A look back, our history: 1938 to 1989

Introduction

The club started in 1938. The club's goal is to stimulate and encourage the community in educational, civic and social areas. The Women's College Scholarship Club meets the first Wednesday of every month from October through June. Meetings consist of interesting and informative programs concerning local accomplishments and local people's influence and adventures in other parts of the world. A valuable part of each meeting is the social break for meeting friends and enjoying member-produced delicacies.

The club, through its fundraising efforts, has annually awarded scholarships to Saranac Lake area high school seniors. Recently, it has also been awarding scholarships to adult area residents who return to the academic world to continue their education. Fundraisers have included a Thanksgiving pie sale and a peddler's picnic, a mix of high-quality collectibles and inexpensive items, in a cafe environment with homemade goodies. A principal fundraiser was guided tours of Camp Topridge, 1979 through the summer of 1985 and Chapeau Teas or fashion shows from 1959 through 1980. For a number of years, the club sponsored basketball games with the all American Redheads, a leading woman's pro team.

1989: Our senior member Ilse Gronemeijer

Ilse Gronemeijer, joined the club in 1945-1946. She was an active member of the club continuously since the 50s and she served as recording secretary. Her complete and vivid secretary’s notes and the newspaper accounts derived from them are the basis for a great part of our knowledge of the early highlights and progress of the club. Many of the speakers at meeting programs through the decades have come as a result of invitations from Ilse.

The programs of the Chapeau Teas and the fashion shows all carry Ilse’s name; sometimes as the person in charge of the decorative hats (Ilse learned the trade of hat making in Vienna in her youth), sometimes in charge of programs, sometimes as chairman of publicity, sometimes as narrator. During the 50’s, when the scholarship club was affiliated with the Northern New York Federation of Women's Clubs, Ilsa was our representative on the world friendship committee of the federation. She was exceptionally successful in collecting and shipping food and clothing to known deserving and needy individuals, whose resources had evaporated during the war. The club was individually thanked by the recipients.

Our senior member was a grand lady. The club has been enriched through the years since 1945 by her presence, her strong spirit, and her energy.

Historic Highlights

The Women's College Club of Saranac Lake had a rather informal beginning. In 1938, five women of this village met and discussed the formation of a club for college women. They were all agreed that there was a need for an organization that would welcome the newcomer, and encourage hobby and housewife consumer groups, among women with a common educational background. Comprising the group were Mrs. Richard Woodruff, and the Misses Mary Louise Kelly, Ethel Hoepfner, Winifred Erskine, and Eleanor Sherwood.

In the summer of 1939 this same group, with the addition of several more women who were interested in the project, met and discussed plans for a tea to be held that fall at the Episcopal Church parish house. It was decided to invite college women from Lake Placid to attend, and in November of that year, about 20 women representing both villages met and held their first official meeting of the Women's College Club. At that time, Elizabeth Murray was elected the 1st president and ensuing meetings were held at 20 Main St. (then the home of the study and craft Guild), but more recently meetings have been held at the houses of members. For a while, the Women's College club was affiliated with the AAUW (American Association of University Women). However, this affiliation was dropped. The club is an independent group, and the charter, drawn in 1944, gives as its aims “to unite college women of the vicinity, for work on the educational, civic and social problems of the community” and defines the requirements for membership as the equivalent of two years towards a degree in college or university.

Meetings are held once monthly, and usually take the form of a social evening with a speaker when available. Subjects discussed have ranged from safety regulations and driving, the Kenny method of treating poliomyelitis, a resume of village government and local laws, to the customs of Argentina.

Among its philanthropies, the club has donated to a Girl's College in China, and in 1988 contributed a sum of money to one female member of the graduating class at both Saranac Lake and Lake Placid high schools in recognition of their scholastic attainment. It also assisted in the general hospital auxiliary by handling the 1944 sale of tickets for their fundraising entertainment.

The highest membership, 44, was in 1941 and at present (1989) there are 33 members, representing 20 different colleges. One member is from McGill and one from the Sorbonne. Dues are $1 per year and a fundraising project included a sale of jellies, made by club members, and a white elephant auction.

Name changes

The club objectives and the name of the club have changed a few times, but never the basic purposes: to promote education and stimulate thinking within the community. According to the article in the Press Republican of March 28th 1980, in the first few years the college club required that members be graduates of a four-year institution. Soon after its resignation from the national organization, the club opened its members to women who had two years of college study.

An article in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise of November 2nd 1973, after describing an interesting tour of the Algonquin school by the club, states that at the regular meeting, the name of the club was changed by vote of the members present, to Women's Club of Saranac Lake, since the membership is now open to any woman in the community who was interested in the purposes of the club.

(Editor's note 2023: the club scholarship's are now open to all high school students, homeschool students, and adult students regardless of gender, see our High School Scholarship page and Continuing Education Scholarship pages for further information.)

The 1940's club beginnings and war-time

The oldest document in the files of the Women's College Scholarship Club is the report of the biennial conference June 9-11, 1938 of the North Atlantic section of the American Association of University Women, whose general theme was “shaping tomorrow.”

According to newspaper clippings from October 1964, the Saranac Lake College Club remained active within the AAUW until the war, with its gas rationing, made it impossible for the Lake Placid members to come to Saranac Lake. With the reduced membership in 1944, records show that the membership in the college club included only five who can fill the rigid requirements of a AAUW and so the group gave up its membership in the larger organization. It then returned to devoting itself primarily to helping prospective college students within the community, without paying dues to, or sending representatives to an umbrella organization. It was again known as the Women's College Club of Saranac Lake.

A letter of May 6th, 1946 (from the corresponding secretary, Mrs. James Koethen) to the principal of the Saranac Lake high school informs him (H.V. Little) that the Women's College Club had established an annual scholarship of a $100 minimum. The chairman of the scholarship committee that year was Miss Ruby M Baker.

The programs for 1948 and 1949 included a picnic in September, a Christmas bazaar, a February dinner and dramatics at the Elks club, and a March meeting with the Chapins about ceramics. In 1949, the college club sent parcels of clothes to needy civilians in Bad Gleichenberg to be personally distributed by a friend of Ilsa Gronemeijer. A letter of great appreciation described the difficulty (such as loss of all prewar savings, malnourished conditions, etc.) of each recipient and what piece(s) of clothing each received.

The 1950's club activities

In 1959, the College Club, through its corresponding secretary (Mrs. Hoyt), wrote letters to the New York State budget division, New York State governor, and the president of SUNY trying to help bring pressure to save Champlain College. This college was, however, closed. The Air Force put the property to use for defense purposes and SUNY helped the students to transfer to other institutions.

In February 1955, the constitution was amended, establishing a loan fund in addition to the scholarship fund. At this time, the club had funds beyond the needs to satisfy the designated annual scholarships and felt that needy students would appreciate borrowing money, if not granted a scholarship. The programs for 1956 to 1957 included talks on social work by a member, Jean Wilson, a talk with pictures by the Reverend and Mrs. Norman Moss about Japan and Korea, a discussion by college instructors on non-academic college problems for senior girls, talk and demonstration on treatment of house plants and flower arranging, insights into how laws are made by Mr. James Loeb of the local paper, talks by our high school exchange student and by Dr. Andretti of Brazil, and a dance presentation by students of Mrs. Sargeant.

One of many fascinating evening programs was in 1969 a talk by Mrs. Van Seagraves, the former “Sissie” Dall, who described a bit about life in the White House with her grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.

In 1959, the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce asked many organizations, including the Women's College Club, to promote a modern ski lift at Mount Pisgah. The club did so. Also, that same year the club wrote governor Nelson Rockefeller, senator Robert McEwen of Ogdensburg, assemblyman Robert Maine of Malone, and assemblyman Grant Johnson of Ticonderoga, all to ask that the Northway follow a route near Schroon Lake, rather than along Lake Champlain. In March 1959 the Schroon Lake route was selected. 1959 was a most active year. A “loan fund,” which had been available for several years, did not have enough applicants to justify its existence. Therefore, it was dropped. The money in the fund became a reserve for the scholarship fund.

However, only $50 could be drawn from it in any one year. Since former members, who were unable to continue as active associates, had expressed a desire to donate to the scholarship fund, the club decided to let all members know about the financial situation. Scholarship amounts were raised from $200 to $300.

Chapeau Teas 1958, 1959 and the 1960's

Among the many social highlights in the history of the College Scholarship Club were the annual Chapeau Teas held in 1958, 1959, and the 60s. They were great fundraisers and the price of admission in 1959 was $0.90.

One of the earliest of these Chapeau Teas had the theme “New Frontier in Hats”. The programs were covered with humorous pen and ink sketches of a head sporting a flowered bonnet, a chair with a hat, and an arm holding up a globe showing frontiers. No year or date was specified, but the club president was Miss Virginia Ann Barry and the master of ceremonies was Mrs. James Dupree.

The committee chairmen were:

• Models and Fashion: Mrs. James Dupree

• Hostesses and Refreshments: Mrs. Saxon Martin

• Decorations: Mrs. William Schwartau

• Tickets: Mrs. Stephen Boyd

• Publicity: Miss. Ruby Baker

• Programs: Mrs. C.F. Gronemeijer

• Models: 11 Members, 5 Teenagers, 7 Children

• Hats were from Altman’s, Louise Curley, Kennedy, Lenoard’s Dept Store, JJ Newberry

• Shoes were from Endicott-Johnson, Parnell’s Shoe Salon, Wilson Clothing Co.

• Flowers from Wolff “Your Florist”

• Piano Styling by Mrs. Joseph Josephson.

  
  

A clipping from an October 1964 Saranac Lake newspaper bears the headline “College Club, 25 years old”: The Saranac Lake Women's College Club is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. November 1939 saw the first meeting of the College Club in Saranac Lake. Members consisted of about 25 women from Saranac Lake and Lake Placid who had met the previous summer for the purpose of organizing such a club.

This first group planned to give a tea for high school seniors, and wanted to join the AAUW, a national organization of women graduated from college. The new club did join the AAUW in 1941 and remained active in this national group until the war, with its gas rationing made it impossible for the Lake Placid members to come to Saranac Lake. In 1943 the local chapter resigned from UW and the members decided to hold meetings in private homes instead of at the Saranac Lake Guild as they had been doing. In 1944 the local club joined the northern New York Federation and decided to give a scholarship to a Saranac Lake senior girl. In 1945 the first actual scholarship was awarded to a Saranac Lake senior and consisted of $50. Five times in the interim 20 years the club has given two scholarships. In 1964 two such scholarships were awarded totaling $450 all told, $5,160 dollars has been given in the scholarships since 1944.

The membership requirements of the Women's College Club are two years, or its equivalent, of study in an accredited school and the members of the club hope that all interested persons will join them. In 1964 the first meeting was an anniversary dinner at the Elks club on October 7th. The early Chapeau Teas were so successful in building the club's coffers that the 1964 program sported a glossy, four-color cover depicting a stylized femme with a very wide and elaborately decorated chapeau. In 1964, the setting was the Hotel Saranac ballroom.

The Chapeau Tea committee consisted of:

• General Chairman: Mrs. Alfred Swett

• Invitations and Programs: Mrs. Breck Chapin and Mrs. David Hunter

• Commentaries: Mrs. Thomas Waterman

• Models and Fashion: Mrs. Richard Basile and Mrs. William Schwartau

• Decorations: Mrs. David Young

• Decorative Hats: Mrs. Carl Gronemeyer

• Music: Mrs. Alfreda Reynolds

• Refreshments: Mrs. William Meer

• Publicity: Mrs. Arthur Alliason

• Credits:

• Flowers: Demerse, Wolff’s

• Shoes: Parnell

• Accessories: Altman’s, Hotel Saranac Gift Shop, Kennedy’s

• Door Prizes: Meyer’s, Hoffman’s, Hotel Saranac, Pontiac Theatre

• Grass: Andrew Fortune

  
  

The program from the following year Chapeau Tea, held in April 1965 in the Hotel Saranac ballroom, had a delightful hand colored cover depicting the theme, Paris in the spring. The committee chairmen were:

• Mannequinnes et Modes: Mme. Saxton Martin et Mme. William Schwartau

• Invitations: Mme. Breck Chapin et Mme. Jacqueline Altman

• Billets: Mme. Stephen Hoyt

• Programs: Mme. Edwin Woodward

• Le Décor: Mme. David Hunter

• Publicity: Mme. Alfred Swett

• Refreshments: Mme. Irving Edelberg

• Prix d Entre: Mrs. William Meyer

• Music: Mme. Alfreda Reynolds

• Commentator: Mme. Mott Chapin

• Hostesses: Mme. Jacqueline Altman, Mme. Robert Hagar, Mme. Howard Hoffman, et Mme. Robert Rand

• The credits were too numerous to mention.

  
  

Three years later, 1968, was the 10th annual Chapeau Tea, with the theme of “sail through the beauty and mystery of fashion”. This was the 30th anniversary of the Women's College Cub.

The program looked like this:

Shipping Company: Women’s College Club
Port of Departure: Harrietstown Hall
Date of Departing: March 30, 1968
Sailing Time: Four Bells

• Ship’s Captains: Mrs. Loring Andrews and Mrs. Ernest Seifried, Jr

• Ship’s Musician: Miss. Elaine Anderson

• Ship’s Log: Mrs. Stephen Ransom, Mrs. Arthur Allison, and Mrs. John Decker

• Ships Company Decorations: Mrs. E. Holt Hughes, Mrs. Michael Brannon, Mrs. Terry Healey, Mrs. Stephen Hoyt, Mrs. William LeRoy, Mrs. John Ott, and Mrs. Robert Shaw

• Door Prizes: Mrs. Howard Hoffman

• Fashion and Models: Mrs. Saxon Martin, Mrs. Philip Feinberg, Mrs. Kenneth Norton, Mrs. George Outcalt, and Mrs. Paul Pecheux

• Invitations: Mrs. Henry Jakobe and Mrs. David Young

• Programs: Mrs. David Hunter and Miss. Ruby Baker

• Publicity: Mrs. Carl Gronemeijer

• Refreshments: Mrs. William Sweeney, Mrs. Thomas Cantwell, Mrs. Jack Doolittle, Mrs. Irving Edelberg, Mrs. Robert Hager, Mrs. Rober Kampf, Mrs. Robert Reyell, and Mrs. Warriner Woodruff

• Tickets: Mrs. Louis George and Miss Doris Akam

• Hostesses: Miss Ella Buerger, Miss Helen Fraser, Mrs. Robert Stevens

• Deck Hands (Models): 8 children of members, 7 teenage offspring of members, 12 adult members

• Shipboard Shops (15 Saranac Lake shops)

• Credits:

• Door Prizes (14 Saranac Lake businesses)

• Posters Mr. Henry E Jakobe and Mr. Alfred Tyroll

The 1970's Community Resources

An unusual project of the club was the compiling of a community resource list of people volunteering to give their names to Saranac Lake schools to describe their travels, their businesses or occupations, their special interests or hobbies, to host children visits to their businesses or industry, to accompany musical groups on the piano, or to help with dance, drama, or art projects. This was done in 1975.

In 1976, the club dabbled just a little bit in local politics, by sponsoring, along with the Saranac Lake Teachers Association, a “meet the candidate night” in the community room of the library. The candidates were men and women running for two school board positions.

In June of 1978, several newspapers carried news items regarding an upcoming public tour of Camp Topridge. Each paper said that “the Women's College Scholarship Club is sponsoring its first public tour of the Camp Topridge in 10 years.” The earlier tours were without doubt the annual Teas at which Mrs. Post opened Camp Topridge to a limited number of guests who made donations to the club for the privilege of visiting Camp Topridge for an afternoon.

Also, in June of 1979, the club held its annual banquet at the Dew Drops Olympic Room, in celebration of its 40th anniversary. The club's two senior members, Miss Ruby Baker (member for 37 years) and Mrs. Ilsa Gronemeijer (member for 32 years) spoke briefly about the early years of the club.

An amusing document recording one of many important and renumeration fundraising occasions connected with Camp Topridge is a rider to the Saranac Lake Women's College Club insurance policy covering “for two days only 8/12/79 and 8/26/79 for tours to be conducted by club at the Merriweather Post Camp, Paul Smiths, New York. Premises not owned or operated by the insured.”

The 1980's Olympic Participation

In its way, the club participated in the 1980 Olympics, as evidenced by notes of appreciation January 14th, 1980 from members of the national Fine Arts committee for the XIII Olympic Winter Games 1980. After a performance of the Norwalk Youth Symphony, our club had provided “hot chocolate, cookies, and warm fellowship.”

November 1, 1980 was a night to be remembered for a gala show, modeled by our own glamorous gals, of family fashions from all appropriate stores in Saranac Lake and one or two from Lake Placid. The affair at Harrietstown Town Hall was complete with fall decorations, music, flowers, plants, refreshments, displays, door prizes, and a wine and cheese party raffle.

On Sunday, July 26th, the Women's College Scholarship Club of Saranac Lake sponsored a tour of Camp Topridge. On that day the grounds opened to the public for two tour sessions. The Club provided walking tours, guide brochures and tour hostesses. Donations for this event are $4 for adults and $3 for senior citizens. All proceeds were added to the club's scholarship fund.

Topridge Tour Fundraisers through 1980's

Because so many club members spent so much time researching and recording and memorizing events pertaining to Camp Topridge and Marjorie Merriweather Post's life and did such praiseworthy job of conducting the Topridge tours for many years, we included here the essence of the Top Ridge story as the club repeated it to so many Topridge visitors and to the Adirondack Enterprise just before one of the early guided tours in 1981.

For decades the Adirondacks has drawn people from all walks of life to enjoy, no matter how briefly, the sylvan beauty and peace of this region. Notable among those who came here were the wealthy. Their vestige remains in many of the now abandoned great camps in the Adirondacks. Camp Topridge, the former summer retreat of Marjorie Merriweather Post, is an example of the opulence that once thrived in these woods. At Topridge today there are about 68 structures on 207 acres, eighty of which are water. At full capacity, the 11 guest cottages and four servant houses can accommodate about 75 people. Upon the death of Mrs. Post, the title to Camp Topridge was given to the state of New York in 1974. Since that time the state has maintained the camp and scheduled activities including seminars, training sessions and planning sessions by various state agencies and employee groups. Sightseeing and educational visits have also been provided for interested parties and nonprofit groups.

Marjorie Merriweather Post was only 27 when she inherited her father's $2 million cereal company. When she died in 1973, at the age of 86, the original post inheritance had grown to 1/4 of a billion dollars. Mrs. Post had given the world a glimpse of extravagant and royal living. She was married four times. Her first husband was socialite Edward B Close. In 1921, while married to her second husband, EF Hutton, Mrs. Post bought Camp Topridge. Her other husbands were Joseph G Davies, ambassador to Russia, and Herbert May, industrialist. When her fourth marriage ended Mrs. Post assumed her maiden name. Upon purchasing the turn of the century camp, located on Upper Saint Regis Lake, Mrs. Post remodeled some of the existing structures and added many new buildings. However, in keeping with the flavor of the surroundings, the new buildings were constructed of rusticated wooden siding and painted various shades of green.

As rustic as the buildings were on the outside, the interiors were designed for comfort and luxurious living. East each guest cabin was decorated according to a theme of Mexican, blue-green, black. Furniture, linens, and accessories were all color coordinated. Even the fly swatters were designed to complement the decor. The guest cabins were also outfitted with a fireplace in each bedroom and sitting room. Kindling and logs were constantly supplied by household staff, which numbered as many as 50 during the summer months. The press of a button or the ring of a telephone would summon any service desired. Individual needs were attended to by a personal valet or a maid assigned to each visitor. A special cabin was also built for Nadina, Mrs. Post and EF Hutton's daughter, better known as actress Dina Merrill. Of the original furnishings in this cabin, all that remains is a small child's upright piano. The main lodge of the camp is the showcase of the enclave. Housed here in the service wing are the enormous kitchen and huge food storage lockers that allowed guests to enjoy gourmet fare while in the wilderness. The white birch line dining room comfortably held a table with a maximum seating capacity of 42.

Measuring approximately 60 by 70 feet, in the enormous living room of the main lodge is a display case for innumerable artifacts collected by Mrs. Post. Most of the Eskimo and Indian collection (pottery, leather work, totem poles, etc.) have been donated and removed to the Smithsonian. The artifacts that do remain are overwhelming in their abundance and eclectic flavor. Peruvian hangings, woven American Indian rugs, animal pelt upholstery, woven basket chandeliers, stuffed and mounted animals and endless brick-a-brack are but a few of the artifacts still located in this room. The loft above the living room hides a projection room, so guests could be entertained by first run movies. While married to Joe Davies, FDR's ambassador to Russia, Mrs. Post obtained a priceless collection of Russian art and crafts. She used many of these pieces to decorate and set the theme for the “Dacha”, a large Playhouse built at Topridge. It was here that Mrs. Post hosted weekly square dances for her guests.

Each summer until 1971, from the second week in July until Labor Day, weekends at Topridge saw an endless stream of dignitaries, royalty, government officials, and socialites enter the singular world of the country's most benevolent hostess. To truly appreciate the uniqueness of Topridge and Mrs. Post, one needs only relive a typical weekend at this Adirondack hideaway. Guests arrived at via the Merriweather, Mrs. Post’s private turboprop plane, at the Saranac Lake airport on Thursday evening. After riding in a chauffeured limousine to upper Saint Regis Lake landing, they boarded a large blue Chris-Craft and boated across the lake to the camp. More often than not, guests were greeted at the dock by Mrs. Post and one of her aides. A cable car took them to the top of the Hogback.

Each guest was assigned a cabin and personal valet. The cabins were well outfitted from a stocked bar to a stocked medicine cabinet which included cosmetics. The cabins each had a panel buzzer labeled with a different service or activity. A guest could push a button to arrange for swimming, fishing, boating, etc. They could also summon a hairdresser, stenographer, masseur, dance instructor, or barber. The panels were later replaced by telephone system, but the same service remained available. Instruction cards to guests remain in most cabins today. Square dances were held each weekend, as well as showing of first run movies, for guest’s pleasure.

Participation in a day long “carry” was something Mrs. Post urged each visitor to do. This entailed canoeing across one lake and portaging to another. A picnic lunch was brought and cooked by the staff. Each participant was expected to carry something for the lunch, as the staff carried the boats. Steak and potatoes was the usual fare followed by Adirondack pie for dessert (a concoction of large pancakes stacked on one another and layered with Maple sugar butter and syrup). The guests departed on Monday morning, reversing their steps of arrival. The lavish environment Mrs. Post established at Top Ridge was just part of her empire where money was meant to be spent. She had no guilt feelings about her wealth, living for pure enjoyment for herself and her guests. She was so concerned with the happiness and comfort of her guests, she developed the two rules for visitors at Topridge: “Do whatever you want to do, regardless of the planned activities offered and if there is anything you want and don't ask for, it's your own fault.”

Since Mrs. Post had annually, for several years prior to her death, opened Camp Topridge to the Saranac Lake College Scholarship Club for fundraising teas, and then, for many years after her death, the club had provided the guided tours, it was, indeed fitting that the June 1985 banquet of the club beheld in the main lodge dining room at Camp Topridge, catered by students at Paul Smiths. Dinner was prefaced by a cocktail hour that featured champagne flowing from a fountain in the front of one of the enormous plate glass windows looking out over a Saint Regis Lake. The after-dinner speaker was from the State Bureau for historical preservation, who joined in our enthusiasm for the continuing the maintenance of Topridge as a historic site. The following year however, the state sold the property to Roger Jakubowski.

A financial highlight of the club's history occurred in October 1985 when the membership of the Women's College Scholarship Club of Saranac Lake approved the recommendation of the Finance Committee to invest approximately $7,410.80 of its memorial scholarship fund in the government securities fund of ID’s financial services, to provide interest income from the funds accrued through the years of Topridge tours.

Among club meeting programs from 1985-1986:

• Diana Fortado speaking on Planned Parenthood.

• Kathy Butts (program aid of the Essex County Cooperative Extension agricultural program) conducting a new workshop on wreath making.

• Kathy Pierre juvenile officer Police Department discussing juvenile problem cases.

• Singka Hoegh (American field services student) describing his native Greenland.

• Barbara Mott describing with slides her travels in China new line.

• Bob Walsh conducting a tour of the American Management Association 1986-1987.

• Bill LaBounty taking us by slide and words to Mongolia and the Gobi Desert.

• Mark Seidenberg AFS student talking about West Germany.

• Judy George acquainting us with the work of mental health professionals in Saranac Lake.

• Debbie Wells telling and showing us life in her favorite country Ireland.

• Sharon Wells enlightening us about nutritional concerns for women.

• Mary Hotaling giving us a glimpse of her research and pictures of the cure cottages of Saranac Lake 1987-1988.

• Paul Sorgule, professor of culinary arts at Paul Smith college, showing us how to prepare flowers for the Thanksgiving table made out of vegetables!

• Lynn Cameron vividly telling and showing us fine features of past fashions, which she has incorporated into her designer originals (modelled by club members).

• AFS students from Belgium and Italy talking about their homelands.

• Curt Stager, whose article on killer lakes in Cameroon appeared in last September's National Geographic magazine, telling us the scientific basis for the exploding lake and anecdotes about his research trip to the beautiful Cameroon mountain lake country.

• Nina Holland, sharing her collection of slides, baskets, and researched facts about our nearby Native American exquisite craft basket weaving.

• Jack Drury, telling us a great deal about his wilderness experience courses under the auspices of NCCC, followed by a prepared audio/slide glimpse of highlights of one of the three-week outdoor experiences, captured by a student who had an eye for beauty and humor.

• Mary Hotaling, back by popular request from the year before, giving us an historic look at Saranac Lake during our first 50 years.

To another 50 years of great fundraising for our community's students!

(Editor's note: This history document was first written by Nancy Powell in 1989, club President 2023 Kathy Root and Webmaster Mackenzie Davison have edited for clarity in October 2023.)