The Woman’s Club Banquet That Defined Olympia’s Elite
Six years after its founding, the city's most prominent ladies gathered for a 'horseshoe' dinner and silhouette presentation to celebrate their social influence.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Olympia, March 16.—The guests who were fortunate enough to be invited to the grand banquet given by the Woman’s Club last Wednesday evening at Tacoma Hall cannot fail to ever remember it as one of the pleasantest occasions of a lifetime. This popular club is composed of about 20 of the first ladies of the city, and was organized just six years ago last night, its object being the social improvement of its members.
The club has made a custom of giving anniversary balls, and as Wednesday night was the sixth anniversary the custom was observed. By a rule of the club each member was entitled to invite five guests, thus making a merry throng of about 100 persons. The guests, upon arriving at the hall, were received by the reception committee composed of Mesdames A. B. Cowles, J. J. Gilbert, William McMikeu, John P. Tweed, A. H. H. Stuart and S. W. Percival, who, by their cordial greeting, caused every one to feel perfectly at home the moment they entered the room.
The exercises of the evening began about 8 o'clock when Mrs. E. C. Hale, the president of the club, announced that the audience would be favored with a piano solo by Prof W. H. Roberts... President Hale then mounted the rostrum and in a very happy manner delivered a two minutes address of welcome, which was replete with sharp wit and pleasing humor.
The stage was then cleared and silhouettes of the members of the club were displayed, each being presented with an appropriate and pithy verse, the work of Mrs. A. H. H. Stuart. The presentation of the silhouettes caused much merriment, and some of the likenesses were excellent, being the handiwork of Miss Janet Moore.
President Hale here announced that the pleasures of the evening had but just begun, and invited the members and their guests to take their place at the table that had been prepared for them. The tables were set in the shape of a horse shoe, and exquisitely decorated. They were completely loaded down with every rich delicacy that could be conceived of. President Hall occupied a seat at the head of the horseshoe, Secretary Mrs. A. B. H. Stuart and Treasurer Mrs. A. B. Cowles occupying the two ends.
Mrs. Stuart acted as toastmaster in a manner which would indicate that she had presided at state dinners all her life, so bright was her wit and so effective her hearing. After the guests had partaken of refreshments to their hearts' desire, Mrs. Stewart arose and proposed the toast, 'Our President,' to which Mrs. Hale responded in a very pleasing manner. Other toasts were: 'Our Guests,' by Mr. C. H. Aver; 'Woman's Club,' by Prof. L. P. Yeomen; 'State of Washington,' Mr. P. Moore; 'The Gentlemen,' Mr. has, F. Clapool of Tacoma; 'The Misses,' Minnie Freeman; 'Our Absent Members,' by Mrs. Johns.
It was after midnight when the guests finally arose from the table, and shortly afterward retired to their homes, all feeling that they had been most royally entertained.
This 1904 account of Olympia’s elite women gathering for a structured social event highlights how women’s clubs were often the primary vehicle for female civic engagement and networking in the early 20th century. While today we might view such exclusivity through a critical lens, these organizations provided crucial spaces for women to exercise leadership, host political discussions, and build community infrastructure outside of traditional domestic roles.
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