Fall 2017
Submitted by Lois Wolfe and Denise Martin
Georgia’s Morrow Junior Woman’s Club (MJWC) was organized on May 1, 1962 and federated the following month. Recently, the Morrow Civic Woman’s Club (MCWC’s name and status from Junior to General was changed in 1991) celebrated their 55 year anniversary. The club recognized their founding charter member, Jane Young, who recalled the club’s greatest achievements. Mrs. Young spoke of MCWC’s role in establishing the Morrow Public Library. The establishment of the Morrow Public Library is often cited as a milestone accomplishment for the club, yet current members came to the realization that few of them knew the details surrounding it.
Clubwomen commenced a search to learn more. After a fruitless online search, the women turned to oral history. They interviewed Pat Robinson, who was the Education Chairman during the effort to establish a library. Through their interview, they discovered that Beverly Remington, who was then club president, became the official spokeswoman after the decision was made to advance the local library cause. This small detail led the women to a treasure trove of information.
MCWC had previously deeded club documents to the Clayton State University Archives. There, the women found the information they needed to help put the puzzle pieces together. One entry from the Education Department’s 1974 report stated the club’s plan to establish a library branch in Morrow, and detailed their meetings with the Clayton County Board of Commissioners and the Library Board administrator. Archived newspaper articles helped the ladies to track the club’s progress in gaining support and eventually opening the Morrow Public Library in 1975.
The women’s research inspired them to document the entire process of establishing the Morrow library. Eventually, they plan on publishing a complete record about the role of the Morrow Civil Women’s Club in founding the Morrow Branch of the Clayton County Library System.