The women of New Hamburg were not sitting idly by. They had verve and a thirst to learn. The discovery of a cache of miniature yearbooks tells us about the lives of past women of the 'burg.
From 1910 to 1969, a group of about 20 women who called themselves "The Twentieth Century Club of New Hamburg" met once a month. The meeting would go like this: roll call with an inspirational quote, business, a lecture, and a "sketch"- a unique anecdote or story.
Each year's course of study had a theme ranging from Japan, South America, Prominent Americans, Notable Women, Women with Vision, Books Worth Reading, Contemporary Europe, to Scandinavia and beyond.
The monthly topics really varied, from "Cellophane in America", "the Story of Rice", to "Bird Sanctuaries." Sometimes the speakers were university professors or other experts, but most of the time, it was the women of New Hamburg illustrating topics to each other to expand their knowledge beyond the banks of the Hudson to the world at large.
In 1937, the subject for study was "The Romance of Rivers", and a talk on each river was curiously paired with discussion of an American religion, so one could learn about the St. Lawrence River and Spiritualism all in one evening:
What was topical in 1917-1918 -"Conservation in New York State, especially as concerned with natural resources and food"- is timely again. The ladies hashed out ideas about water and waterways, good roads, minerals and forestry. Doesn't this sound like it could be a workshop at the Common Ground Farm- "Education and Legislation in Regard to Food Supply"? Old ideas become new again...
Each year's course of study had a theme ranging from Japan, South America, Prominent Americans, Notable Women, Women with Vision, Books Worth Reading, Contemporary Europe, to Scandinavia and beyond.
