Mother's Study Club

Mother's Study Club members pictured at their 50th anniversary on June 13, 1990

Mother's Study Club children pictured in 1941

Mother's Study Club members pictured in September 1955

List of Mother's Study Club charter members in 1940

Mother's Study Club children pictured Christmas 1940

Pauline Guy's program for 1940 - 1941

Hand painted Mother's Study Club program for 1943 - 1944

Wartime recipe book used during WWII

ABC of Wartime Canning compliments of The DeGraff Food Co.

Make and Mend for Victory book used during WWII

Mother's Study Club program books from the 1950s and 1960s

Photos from the Mother's Study Club 50th anniversary celebration in 1990

Photo of eight charter members of the Mother's Study Club pictured in 1990

On July 29, 1940, a group of young mothers interested in parenting education met in the Mary Lee Tea Room at 136 N. Main St., in Bellefontaine and organized the Child Guidance Club, a local branch of the Child Conservation League.

Officers elected were Mrs. Harry Guy, president, Mrs. Carl Dauler, vice president, Mrs. Frank Wish, recording secretary, Mrs. Edward Bewley, treasurer, Mrs. Sherman Buscher, corresponding secretary, Mrs. Roy McClanahan, librarian and twenty-five charter members. Meetings were held at 8:00 pm on the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month. After meeting a few times, they decided to form their own club, the Mother’s Study Club, so they did not have to pay for the program outlines of the Child Conservation League.

For the 1941 -1942 year, Mrs. Janet Dauler was elected as the club’s second president, and they welcomed new member Maxine Bradley. At their reorganizational meeting, they discussed some of their favorite topics from the previous year including Motion Pictures, Radio and Our Children, First Aid in Our Home, and In Defense of Grandparents. They also stated, “In our work and study together we helped each other as mothers, over the many rough spots encountered in the course of that difficult but glorious undertaking of bringing up children.”

Program topics naturally dealt with the concerns of young parents raising children but also reflected the times in which they lived. During WWII, they had topics relating to the war such as Home Defense, Our Children and the War, Balanced Diets in Wartime and programs about rationing books and fallout shelters. They also shared concerns about their husbands serving in the Armed Services.

In the recap of 1944 – 1945, they stated “This year found us deep in ration books. We were beginning to feel the pinch of war on the amount of gas we were allowed. And it took more time in planning those balanced diets with food rationing. But most of all, the big problem was how to use the shoe ration coupons so that our children need not go barefoot. We were busy selling stamps at the stamp booth in front of Woolworths. And some of us were finding time to take Red Cross Nurses Training.

Again, the war showed its influence in our study for the year, “Mothers of Other Lands.” We found that whether the skin is yellow, black, red, or white, all were doing their best to live up to the high calling of motherhood.” The Mother’s Study Club also completed several different sewing projects for the Red Cross.

The Mother’s Study Club celebrated their 10th anniversary in 1950. “Now we are ten years old, and quite proud of our size and age. We have spent many hours of pleasant fellowship and study together.” The anniversary meeting was attended by fifty women who each received a chrysanthemum corsage. During the span of ten years, twenty-five babies were born to club members.

They had topics on cooking, book reviews, travel, health, and home care. As their children grew the topics of their meetings changed. Other topics included: Chocolate for the Children, Creative Play, Drama in Everyday Life, Home and School Cooperation, What We Learn from Children, There’s Dust Under the Bed-So What, Parental Patience and Energy, Stop Annoying Your Children, Are You a Good Parent, Slow Down and Live.

A Junior Mother’s Club was organized in May 1960 that included daughters of some of the original members. Barbara Shumaker was elected president, Dottie Jenkins, vice-president, Judy Groves, secretary, Judy Lauck, treasurer and fourteen charter members. Their first program was on June 28, 1960, and Ann Maier served as hostess. They discussed the new club and the programs that were scheduled including, Children and Vacations, The Kindergarten Child, Interesting Parties for Children, How to Be a Parent and Like it, and Developing Self Confidence.

At the Mother’s Study Club’s 50th anniversary member Kate Bewley said, “We have come to the end of fifty years together. They have been full of memories none of us will ever forget. All the wonderful times together and deep friendships that have been made. The fact that ten members, who are still in the club, have been members from the first year is something almost unheard of. We hope we have many more years together.” The Mother’s Study Club remained in existence until at least 1992.