

When ladies were Ladies

My mother the club woman. (on the left in the picture, and politically)
These were the days when you wore gloves and a hat to pour tea.


As soon as we got to a new neighborhood my mother joined a club. And it didn't take long before she was the president.
The copy under the picture says " with teenagers in the house constantly playing bop records it's only natural that Mom, too becomes bop conscious." I don't think we called it " bop", probably "rhythm and blues". It's true though, that she developed a taste for our music.

She was the president of the P.T.A. my first year in grammar school and again my senior year in high school. Unfortunately when I was in high school I didn't consider it very cool and died of embarrassment when she gave a speech in assembly.

It also says in the article that she was president of the Pomona Valley Woman's Club, publicity chairman for Fremont Jr. High PTA  (past first vice president and hospitality chairman), legislation chairman of the high school PTA and past PTA council hospitality chairman.  For three years she was chairman or co- chair of the Mothers March on Polio.

But that's not all- at the same time she was the Girl Scout Troop chairman. ( My father was the Boy Scout troop leader).  We had only been in town for four years.

 Many years later when she moved to Fallbrook she joined the Fallbrook Players and the Toastmasters and the Democratic Club. She was the President of the Democratic Club for several years. This was quite a group of rabble-rousing senior citizens and in this ultra conservative town I think they were considered "Commies" even though they were pretty middle- of- the- road.

She really was the consummate club woman.

See more Sepia Saturday stories at sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/




14 comments:

Tattered and Lost said...

I LOVE this shot! Really captures what went on. The formality of all of it.

Pat said...

What a different time and place. Great that you have these photos of her in club attire to recall the times....Nice

Nancy said...

I remember my mother wearing gloves, but she wasn't much of a joiner. You mom must have been an extrovert! Great photos.

Anonymous said...

I remember when I was young and my mom and her friends dressed like this for a casual lunch together!

Anonymous said...

Love these pictures. I was like your mom, every club or group I joined I had to be part of the ones to run the show. With 6 kids you know I was involved in a lot and a working RN too. Bossy, bossy me, that's what my kids call me. That was because I was so full of ideas I got tired of waiting for other folks to get things done.LOL Who knows why certain people are the way they are. I did love this post. Thanks for stopping by.
QMM

Anonymous said...

BTW love your art classes. I am still a student after 3 years. I will continue classes as long as my teacher will have me.
QMM

L. D. said...

Your mom certainly loved her clubs. My mom belonged to clubs while a farm wife. The one was a bunch of poor ladies and the sat and gossiped. The other club was richer older woman who served great deserts and also played a game. Then they gossiped. I really like how your mom never missed a move to be involved.

Martin said...

What a whirlwind of activity your mother was! And so elegantly dressed. Hats and gloves when taking tea, just wonderful.

Alan Burnett said...

I love this introduction to your mother. She sounds like the kind of lady I would have thoroughly enjoyed meeting. In a way I have met her through your post.

tony said...

She Sounds like A Fine Lass!A Principeled Individual.

DougVernX said...

That's progressive of that newspaper to feature a woman of the week. How embarrassed I would have been if my mother was on stage giving a speech during high school. Teen years are difficult ones aren't they? Thanks for sharing

Bruno Laliberté said...

AH, AH!!
THE LADIES WHO LUNCH!!
but the birdcage in the middle of the table may be a tad too much for my taste...
:D~
HUGZ

North County Film Club said...

Ticklebear:
What do you mean...that was the main course!

Bruno Laliberté said...

and which part of it was edible?
;)~
HUGZ

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