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History of Our Club—

-OR those who are not familiar with the
origin and aims of the Commercial Girls’

. Club of Winnipeg it may be of interest to
relate here a brief history of the organiza-
tion since its inception in 1931.

In the fall of that year it was evident to
every commercial employed girl that many of her
friends and colleagues had lost their positions with
very little prospect of obtaining others. The situa-
tion of the unemployed girl was keenly felt by Miss
Kathleen Archer and with a view to placing the
matter before others jnterested she obtained per-
mission to hold a public meeting in the Winnipeg
Free Press building. This meeting was held on
October 7, 1931, and was attended by more than
650 business girls and women. A second meeting
was held in Knox Church on October 13 when the
first officers, board of directors and a general com-
mittee were elected. The first executive con-
sisted of Miss K. E. Archer, president,.Miss M. M.
McDonald, vice-president, and Miss B. S. McGilliv-

ray, secretary-treasurer.

Following this meeting the club went immediately
into active operation. Only unemployed commer-
cial girls were eligible to register with the club and
it was decided that the funds on which the organ-
ization would function should be obtained from the
voluntary monthy dues of contributing members.
Before the end of the first year the club had an un-
employed membership roll of 835 members and a
contributing membership of 3,500.

The outstanding event of 1932 was the club's
first Birthday Tea which took place in the Annex
of the T. Eaton Company’s store on October 14,
1932. This was without doubt the most astounding
tea party ever put on in Winnipeg. Thousands of
friends of the club thronged to the tea tables and a
sum of $2,411.80 was received to swell the funds of
the organization.

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