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The Friday Club started in 1906 with the intention of providing educational and cultural experiences for the women who belong. While such opportunities for women today are vastly expanded, the Friday Club remains to enrich, educate and nurture its members and their friendships.

In the winter of 1905-06, Mrs. Mary Reynolds and Mrs. Fred Rose had recently moved from Mansfield to Wellsboro. They began to miss the cultural advantages of Mansfield, so they invited friends to join them for a little reading and discussion group. That year they met on West Ave. The next year they decided to form a relationship club. In 1906-07, the original group grew from 10 to 20 women. They then became federated in 1909.

In 1914-15 they increased to 25 members while still meeting in members’ homes. In 1917-1973 the women met in the Assembly Room in the Green Free Library, now the Pennsylvania Room. Ms. Mary Robinson was one of the first twenty-founding members. In 1972-73 they moved to the Gmeiner, where they still meet today.

The Friday Club has a long and varied history, with a continuous thread of self-improvement and sharing of ideas. It has served as a true forum of enlightenment and entertainment, providing women an opportunity to assemble on a regular schedule with other seekers of knowledge. The club meets to exchange ideas and to study various aspects of, (not only our community), but of our county, state, nation, and the world.

Members are obligated to research a topic on a yearly theme, write a paper and present findings to the group, attend meetings and 3 social functions: Christmas Tea, Host Reception, and End of year Luncheon – with a presentation of scholarship to a female high school student.

Their first meeting of this year is this Friday, January 9th at 11:00. Linda Williams will be presenting her talk on the writings of C.S.Lewis. For more information on the Friday Club or attending one of their meetings, please call Linda at (570) 724-5385.