Washington Women's History Consortium
Women's Clubs and Organizations
Nellie Miller, President, 1931-1933
Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs
Mrs. Charles G. Miller, Nellie Voorhees, the nineteenth President of WSFWC was the third consecutive president to have
been born in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were long time residents of Seattle and were the parents of a son and a daughter.
Mrs. Miller was elected at the Vancouver convention in 1931. She presided at the 36th and 37th annual conventions.
The 36th was in Seattle in June 1931, with a total of 443 registered delegates, and the 37th meeting was in Spokane in
June 1933, with 247 entitled to vote.
The 36th convention was definitely a business meeting of but one day's duration, June 8, directly preceding the opening
of the GFWC Biennial, June 9, 1932. Reports were restricted to official statements and only the most essential concerns
of the Federation considered.
The convention recessed until two days later. On June 10, Mrs. Miller called the convention to order in a room in the
Civic Auditorium and the unfinished business was completed. The resolutions were again read and voted upon.
Arrangements were made for the report of the election to be posted for the information of delegates. That closed the
short and efficient meeting of WSFWC for the year 1932. During the remainder of the Biennial, Washington clubwomen
attended the session or were busily engaged in entertainment duties. The dates of the GFWC Biennial were June 9-18.
Plans for entertaining the Biennial practically dominated-the work of the clubwomen of the state from April 1931
through June 1932. Few clubwomen were not directly involved in the duties of one or more committees. The convention
budget was $10,000.
The sessions of the Biennial were in the Civic Auditorium which had a seating capacity of 6,500. It was equipped
with amplifiers. Many committee rooms were available and there was ample space for the newspaper and magazine
representatives who sent out hourly information during the progress of the sessions.
Efficient city firemen kept constant watch at the convention hall, special cab rates were arranged, and the traffic
police gave splendid service throughout the ten days. Avenues, streets, business districts, depots and docks were
decorated in the club colors which mingled with the Stars and Stripes. Federation emblems in floral designs were
in evidence in parks and in other appropriate places.
One of the outstanding events was the banquet given in honor of the Executive Committee and the Director and State
Presidents on the evening preceding the official opening of the convention. Mrs. Sippel, GFWC President was presented
with a beautiful gray fox fur from the clubwomen of Washington State. At every affair there was a profusion of flowers
and fragrant blossoms. Corsages numbered into the thousands. Innumerable souvenirs, from poems to prunes, from copper
ingots to cookbooks from Washington State were invariably found at the service plates of each individual guest.
The Biennial in Seattle, in 1932, was the last Biennial in the history of the General Federation. At that meeting it
was voted to have the most inclusive meeting hereafter every three years instead of every two years.
The general assemblies of the 37th annual convention of WSFWC was in the auditorium of Lewis and Clark High school,
June 20-23, in Spokane. The theme was "We Rejoice in Service."
The Junior Club movement was becoming an important factor. There were 28 junior clubs with more than 1,500 members.
In the State Legislature, our stand on policies and principles was in general unchanged, still standing for law enforcement
and for the best possible facilities for schools and libraries.
The Federation sponsored bill, which established a park along the Sunset Highway adjoining on the east the park the clubwomen
gave to the state, passed. The land was acquired by the exchange of state owned timber for this strip of about 540 acres.
With the 62.89 acres in the first park, there was now a tract of about 600 acres reserved for future generations.
The radio was becoming more helpful each year. KWSC operated by the State College of Washington, Pullman, carried many
educational programs and featured Federation activities. KOL, Seattle was most generous in providing time for programs
presented by clubwomen and Tacoma stations were just as cooperative.
Sources