Woman’s Club of Newton Highlands
Club History
1917 - 1927
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club is formed at the Congregational Church Parish Hall in 1917. Their mission is threefold: Educational, Humanitarian and Social. There are two meetings and one board meeting per month. These meetings feature lectures by women who travel internationally and speakers like Poet Robert Frost. Workshop meetings have classes in drama, quilting, singing and painting. Community projects include: selling war bonds; casting our vote for the League of Nations and sending our message to Washington; and encouraging higher salaries for Newton school teachers. During this time, the art committee designs the club seal, and the father of two members donates land for the Workshop Building.
1927 - 1937
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club helps girls aged 18 to 24 to form a Junior Women’s Club which lasts to 1948. The Club continues to raise money for scholarship programs, holds blood banks, supplies children with milk at the Hyde School and helps the veterans at the West Roxbury Hospital. Lectures, speakers and classes continue to be held at the Workshop. The Club raises funds for the cost of construction of the Workshop at 72 Columbus St., Newton Highlands, MA and in 1928, the Club burns the mortgage.
1937 - 1947
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club sells war bonds and encourages victory parties. The Public Health Committee helps the nurses with the “Well Baby Clinic” held twice a month. Membership is about 279. Speakers and lectures include subjects on country cooking, aviation, book review and law. The Workshop holds classes on quilting, sewing, drama and art.
1947 - 1957
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club committees work on issues regarding civil defense and peace, and informs members about their senators, representatives and local aldermen. Speakers made presentations about antique preservation, peace, art, including Japanese art, marionettes, music, and journalism. Members open their homes to guests in town for the 7th Anniversary of the United Nations, and help these guests with sightseeing. At this time, the by-laws are published in the yearbook, and an annual spring bridge party is established.
1957 - 1967
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club members support the Newton Community Council, the Christmas Seals drive, and becomes involved with the Home Care Program and the Newton Highlands Improvement Association. The Club hosted Speakers and Lecturers describing travel, with information about customs of different countries. Other presentation were made on the arts, music, weather, Peace Corp and included a writer from the Boston Globe. The Club continues to enjoy desserts and social times. Projects include raising funds for renovation of the Workshop Building through a candy and food sale and a merchant’s night.
1967 - 1977
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club has dessert and social hours along with speakers and lectures on education, drug abuse, music and the arts. Projects include helping veterans, supporting the food bank, and raising funds for the Scholarship Program by having a rummage sale. Issues of concern to the Club include rising crime in the City of Newton, working on Conservation of Wetlands, and passing a bill to extend Home Rule. The Club becomes involved with the GFWC of MA State Meetings.
1977 - 1987
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club continues to offer speakers and lectures on civic improvement, patchwork and quilting, and book reviews. Projects include sending books to Guatemala for their library, raising funds by having gift wrapping sales and attic treasure sales. In 1982, yearbook women start to publish their first name along with their husband’s name. In 1984 Breakfast with Santa starts as a way for children in Newton to come together.
1987 - 1997
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club is having monthly luncheons. Speakers and lectures include topics such as music, histories of Newton and Massachusetts, and arts and book reviews. The club continues to be involved with Veterans, the local food bank, and raising funds for the Scholarship Program. It continues the popular Breakfast with Santa. A new project supports the New England assistance dog service, a GFWC of MA State Presidential Project.
1997 - 2007
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club continues to educate its membership with speakers and lectures. The Club sends contributions to “Teaching Tolerance” at Falls Church, Virginia, and helps Project Library, sponsored by the GFWC International and GFWC of MA, with funding. In 1999, Constance Moulton, a long team member of Newton Highlands Woman’s Club, donates funds to be used for Scholarships for Newton South High School. In 2001, the Club starts a Craft Fair to raise funds for scholarships for Newton North in order to include both Newton High Schools. Breakfast with Santa continues.
2007 - 2017
The Newton Highlands Woman’s Club continues to have interesting and timely speakers with subjects such as healthy cooking and diet. It supports veterans by purchasing gift cards from a local food store to help families of veterans who stay at the Fisher House. The Craft Fair outgrows the Workshop and moves to the Hyde Center Gym, becoming a very popular community event. Breakfast with Santa continues to be held at the Workshop. Members gather at the Workshop to make craft items to sell at the Craft Fair along with knitted items. The Craft Fair adds lunch, Silent Auction and a Bake Sale which helps bring more funds in for scholarship awards. A local quilter becomes a mentor to Club members, who make a yearly quilt to raffle off. A Club member makes a quilt at home, which was given to the GFWC of MA and is raffled off for proceeds to the President’s Project on Autism.
2026 – Join The Newton Highlands Women’s Club and make history . . .