Importance
The Catholic Women’s Club was a philanthropic organization whose members volunteered their time and money towards charity organization in the community, such as the Red Cross and the day nursery for children of working mothers.
History
The Catholic Women’s Club was founded as the Women’s Club of St. Mary’s Parish on February 1, 1911 by Rev. H.P. Smyth. In 1912 they changed their name to the Catholic Women’s Club. They opened a day nursery in 1912 for the children of working and needy mothers, and turned over the operation to another Evanston organization. They did knitting and sewing for the Red Cross during World War I and World War II. The Club ran a day nursery for children of working mothers. Also, they had a cooking class, sewing class, and manufacturing class (for boys). They helped Margarita Club raise funds and had a philanthropropic department “for the purpose of helping the needy and poor of the parish and city.” They were incorporated in 1915 and in 1919 purchased their Clubhouse at 1560 Oak Ave. They established a Junior Auxiliary in 1939. By 2007, the organization no longer existed in its original form, but there is still an organization of the same name.