May 19, 2024

Club news

Flora Dunlap was a prominent settlement house worker, social reform activist and brought forth a new wave of leadership to the Iowa suffrage movement. She was elected president of the Iowa Equal Suffrage Association in 1913, also becoming the first president of the Iowa League of Women Voters in 1919, where she served until 1921. (19th Amendment Centennial Commemoration Project)

GFWC/IOWA Bancroft History Assembly

GFWC/IOWA Bancroft History Assembly met March 1 with seven active members present. After the Pledge of Allegiance and Inspirational Thought, each member answered roll call. The minutes were approved as written and the treasurer’s report was placed on file for audit.

Peg Anderson informed members that three period rugs were purchased for the Historical House. The final revision to the Constitution and by-laws was voted on and motion carried. Roger Nurnburg will print twenty copies.

Peg Anderson distributed current legislation action information which she will update each month. GRWC supports 168 resolutions and will work to streamline and combine in order to vote upon them at the International Convention which will be held in Atlanta instead of Toronto, Canada in June.

Martha Musmaker spoke about the food pantry and the changes taking place there.

It was voted to keep the officers and most of the standing committees the same for 2021-22 since this was a shortened year due to the pandemic. The Program and Executive Committee members are Marisue Lewis, Martha Musmaker and JoAnn Nurnberg.

JoAnn Nurnburg’s gave a program about Flora Dunlap, who was a very talented social reform activist and organizer. Dunlap began working at Hull House in Chicago before moving to Des Moines in 1916 where she began working in a settlement house in the poorest neighborhood in the city. She helped develop the settlement house in the Jewish community in Des Moines as well and was very instrumental in working toward in 19th Amendment in Iowa. In 1943, she and her family moved to her home state, Ohio.

Kay Raymond gave a report about Rekha Bashu, who has been an award winning columnist for the Des Moines Register since 1991. Basu writes about the importance of Iowa’s cultural diversity and global connections, something very important to her.

Peg Anderson told the group about the 19th Amendment caravan coming through Corning, Creston and Afton in 1913.

The next meeting of the group will be April 5.