Images(3)

Plaque

Object number2020.21.5

Manufacturer Matthews of Pittsburgh

Date1894-2002

OriginPittsburgh, PA

MediumBronze; Paint

Credit LineGift of The Twentieth Century Club

DescriptionRectangular bronze plaque. Raised decorative border with double exposed bronze border that frame ribbed bands on sides and starbursts. Inset background is textured and painted dark brown. Top center has raised exposed bronze text describing plaque contents. Bottom two-thirds of plaque has fifty-one (51) rectangular plates arranged in three columns of seventeen (17); each plate has raised exposed bronze name and date range; each plate is mounted with one bolt at each end. Four protruding sides with sunken reverse; name plate bolts are visible on reverse. Two holes on top edge and two holes on bottom edge.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 20 × 36 × 1.25 in. (50.8 × 91.4 × 3.2 cm)
InscriptionsTop center has raised exposed bronze text "PRESIDENTS / OF / THE TWENTIETH CENTURY CLUB".

Bottom two-thirds of plaque has fifty-one (51) rectangular plates with text:

Column 1: "MRS. GEORGE C. BURGWIN 1894-1895 / MRS. FRANK SEMPLE BISSELL 1895-1896 / MRS. WILLIAM NIMICK FREW 1896-1898 / MRS. GEORGE C. BURGWIN 1898-1900 / MISS JULIA MORGAN HARDING 1900-1902 / MRS. GEORGE A. GORMLY 1902-1904 / MISS JULIA MORGAN HARDING 1904-1906 / MISS ANNE S. PHILLIPS 1906-1908 / MRS. EDWARD H. UTLEY 1908-1910 / MRS. WILLIAM THAW, JR. 1910-1912 / MRS. ALEXANDER JAY WURTS 1913-1913 / MRS. WILLIAM D. HAMILTON 1913-1916 / MRS. WILLIAM WATSON SMITH 1916-1918 / MRS. ROBERT T. REINEMAN 1918-1920 / MRS. JOSEPH W. MARSH 1920-1922 / MRS. HENRY CLAY McELDOWNEY 1922-1924 / MRS. WILLIAM SAGE DALZELL 1924-1928";

Column 2: "MRS. WILLIAM MACLAY HALL 1928-1931 / MRS. CHARLES S. SHOEMAKER 1931-1934 / MRS. WILLIAM PORTER WITHEROW 1934-1938 / MRS. ANDREW E. SLOAN 1938-1940 / MRS. LOUIS BLAKE HAYS 1940-1942 / MISS ELEANOR T. GRIER 1942-1946 / MRS. MAURICE D. COPPER 1946-1948 / MRS. E.F.W. SALISBURY 1948-1950 / MRS. CHARLES T. SIEBERT, JR. 1950-1952 / MRS. EDWIN F. SCHEETZ 1952-1954 / MRS. STEACY E. WEBSTER 1954-1956 / MISS ANNA LOOMIS McCANDLESS 1956-1958 / MRS. ROBERT M. REPP, JR. 1958-1960 / MRS. C. RUSSELL SCHAEFER 1960-1962 / MRS. PEREGRINE TAYLOR 1962-1964 / MRS. OLIVER W. BROWN 1964-1966 / MRS. W. GLENN SRODES 1966-1968";

Column 3: "MRS. D. MAYNARD STEMBEL 1968-1970 / MRS. A. BRUCE BOWDEN 1970-1972 / MRS. KARL ZIMMERMAN 1972-1974 / MRS. ADRIAN C. SMITH 1974-1976 / MRS. FRANKLIN DAVID HOFFMAN 1976-1978 / MRS. KENNETH G. JACKSON 1978-1980 / MRS. WILLIAM H. HAMILTON 1980-1982 / MRS. DONALD L. McMILLAN 1982-1984 / MRS. JAMES N. DILL, JR. 1984-1986 / MRS. ROBERT C. TODD, JR. 1986-1988 / MRS. PAUL R. JENKINS 1988-1990 / MRS. BENNETT CHAPPLE III 1990-1992 / MRS. LISLE A. ZEHNER 1992-1994 / MRS. RICHARD H. DANIEL 1994-1996 / MRS. FRANK L. WIEGAND III 1996-1998 / MRS. SUSAN O. CRAMER 1998-2000 / MRS. RICHARD G. ENGLERT 2000-2002".

MarksProper left side has engraved text in bottom corner "MATTHEWS OF PGH., PA."

Reverse has raised "43" at left center and right center.

Reverse has handwritten text at center "7880 / TL / P.E."; text is inverted.
Historical NotesPlaque from the Twentieth Century Club's Oakland building. The plaque was mounted on the wall to the right of the elevator on the first floor, opposite the main entry doors. The Twentieth Century Club was founded in 1894 with the aim to “create an organization for women’s work, though and activity, advancing her interested, promoting art, science and literature.” Women’s clubs were part of a greater social movement in the late 1800s that grew out of the idea that women had a moral duty and responsibility to transform society and public policy. This was a progressive era movement with links to suffrage and temperance, although not all members of women’s clubs adhered to either movement. The Pittsburgh club first met at the Thompson mansion at 408 Penn Avenue. They sponsored lectures and classes on language, literature, travel, history and science and were a member of the State Federation of Women’s Clubs. In 1910, they opened a club at their present location in Oakland, and in 1930 the clubhouse was redesigned by Benno Janssen. Many of these clubs saw a decline in the 1960s.

Related person Mrs. George C. Burgwin

Related person Mrs. Frank Semple Bissell

Related person Mrs. William Nimick Frew

Related person Mrs. George A. Gormly

Related person Anne S. Phillips

Related person Mrs. Edward H. Utley

Related person Mrs. William Thaw Jr.

Related person Mrs. Alexander Jay Wurts

Related person Mrs. William D. Hamilton

Related person Mrs. William Watson Smith

Related person Mrs. Robert T. Reineman

Related person Mrs. Joseph W. Marsh