It's WHRC Wednesday! November 20th is National Child's Day: a day to honor children, first proposed by retired school counselor Lee Rechter, and celebrated annually by Presidential proclamation since 2001. One of the many, many efforts GFWC has championed over the past 130+ years to improve the lives of children is our support of the kindergarten movement, such as the work of Sarah B. Cooper (1835-1896).

Cooper's experience as a governess and teacher, along with a visit to a Free Kindergarten class in 1878, led her to advocate for the expansion of early childhood education. She wrote a series of articles for the "San Francisco Bulletin" in 1879 which popularized the concept, and by the early 1890s she and her daughter Harriet were running over thirty Free Kindergartens in California. She belonged to a large number of philanthropic organizations – many of them related to the promotion of kindergartens, naturally enough – and was an active member of GFWC through the Century Club of San Francisco, as well as serving as GFWC Treasurer. Cooper was profiled for the GFWC magazine in October 1895, with an article touting her "beloved" status in the Century Club and describing the tireless activity that made her "the great kindergartner of the Pacific Coast."

There's a lot more to learn about both the Kindergarten movement and Cooper herself, so we encourage you to do a little research on your own, if you're interested!

📷 Sarah B. Cooper, pictured in the October 1895 issue of "The New Cycle." #clubwomeninhistory … See MoreSee Less

It’s WHRC Wednesday! National Native American Heritage Month has been celebrated each November since 1990, when it was first proclaimed by President George H.W. Bush–offering an annual opportunity to honor and celebrate Native American cultures and traditions.

GFWC has a long history of standing for, and with, Native American peoples. This work was helped in large part by the fact that many of our members, from local clubwomen to one of GFWC’s Presidents, Roberta Campbell Lawson (term: 1935-1938) of Oklahoma, were themselves Native American. They brought their lived experiences and education to bear on questions of legislation, cultural preservation, and mutual aid.

Take, for example, clubwoman Julia Ereaux Schulz, a member of the Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Tribe of Montana. In 1930, she was awarded the GFWC Division of Indian Welfare’s prize for “the best presentation, not exceeding 5,000 words, of the historical background, traditions and culture of the Indians” of her state. Unique amongst the winners of that year because she was writing about her own culture, Schulz won $25 for her essay recounting the history of the Gros Ventre and their interactions with settlers. She ended with a plea for both understanding and action from her fellow clubwomen, to help the tribe’s efforts to support themselves.

Schulz went on to serve as President of the Fort Belknap Indian Woman’s Club, District Chairman for the Montana Federation of Women's Clubs, and Chairman of the Montana Federation's Indian Welfare committee, as well as holding leadership roles on her tribal council, and volunteering for over 50 years for the Tuberculosis Association. She worked for the WPA from 1936 to 1942, promoting the study and practice of her tribe’s art, and she was a correspondent for her local newspaper for over twenty years. She died in 1973, just short of her 102nd birthday.

📷Left: photo of Schulz, printed in the December 1930 issue of “The Clubwoman” to accompany an excerpt from her winning essay. Right: Headline and lede of an article from the Great Falls (MT) "Tribune," November 25, 1935, detailing Schulz’s presentation to the clubwomen of Malta “on subjects pertaining to state Indian matters.”

#clubwomeninhistory #clubwomeninaction #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth … See MoreSee Less

GFWC proudly honors America's military. Thank you for your dedication and service to the United Stat#GFWC##GFWC_HQW#GFWCAdvocacyo#iamgfwcm#LivingTheVolunteerSpiritpirit … See MoreSee Less

Thanks to GFWC members nationwide and internationally this year's GFWC National Day of Service, September 28, impact statistics increased substantially! GFWC appreciates everyone's dedication to help end food insecurity and hunger.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 27, 2025, for the 3rd annual event. More information will be available soon on GFWC's website:#GFWCG#GFWC_HQ
#GFWCAdvocacyQ#iamgfwcv#LivingTheVolunteerSpiritV#foodinsecurity##endhungerr#gfwc24ndsnger #gfwc24nds … See MoreSee Less

It's WHRC Wednesday! GFWC Headquarters was one of 71 institutions in the United States selected to participate in the Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program. Our assessment, which brings experts to HQ to survey our collections and the buildings themselves (stars of the collection, after all) takes place this week! After the assessment, these preservation professionals will create a report to help us identify conservation priorities and strategize fundraising for, and care of, the archives, artwork, and historic structures.

The CAP program is administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

📷 A view of 1734 N Street, Northwest, in Washington, DC in the mid 1920s. Built in 1875, this has been the heart of GFWC Headquarters since 1922. The buildings on either side were added to HQ in the 1950s, and they'll be part of the assessment #faiccap
#gfwcheadquartersadquarters … See MoreSee Less

Book Your Room Today!

For those planning to attend this year's GFWC Holiday Open House, please be sure to book your rooms soon. The last day to do so is November 2.

The Room Block is for Monday, December 2 to Friday, December 6, at the Courtyard Washington, DC Dupont Circle, conveniently located across the street from GFWC Headquarters. The group rate is $174 per night.

To book your reservation, visit: www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1724092957641&key=GRP&app=resvlink

#GFWC #GFWC_HQ #IamGFWC #LivingTheVolunteerSpirit #GFWCAdvocacy … See MoreSee Less