HISTORY

of the

MONTANA FEDERATION

OF

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUBS

1919 - 1928

by Margaret F. Clifford

The Montana Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs followed rapidly the organization of the National Federation which took place in St. Louis, Missouri in 1919 by a group of splendid, outstanding and far-seeing women, who felt the need of being closely united for the prosperity and protection of women in general, and business and professional women in particular.

Before the St. Louis meeting, a call to women had gone out through the states telling of a proposed plan and program to be adopted.  Montana had a representative at this first meeting - Miss Josephine A. Brown of Great Falls.

Miss Marian Glenn was appointed the Pacific Coast organizer and Montana was reported as having several women's commercial and business clubs which might prove prospective members for a new organization.  Mrs. Pinckney Glantsberg was national membership chairman of the National Federation and she reported at the Cleveland, Ohio national convention in 1920 that Montana was ripe for organization.

Missoula took the first step and sent out a call on March 3, 1921, through its women's commercial club, that a state meeting would be held there for the purpose of organizing a state federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs.

The meeting was held in the YMCA rooms with Mabel Humphrey, local club president calling the meeting to order.  Miss Lillian Payne of Missoula was elected as temporary chairman of the meeting.  Lena Lake Forrest, First National President, was present at the birth of the Montana Federation.  A national Vice President was elected -- Miss Elizabeth Powell, a librarian of Missoula.

The first state officers elected were:

            Miss Hazel Davis                       President                                                     Great Falls

            Miss Bertha Carroll                    1st Vice President                                      Helena

            Name unknown                           2nd Vice President                                    Kalispell

            Miss Bessie Davis                     Corresponding Secretary                          Great Falls

            Miss Louella Crippen                Recording Secretary                                  Billings

            Miss Mabel Humphrey             Treasurer                                                     Missoula

            Directors:

                                                                  Miss Stewart                                               Helena

                                                                  Miss Amelia Loffnes                                 Missoula

                                                                  Miss Frances Miller                                   Billings

Representatives from Great Falls, Missoula, Helena, Kalispell, Billings, Deer Lodge and Havre were in attendance but their names are not registered.  The Great Falls and Missoula clubs at once affiliated with State and National, but five clubs were necessary to secure a state charter.  The first convention was held in Missoula when Hazel Davis was elected president.  This was in 1922.  There was no convention in 1923, although several Montana members went to Portland to attend the National Convention, with nine in attendance from the Missoula Club at which time they received their official charter, No. 153.

The third convention was again held in Missoula, May 23-24, 1924, with Hazel Davis presiding and Adelia Pritchard, of Oregon, National Representative.  Sarah McHale, of Havre, was first Vice President and Helen Stoddard, of Missoula, was 2nd Vice President.  Speaker was Dr. C. H. Clapp, President of the University of Montana.  Fifty two members were in attendance; total receipts were $112.83, balance of $58.48.  Eight delegates were present:  Missoula - 6, Great Falls - 1, and Kalispell - 1.  Hamilton had five visitors.  At this convention Lucille Forkenbrock, of Missoula, was elected President and Ruth Blake, of Kalispell, 1st Vice President.  According to the National Federation at that time each state was entitled to a National Vice President. Hazel Davis was elected to this position.

May 22 - 24, 1925 the fourth convention was held in Kalispell.  Only officer present was President Forkenbrock, although several came later.  Edith Thosten, of Bellingham, Washington, was the National Representative, Club Collect by Mary Stewart, was read for the first time.  Items of business included: national emblems and a magazine.  Delegates present:  Missoula - 7, Hamilton -3, Great Falls -1, and Kalispell - 9.  A Sunday trip to Glacier Park was enjoyed.  Lucille Forkenbrock was re-elected President.

The fifth annual convention was held in Hamilton, May 28-30, 1926.  Three officers were present:  President Forkenbrock, Secretary Helen Stoddard of Missoula, and Zine Crittendon, of Kalispell, who was the National Vice President.  Medora Knox, of Grand Forks, North Dakota, was the National Representative.  Delegates present were:  Missoula - 8, Kalispell -1, Hamilton -3, Butte -1, making a total of 13, with the three officers.  Total receipts were $94.16; balance, $39.80.  National abolished the status of a National Vice President from the statues.  Helen Striker, President from Kalispell, and Catherine Harrington, Butte, Second Vice President were elected.

Butte had the sixth annual convention, June 17-18, 1927, with Helen Striker presiding.  She and Catherine Harrington were re-elected to office and Helen was elected delegate to the National Convention in Oakland, California.

The seventh annual convention was in Billings, May 15-16, 1928, with Helen Striker presiding.  Lena Madesin Phillips was the National Representative.  The Butte Club presented a club banner in convention hall.  Helen and Catherine were re-elected:  Dr Hazel Dell Bonness of Missoula was elected 2nd Vice President.

Montana BPW history would not be complete without the mention of the "Adamless Eden in the Rockies", a venture of President Hazel Davis, Vice President Bertha Carrol of Helena, Treasurer Mabel Humphrey of Missoula, and Bessie Davey of Great Falls, Secretary, when they were granted a permit for a camp site in 1921 from the Forest Service, located on the Helena National Forest on the Little Blackfoot River between Missoula and Helena.  It was named Lena Lake Forest, for the National Representative in Montana that year.  Four cabins were erected, but no more were allowed after that.  This camp is now owned by the Rotary.  Feature articles were written in national papers, and Los Angeles stated "the camp was 40 miles from civilization," but the girls said they could take care of themselves.

These four women were typical of those who dared launch the Montana Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs.  In 1921, the Great Falls club opened a room at the Johnson Hotel.  Convention resolutions passed in 1922 are of interest today, for they included:  Equal Pay for Equal Work:  Scholarships, Surveys, and recreation for women.

Margaret F. Clifford was a past state president (1935-1939) of the Montana Federation.

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