Colorado Federation of Republican Women History 1938 to Present: October 2010

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Convention Locations

Colorado

1st Annual - April 24, 1939 - Brown Palace Hotel, Denver - Mrs. James Arneill, Jr. presiding
2nd Annual - May 3, 1940 - Continental Oil Building, Denver - Mrs. James Arneill, Jr. presiding
3rd Annual - May 28, 1941 - Cliff House, Manitou Springs -Mrs. Robert F. Archibold presiding
4th Annual - May 9, 1942 - Capitol Life Insurance Bldg, Denver - Mrs. Robert F. Archibold, Jr. presiding
5th Annual - May 28, 1943 - Capitol Life Insurance Bldg, Denver - Mrs. Robert F. Archibold, Jr. presiding
6th Annual - April 25, 1944 - Capitol Life Insurance Bldg, Denver - Mrs. Robert F. Archibold, Jr. presiding
7th Annual - May 23, 1945 - Capitol Life Insurance Bldg, Denver - Mrs. Robert F. Archibold, Jr. presiding
8th Annual - May 22, 1946 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. Edward N. Donnellan presiding
9th Annual - May 22, 1947 - Brown Palace Hotel Denver, Miss Mary Pemberton presiding
10th Annual - May 19, 1948 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Miss Mary Pemberton presiding
11th Annual - May 24, 1949 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. Rudolf Giehm presiding
12th Annual - May 19, 1950 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. Rudolf Giehm presiding
13th Annual - May 26, 1951 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. Rudolf Giehm presiding
14th Annual - April 23, 1952 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. Herman Vorbeck presiding
15th Annual - May 1, 1953 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. Herman Vorbeck presiding
16th Annual - May 7, 1954 - Shirley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. J.B. Parks presiding
17th Annual - April 28,1955 - Shriley Savoy Hotel Denver, Mrs. J.B. Parks presiding

National Convention Locations

1938 - Chicago, Illinois - Joyce Arniell of Colorado Elected President
1940 - 1st Biennial - Detroit, Michigan
1942 - No convention due to war conditions
1944 - 2nd Biennial - Louisville, Kentucky
1946 - 3rd Biennial - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1948 - 4th Biennial - St. Paul, Minnesota
1950 - 5th Biennial - Cleveland, Ohio
1952 - 6th Biennial - St. Louis, Missouri
1954 - 7th Biennial - Los Angeles, California
1956 - 8th Biennial - Chicago, Illinois
1958 - 9th Biennial - Boston, Massachusetts
1960 - 10th Biennial - Atlantic City, New Jersey - Ruth Parks of Colorado Elected President
1962 - 11th Biennial - Phoenix, Arizona
1964 - 12th Biennial -Washington, D.C.
1966 - 13th Biennial - Washington, D.C. (Convention changed to odd number years)
1967 - 14th Biennial - Washington, D.C.
1969 - 15th Biennial - Washington, D.C.
1971 - 16th Biennial - Washington, D.C.
1973 - 17th Biennial - Los Angeles, California
1975 - 18th Biennial - Dallas, Texas
1977 - 19th Biennial - Atlanta, Georgia
1979 - 20th Biennial - Indianapolis, Indiana
1981 - 21st Biennial - Denver, Colorado
1983 - 22nd Biennial - Louisville, Kentucky
1985 - 23rd Biennial - Phoenix, Arizona - Judy LaMora Hughes of Colorado Elected President
1987 - 24th Biennial - Orlando, Florida
1989 - 25th Biennial - Baltimore, Maryland
1991 - 26th Biennial - Cincinnati, Ohio
1993 - 27th Biennial - Las Vegas, Nevada
1995 - 28th Biennial - Albuquerque, New Mexico
1997 - 29th Biennial - New Orleans, Louisiana
1999 - 30th Biennial - Seattle, Washington
2001 - 31st Biennial - San Antonio, Texas
2003 - 32nd Biennial - Salt Lake City, Utah
2005 - 33rd Biennial - Nashville,Tennessee
2007 - 34th Biennial - Palm Springs, California
2009 - 35th Biennial - Orlando, Florida
2011 - 36th Biennial - Kansas City, Missouri

List of Presidents 1938 to 2011

Colorado Federation of Republican Women Presidents

1938 Joyce Porter Arneill, Denver
1940 Ellen Archibold, Denver
1942 Ellen Archibold, Denver
1944 Mary Lou Donnellan, Boulder
1947 Mary Pemberton, Denver
1948 Grace Giehm, Denver
1951 Marguerite Vorbeck, Grand Junction
1953 Ruth Parks, Pueblo
1955 Ruth Graves, Ft. Morgan
1957 Betty Higby, Colorado Springs
1959 Marjorie Jones, Pueblo
1961 Dolores Kiser, Boulder
1963 Mabelle Darrow, Glenwood Springs
1966 Carline B. Owings, Wheat Ridge
1968 Middy Haver, Pueblo
1970 Frances Fairbanks, Denver
1974 Judy LaMora Hughes, Colorado Springs
1976 Mary Lane, Littleton
1979 Virginia Sweigert, Grand Junction
1982 Jeannine Lincoln, Parker
1986 Judy Broadway, Englewood
1988 R.J. Doria, Colorado Springs
1990 Maxine Shroyer, Federal Heights
1992 Jacque Stafford, Grand Junction
1994 Judi Rupp, Canon City
1996 Carol Singer, Aurora
1998 Gaye Scherz, Loveland
2000 Carole Brown, Glenwood Springs
2002 Marty Neilson, Lyons
2004 Judy Roseborough, Denver
2006 Sharon Sollenbarger, Grand Junction
2008 Marolyn Scheffel, Parker
2010 Jan Cummings, Florissant

National Federation of Republican Women Presidents

1939 - 1940 - Joyce Porter Arneill, Jr. Colorado
1941 - 1942 - Judy Weiss, New York
1943 - 1946 - Marie Suthers, Illinois
1947 - 1948 - Peggy Green, Massachusetts
1949 - 1952 - Elizabeth Farrington, Washington DC & Hawaii
1953 - 1956 - Nora Kearns, Pennsylvania
1957 - 1960 - Mary Catherine Gibson, Michigan
1961 - 1962 - Ruth Parks, Colorado
1963 - 1967 - Dorothy Andrews Elston Kabis, Delaware
1968 - 1971 - Gladys O'Donnell, California
1972 - 1975 - Constance Dean Armitage, South Carolina
1976 - 1977 - Patricia Hutar, Illinois
1978 - 1980 - Betty Green Heitman, Louisiana
1981 - 1985 - Betty Rendel, Indiana
1986 - 1989 - Judy LaMora Hughes, Colorado
1990 - 1993 - Huda Jones, Kentucky
1994 - 1995 - Charlotte Mousel, California
1996 - 1997 - Marilyn Thayer - Louisiana
1998 - 1999 - Mary Jo Arndt, Illinois
2000 - 2001 - Marian Miller, Indiana
2002 - 2003 - Heidi Smith, Nevada
2004 - 2005 - Dianne Thompson, Texas
2006 - 2007 - Beverly Davis, Utah
2008 - 2009 - Shirley Sadler, Ohio
2010 - 2011 - Sue Lynch, Wisconsin

Original Applications for Membership

County             Town                       Members                       Date

Adams             Brighton                        100                       August 1938
Alamosa          Alamosa                          30                       September 13, 1938
Arapahoe        Deertrail                           31                      November 13, 1938
Arapahoe        Littleton                          125                      July 20, 1938
Arapahoe        Byers                               13                     November 11, 1938
Arapahoe        Strasburg                         19                       No date
Bent                Las Animas                      35                       September 12, 1938
Boulder           Longmont                         16                      August 15, 1938
Clear Creek    Idaho Springs                   25                       November 22, 1938
Custer            Westcliffe                          10                      October 13, 1938
Delta               Delta                                 70                     October 19, 1938
Denver            Denver Club                    300                     June 3, 1938
Denver            East Side Club                   21                     June 23, 1938
Denver            Helen Bell Club                  35                     May 13, 1938
Denver            Lincoln Pro                        30                     October 8, 1938
El Paso           Colorado Springs             100                     October 19, 1938
El Paso     Manitou     50 October 19, 1938
Fremont          Canon City                        75                     August 9, 1938
Garfield           New Castle                       50                     August 18, 1938
Jefferson         Mt. Morrison                     50                     April 28, 1938
Kiowa            Eads                                  15                     September 15, 1938
Lake               Leadville                            23                     September 16, 1938
La Plata          Durango                              5                      September 12, 1938
Larimer           Ft. Collins                        100                     August 7, 1938
Morgan           Brush                                50                      September 19, 1938
Otero              La Junta                            50                      August 8, 1938
Phillips            Akron                                61                     August 9, 1938
Prowers          Lamar                              200                     September 14, 1938
Pueblo            Pueblo                              350                     September 19, 1938
Pueblo            Pueblo                              125                     September 19, 1938
Routt              Oak Creek                         23                      September 19, 1938
Rio Blanco      Meeker                              38                     October 24, 1938
Sedgwick       Julesberg                           100                     September 4, 1938
Weld              Greeley                             150                     August/September1938
Yuma             Wray                                  16                      May 2, 1938

Individual Applications

Archuleta    Pagosa Springs                                             September 19, 1938
Chaffee       Buena Vista                                                  September 12, 1938
Cheyenne   Cheyenne Wells                                            September 19, 1938
Conejos      La Jara                                                         September 9, 1938
Crowley      Sugar City                                                    August 20, 1938
Grand         Hot Sulpher Springs                                      August 26, 1938
Gunnison    Gunnison                                                       September 14, 1938
Heurfano    Walsenburg                                                   September 9, 1938
Logan         Sterling                                                         August 7, 1938
San Miguel Telluride                                                       September 17, 1938
Summitt       Breckinridge                                                August 19, 1938

1939 Applications

Washington   Akron                              25                      April 13, 1939
Mesa            Grand Junction                 80                      April 10, 1939
Las Animas   Trinidad                           50                      January 27, 1939
Elbert            Mathison                         15                       July 8, 1939
Moffat          Craig                                45                      May 27, 1939

Presentation of NFRW Charter Applications for new clubs:

1961        Aurora RWC
                Broomfield RWC
                Columbine RWC
                Englewood RWC
                Longmont RWC

1985 Colorado Springs Business and Professional RW
               Roaring Fork Valley RW

1988 Clear Creek County RW
               Lucy A. Harris RW
1989 Aspen Snowmass RWC
               Coal Creek RW
               Fremont County RW
               Front Range RW
               Platte Valley RW

1992 Plumb Creek Business and Professional RW

1994       St. Vrain RW in Action
                Park County RW

1997    South Platte RW

2000        Republican Women of Lincoln County
                San Luis Valley Republican Women
                Garden Valley Republican Women

2001        High Country Republican Women

2003        Archuleta County Republican Women

Changes of name or mergers:

(after 1999)     Northern Larimer County Republican Women's Club to Larimer County Republican Women's Club

2002     St. Vrain Women Who Win merged with Longmont Republican Roundtable to become Longmont Republican Women

Our First President

Denver Post October 16, 1938

For reasons clear as sunlight, Joyce Porter Arneill has chosen to give what time she can spare from home and children to politics. "Because", she explained on her return from Chicago where she was elected president of the National Federation of Women's Republican Clubs, "politics comes right into my home and dares me to put it out. Politics is in everything - my budget, education of my sons, when we sit down to plan for the future we cannot disregard the tax collector - that dear child of politics."

"In my father's home in Stamford, Connecticut, politics formed a headline discussion group. My father, Louis H. Porter, corporation lawyer and manufacturer, and my uncle, Schuyler Merrit, who for years was a member of Congress, constantly talked politics and discussed government. Economics and government were as familiar to me as hair ribbons and birthday parties until I was old enough to go to college." There was a finishing school, then Bryn Mawr for two years - then taking life seriously Joyce Porter had two years of nurse's training in nursing school at Yale University. There she met young James Rae Arneill, Jr. of Denver, studying medicine and marriage followed.

Joyce Porter Arneill

National leaders of the Republican Party saw in the young Colorado woman qualities vitally needed for its renaissance. As a consequence she was elected president of the National Federation of Women's Republican Clubs. In this capacity she proposes with cooperative and active help of more experienced leaders to assist in organizing the country, state and county for better education in politics.

There is no "I, I, I," in Mrs. Arneill's program - "We propose to organize study forums throughout the state - we still study candidates as seriously as we study issues - we will find out about taxation, the why and wherefore of it- we will encourage thoughtful and patriotic women to run for office. Our organization is supplementary to the Party organization - we will encourage registration and give complete cooperation to our committeewomen when the block canvass begins - we are going to know about the amendments and stand of candidates - in other words we aim to become educated in what is most vital to our lives - the government under which we live. There is so much to rectify in our political life. There is so much to do to efface class hatreds which have been created in a country in which patriotism should be a common possession and not assigned to one group which unfortunately has nothing, and denied to another group which fortunately has something, merely because of that possession. We are going to work with might and main to bring the Republican Party back to where it belongs - to leadership in government."

From "History Colorado Federation of Republican Women" Mrs. Carl G. Schulken, Colorado Federation Historian

June 4, 1990

Rocky Mountain News Obituary

(Click on article in enlarge)

Looking Back

By 1890, Colorado was seething with the question of granting suffrage to women. Mrs. Carrie Chapman (later Mrs. Catt) established headquarters in Denver and spoke throughout the state. Several women's organizations were formed.

On April 17, 1893, the Woman's Suffrage Amendment to the State Constitution was approved by the Colorado Legislature. It was submitted to the voters in the November 7, 1893 election and passed by a vote of 35,698 against 24,461. Governor Davis Waite issued a proclamation December 2, 1893 declaring the enfranchisement of women; "That every female person shall be entitled to vote at all elections in the same manner in all respects as male persons are." (Colorado Secretary of State Records.)

Mrs. John L. Routt was the first woman registered in the state. In March 1894, the women irrespective of party acted as canvassers to register the female vote.

In June 1894, the annual convention of the National Republican League Clubs was held in Denver. At that time there was no organization of Republican women in the state. The Republican leaders, recognizing the need of such organization, selected Mrs. Frank Hall to take charge of the women's department of the campaign work under the general direction of the Republican State Central Committee. Her first and most important duty was that of organizing women's Republican clubs in all counties of the state. (Reference: Stone's History of Colorado.)

The data sent in by some of our present federation clubs reveals that in 1913 a woman's Republican Club was formed in Walsenburg by Mrs. Millicent Felhagen (Mrs. H.H.) of Alamosa. The first president was Mrs. George Blickhahn.

At about the same time a club was started in Trinidad, the first president was Mrs. F.C. Miller.

In 1922 at the request of Mrs. Helen Bell, State Vice Chairman, Mrs. Harry Chandler, Pueblo County Vice Chairman, organized a club in Pueblo. First president, Mrs. Martha Dibble - 12 members. On September 19, 1938 the Pueblo club joined the present Federation - 350 members. First president, Mrs. Dorothy L. Rugg.

On August 5, 1924, a group of 150 delegates from 45 chapters of "The Republican Federation of Colorado Women" met at the Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, to elect officers and members of a Board of Directors (4 from each congressional district to be the governing body) and complete final steps in teh organization of a state federation. Approximately 4,500 members. Mrs. John Leeming Jr. (daughter of former Governor Shoup) was elected president. Mrs. E. H. Velhagen of Alamosa was elected first vice president, Mrs. Nae Warren of Ft. Collins, secretary, Mrs. R.S. Dibble of Denver, treasurer. Mrs. Helen Bell, representative of the Republican State Central Committee, presided. (References: Denver Post Library file)

A chapter was started in Trinidad, Mrs. F.C. Miller first president. The South Denver chapter of this federation was organized in May, 1924, Mrs. O.D. Brown, first president. On February 10, 1928, it adopted the name of Helen Bell Chapter. (Mrs. Brown was still president when the Helen Bell club applied for membership in the present federation May 13, 1938 and signed the application.) In July 1926, the Jefferson County Women's Republican Club was organized in the District Court room of the old Golden Court House by Mrs. Velhagen and John M. Coen, State Chairman at that time. Mrs. Bob Van Duesen, first president.

On August 5, 1926, Mrs. Velhagen was elected president of the Republican Federation of Colorado Women. On Septemer 9, 1926, Mrs. Velhagen was elected president of the Republican Federation of Colorado Women. On September 9, 1926, she was elected State Vice Chairman.

When our present federation was formed in 1938, Mrs. F. C. Miller was again the first president of the Trinidad club.(Mrs. Miller later moved to Denver with her daughter, Mrs. Harry Fontius Jr.)

In the summer of 1936, Mrs. James Rae Arneill, Jr., became National Vice Chairman of "The Independent Coalition of American Women" with headquarters in New York City. The aim of this organization was defeat of President Roosevelt's NEW DEAL by the election of Alfred M. Landon, Republican candidate for U.S. president. The goal was to pledge at least one million women to bring to the polls in November at least 5 other women each of whom would vote for ANTI-NEW DEAL CANDIDATES, regardless of Party.

On July 31, 1936 Mrs. Arneill held a luncheon meeting of Colorado women from all parts of the state at the Denver Country Club - main speaker was John M. Coen, former Republican State Chairman. After this meeting a state-wide organization drive was conducted and 23 clubs formed in various parts of the state.

In The Beginning

Early in the spring of 1938, Mrs. James Rae Arniell, Jr. assumed the preliminary task of organizing women's Republican clubs in Colorado counties. She was assisted by Mrs. John E. Hillman, National Committeewoman for Colorado and Mrs. Marjorie Riedel, State Vice Chairman. They worked largely through the County Vice Chairmen who always selected some woman who did not hold a county office to head the groups and aid in organization. In this way, more women became interested in political work and in many cases future leaders for county and state work were provided. There was much newspaper publicity and as a result of this many women wrote in or came to Denver and volunteered to start clubs in their own cities or counties.

Mrs. Arneill made frequent trips about the state and went often to counties near Denver.

A small office was opened in the Brown Palace Hotel and Mrs. Charles Chiossi was employed as her secretary.

By May 1938 applications for membership in the National Federation of Women's Republican Clubs being formed, began going to Miss Marion E. Martin in Washington, D.C. The first three clubs to make application were: Jefferson County Club April 28, 1938, 50 members; Helen Bell Club Denver County, May 13, 1938, 35 members; Yuma County Club, May 21, 1938, 35 Members.

About the first of May, Mrs. Arneill began making plans for a mass meeting of Republican women which was to be held in the auditorium of the Continental Oil Building, Denver, on May 20. This created great interest as Mr. John D. M. Hamilton, National Republican Committee Chairman was to be the principal speaker.

Mr. Hamilton, who had come into political prominence in the 1936 campaign, arrived at the meeting and explained that Colorado Women's Republican Club would an affiliate of the National Women's Republican Clubs of America which was being formed to foster and encourage loyalty to the Republican Party by promoting education for women along political lines.

Other purposes would be to encourage closer cooperation between the Regular Organization and independent groups which were working for the same objective - sound government; to promote an interchange of ideas and experiences to the end that any policies which had proved particularly effective in one state might be adopted in another; to foster in a broad sense uniformity of purpose and ideals and a national attitude and national approach to the problems facing the Republican Party.

"We are going into this campaign to win," said Mrs. Arneill. "We've got the cause, we"ll have the leadership and what is equally important, if not more so, an effective organization."

Aiding Mrs. Arneill at the mass meeting, were Mrs.Hillman, Mrs. Riedel and Mrs. Lucy Coykendall, Denver County Vice Chairmen.

After the mass meeting, a small meeting was held at the Brown Palace Hotel to plan further details of state and national organization.

In the meantime, a meeting was held in Denver, where the clubs federated and a temporary organization was set up with Mrs. Arneill as state president.

By the end of the summer Mrs. Arneill had organized 35 clubs in 27 counties and obtained 11 individual applications from 11 additional counties thereby reaching her objective of 38 counties and meeting the national requirement for membership - 60% of Colorado's 63 counties.

A charter for Colorado as a federation had been granted and Colorado's application for national membership had been filed in Washington.

A meeting was held in Denver at the Brown Palace Hotel by delegates of the various clubs and 2 Colorado delegates were elected to attend the first National Convention in Chicago on September 23-24, 1938. They were Mrs. Joyce Arneill, Denver and Mrs. Dorothy L. Rugg of Pueblo.

On September 24, 1938 in Chicago, Mrs. Arneill was elected first president of the "National Federation of Women's Republican Clubs of America."

Joyce Arneill