OUR HISTORY
On May 25, 1911, a group of college women living in Montclair organized the College Women’s Club. Its first objective, promoting congenial sociability, expanded within the year to include a second, that of providing college scholarship aid to girls graduating from local high schools.
In 1928 the Club became a Branch of American Association of University Women which now includes more than 140,000 members banded together “to enable college women to continue their own intellectual growth, to further the advancement of women, and to discharge the special responsibilities to society of those who have enjoyed the advantages of higher education.” Members attended state and regional meetings and workshops and the biennial national convention.
The CWCM’s initial concerns have broadened to include ever widening areas, and its members have contributed to the solution of numerous community problems.
In 1970, the College Women's Club of Montclair (CWCM) was incorporated and a year later was determined a tax-exempt organization. It has raised funds for fellowships and awards in several ways, chiefly through a semi-annual “Used Book and Music Sale.” Many members contribute a significant amount of time to sorting and pricing the books donated by the community for our twice yearly Book Sale.
The financial successes of our Book Sale this past year provided the academic awards committee of CWCM with an allocation of $44,000 for girls graduating from high school in June of 2024. Nineteen applicants from Montclair, Glen Ridge, Cedar Grove, and Verona High Schools received these awards. Such results attest to the dedicated efforts of the CWCM toward the goal of Education as a Means to Equity.
In 2010, we celebrated 75 years of our Book Sale, which has generated over two million dollars in scholarship aid to area girls since its inception. For this event, we hosted local authors with a keynote by Dorothy Benton Frank.
In 2011, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of our CWCM with a tea and program at Liberty Hall Museum, former home of the Livingston and Kean families, at Kean University in Union, NJ. The CWC has members from the surrounding communities of Wayne, Little Falls, Caldwell, Bloomfield, and Glen Ridge, in addition to Montclair. We hold monthly meetings, have special interest groups, and host one fundraising activity a year, in addition to our Book Sale.
In 2011, we welcomed the Livingston Branch of AAUW, founded in 1960, to merge with us.
In 2023, although we have enjoyed our long association with AAUW, the CWCM has severed its connection with the national organization in December 2023 to concentrate on the CWCM Book Sale and local community activities in the towns from which we draw our members.
In 1928 the Club became a Branch of American Association of University Women which now includes more than 140,000 members banded together “to enable college women to continue their own intellectual growth, to further the advancement of women, and to discharge the special responsibilities to society of those who have enjoyed the advantages of higher education.” Members attended state and regional meetings and workshops and the biennial national convention.
The CWCM’s initial concerns have broadened to include ever widening areas, and its members have contributed to the solution of numerous community problems.
In 1970, the College Women's Club of Montclair (CWCM) was incorporated and a year later was determined a tax-exempt organization. It has raised funds for fellowships and awards in several ways, chiefly through a semi-annual “Used Book and Music Sale.” Many members contribute a significant amount of time to sorting and pricing the books donated by the community for our twice yearly Book Sale.
The financial successes of our Book Sale this past year provided the academic awards committee of CWCM with an allocation of $44,000 for girls graduating from high school in June of 2024. Nineteen applicants from Montclair, Glen Ridge, Cedar Grove, and Verona High Schools received these awards. Such results attest to the dedicated efforts of the CWCM toward the goal of Education as a Means to Equity.
In 2010, we celebrated 75 years of our Book Sale, which has generated over two million dollars in scholarship aid to area girls since its inception. For this event, we hosted local authors with a keynote by Dorothy Benton Frank.
In 2011, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of our CWCM with a tea and program at Liberty Hall Museum, former home of the Livingston and Kean families, at Kean University in Union, NJ. The CWC has members from the surrounding communities of Wayne, Little Falls, Caldwell, Bloomfield, and Glen Ridge, in addition to Montclair. We hold monthly meetings, have special interest groups, and host one fundraising activity a year, in addition to our Book Sale.
In 2011, we welcomed the Livingston Branch of AAUW, founded in 1960, to merge with us.
In 2023, although we have enjoyed our long association with AAUW, the CWCM has severed its connection with the national organization in December 2023 to concentrate on the CWCM Book Sale and local community activities in the towns from which we draw our members.