Morristown’s Federated Clubs Celebrate Successful Library Campaign

Mr. J. Goodson said, “Let us make Morristown a better place to live in. Let us make this place a better place for ourselves and our boys and girls; then our young people will not grow up and leave us to seek other fields of opportunity.”

On January 14, 2002, the GFWC Junior Reading Circle, GFWC Ladies Reading Circle, and the GFWC Somo Sala Circle presented the Morristown-Hamblen Library with $11,000 to purchase furnishings for the new children’s area. This donation resulted from several highly successful fundraising events for our clubs’ Community Involvement Project, announced in January 2001. Our original goal was to raise $5,000 and we were thrilled to have more than doubled that amount.

This was an especially gratifying project because the money we raised will stay right here in our own community. A local furniture manufacturer, Eddie Collake of Quality Craft, has agreed to work with club members to provide some of the furnishings at a reduced price. We believe that Morristown will benefit from the library’s improved children’s section, as it will encourage not only more use of the facility, but also more reading to and by our children.

How We Exceeded Our Goal

In 2001, the clubs asked the City Council and Mayor John Johnson to declare April Library Month. At the April City Council meeting, the city government presented our members and the library staff with a formal proclamation. A banner celebrating the occasion was displayed at the library.

At the same time, we launched “The Quarter Mile” project to collect quarters for the library. For each quarter donated, the donor’s name was written on a strip resembling a yardstick, and these strips were hung in the library to mark the progress toward our goal. Information and collection booths were set up at the mall and area stores as well as the library.

In May 2001, we began our second fundraising drive, collecting furniture donations in memory or honor of individuals and businesses. For each piece of furniture purchased, we have provided a brass tag commemorating the person, family, or business in whose honor it was donated.

Several club members also spoke at many other civic gatherings in our community. Many of these civic groups made generous donations in support of this project.

Other fundraising highlights included the Sept 13th fashion show at the First Baptist Church. Carol Wood of the Polly K store provided an evening of fun. Over 200 women participated in this event even though it was just 2 days after our national tragedy.

The Ladies’ Clubs and the Library

Supporting the library is a time-honored tradition for the Federated Ladies’ clubs of Morristown. In fact, in the early 1890s, the GFWC Ladies Reading Circle organized and maintained the town’s first library, consisting of roughly 500 volumes, in private homes of the clubs’ members.

In 1925, the LRC, the Somo Sala Circle, and the Samuel Doak Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, purchased the Women’s Club House with funds raised from seventeen years of hosting the Redpath Chautaqua Movement, a cultural and entertainment enrichment program. The club housed the community’s first public library until it was relocated to the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Building on North Henry Street in 1959.

In the 1950’s, a club member, Ms. Meta Turley Goodson, donated $350,000 to the library. The current building was built from this donation. The library was renamed the Morristown-Hamblen Library at the suggestion of Ms. Goodson and moved to its current home in 1969.


NEW VENDOR at CONVENTION 2002

Something new has been added. Images Jewelry from Charlottesville VA will be exhibiting & selling on Saturday, April 20, during our convention. This will be the only vendor at our convention. Images Jewelry features wirecraft & gemstone jewelry.

Wirecraft jewelry is an ancient craft in which mountings are made entirely from gold filled or sterling silver wire using no glue or solder. It is an interesting craft because one can take odd shaped stones or keepsakes which would be difficult to set in conventional settings and make attractive & affordable pieces of jewelry.

Also available will be custom designed, one-of-a-kind gemstone necklaces and matching earrings. Barbara Jesser, the designer, will be happy to custom design wearable works of art just for you.

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