Ladies' Banquet

Ladies Banquets at the 1912 Convention

by Rachael E. Martin, Club #25 Historian

The evening of August 7, 1912, Duluth Rotarians hosted 2 large banquet dinners for the 1912 Rotary Convention - one for the men and one for the ladies. Let's discuss the ladies' first.
 

An informal banquet for 150 Rotarian ladies was held at the Commercial Club the second night of the convention. Three tables running the length of the dining room with a fourth across one end, were decorated with Rotary club blue and gold. Purple asters and yellow coreopsis in large baskets were used at intervals with ferns strewn over the table between.
 

The musical entertainment featured Miss Jessie Gibson, a Duluth singer. She had recently returned from Weimar, Germany, where she studied music with Frau Anna Quensel-Saal. Miss Gibson sang the Elizabeth aria from Tannhauser, "Arie aus Samson", Saint-Saens, and some charming German and Scotch folk songs. Her rich soprano voice of grand opera volume and timbre was accompanied by Mrs. Elizabeth Morton Dworshak at the piano.
 

Also, Mrs. D. J. Pierce of Kansas City sang several appealing little songs, followed by exquisite instrumental music given by Miss Wally Heymar, violin, Miss Florence Lawson, cello, and Miss Alice Mae Brown, piano and vocalist.
 

The idea of informality forbade prepared toasts, but at the close of the banquet, Mrs. Thompson of Kansas City made a speech of thanks to the Duluth women. The Duluth women in turn thanked the management of the Commercial Club and the St. Louis Hotel, for their first ladies event.