The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 2, Page 24.
Valparaiso's Methesis Club Is Successor To Old Study Club Which Dates Back To
'97
The
Valparaiso Mathesis club, one of the leading club organizations in the city, is
an offshoot of the "Study Club", which had its inception in November, 1897.
"The Study Club" held its meetings at the home of the late Mark L. DeMotte,
former congressman and Dean of Valparaiso University School of Law. While no
officers officially had been named for the organization, Mr. DeMotte acted as
leader and mentor through common consent. Mrs. DeMotte served as secretary.
Programs were given every two weeks from November 2, 1897 to and including May
10, 1898. The year was devoted to the study of Shakespeare and his plays, the
members were assigned characters who parts they prepared and portrayed, reading
aloud "As You Like It", "Richard", "Trolius and Cressida", "MacBeth" and "King
Lear". A sum of money was raised by assessment among the club members to procure
the services of Mrs. Ella Adams Moore, of Chicago, who gave lectures and
assisted members in their work.
"The Study Club" began its second year's work on October 13, 1898 under the
name, "Mathesis Club." Mathesis from the Greek word Mathetes, meaning pupil or
learner, was conceived of as being a suitable name for a study club, the
original idea being that they organize for study rather than for socialibility.
The year 1898-99 was devoted to the history and study of fiction. It was not
until September 22, 1899, that the group met to reorganize and elected the first
officers as follows: Mark L. Demotte, president; B. F. Williams, vice president;
Margaret C. Beer, secretary, and L. R. Skinner, treasurer.
Thus, the Mathesis club as it exists today was not officially organized until
1899, although it functioned two years before organized as the Mathesis club
without official designation.
Charter members of the Mathesis club as follows: Mrs. N. L. Agnew, Rebecca
Bartholomew Listenberger, Margaret Beer, Mabel Benney, Elizabeth Benney, G. C.
Benney, Mark L. DeMotte, Mrs. Mark L. DeMotte, J. Budman Fleming, Arthur
Hughart, Florence Higgis-Butler, O. P. Kinsey, Mrs. O. P. Kinsey, Mrs. Alva
Leonard, Minnie McIntyre, Margaret McGregor, Elizabeth Patton, William E. Pinney,
Mrs. Finette Simons, L. R. Skinner, C. A. Sweet, Mrs. C. A. Sweet, Anna Thomas,
B. F. Williams, Charles H. Wood.
In addition to these charter members others who belonged to the Study club when
it was formed in 1898, were Miss Stickney, Miss Travers, Mrs. Bell, Miss
Dickover, Miss Jeffrey, Mrs. Renner, Mrs. Bondy, Mrs. Smith and A. D.
Bartholomew.
Officers who have served and those now serving the Mathesis club are:
Presidents -- Col. Mark L. DeMotte, 1898-1909; Arthur A. Hughart, 1909-1912;
William E. Pinney, 1912-1924; John M. Oldham, 1924-1936.
Vice presidents -- B. F. Williams, 1898-1901; Fred Reece, 1901-1903; Oliver P.
Kinsey, 1903-1904; Arthur A. Hughart, 1904-1909; Katherine Carver, 1909-1923;
Louis T. Frederick, 1923-1925; Rollin C. Higley, 1925-1935; Howard D. Moody,
1936-1936.
Secretaries -- Margaret C. Beer, 1899-1920; Grace L. Hughart, 1920-1925; Alice
Dillon, 1925-1928; Laura P. Gregory, 1928-1932; Laura E. Stoner, 1923-1936.
Treasurers -- Leslie R. Skinner, 1898-1901; Arthur A. Hughart, 1901-1904; B. F.
Williams, 1904-1917; John H. Cloud, 1917-1918; Lee F. Bennett, 1918-1919; John
M. Oldham, 1919-1924; Ross Winship, 1924-1925; Joseph LaRue, 1925-1936.
A complete roster of Mathesis club members from the clubs beginning is as
follows:
Mrs. N. L. Agnew, 1898-1908; Rebecca Listenberger, 1898-1912; Margaret Beer,
1898-1920; Mabel Benney, 1989; Elizabeth Benney, 1898-1901; G. C. Benney,
1898-1899-1932; M. L. DeMotte, 1898-1909; J. B. Fleming, 1898-1899-1929; A. A.
Hughart, 1899-1912; Betha Hall, 1898-1901; Florence Higgins-Butler, 1898-1901;
O. P. Kinsey, 1898-1931; Mrs. O. P. Kinsey, 1898-1928; Mrs. Alvah Leonard,
1898-1923; Minnie McIntyre, 1898-1905; Margaret McGregor, 1898-1901; Elizabeth
Patton, 1898-1906; William E. Pinney, 1898-1903; Mrs. Finette Simons, 1898-1912;
L. R. Skinner, 1898-1903; C. A. Sweet, 1898-1903; Mrs. C. A. Sweet, 1898-1903;
Anna Thomas, 1898-1899; B. F. Williams, 1898-1915; C. H. Wood, 1898-1900; M. H.
Appleby, 1898-1902; H. Brown, 1899-1900; Mrs. H. B. Brown, 1899-1900; Kate
Gregory, 1899-1900; Martin Luther, 1899-1900; Fred Reece, 1898-1903; Harold L.
Butler, 1900-1903; Mrs. S. P. Corboy, 1900-1901; Estella Diefenbach, 1900-1921;
Rose Drago, 1900-1901; Katherine E. Carver, 1901; Mrs. Grace Hughart,
1900-1912-1925; Luella Porter, 1900; J. E. Cloud, 1901-1918; Mrs. Luemma Cloud,
1901-1918; Mrs. J. W. Elan, 1901-1902; Ella Jeffrey, 1901-1905; J. E. Roessler,
1901-1902, Mrs. J. E. Roessler, 1901-1902; J. A. Anderson, 1902-1903; G. Pinney,
1902-03; Mantie Baldwin, 1903-1933; M. A. Gregory, 1903-1909; Mrs. Ira Howerth,
1903-1912; Nona McQuilken, 1903-1911; James McCrea, 1903-1904; Elizabeth
McAlilly, 1903-1919; O. H. Powers, 1903-1912; Mrs. O. H. Powers, 1903-1912; J.
R. Heeb, 1904-1909-1931; Myra F. Pinney-Clark, 1904-1919; Bess Stinchfield,
1904-1912; Louise Winslow-Davelin, 1904-1907; H. B. Benninghoff, 1905-1907; M.
L. Weems, 1906-1906; C. Boyd Beckes, 1906-1907; A. F. Reddie, 1907-1911-1930;
Lee F. Bennett, 1909-1919; Mrs. Lee Bennett, 1909-1910; D. L. McTaggart,
1909-1910.
Mrs. Grace Cloud, 1910-1910-1928; Albert Wedeking, 1910-1912; Thomas G. Blue,
1912-1914; L. W. Howerth, 1911-1912; E. W. Chaffee, 1912-1925; Mrs. E. W.
Chaffee, 1912-1925; Altha DeWitt, 1912-1925; G. H. Stoner, 1912-1918; Mrs. G. H.
Stoner, 1913-1918; R. A. Tallcott, 1913-1921; Mrs. R. A. Tallcott, 1913-1921; H.
B. Benninghoff, 1914-1915; Mrs. H. B. Benninghoff, 1914-1915; C. W. Boucher,
1915-1919; Mrs. C. W. Boucher, 1915-1927; O. H. Powers, 1915-1936; Mrs. O. H.
Powers, 1915-1916; E. L. Loomis, 1915-1917-1925; Mrs. E. L. Loomis, 1915-1917;
Lewis E. Myers, 1916-1922; Mrs. Lewis E. Myers, 1916-1922; John M. Oldham, 1916;
Mrs. John M. Oldham, 1916-1932; Edward A. Anderson, 1917-1919; C. S. Hoover,
1917-1919; Robert B. Wise, 1918; Mrs. Robert B. Wise, 1918; A. A. Hughart, 1919;
Mrs. Grace Hughart, 1919-1926; Carroll C. Brown, 1920-1921; Mrs. Carroll C.
Brown, 1920-1921-1931; M. A. Gregory, 1920-1923; Mrs. M. A. Gregory, 1920-1932;
W. O. Winkler, 1920-1931; Mrs. W. O. Winkler, 1920-1921; F. L. Dorsey,
1921-1924; Louis T. Frederick, 1921-1928; L. C. Hensel, 1921-1929; Mrs. L. C.
Hensel, 1921-1929; Ross Winship, 1921-1930; Mrs. Ross Winship, 1921-1930; Rollin
C. Higley, 1922; Mrs. Rollin C. Higley, 1922; J. W. LaRue, 1922; Mrs. J. W.
LaRue, 1922; C. W. Wharton, 1923; Mrs. C. W. Wharton, 1923; T. O. Dillon, 1924;
Mrs. T. O. Dillon, 1924; George C. Groves, 1924; Mrs. George C. Groves, 1924;
Dr. G. H. Stoner, 1925; Mrs. G. H. Stoner, 1925; Lynn M. Whipple, 1925; Mrs.
Lynn M. Whipple, 1925; Prof. C. W. Boucher, 1926-1927; Reno M. Pinto, 1928-1930;
Lee Ragsdale, 1928; Mrs. Lee Ragsdale, 1928; O. H. Powers, 1929-1930; Mrs. O. H.
Powers, 1929-1930; Lester Sayers, 1929; Mrs. Lester A. Sayers, 1929; Mrs. Frank
R. Chester, 1930; Mrs. James J. McKay, 1930; Prof. Walther M. Miller, 1930; Mrs.
Walther M. Miller, 1930; Dr. H. W. Moody, 1932; Mrs. H. W. Moody, 1932; E. W.
Chaffee, 1933; Mrs. E. W. Chaffee, 1933; Ainsworth W. Clark, 1933; Mrs.
Ainsworth W. Clark, 1933; Claude O. Panley, 1935; Mrs. Claude O. Panley, 1935;
S. B. Sink, 1936; Mrs. S. B. Sink, 1936; Byron Smith, 1936; Mrs. Byron Smith,
1936; Herbert H. Umbach, 1936; Mrs. Herbert H. Umbach, 1936; George Myers, 1936;
Mrs. George Myers, 1936.
The officers for 1936-1937 are John Oldham, president, Howard Moody,
vice-president; Laura Stoner, secretary, and Joseph LaRue, treasurer.
In all the years the club has existed as a social study club, it has been with
"malice toward none and charity for all", but with a growing friendliness among
those who enter this group. The members still hold to the ideas of simplicity
and democracy dear to the hearts of their founders, Mr. and Mrs. M. L. DeMotte,
Mr. and Mrs. O. P. Kinsey and Mrs. W. E. Pinney.
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook