Expansion, Lean Years, And War
The Woman’s Club of Hollywood, corner of La Brea Ave. and Hollywood Blvd., was a beehive of activity during the late 1920’s.
A typical day might have found Sra. Aurelia Borquez instructing Spanish in one room, Mrs. Charles Sarver reading “The Tower of London” in another, Max Factor demonstrating the art of makeup in another and John Anson Ford, whose wife was a club member, presenting book reviews in still another.
MRS. G.W. Melville’s floral fiestas were a regular feature of the club’s activities. Donors during one year of Mrs. Charles H. Richmond’s term of office including Mary Pickford, who gave a silver basket, and Mrs. L. Frank Baum, whose husband wrote the “Wizzard of Oz” books.
It was during Mrs. Orville L. Routt’s term (1926-28) that Charles Lindberg flew his airplane across the Atlantic and during Mrs. Alfred L. Bartlett’s leadership (1928-29) that many club members were journeying out to the Valley to play tennis or golf at the Whitley Country Club, Ventura Blvd. and Sunset Canyon. The hillside gardens and waterfall impressed members when Mrs. Fred V. Watson was president (1930-32) as they attended a bazaar in Mrs. Charles J. Milliron’s Laurel Canyon home.
The fad during Mrs. H.G. Redwin’s presidency (1932-34) was dieting. Mrs. Redwine, herself, made headlines in local newspapers when she and her family were visited by gunmen on Jan. 1, 1933, and again in 1933 when she was injured in the Long Beach earthquake in April.
Mrs. E.B. Dixon led the club during 1934-36m, then lean years of the depression. The Bible Department attracted large audiences and Mrs. Glenn Phillips, wife of the Methodist minister, demonstrated the solace of religious faith in such times, with her programs.
MRS. AUTHUR J. White, 1936-38 president, believed that political issues should be discussed, but not politics. So, club speakers presented both sides of controversial subjects. Mrs. Cecil Frankle and Mrs. Ben Goodheart helped Mrs. White plan a series of Pioneer Breakfasts at Hollywood Bowl.
When Mrs. Dever D. Gray took office on a spring day at a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel, she urged members “to take an active part in the world’s work.”
“I got a big thrill out of presenting big Eastern speakers,” explained Mrs. Gray, still a club member. “I was very interested in all phases of government, national and local.”
Club members responded to her call. Mrs. Watson was crusading against billboards. The club was first to answer to the appeal of Mrs. leiland Atherton (Irish for funds) to
maintain the symphony orchestra. And, Mrs. Beulah Wright Comstock’s film celebrity luncheons featured stars such as Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford, Lillian Gahagan and Fred MacMurray.
THE HOLLYWOOD Freeway ws in the blueprint, stage when Mayor and Mrs. Fletcher Bowren were guests at a club luncheon during Mrs. G. Millage Montgomery’s term in 1940-42. The Hollywood Citizen-News reported that the guest speaker at the luncheon, Wayne Fisher, president of the Airport Commissioners predicted, “Los Angeles will be the future aviation center and the gateway to the world.”
In her opening message to the club, Mrs. Paul H. Moore 1942-44 president, mentioned the “grave duties imposed on every civic and cultural organization” because of the war. “Our war service program has definitely been established, and is functioning, and will continue to function only as each member shoulders her responsibilities.”
All war services were under the direction of Mrs. Gray. Mrs. J. Clyde Carton and her USO canteen committee help bridge luncheons to raise money to buy cigarettes, sandwiches, and doughnuts for soldiers visiting her. Dances were held at the USO to ease a boy’s loneliness away from home. The Red Cross section made surgical dressings, fur vests, and quilts.
MEMBERS came to club meetings in car pools because gasoline was scarce. A speaker during these war days was Dr. James W. Fifield Jr., who retired this year as pastor of the Los Angeles First Congregational Church.
In Mrs. Lawrence Down term, 1944-47, the club went over the top in War Bond sales, selling more than $100,000 worth by the end of the war, Aug. 14, 1945. Teas were a bit of a problem because of rationing
