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8.C. - Page 13 of 54 William Kostura, Historic Resource Evaluation of the Redwood City Woman Club As Redwood City grew do did its social scene. By the early 1920s the women's groups included the Redwood City Woman's Club, the Rebekahs, the Neighbors of Woodcraft (a renaming of the Women of Woodcraft), the Native Daughters of the Golden West (an independent organization, not connected to the Native Sons), the Woman's Relief Corps (a female auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic), and a women's branch of the Fraternal Aid Union. An order of the Masons called the Order of the Eastern Star was open to both men (if they were Masons) and women (if they were closely related to a Mason), and in their Redwood City lodge women of this group filled the roles of president and secretary. Women also served as officers of the local Parent -Teachers Association. For men, the American Legion, the Druids, the Sciots, the Foresters of America, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Native Sons of the Golden West came to Redwood City, joining earlier fraternal societies. A few other women's groups formed in later years. The Ladies' Aid Society of the First Methodist Episcopal Church formed by 1927; the Redwood City branch of the National Delphian Society, which was devoted to women's education in the liberal arts, formed in 1931; and the Redwood City Assembly of the Order of Rainbow Girls, a Masonic division for leadership training of girls and young women ages 10 to 21, formed by 1939. From 1911 through the 1920s, and very likely into later decades, it appears that the only women's organization that owned its own building was the Redwood City Women's Club. Most or all of the others met either at the Odd Fellows Hall or Foresters' Hall, as did many of the men's clubs. Of all the women's groups named above, it appears that only the Redwood City Woman's Club and the Native Daughters of the Golden West still exist. The latter group is affiliated with its parent organization in San Francisco and meets at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center. The Redwood City Woman's Club The founding of the club Obviously some women of Redwood City felt a need for social opportunities that an affiliate of a men's fraternal lodge could not meet. Toward satisfying this need, an invitation to the women of Redwood City to meet and organize was published in the Redwood City Democrat on May 27th, 1909. The meeting was held at the home of Mrs. C. E. Cumberson on Roosevelt Avenue, and the object was to form a club. 33 women joined, a second meeting was held on June 3rd, and by June 12th a constitution and by- laws were written, officers and directors were elected, with Mrs. Cumberson as first president, and the club was named. The Odd Fellows hall on Main Street was selected for future meetings. Events moved swiftly, for by June 17th the women were offered a lot 6 537