Women as Agents of Social Change: El Paso’s Social Housekeepers, 1886-1930

Women as Agents of Social Change: El Paso’s Social Housekeepers, 1886-1930

Red Cross women organizing for a magazine drive during World War I.

(Image located in El Paso County Historical Society archives)

2020 EPCHS Women’s History Exhibit

During the late 19th century and early 20th century, El Paso women found their public and political voices as activists. They fought to enact important social reforms in various areas including education, public safety, and health and welfare. They also fought for suffrage, prohibition, and other reform issues. At the time, it was not acceptable for women to have a public role; they belonged in the home. To counter this, women activists argued that they needed to go out into the community to address important social issues in order to preserve their homes and families. They called themselves “social housekeepers.” This exhibit looks at some of the different clubs and individuals who fought for social change.

Exhibit Team: Joseph Longo, Barbara Angus, Dr. Sue Stanfield, Claudia Ramirez, Melissa Hutson, Trish Long, and Sarah Duenas.

Please click on images to enlarge

: The term “social housekeeping” was coined famously by suffragist and reformer Jane Addams, who included it in her “Women in Housekeeping “poster published by the National American Women’s Suffrage Association in 1913. The movement connected the image of the woman’s traditional domestic role and connected it to social activism by identifying key reforms and issues that spoke to these women. Ms. Addams came to El Paso to Speak in 1918. Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. Adams, Jane. Women and Public Housekeeping, 1913 .

: Women worked within their churches and religious communities to enact social change. In the late 1800s, women’s church organizations were the first places that allowed El Paso women to have an active public role in society.

: The Ladies Aid Society of the First Presbyterian Church was one of the earliest and most active ladies aid societies in El Paso. It was formed in 1884. The women of the society opened their meetings to all women of the city. Minna Dieter, wife of a pioneer El Paso businessman, was one of the active members of the society.

: The Ladies Aid Society of St. Clement’s Church felt there was a need for a hospital in El Paso to achieve this they organized the Ladies Benevolent Association in 1886. They were joined by other religious dominations including women from the Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, First Christian, and First Presbyterian churches.

: In 1892, the Ladies Benevolent Society established the first hospital on the 700 block of North Oregon street and was later moved to South Santa Fe Street. The ladies were motivated by the death of a stranger on the platform at Union Depot.The hospital was closed in 1901, but the public health work continued. The Ladies Benevolent Society went through different names, including the Women’s Charity Association, Associated Charites, Sunshine Nursery, Travers Aid and Pleasant View Home. The organization is now known as Family Service of El Paso.

: Children of Our Block” was a theatrical group that raised money for a children’s ward for the Ladies Hospital in 1892.

: The Ladies Benevolent Society was reorganized into the Women’s Charity Association in 1902 by Mrs. J.A. Eddy, Mrs. Jacobo Blanco, and Eugenia Shuster to expand the charity works outside of churches. Other women noted for their outstanding activism were Anna Burges, Carrie Sutherland, Octavia Magoffin, Carrie Race, Nellie Coles, Mrs. U.S. Stewart, Mrs. Zach White, Mrs. H.M. Broaddus, and Mrs. A.M Loomis. Border Heritage Center, El Paso Public Library

: The Women’s Charity Association worked to improve conditions at the County Hospital at Fort Bliss and investigated reports of women patients being mistreated by male staff members. They also joined with other organizations to correct these issues at the hospital and even offered to take it over themselves. Additionally, they also advocated for a matron to be appointed to the city jail after hearing instances of mistreatment of women patients by male guards.

: Association president, Mrs. Elise Slater, led the “Save the Babies” Campaign, backed by the El Paso Herald, that raised money for a milk depot.

: On March 3, 1889, The Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Association was organized by Ada F. Calisher at her home. The mission was to help Jewish women in need. They also became the nucleus of Mt Sinai and helped build the temple in 1898.

: Octavia Magoffin, a pioneer settler who was known for her charity work. Her legacy and that of her husband, Mayor Joseph Magoffin is preserved by the Magoffin Home. She also founded the Ladies Benevolent Society of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in 1895.

: The Ladies Benevolent Society of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church evolved into the Catholic Women’s Benevolent, a citywide organization. The society holds an annual ball to raise money for charity. It was later renamed the Ladies of Charities in 1928

: The Sociedades Gudalupana is a Mexican American Catholic woman’s organization that is devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe. It was formed in San Antonio in 1912. By the late 1900s several local societies were formed in several El Paso Catholic Churches. The members of this society acted as an altar society assisting in church rituals and took leadership in many church activities relating to the devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe. The Society also took active roles in the community leading charity and relief efforts. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Sociedades Guadalupanas offered leadership opportunities to Mexican American women when their pubic roles were limited by society.

: In 1906, the Women Missionary Union was organized. It was composed of women from different protestant churches.

: Emma Parsons was the first president of the Women’s Missionary Union

: They built a home for young women who came off the train and had no place to go. They provided board and meals until they could find a job and a proper place for them to go. In the beginning, they rented a small home near the Union Depot and then rented a larger house on Stanton Street

: In 1908, the Women Missionary Union wanted to build a new home. They started raising money and acquired land. In 1909, they turned over two lots on Missouri Street, furnishings and mining stock to the newly formed Young Women’s Christian Association.

: The YW.C.A built a 52-bed residence at 541 West Missouri Street in 1910 which served as a boarding house. In 1917, they built a new building which included the first indoor swimming pool in El Paso at 215 East Franklin Street.

: June 20,1915 El Paso Times

: In 1913, El Paso businessman Horace B. Stevens donated land in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, where the Y.W.C.A. built a summer cottage called “Rest a While”. It was used as a camp for the Girl Reserves. The Girls Reserves was formed in 1918 to teach teen girls to take an active role in the community.

: In 1916, the El Paso Women’s Business Club was formed with guidance from the Y.W.C.A. Ruth Augur was the first president. The club started raising money for a loan fund for women who needed financial help, but could not secure a bank fund. By 1925, the organization was renamed El Paso’s Business and Professional Women(BPW).

: The El Paso Woman’s Club was formed in 1894 on San Francisco street at the home of the first president, Mary Hamilton Mills. The organization would later become the Women’s Club of El Paso. Starting as an intellectual club, in the 1890s it became a service organization known for its work of charity and reform, including the founding of the First Free Kindergarten in Texas and the First Public Library in El Paso. They also lobbied successfully for physical education classes to be taught in schools in 1903. They also advocated for better sanitation laws and a curfew law for minors. Border Heritage Center, El Paso Public Library

: Olga Kohlberg, Margaret True, and Grace Townsend with assistance from the El Paso Woman’s Club, founded the first free public kindergarten in Texas in 1892. Kohlberg also served as president of the El Paso Woman’s Club. Margaret True was suggested as a possible candidate for the El Paso School Board in 1893 because of her involvement. She later moved to Denver, Colorado where she was elected the first women president of the Denver School Board.

: Mary I. Stanton and The El Paso Woman’s Club established the first public library in El Paso in 1894. Border Heritage Center, El Paso Public Library

: Eugenia Schuster co-founded Providence Hospital in 1902 and managed the hospital in its early days. She also founded The Maduristas to help refugees during the Mexican revolution. She organized the Pan American Round Table in 1921.

: The Cloudcroft Baby Sanitarium was founded in 1916, by Dr. Herbert E. Stevenson to care for sick babies that did not fare well in the El Paso’s climate

: In 1901, The La Flora Estrella De La Texas was an early social group for Mexican American women in El Paso. Courtesy of the 1901 El Paso City Directory.

: The El Paso Humane Society was first organized in 1903 in the office of Col. Bean in the Mills Building. It got the city council to pass a law against animal cruelty the following year. The Society, however, wandered astray, until it was reorganized in 1906 by Minnie Tilton a member of the El Paso Woman’s Club.

: In 1905, the Mother’s League was organized by Mrs. R. Smith, Mrs. C.G. Titus, Mrs. Witt, Mrs. Lorez, and others. They bought together mothers and women teachers to discussed issues. The Group would evolve into the local chapter of the Parent Teachers Association.

: One of the earliest Parent Teachers Associations was founded at Mesa School in 1910.

: The El Paso Civic Improvement League was organized in 1905 to fight vice and to carry beautification efforts around the city. The League started as a branch of the El Paso Woman’s Club as an extension of their beautification efforts of city parks. Alzina Orndorff DeGroff was the first president. Border Heritage Center, El Paso Public Library

: Spoon from Hotel Orndorff.

: Magazine published by the El Paso Civic Improvement League

: October 5,1905 El Paso Herald .

: In 1910, Sunshine Nursery was established. It was a daycare for working mothers in South El Paso. Mrs. W.F. Judd was the first president.

: Edith Lane served as president of the group in 1915.

: In 1913, the Aladdin Club, a women’s club was founded in Canutillo. The first president was Mrs. Julius Porcher. The club worked to improve the quality of life in Upper Valley El Paso and to foster a sense of community.

: In October of 1915, under Fannie Fennell and the El Paso Equal Franchise League’s leadership the El Paso Federation of Women’s Club was organized.

: The group was a coalition of twenty-one women organizations. Its purpose was to work together to bring about civic improvement and to build a joint Clubhouse.

: El Paso American Association of University Women started as the College Women’s Club formed in 1914 by Laura Mundy Kinkel. The organization became the El Paso Branch of the American Association of University Women in 1917, with Blanche Averill as president. The group sponsored exhibits and films in schools to encourage kids to go to college.

: April 8,1915 El Paso Herald

: The Phillis Wheatley Society was named after the first published African American woman poet. The local chapter was organized in 1914.

: A community service group for African American women who studied local issues and was also a community service organization. It was a member of the State Federation of Colored Women’s Club. April 4, 1916, El Paso Herald

: Mrs L.L. Robinson was active in the Rebecca Stoddard Chapter of the DAR was also a suffragist.

: Augu 24,1919 El Paso Times

: the Housewives league was organized to address wartime food issues and other issues in 1917.

: Mrs. R.J. Tighe was the first president.

: May 10,1917 El Paso Herald

: A County Federation of Women’s Club was formed in Jan of 1921 with representatives from El Paso, Clint, Fabens, and the Upper Valley. Mrs. William Abadie was the first president. Jan 28, 1921, El Paso Herald.

: The Ysleta Woman’s Club was organized in March 1921 at “Sunnyfields” on Alameda, the home of Mrs. J. Stoney Porcher, which later became Cesar Chavez Academy. The club’s first president was Mrs. W.B. Abadie. Other officers included Anne Whitney, vice president Elinor Porcher, treasurer Gertrude Cadwallader, secretary Mrs. Owen White and Mrs. N.N. Bourland. Other founding members were Pearl Crossley, Mrs. J.L. Reid, Mattie Graves, Essie Paden, Mrs. T.N. Williams, Lucy Brooks, Helen Lang, Christine Bower, Mrs. George Spencer, Emilia Foix and Jennie Downs.

: Letters to Mrs. J.D. Love from the first president, Jennie Downs discussing the founding of the club.

: Letters to Mrs J.D. Love from the first president, Jennie Downs discussing the founding of the club.

: The Lower Valley Community Center.

: publicity given to the newspapers about the building of the Ysleta Community Center.

: The Women’s Department of the El Paso Chambers of Commerce was organized in 1924 by May McGhee. They led a campaign to promote El Paso and to convince local businesses to sell El Paso made products and encourage El Pasoans to buy local products. They also wrote a sightseeing booklet and worked on the beautification of city parks.

: Aug 17,1924 El Paso Times

: July 13,1924 El Paso Times

: Mrs. Brown was the first chair-director of the El Paso Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She was also the first music teacher in El Paso. She was also president of the El Paso Woman’s Club and served one term on the El Paso School Board.

: Harriet Quisenberry organized Altrusa, a woman’s club in 1926 and was the first president of Altrusa International

: Nell Gardner founded the first Pilot Club in El Paso. In 1937, she co-founded the Pilot Home for the elderly. In 1940, she purchased a home at 113 Edison. Gardner was the first president of Pilot International and help organized some chapters in Mexico. Gardner was honored as the First Lady of El Paso in 1960 by the Beta Sigma Phi.

: Sep 27,1931 El Paso Times

: The first location of the pilot home for the elderly was on 113 Edson street which was later renamed Fullan Ave.

: The first girl scout troop in El Paso was founded at Fort Bliss in 1930. Nov 2,1930 El Paso Times.

: Mrs. G.B.McReynolds, the founder. Oct 31,1932 El Paso Times

: October 25, 1986 El Paso Herald Post.

: Aug 11,1932 El Paso Times

: The Junior Service League was organized in 1930 with Rosalie Behr Walz Walters as president. It was a group of young women who devoted themselves to volunteer work. They raised money for various charities and health clinics. They reorganized into the Junior League in 1933. They also founded the Social Service Exchange, the first charity clearinghouse in El Paso.

: Rosalie Behr Walz Walters.

: Dec 1,1932 El Paso Times

: The Women’s Temperance (WCTU) The W.C.T.U. was organized in 1890, but was reorganized in 1898 by the state president, Helen Stoddard. They fought for prohibition and against other vices. The El Paso Chapter also did a lot of volunteer work and raised money for various charities and clinics. The chapter lasted until the 1960s. A leader of the movement, Carrie Nations came to El Paso in 1902.

: As president of the El Paso W.T.C.U. , Clara Lay led efforts to pass a state prohibition amendment in 1919, it passed statewide, but lost in El Paso.

: El Paso women were also active in Labor Unions for example In 1919, several Mexican American women employees of multiple El Paso Laundries led a strike for better wages and conditions.

: From campaigning for suffrage, to running, for and holding elected office. The women’s political role expanded.

: On Jan 12, 1915, the El Paso Equal Franchise League was the first women’s suffrage organization in El Paso. It was organized at the Hotel Orndorff (now the site of Hotel Cortez). They heard different speakers, studied different issues, and helped support the Cloudcroft Baby Sanitarium. The group sought to increase public awareness of women suffrage, helped pass the 19th amendment, and helped in World War I relief work for the troops.

: El Paso Herald Society Editor and artist,Ruth Augur organized the league.

: Aug 26, 1926 El Paso Herald

: Feb 7,1916 El Paso Herald

: June 5,1917 El Paso Herald

: Jan 9,1918 El Paso Herald

: El Paso Times June 8,1916

: Jan 4, 1916 El Paso Herald

: National Women’s Party Leader, Lucy Burns came to El Paso in 1919. Feb 25, 1919 El Paso Herald

: Courtesy of the El Paso Public Library, Border Heritage Center

: Dr, Grace Danforth was an pioneer Texas Physician from Granger, Texas . She was also one of the founders of the Texas Equal Franchise Association, the first suffrage organization in Texas which was formed in 1893. Danforth wrote various articles in support of suffrage. A scrapbook of her articles that possibly belonged to her made it way to the El Paso Public Library as gift from the Salvation Army. Dr. Danforth died in 1894.El Paso Public Library, Border Heritage Center

: A letter written by El Paso Congressman Claude Hudspeth in support of suffrage. EPCHS Archives.

: Pro-suffrage postcard addressing the changes in women’s fashion and its connection to their awareness of suffrage.

: On Dec 12, 1918, the Colored Women’s Progressive Club of El Paso was organized. It was an auxiliary to the El Paso Equal Franchise League. They campaigned for the women’s right to vote and fought for the improvement of their living conditions. The first president was Maud Edith Sampson. Sampson who tried registering the club as an auxiliary to the Texas Equal Franchise League but found resistance because of their race. Nevertheless, the club found support among El Paso white suffragettes.

: Oct 13,1963 El Paso Times

: Aug 26, 1975 El Paso Times

: Dr. Alice Merchant was the first woman doctor in El Paso in 1895. Merchant was a charter member of the El Paso Equal Franchise league. She went on to serve as president of the El Paso League of Women Voters and then the state chapter. Merchant was the first woman to run for the state legislature from El Paso in 1922. El Paso Public Library, Border Heritage Center

: Ressie Cloonan also ran for the state legislature on the Republican ticket with Dr. Merchant. Oct 21, 1922 El Paso Herald

: A. Louise Dietrich, a registered nurse, was appointed by the Texas State Equal Franchise Association as county chairwoman in charge of canvassing women voters. Dietrich went on to serve as president of the El Paso and the Texas League of Women Voters. El Paso Times Dec 14,1941

: The League of Women Voters was non-partisan but voted to campaign for Alice Merchant and Ressie Coolnan for the State Legislature in 1922. They lobbied successfully for the appointment of Eva Synder Metz to one of the city’s most powerful commission, the City Plan Commission. Courtesy of El Paso Public Library, Border Heritage Center

: Oct 14,1920 El Paso Times

: June 15, 1920 El Paso Times

: Aug 16,1925 El Paso Times.

: Oct 8,1920 El Paso Herald

: In 1927, a local chapter of the Women Joint Legislative Council was formed by women from different El Paso women organizations to campaign for legislation that benefited women and children. Belle Critchett was chairwoman and A. Louise Dietrich was another prominent member. Nov 22, 1927 Ep Evening Post.

: Dr. Ida Bishop, pioneer El Paso Woman doctor and suffragist. El Paso Herald March 2, 1920.

: In 1912, A Young Ladies Democratic Club was organized led by Juana Jurado. They campaigned for the political establishment and backed the county ticket in the 1912 Democratic Primary.

: Women in Texas could hold and run for most elected offices in the state before women could vote going back to 1902. El Paso Women starting running for elected offices in 1912. Fannie Chernin was one of the first women to be nominated for statewide office in Texas. She was nominated by the Socialist Labor Party for State Superintendent of Schools in 1912. She received five votes.

: The first woman to hold an elected office in El Paso was Myra Winkler. Winkler served for ten years as County Superintendent of Schools. She was elected unopposed in 1912 and resigned in 1922.

: Aug 2,1912 El Paso Herald

: In 1913, an All-Woman school board was elected in Clint, composing of Mrs. T.A. Halihan, Mrs. A.E. Brown, and Mrs. M.H. Webb. In 1929, when Clint became an independent school district, Josephine Silvas Dalton was one member of the first board of trustees and might have been one of the earliest Hispanic women to hold elected office in El Paso.

: In 1917, the El Paso Equal Franchise nominated the first woman candidate for the El Paso Independent School Board of Trustees, Sarah Mott Rawlings. She was defeated, but paved the way for the first woman on the board, Fannie McGrady, who was appointed in 1918.

: Fannie McGrady served on the board until 1921. She was succeeded by Kate Moore Brown and Florence Stevenson who was the first woman elected to the El Paso School Board rather than being appointed.

: On April 8, 1918, Lucy Brooks was appointed to the Ysleta School Board after a petition was presented by the Ysleta Mother’s Club asking a woman to be appointed. Brooks was the first woman to serve on the Ysleta school board.

: Lucy Peterman Brooks. Jan 9, 1939 El Paso Times.

: Johanna O’Donnell and Gladys Blamwell was the first women elected to the Faben’s School Board.

: Jennie Warner and Alice Wright was elected to the El Paso School Board in 1923.

: Starting in 1918, El Paso women were running and holding elected offices that were traditionally thought of as male positions. In 1918, Marguerite Moon Murray was the first woman elected to the El Paso County Democratic Executive Committee, representing Socorro.

: May Carlisle McGhee, was the first woman to run for a non-school related office. She ran unsuccessfully for District Clerk in 1918 Democratic Primary when Texas women could first vote in the democratic primaries. She was defeated by an incumbent. July 20, 1918, El Paso Herald.

: Emma Stevens, who served as President of the El Paso Woman’s Club was the first woman to run for a city office, when she was nominated for city treasurer by the local republican party. In 1921 she was defeated by a Democrat, Dan Sullivan. Courtesy of the Border Heritage Center, El Paso Public Library

: In 1924, Anna Marie Tobin was the first to hold a non-school related office when she was elected El Paso County Treasurer. She served until 1941.

: In 1926, El Pasoan, Helen Raynolds was nominated by the Texas Republican Party for Land Commissioner

: Hortense Dunsavage was the first woman to run for El Paso County Commissioner in 1926. A Position that was thought of a traditionally male position. She was defeated and a woman would not be elected to the position until Mary Haynes in 1982.

: In 1929, when Clint became an independent school district, Josephine Silvas Dalton was one member of the first board of trustees and might have been one of the earliest Hispanic women to hold elected office in El Paso.

: In 1930, Mary Frances Scotten was the first woman to be elected as El Paso County Tax Assessor.