Study club looks to keep tradition alive

FORT MADISON - On May 20, 1921 a group of Fort Madison ladies met to form a study club, choosing the name “The Gem City Delphian Club”.  Nineteen women became charter members, including Mrs. Craig Sheaffer.  In May of 1922 they decided to change their name to “The Rebecca Pollard Delphian Club” because Fort Madison was so very proud of Mrs. Pollard and fortunate to have her daughter, Mrs. Ehart, as a charter member.  The name was changed again in 1927 to “The Rebecca Pollard Study Club”, its current name.
In 1935 the club became the sponsor of a Junior Club, some of whose 15 charter members long-time residents and historians will recognize: Ruth Meyer (later VanTuyl), Wilma Everingham, Nellie Green (Foster), Sally Weddington, Mary Soechtig,  and Margaret Fehseke.  The Junior Club studied such topics as: The Country of Italy, Opera, Home Decoration, Consumer Buying, A History of Our Library, and more.  They also funded scholarships and provided baskets of food, clothing, and toys to needy families at Christmas.
Rebecca Pollard was born in Pennsylvania in 1831.  Her father, Nathaniel Ruggles Smith, was a playwright, an authority on Shakespeare, a professor of English at Harvard, and Rebecca’s teacher.  Rebecca became an author and a poet, and eventually followed her family to Farmington, Iowa, where she became a teacher herself, later moving to Fort Madison.  She developed a system of teaching young children that became known as the “Kindergarten Method”, and conducted a private school.  She was the author of the “Pollard Series” of textbooks, including the “Pollard Manual of Synthetic Reading”.  The Pollard system was used in the Keokuk Public Schools until 1937.  Her daughter, Sarah Addison (Adelaide) Pollard wrote the well-known hymn “Have Thine Own Way, Lord”

In addition to the members listed above, over the years many well-known local women have been members of the club, including Mrs. P.A. Lainson, Mrs. Frank Poepsel, Mrs. J.F. Phelan, Mrs. Arlo Woods, and Dodie Jerome (when women were finally allowed to use their first names).  Some of the topics in the early years were: The Problems of the Displaced Persons, Inspirational Visions, and The Understanding Heart.  By 1967 they were studying the Head Start Program, Art Forgery, and History of Historic Mills.  In 1971 they added an annual book study meeting.  Then by 1977 they had programs on Our Water Purification Plant, Crime Prevention, and Community Beautification.  More recently, they have heard about members’ travels abroad, black birds, Bess Truman, Honor Flights, the Fort Madison Partners, the proposed fire station, and the history of the Old Fort.
In addition to programs at their meetings in September through December (Christmas luncheon), and February (book study) through May (salad luncheon), the club also makes annual donations to local civic and charitable organizations.  These donations are funded by club dues of $15 annually.
Sadly, over time, membership has dwindled to eight and as these ladies have aged, they are considering disbanding the club.  Not wanting to lose this long-time part of Fort Madison’s history, they are launching a membership campaign.  Anyone who is interested in becoming a member, or just hearing more about the club, is invited to join them at their May salad luncheon.  It will be held at noon on Monday, May 19th at the Area Arts Association, 825 Avenue G, Fort Madison.  While the club currently meets on the third Monday morning of each month, members are considering a different meeting time.  For more information, contact Anne Heitz (319) 471-1845.