First Meeting of Almont Literary Club – November 3, 1955

The first meeting of the Junior Women’s Literary Club was held at the Henry Stephens Library on November 3, 1935.  The name was adopted April 8, 1936.  The Charter Members were: Mary E. Bailey, Kathryn Burley, Vaun Campbelle, Dorothy Hough, Marian Laman, Eva Paton, Mabel Smith, and Alice E. Taylor.  On September 20, 1939, the name was changed to The Almont Literary Club.

The object of the club, as stated in the Constitution adopted May 6, 1936, is to unite its members in the study along any line selected by the members.  Membership has ranged from 20 to 30 women.  The original sponsors were Mrs. Ina Kidder and Mrs. Eunice Hamilton.

Civic contributions include donations to The Almont Red Cross Chapter, Community Hospital benefits, Crippled Children’s Fund,Seeing-Eye Dogs, Youth for Understanding, Bicentennial and Homecoming Committees, Ronald McDonald House, local rest homes, to Almont Community Park Board for purchase of trees, to the Almont School for the purpose of shrubs and occasional personal help to any citizens of Almont whom the group wished to help.

Lines of study have included such topics as: Arts, Crafts, Genealogy, Our School, Local History, Colonial History, Michigan History, First Aid, Great Lakes, Recipes, Plants, Antiques, Customs, Dolls, Spices, Philosophy, Poetry, Books, Safety, Photography and especially life and travel in foreign countries.  The Almont students who have been exchange students in other lands, present a program each year about their experiences.

Present officers (1985) are: President, Gail Reader; Vice President, Evelyn Glover; Secretary, Margaret Farley; Treasurer, Jessie Fiebelkorn; Reporter, Pat Leinonen; Historian, Mary Bristol.