Philomath Club

Philomath Club was an American literary club of Jewish women. It was established in San Francisco, California in March 1894, its slogan being: Onward and Forward! Mrs. I. Lowenberg conceived the idea of forming a "Jewish Women's Literary Club". Philomath had the distinction of being the first club in the world composed of Jewish women with a regularly adopted constitution.

Before going to the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago, 1893), Lowenberg was imbued with the idea that there were many intellectual Jewish women in San Francisco who lacked the opportunity of development by organization, which was a potent factor in commercial and educational as well as club life. So when she returned from the exposition, with impressions intensified, she asked Mrs. A. S. Bettelheim to assist in naming some women who would form and foster an organization to be conservative, but progressive, to promote the general culture of its members through the discussion of educational, moral and social topics and lectures by eminent men and women of the day. Mrs. William Haas became deeply interested in such an organization and worked zealously for its success with the result that the Philomath Club was launched with the following charter members: Mrs. I. Lowenberg, Mrs. Helen Hecht, Mrs. A. S. Bettelheim, Mrs. William Haas, Mrs. J. H. Neustadter, Mrs. Charles L. Ackerman, Mrs. Moses Heller, Mrs. S. Nickelsburg, Mrs. H. Ansbacher Meyers. A call was issued by the charter members and some seventy or eighty ladies responded and became members.

The club name, Philomath, is derived from the Greek (Lover of Learning). Its object was "to encourage literary and educational pursuits and to promote civic ideals." A broad and comprehensive platform when established. The activities at the inception were purely literary, interspersed with music.

The records were lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The Mesdames Neustadter allowed Philomath the use of their dance hall in their home in Van Ness Avenue, where for some months, meetings were held in happy surroundings. In 1907, the Philomath Club became federated, having come into the California State Federation of Women's Clubs.

In March, 1914, Philomath celebrated its twentieth anniversary with a dinner dance. In 1916, Philomath had 175 members; it was limited and had a waiting list.

World War I precipitated a call for change and the Red Cross Auxiliary was organized. Materials were supplied by the club, with members meeting three days weekly to make garments, surgical dressings, and bandages. Over 60,000 surgical dressings and bandages, and over 2,000 garments were Philomath's contribution to the war effort.

During the 1918 influenza epidemic, 1,000 packages of cooked food were sent to the needy. No appeal from Europe or Asia went unheeded.

Americanization work was a great factor for Philomath activity through all the administrations. The club adopted a number of French orphans. To cultural aims, Philomath contributed carefully planned programs; momentary aid to its library fund, to the Public Educational Society, and to many other worthy projects, always with the purpose and the principles of Philomath primarily behind the work. The Mary Prag Scholarship, the Roosevelt Memorial Fund, the Alice Fredericks Memorial Fund, Korean Relief, the Palestinian Supply Committee, the Edith Cavell and Marie de Page Hospital of Belgium, the Near East Relief, Palestinian Restoration Fund, the International Longfellow Society, received the support of Philomath Club. Six members volunteered for service on Dr. Anne Nicholson's Americanization Court Committee. Its bi-monthly programs touched on topics of live interest, music, drama, and politics. Philomath was a member of The Recreation League and was interested in movements of social and communal concern.