Business and Professional Women's Club of New Brunswick, N.J. Records

The New Brunswick Business and Professional Women's Club held its first meeting on January 9, 1923, with nine members present. Miss Catherine T. Clapham, who was voted as temporary chairman of the club, ran the meeting. Miss Katharine H. Hoe was elected as temporary secretary. It was decided at this meeting that an organizational meeting was to be held with Miss Mary L. Johnston, President of the State Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, as speaker. At this first meeting a list of possible members was made up and everyone present was given a list of names of people to invite to the next meeting. It was at this organizational meeting that 29 people voted for the first officers of the Business and Professional Women's Club of New Brunswick (as it was known in 1923). Three standing committees (program, publicity and membership) and one special committee (constitution) were also formed.

The 1920s marked a significant amount of firsts and preliminary changes for the club. The Constitution committee presented a constitution on February 5, 1923, which was approved with changes on February 21. The club became part of the State Federation on May 24, 1923, in order to send delegates to the State Convention that June. Catherine Clapham presented the club's charter on January 3, 1924. Along with representatives of other local clubs, she had received this charter at the meeting in Plainfield on November 17th, 1923. The club also oversaw the founding of the Perth Amboy BPW. In 1926, the club changed its fiscal year to start in June instead of January, to match the fiscal year of the National Federation. This year also saw the beginning of a Student Loan Fund, later changed to the Education and Loan Fund, a scholarship fund aiding female graduates pursuing business and professional careers. The club decided to change its election year from January-December to May-April in 1932. That was the first year that officers were elected in the month of May. In 1935, it was also decided that annual reports be given in the month of May.

The Business and Professional Women's Club of New Brunswick became more established in the 1930s. In 1933, the club celebrated its 10th anniversary with a dinner and a regular meeting. Miss Laura Kirkpatrick, a past president, was a guest of the club. The New Brunswick club would invite members from the defunct Perth Amboy club to join their club in March 193 5. The first newsletter, the Messenger, was issued as a monthly announcement sheet, in October 1936. The next Messenger was issued on January 22, 1937. In May 193 7 there were recommendations for a club historian. A building fund for a permanent clubroom was also established in that year. An emblem road sign was placed near the New Jersey College for Women, today Douglass College, and Music Hall in New Brunswick, establishing the club as a member of the community. The club also had a little fun with their Roasting parties, 1939 and 1940. These were called "The Fooleries." Material was written and acted by club members, and received public attention in various local newspapers.

During World War II, the club actively participated in the war effort and subsequent world peace effort, through the Committee for the Cause and Cure of War. This committee went on to be an early supporter of the United Nations. After this committee's demise, the New Jersey Women's Action Committee for a Lasting Peace was formed. The head of the new organization's education committee was Emily Hickman, an active New Brunswick club member. Hickman was a professor at New Jersey College for Women and also chair of the State Federation's International Relations Committee. The Women's Action Committee focused on the appointment of women to positions in international organizations. While the Committee was suspended for a short time, after Hickman's death in 194 7, it resumed activity in 1951. During the war, members also served with the Red Cross and the USO at Camp Kilmer, and sold war bonds and contributed books for a library on the Battleship USS New Jersey. In September of 1942, the New Brunswick B.P.W. establishes its clubroom at 143 Church Street. It was suggested that the clubroom be open to women of the armed forces as well. It was found a few months later however, that due to restrictions at Camp Kilmer, army nurses were unable to make use of the clubroom. The club began to consider the cost of leasing a clubroom, concluding that it had two positions open to it, either sublet the room to other organizations or abandon the room. It was decided in 1945 to terminate the lease on the room.

In 1946, the club came out in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. Two years later the National Federation was still asking for local clubs to help push the amendment. The club also sought the repeal of past "protective" legislation (e.g., laws regulating the hours in which women might work).

The State Federation, in 1960, suggested that local clubs incorporate. The New Brunswick club decided, with the advice of a lawyer, to look into the process. In 1961 the club incorporated under the name "Business and Professional Women's Club of New Brunswick, New Jersey" (later records from the 1990's state the name as New Brunswick Business and Professional Women's Club, Inc.). The club decided to incorporate to help avoid any possibility of a lawsuit against the club by individual members.

In 1965, the club gave Catherine Clapham an honorary life membership. Four years later she would have a scholarship named in her honor. This scholarship was annually presented to women graduates planning to enter the filed of nursing.

On October 21, 1970, the New Brunswick club and the Raritan Valley Chamber of Commerce jointly sponsored a salute to women in business and professions, as part of National Business Women's Week. This dinner recognized the achievements of women in the past fifty years, the present and the next fifty years. The profit from this event was credited to the scholarship fund .

The club also formed a Nike club in 1971. These clubs were established in the local high schools for junior and senior girls, to encourage them to examine possible careers and to becoming involved in their communities. A Nike committee in the parent B.P.W. and liaisons were sent to the high schools to oversee the Nike clubs. The Nike clubs, however, were not a part of the local B.P .W. club. In 1971, the Personal Development Committee also introduced two candidates for Young Career Woman of New Jersey. These candidates would go on to compete for a state scholarship.

In 1972, District V members wanted to reactivate the Edison BPW and set up a committee. The New Jersey Business and Professional Women Federation divided the state into districts, grouping clubs together according their location in the state. It was decided, after Edison BPW did not hand in a charter to use it and begin a new club, for which another committee was set up.

In 1978 the Scholarship policy was altered after several disappointing incidents with local scholarship recipients. Instead of two $250 local scholarships being awarded, the decision was made to send the scholarship money to the National B.P.W. Federation Foundation. Records from the 1980s and 1990s suggest that, the scholarship seems to have been revived. The 1980s saw an increase in fundraising events, such as breakfast buffets, and later in 1994 there were five scholarships awarded.

District V experiences problems with meeting attendance and overall enthusiasm in the late l 970s-l 980s. Members start to voice their opposition towards districting, and sought assistance from the State Federation. In October 1982, it was decided that the district will offer workshops at their Spring meeting, hoping to get more attendance. Inspite of these difficulties, the districting system remains intact. In 1980, the New Brunswick Club had only 38 active members, which was significantly lower than the 64 members they had in 1975. It appears, however, that the lower number was the average number of membership throughout the years.

In 1997 the club reactivated its Women of Achievement Award program after a hiatus of a few years. The award this year was given to Lt. Daisy Jones. In 1998, the award was given to Helen Hurd, who was a member of the club for 64 years. She held every State office, including State President in 1964. Hurd was also a Dean of Students and Associate Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University. Following her death in January 1999, the award was named after her. Catherine "Kay" Bolyog was awarded the first Helen Hurd Women of Achievement Award in 1999. Mrs. Bolyog is a prominent member of the club, who served as president from 1982-1984, and from 1991/92. She also served as club archivist, in other executive offices, and in various committee chairmanships.

The club remains active today in the community, legislation, and scholarship funding.

1923

Catherine (Kit) Clapham

1924

Madeline Roberts

1925

Laura Kirkpatrick

1926

Edith Butler

1927

Marguerite Riegel; Emma MacLeod (August)

1928

E. Grace Richardson

1929

Eunice Harrison

1930

Edna Heacock

1931-1932

Lee Hoagland [1 1/2 years]

1932-1933

Emily Mershon [club year changes to May-April from January-December]

1933-1934

Anne Quint

1934-1935

Doris Barrick

1935-1936

Francyl Rickenbrode

1936-1937

Mildred Suydam

1937-1939

Genevieve Ford

1939-1940

Mabel Wells

1940-1941

Esther Stryker

1941-1943

Ethel Samuels

1943-1945

Anne Morrison Mann

1945-1946

Elizabeth Steichen

1946-1947

Ethel Luidens

1947-1949

Charlotte Neff

1949-1950

Dorothy Long

1950-1952

Arvada Finn

1952-1954

Helen West

1954-1955

Anne Bell

1955-1956

Lillian Bryson

1956-1957

Louise Lencheski

1957-1959

Marie Utzinger

1959-1960

Mary Lutz

1960-1961

Evelyn Chaput

1961-1963

Helen Hurd

1963

Eleanor Becker [May-September only; died in office]

1963-1965

Mildred Stead

1965-1967

Alice Heffernan

1967-1968

Mary Yater

1968-1970

Helen Zih

1970-1971

Rita Herbert

1971-1972

Elizabeth Lyons

1972-1973

Mary Clarkson

1973-1974

Caroline Schulz

1974-1975

Muriel Peters

1975-1977

Muriel Waleters

1977-1978

Marie Utzinger [acting president]; Ethel Kiss

1978-1979

Ethel Kiss

1979-1980

Muriel Walters and Muriel Peters

1981-1982

Arline Furnise

1982-1984

Catherine "Kay" Bolyog

1984-1986

Charlotte Ann Butzgy

1986-1988

Betty Jane Guido

1988-1989

Deborah King

1989-1990

Esther Leepin

1990-1991

Dawn Robb

1991-1992

Catherine "Kay" Bolyog

1992-1993

Marie Thompson

1993-1995

Rosemary McMullen

1995-1997

Roslyn Appleby

1997-1999

Mary Ellen Kayden

1999-2000

Roslyn Appleby