SPECIAL PRESENTATION — Marge Bedortha, left, a more than 40-year member of the Woman’s Club of Steubenville, stands with club President Carlotta Jordan in front of a display of Herald-Star newspaper articles of club events through the years. In celebration of the club’s 120-year anniversary, Bedortha presented a special program at the club’s November meeting. -- Janice Kiaski

STEUBENVILLE — The proud history of the Woman’s Club of Steubenville and the broad scope of its accomplishments and impact in the city were highlighted by one of the organization’s longtime members during a special presentation.

Marge Bedortha, a more than 40-year member, overviewed all the club has done in its 120-year history during the November meeting held at the YWCA of Steubenville, which was attended by dignitaries of GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women’s Club, including President Linda Crish.

“We are going to look back in time to remember and celebrate the fact that the Woman’s Club of Steubenville is now 120,” Bedortha began.

The club officially was established on Jan. 14, 1899, during an afternoon meeting held at the North Fourth Street home of Mrs. J.M. Kelly. “The original 13 members were mostly wives of the city’s most prominent business and civic leaders,” Bedortha said, noting that Mrs. W.B. Donaldson was elected to serve as its first president.

“This was a time when women had little to no activity outside the home or church — and virtually no influence in community affairs, but these women were dedicated and determined to band together for cultural and intellectual pursuits and to face vital civic issues as well,” she said.

After that initial meeting, the club made application for affiliation with the state federation and was admitted to the general federation by 1902.

In its infancy, the club met twice a month in members’ homes, except during the summer months. By 1912, with membership rapidly growing, meeting sites moved to St. Paul’s and St. Stephen’s parishes in the downtown area.

“One of the earliest accomplishments of the women, in fact, during the very first year, they exerted their influence upon City Council to abolish the common practice of dumping garbage along the city’s riverbanks, which created a menace to the health of the community,” Bedortha said. “As a result, the club was credited for taking the initial steps toward the establishment of the city’s first garbage plant.”

By 1913, the club’s original pursuit in the area of art, literature, music and other civic and cultural concerns was further developed with the establishment of departments, enabling members to zero in on their specific fields of interest.

“Eventually there were five departments — namely American home, civic, community affairs, fine arts and garden. The club and the departments have provided numerous major contributions to Steubenville and its residents throughout the years,” she said.

“These projects have included a toy mission which provided both toys and clothing for underprivileged children; a public and parochial school milk supply for undernourished children; activities for handicapped children; student scholarships; a home health nurse; aid to aged persons and veterans; flood relief; city beautification; and support to numerous local charities,” she continued.

For many years, a major city beautification spot was the Margaret H. Cook Civic Rose Garden located at the corner of Brady Avenue and University Boulevard. The garden flourished for more than 50 years and had as many as 300 rose bushes, benches and trellises. “Garden department members had their assigned rose beds, which they personally maintained throughout the summer months,” Bedortha said.

The Steubenville Woman’s Club Chorus was another club and community asset. First organized in 1939 under the direction of Mrs. J.R. Thorne, the group entertained locally and throughout the state. In later years, it was directed by Margaret Hutton and reactivated in 1990 under the direction of Barbara Wheatley Sweeney.

“Programs throughout the years have been planned to fulfill the club’s basic aims by scheduling speakers who have been performers and authorities in every area of the arts, authors, legislators, business and civic leaders, members of the media and state and international federation leaders,” Bedortha told members and guests in the audience.

The creative and artistic talents of the members themselves also have added to the program offerings, Bedortha noted. Attesting to the quality of the programming, the club and individual members’ performances have received top recognition repeatedly in state federation competition.

In addition to numerous programs and projects, the club provided the impetus and worked for the establishment of several other organizations which have made a significant impact on the community, according to Bedortha. “Members were instrumental in organizing the Civic League in 1903; the Civic Music Association in 1925; the local unit of the American Cancer Society in 1946; and in the early 1950s, the Jefferson County Council for the mentally retarded,” she said.

“By the early 1920s, the club meetings were moved to the ballroom of the Fort Steuben Hotel, a center of social activities in the bustling downtown area of the city. Hats, gloves and furs were part of the common attire for the ladies,” she recalled.

In 1923, the club served as host of the Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs convention at the Fort Steuben Hotel.

“Twice, the state federation has been headed by women from the Steubenville club,” Bedortha said. “In 1958-60 it was Mrs. Carl Weinman presiding as state president; from 1990-92 it was Mrs. Thomas (Shirley) Mitchell.” Both had served as local club and district presidents.

“After more than 40 years of meetings in the hotel, the club finally realized a long-awaited dream,” Bedortha said. “It was the spring of 1963 when the Woman’s Club of Steubenville moved into its own home made possible by an endowment from the estate of Beatrice Kelly Sharpe, daughter of a founding club member,” she explained. “The new residence at 2728 Sunset Blvd. was the former home of Dr. and Mrs. A.E. Winston. A large auditorium was added to the rear of the structure, and for the next 40 years, this lovely home was the center for countless club and department meetings, fundraisers, teas, luncheons and many special events. These were peak years in club growth, activities and community service,” Bedortha said.

“Our member Eleanor Weiss was elected to the presidency during this time,” Bedortha motioned to her peer in the audience who served in that capacity during the mid-1970s “when Steubenville had the largest federated club in Ohio and was one of only two owning its own home.”

At the time, the club offices included first, second and third vice presidencies, ensuring that those moving up were well prepared for the responsibilities to come. Another regulation of the time required that applicants for membership needed a club member sponsor and co-sponsor. The application resumes were presented and voted on by the board of directors.

During the club house years, the property was administered by a six-member board of trustees. By the early 2000s, maintenance, taxes and insurance became serious issues in the aging property, Bedortha said, noting that, reluctantly, the decision to sell the home was made in 2009.

In the intervening years since the sale, the club met for two years in the fellowship hall of Starkdale Presbyterian Church, then the Steubenville Country Club until, more recently, the YWCA of Steubenville.

“Women’s club membership has become a tradition in some families even going back to our founders,” Bedortha noted. “Mrs. J.M. Kelly, who hosted the organizational meeting in her home in 1899, was the mother of Beatrice Kelly Sharpe, who not only served two terms as club president, but was the generous benefactor for the club home,” she said. “Then, another founder and our first president, Mrs. Donaldson was succeeded in office 60 years later by her granddaughter, Katherine Sinclair Minor. We have had two Mrs. Charles Becker presidents. The first was in 1940, and her daughter-in-law was our president 50 years later in 1990.

“These seem impressive examples of the dedication and devotion to the work and aims of our founders and members throughout the years,” she said.

Aside from accomplishments realized, the club has fostered fun and friendships, too, according to Bedortha, who organized a special display of club articles printed in the Herald-Star and elaborated on some of them while expressing club gratitude for its coverage through the years.

In the spring of 1985, for example, the garden department staged a vintage style show to the theme “Memories of the Way We Were.” Thirteen department members modeled dramatic and elegant fashions from bygone eras. One of the models, Mrs. George (Irene) DeMartin, “an elegant woman with a tall stately figure, appeared in her original design wedding gown with a 14-foot train, worn 30 years earlier in Greece. She even had a replica made of her original bouquet,” Bedortha said. “Last to appear on the runway that afternoon was petite Mrs. William (Mary) Rhinehart, attired in a white cotton ankle-length night shirt and nightcap, carrying a chamber pot.”

Bedortha said it was exactly 30 years ago at the November 1989 meeting when the club’s organizational meeting held in the home of Mrs. Kelly was memorialized and recreated in a play the club performed in celebration of its 90th anniversary. “There were 18 members involved in the cast, staff and production,” she said, adding that the performance attracted one of the largest crowds ever assembled in the club auditorium. It took top honors as best program in the state of Ohio federation competition.

A more recent special event sponsored by the club was the Obama Health Care Forum held June 3, 2013, at Eastern Gateway Community College.

“This was a public service event attracting a full public audience and wide media coverage. A panel of 12 professionals representing local, state and federal offices were on hand to inform local residents about vital issues of the day — fulfilling one of our founders’ major concerns. This project was considered a daunting undertaking at the outset but within less than three months’ time, the determined and ambitious women had organized this major public service,” Bedortha said.

“Obviously, these projects and special events require larger numbers in membership to plan and execute than we have today in our club, but as we have seen, our membership has dwindled dramatically in recent years,” she lamented.

“But it is still very gratifying to know that there is not one aim, goal or expectation our founding members envisioned that has not been realized during these 120 years. I think it’s evident that we, as the Woman’s Club of Steubenville, have done much to advance cultural and intellectual pursuits for both our members and others in the community and have addressed many social and civic issues as well,” she said.

The club’s current membership boasts women who have prominent roles and impact in the community, including a judge, city council member, head of the United Way of Jefferson County, superintendent of schools and personal business owners.

Bedortha said while there are many past presidents she could single out, she pared the list to two, including one for personal reasons. “If you are of an older generation and a very longtime resident of Steubenville, the name Mary Berger Worstall should be a familiar one,” she said. “Mary was a contemporary and close friend of my mother’s. She served as our woman’s club president in the late 1960s but beyond that she was a pioneer in the news media. Mary was the first woman reporter at the Herald-Star where she had a long and remarkable career.”

The other past president is Eleanor Weiss, “a mover and shaker involved in all women’s club projects and activities for the past 60 years, half the life of this organization.” Bedortha said Weiss also has repeatedly been honored for service to the former Ohio Valley Hospital where she was president of the women’s board and for volunteer hours at Trinity Health System.

“Personally, I’m very grateful and proud to have been a member of the woman’s club for more than 41 years,” Bedortha said. “It has brought me pride and fulfillment of accomplishment in projects I’ve been involved with, and above all, it has brought me so many wonderful friendships.”

On the heels of Bedortha’s presentation came accolades from federation dignitaries, including GFWC Ohio First Vice President Marjean Sizemore. “You are an icon in this area and in the state for everything you have done over the years, and you continue to serve your community and that’s what is so great about the Woman’s Club of Steubenville,” Sizemore said.

Southeast District President Pat Ketzell said she has been in federation for 50 years.

“I can tell you that I have really enjoyed my time in federation, and I know you all have enjoyed your time in federation. You have done so many wonderful things,” Ketzell said. “Keep up the good work. I’m very proud to be here today.”

GFWC Ohio President Linda Crish reminisced about having met the late Shirley Mitchell, who had served as a club president. “She always talked about how great this club was,” Crish said before a certificate presentation to club President Carlotta Jordan.

Crish also read a letter of commendation and congratulations from Mary Ellen Brock, GFWC international president, on the club’s 120 years of service to the community and state as a federated club. “What a noteworthy milestone this is,” her letter read in part. “It gives me great pleasure to recognize the commitment and loyalty of your members to your club, to the Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs and to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. Your collective efforts contribute to GFWC’s proud tradition of achievement and they will ensure the continuation of that legacy into the future,” Brock wrote.

Added Crish, “I appreciate everything that this club has done for the state of Ohio all the years you’ve been in service and the things you do for your community because in the end, that’s what really matters.”

(Kiaski can be contacted at jkiaski@heraldstaronline.com.)