The Sewing Circle of 1858
In 1947 we received from Fred Goul a donation of two old record books that had been held by his grandfather, Harrison L. Strout. One of these carefully handwritten records was for a Ladies Sewing Circle instituted in February, 1858.
Other Selected excerpts from the Record Books are:
Constitution
Art. I. This Society shall be called “The North Waterboro Ladies Sewing Circle.”
Art. II. Its primary object shall be the sustaining of Preaching Sab. Schools & such other religious & benevolent purposes as may be deemed proper.
Art. III. The Officers of this Society shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Sec. & Treasurer, two Collectors & Six Directors —3 ladies & 3 gentlemen.
Art. IV. The Officers shall be chosen on, or near, the first day of May, annually by written ballot, the Pres. by plurality, all others by majority.
By Laws
Sect. 1. The time & place of meeting may be changed & regulated as circumstances may dictate.
Sect. 2. Each meeting may be closed by appropriate singing and prayer.
Sect. 3. A part of the time may be employed in reading interesting selections from History, Travels, Biography, Narratives, &c. &c.
Sect. 7. Novels and all vicious & immoral reading shall be rigidly excluded.
Sect. 8. Contested points & opinions, calculated to provoke controversy and create hardness without doing good, shall be avoided in reading and conversation.
Sect. 11. Refreshments provided for the Circle shall be cheap, simple & limited to very few varieties.
Sect. 12. Any person providing a rich & expensive supper shall forfeit & pay 25 cts. for the use of the Circle.
Sect. 14. Visitors may be voted out of doors for improper conduct.