The History of Genesee, MI, Chapter XXIII, The Art Club

THE ART CLASS.

The Art Class, organized in 1881, probably enjoys the distinction of being, next to the club just mentioned, the oldest in the city. it was started informally by a few ladies who met on Monday afternoons to discuss art topics. It was really the outgrowth of two other small reading groups composed of the following ladies: Mrs. William Lyon, Mrs. Russell Bishop, Mrs. William Clark, Mrs. Charles S. Brown, Mrs. William A. Atwood, Mrs. Henry Young, Mrs. John H. Hicok and Miss elizabeth Hicok.

Mrs. William Lyon was the found of the club. One afternoon she invited the ladies of the two small history classes mentioned above to meet at her home and the matter of organizing a club for the study of art topics was broached. The ladies agreed among themselves that there should be no balloting on names, but that each lady should be privileged to bring to the club the next Monday afternoon one friend whom she might wish to have associated with her in the proposed study. Those invited in this informal manner constituted, with the charter members, the first Art Class. For thirty-five years the club has held regular meetings, and many names associated with the early history of Genesee county may be found on its membership list.

For the first eight years of its existence no records were kept and the club had no constitution or by-laws. In 1889, however, this was changed, rules and regulations were adopted and officers were appointed, Mrs. W. A. Atwood being elected president and Mrs. E. T. Smith, secretary. A program committee, selected alphabetically, arranges each year a course of study, the scope of which has gradually been broadened until it now includes topics in history, music, poetry, political economy, astronomy and many other subjects. The club meets at the homes o members, and membership is limited to twenty-eight.

The Art Class has always been very quiet and retiring in its tastes and has never belonged either to the city or state federation. Its present officers are Mrs. Frank E. Willett, president; Mrs. I. M. Eldridge, secretary; Mrs. C. B. Crampton, treasurer, and the program committee consists of Mrs. F. d. Clarke, Mrs. W. C. Cumings and Mrs. A. M. Davison.

The following is the present list of members:
Mrs. W. L. Bates	Mrs. Guy Blackington
Mrs. H. D. Borley	Mrs. J. N. Buckham
Mrs. C. B. Burr	Mrs. J. J. Carton
Miss Annie Carroll	Mrs. F. D. Clarke
Mrs. W. C. Cumings	Mrs. C. B. Crampton
Mrs. A. M. Davison	Mrs. I. M. Eldridge
Mrs. H. H. Fitzgerald	Mrs. D. S. Fox
Mrs. G. W. Hubbard	Mrs. G. C. Kellar
Mrs. W. C. Lewis	Mrs. J. B. Pengelly
Mrs. F. H. Pierce`	Mrs. E. T. Smith
Mrs. D. T. Stone	Mrs. F. W. Swan
Mrs. Alice Travis	Mrs. F. E. Willett
Mrs. L. L. Wright	Mrs. H. L. Young

The following ladies, most of whom live now in other cities, and nearly all of whom have been active members at some period, constitute the sit of honorary members:
Mrs. T. D. Bacon	Mrs. W. H. Brodhead
Mrs. D. Church	Mrs. G. Dibble
Mrs. R. C. Durant	Mrs. Jerome Eddy
Mrs. M. T. Gass	Mrs. A. B. C. Hardy
Mrs. J. H. Hicok	Miss Elizabeth Hicok
Mrs. John Irwin	Mrs. C. A. Lippincott
Mrs. W. H. Lyon	Mrs. D. MacKenzie
Mrs. R. E. MacDuff	Mrs. F. A. Platt
Mrs. Crapo Smith	Mrs. H. C. Van Deusen
Mrs. J. H. Whiting	Mrs. R. J. Whaley
Mrs. C. H. Wood	.

The following is a list of deceased members:
Mrs. J. C. Willson	Mrs. I. H. Wilder
Mrs. M. A. Vaughan	Mrs. A. A. Thompson
Mrs. W. L. Smith	Mrs. G. R. gold
Mrs. C. S. Brown	Mrs. W. A. Atwood
Mrs. H. M. Curtis	Miss Marion Chandler
Mrs. M. A. C. Orrell	Mrs. Sarah Ferris
Mrs. William Clark	Mrs. J. B. Atwood
Mrs. Henry Neill	Mrs. A. W. Seabrease
Mrs. W. B. McCreery	Mrs. A. Androus
Mrs. Nellie B. Dort	Mrs. May Foote