Conversational Club of Norristown papers

The Conversational Club of Norristown is a women’s education club founded in 1885 by Isabella Smith. Under her direction, the members met unofficially until October 1887 when they adopted a constitution. The club’s purpose was the “Study of History, Literature, and Art, and the promotion of intelligent thought and conversation.” The group held weekly meetings from November to March where members explored an agreed upon topic for the current year. These topics were split into sections for individual meetings. At each meeting, two members gave essay presentations of twenty minutes, then a third member read an excerpt of some relevant published text for ten minutes. This was followed by a discussion session.

A majority of the original members were wives of doctors, factory owners, and clergymen. They met in members’ homes in downtown Norristown; membership was initially limited to thirty members but that number was reduced, first to twenty-five, then to twenty. Besides regular thematic programs, club activities have included biannual dinner parties and occasional outings.

The club, now more than twenty-five years past its centennial anniversary, continues to meet, and keeps many of the same traditions. They have made small changes over the years like reducing their meetings to twice a month in 1969 but nevertheless, they continue in their core purpose of women’s education and maintain the same meeting format, yearly topics, and winter and spring dinner parties.