TUESDAY BOOK CLUB

Organized in October, 1897, the Tuesday Book Club of Manor was described less than two years later as “one of the newest and livest and most commendable of Manor’s social organizations...” With a stated purpose of the social and literary improvement of its members, it soon became widely known in the central Texas area.

Membership was open to women of good moral standing who were 18 years of age and older. However, election as a member was by written ballot and three dissenting votes could exclude any candidate. Membership also required an admission fee of 50 cents, a book fee of $1.25 and a monthly fee of 10 cents. There were three levels of membership; the “book” member was required to pay her fees but could read and attend meetings entirely at her own option. The “literary” member must pay her fees, read, attend meetings regularly and take part in the programs. The “social” member must meet all of these requirements, and she had the additional privilege of entertaining the members in her home.

An 1899 newspaper article said, “the club has a club room, comfortably furnished, and already has a library of 120 volumes, carefully selected, and embracing poetry, essays, history, biography, travel and recent fiction.”

President of the club at this time was Miss Lucille (Lucy) Manor, 23 year old daughter of James Manor and Elizabeth Ann Stelfox Manor. Her 19 year old sister Elizabeth, (Lizzie) was also a club member.

A newspaper article one year earlier had recorded a meeting of the club that was held at the home of Lucy and Lizzie’s mother and step father, Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Abrams. “Misses Lucille and Lizzie Manor entertained the members of “The Tuesday Book Club” with an ice cream supper. The air was filled with the sweet strains of a Mexican string band. The parlors and lawn were decorated with flags and evergreens in abundance… The young ladies of Manor were grand entertainers and one cannot but enjoy themselves when in their company. The members of the club were each dressed to represent a book and the costumes were simply grand.”

It appears that there were some problems with attendance when a January 19, 1900 Houston newspaper wrote; “The Tuesday Book Club has passed a by-law requiring attendance or a written excuse from each member before she can get a book from the library. A better attendance is expected.”

On December 14, 1907 the ladies of the book club held a public dinner and bazaar; the proceeds of the event were to be devoted to the new Manor school which was nearing completion and scheduled to open in early 1908. An article in the January 9, 1908 Austin Statesman said, “The ladies of the Tuesday Book Club have placed an order for window blinds for every window in the new school building. Scarborough and Hicks of Austin have the contract and it is expected that they will place them in position by the end of the week.”
This photograph taken from the "Annual Announcement of Manor Public Schools, 1908-1909" shows a lot of windows in the building. 

March 7^th, 1914 saw the opening of a new club house for the members. It was described in the newspaper as “a charming bungalow, consisting of a library, committee room and a kitchenette, tastefully decorated with potted plants and flags. The members…have been untiring in their efforts to secure a combination library and club house and they hope to make it a center for social and literary uplift in Manor.” 

Mid 1950’s Travis County directories listed a club house at 314 Eggleston Street.

In 1928 the book club joined forces with the Masonic Lodge in what was at that time a popular fund-raising event. The Austin American Statesman newspaper printed the announcement of the production that was to take place on Friday the 13^th of April. “The Tuesday Book Club of Manor is sponsoring a “Womanless Wedding” to be given Friday night at the Masonic hall. A program featuring a group of songs by Carl Lundgren of Austin, together with Manor’s best local talent, will be given just prior to the wedding.”

(Perhaps this writer dates himself a bit when says that he knew and went to school with six of the young ladies mentioned in the article shown below)

A tribute and testimony to the class and character of members of the Tuesday Book Club can be found in the following excerpt from a publication titled ECHOES OF LANSING YESTERYEARS by Jennie H. Conlan concerning the death of Marion Woodbury Tichenor, a resident of New York who came to Manor in 1897 for health reasons. Written by a book club committee, the memorial said;

"By the death of Mrs. M. W. Tichenor, who recently departed from this life at her home, the community lost one of God's noblest women. "None knew her but to love her, none named her but to praise her," could be truthfully said about this sweet-tempered woman, whose life among us has been an ever present example of Christianity, and whose passing away was a disappointment to the grim reaper, Death, for those who live such lives, there is no death. Mrs. Tichenor's home was in Ithaca, N. Y., and she had been in Texas only a few months, having come south with the hope of improving her health. Though she had been among the Manor people only a short time, she endeared herself to the hearts of all she met. The Tuesday Book Club, of which she was a member, passed the following resolutions: 

Whereas, the Death Angel has entered this club circle and removed from our midst our beloved Mrs. M. W. Tichenor, and whereas, she was a prominent member of the Tuesday Book Club for a number of months, a faithful and regular attendant, therefore, be it resolved, 

1st. That by her death the club has sustained a great loss and is no longer enjoying the benefits of her superior knowledge, her pleasant companionship and her untiring co-operation in all efforts promoting the success of the club; 

2nd. That the members of our club have lost a highly esteemed friend whose noble conduct has left them a worthy example of imitation and of influence for good that will not soon be forgotten; 

3rd. That the members of this club unite with all her friends in extending to her bereaved relatives personal sympathy, and trust that they may receive from them light which in mercy will dispel the sorrow lately fallen upon them; 

4th. Be it further resolved that a page of our minutes be devoted to her memory by inserting these resolutions thereon, and a copy be sent to the family of our deceased friend. -  Committee"