The Project Gutenberg EBook of Memories of Jane Cunningham Croly, "Jenny June", by Various

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Title: Memories of Jane Cunningham Croly, "Jenny June"

Author: Various

Release Date: April 21, 2004 [EBook #12099]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JANE CUNNINGHAM ***

Produced by Ari J Joki and PG Distributed Proofreaders

Caroline M. Morse, editor

JANE CUNNINGHAM CROLY "JENNY JUNE"

1904

[Illustration: Portrait]

[Illustration: Facsimile of signature
              "With sincere affection
               yours-ever
                      J.C. Croly"]

       Memories of
  Jane Cunningham Croly
      "Jenny June"

TO THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS IN AMERICA THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

BY

THE WOMAN'S PRESS CLUB

OF NEW YORK CITY

Foreword

On January 6, 1902, a Memorial Meeting was called by Sorosis jointly with the Woman's Press Club of New York City, and a month later the Press Club formally authorized the preparation of a Memorial Book to its Founder and continuous President to the day of her death, Jane Cunningham Croly.

In addition to a biographical sketch to be prepared by her brother, the Rev. John Cunningham, this book, so it was planned, should contain such letters, or excerpts from letters, as would illustrate her lovable personality and her life philosophy.

A Committee of Publication was appointed, consisting of Mrs. Caroline M. Morse, Chairman, Mrs. Mary Coffin Johnson, Mrs. Haryot Holt Dey, Mrs. Miriam Mason Greeley, Miss Anna Warren Story and Mrs. Margaret W. Ravenhill. These began their work by sending a printed slip to club members and to Mrs. Croly's known intimates, asking for her letters. But the response came almost without variation: "My letters from Mrs. Croly are of too personal a nature for publication." A few, however, were freely offered, and these it was decided should be used, depending for the bulk of the Memorial upon copious extracts from Mrs. Croly's "History of the Woman's Club Movement in America," from her editorial work on The Cycle, and from her miscellaneous writings. To this characteristic material her long cherished friends, Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus B. Wakeman, added an account of the "Positivist Episode," that objective point in her career, with which her husband was closely identified.

With these are: Mrs. Croly's Club Life, a sketch by Mrs. Haryot Holt Dey; the Sorosis-Press Club Memorial Meeting; the Resolutions of the Woman's Press Club of New York City, the General Federation of Clubs, and the Society of American Women in London; tributes from London clubwomen; Essays and Addresses; Letters and Stray Leaves and Notes, written by Mrs. Croly; tributes from many of her friends, and my own recollections.

                    CAROLINE M. MORSE,
                                   Chairman.

Contents

"JENNY JUNE."—Ethel Morse

A BROTHER'S MEMORIES.—John Cunningham, D.D.

  SOROSIS-PRESS CLUB MEMORIAL MEETING ADDRESSES:
    Dimies T.S. Denison
    Charlotte B. Wilbour
    Phebe A. Hanaford
    Orlena A. Zabriskie
    Carrie Louise Griffin
    Cynthia Westover Alden
    May Riley Smith
    Fanny Hallock Carpenter

  RESOLUTIONS AND TRIBUTES FROM CLUBS:
    Resolutions of the New York State Federation
    From the Croly Memorial Fund of the Pioneer Club of London

THE POSITIVIST EPISODE.—Thaddeus B. Wakeman

MRS. CROLY'S CLUB LIFE.—Haryot Holt Dey

  ESSAYS AND ADDRESSES BY JANE CUNNINGHAM CROLY:
    Beginnings of Organization
    The Moral Awakening
    The Advantages of a General Federation of Women's Clubs
    The Clubwoman
    The New Life
    The Days That Are
    A People's Church

NOTES, LETTERS, AND STRAY LEAVES.—Jane Cunningham Croly

  THE TRIBUTES OF FRIENDS:
    Miriam Mason Greeley
    Marie Etienne Burns
    Izora Chandler
    Janie C.P. Jones
    Catherine Weed Barnes Ward
    Sara J. Lippincott—"Grace Greenwood"
    Jennie de la M. Lozier
    Genie H. Rosenfeld
    S.A. Lattimore
    Ellen M. Staples
    Margaret W. Ravenhill
    T.C. Evans
    St. Clair McKelway
    Laura Sedgwick Collins
    Mary Coffin Johnson
    Caroline M. Morse
    Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Illustrations

JANE CUNNINGHAM CROLY (JENNY JUNE) AT THE AGE OF 61

MRS. CROLY AT THE AGE OF 40 (ABOUT THE TIME SOROSIS WAS INAUGURATED)

  FACSIMILE OF RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE
  WOMAN'S PRESS CLUB OF NEW YORK, JANUARY
  11, 1902

FACSIMILE OF RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN WOMEN IN LONDON, MARCH 24, 1902

DAVID GOODMAN CROLY

FACSIMILE OF A PORTION OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY MRS. CROLY, OCTOBER, 1900

MRS. CROLY AT THE AGE OF 18

Jenny June

  The South Wind blows across the harrowed fields,
    And lo! the young grain springs to happy birth;
  His warm breath lingers where the granite shields
    Intruding flowers, and the responsive Earth
  Impartially her varied harvest yields.
    Through long ensuing months with tender mirth
    The South Wind laughs, rejoicing in the worth
  Of the impellent energies he wields.

    Within our minds the memory of a Name
  Will move, and fires of inspiration that burned low
    Among dead embers break in quickening flame;
  Flowers of the soul, grain of the heart shall grow,
  And burgeoned promises shall bravely blow
    Beneath the sunny influence of Her fame.

ETHEL MORSE.

A Brother's Memories

By John Cunningham, D.D.

The most interesting and potent fact within the range of human knowledge is personality, and in the person of Jane Cunningham Croly (Jenny June) a potency was apparent which has affected the social life of more women, perhaps, than any other single controlling factor of the same period.

Jane Cunningham was born in Market