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XXI Club Denison, Texas The Denison Herald Sunday, October 14, 1990 LIFESTYLE XXI CLUB CELEBRATES 100 YEARS TODAY The XXI Club members are hosting an open house and tea from 2 until 4 p.m. today in celebration of the 100th anniversary. Patricia Siegfreid Giles, second vice-president of Trinity District, Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, will be visiting. One hundred years ago today, October 14, 1890, the XXI Club of Denison was organized by 2 culturally minded young women, Miss Edith Menefee and Miss Cora Lingo. It seems that the 2 were on a vacation one summer to Chatauqua, New York, which at that time was the center for summer study. On their way east they became acquainted with some enthusiastic club women going to Boston to attend a convention and were persuaded to go to Boston with them. They were quickly converted to the idea of having a culture club in Denison. Accordingly, in the fall of that year, Miss Menefee interested 9 of her friends to meet with her at the home of Mrs. Paul Waples, living then at the corner of Morton and Perry to organize the club.... In 1925 tragedy befell the club house. Subsoil conditions in the area caused damage to the walls and the city declared it a hazard and ordered it razed. The club moved to 515-1/2 West Main. In 1938 the clubrooms were closed and the priceless china, furniture, paintings and books were stored and meetings were held in the Hotel Denison. In 1939 a house was purchased at 830 West Morton and was used until 1941 when it was closed. During the years of 1949-1951 with Miss Elizabeth Bledsoe and Mrs. J.S. Knaur as the presidents, the club purchased and built their present location at 1101 West Morgan. By this time the Denison City Library had been organized on a tax basis, so the club divided its books among new library, Austin College, Denison High School, and Terrell School. The original cornerstone from the brick club house was placed on the corner of the lot carrying the name, "The XXI Club Literary, 1896, Endowed by J.T. Munson." In 1966 members were challenged to help preserve the history of the many "the firsts" that Denison had. One of these firsts was the XXI Club, Mrs. Rylis Johnson, the 1962 president of the club, accepted the challenge and wrote the history of the club which was documented that it might be recognized by the State Historical Foundation. After several months of work, she was granted the first historical Marker in Denison for the XXI Club, for being the first woman's club house built in Texas with facilities for music, drama and art. It also gave Denison its first public library from 1896 to 1935. In striving to live up to its objectives, the club has reflected much of the culture in Denison since 1890. To sum up some of its accomplishments: It brought the first concert series to Denison, first to have a weekly story hour for children, only Denison club to adopt a French child during World War I years, formed the nucleus of the Denison Garden Club, formed the first junior library club, organized the Owl Study Club in McKinney and the XXI in Gainesville, furnished board members for the Girls Club, assists the Lions Club each year with toys for needy children, assists through memorials and has awarded numerous scholarships in many fields.  The club still
meets regularly at the clubhouse with Dixie Foster serving as
president.. Other officers include Janet Wilkinson, first
vice-president; Sharon Lovell, second vice-president; Eva Gerard,
treasurer; Marie Heimecke, treasurer; Marilyn Franks, house and ground;
Cathy Pilkilton, historian; Pearl DaVault, counselor; Stella Womack,
parliamentarian; Cathy Pilkilton, JoEllen Fisher and Virginia Scoggin,
board of trustees. This year the XXI Club was awarded first place for their yearbook at the state convention and Pearl DaVault was recognized as outstanding club woman. They received a first place state award for their program on adult literacy, a second place for past history to share with present history; and were recognized for celebrating 100 years.  XXI Club History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |