In 1921 Mrs. Esterly became Honorary President of the St. Petersburg Woman’s Club for life. The club Collect was adopted and the club motto, “Each for all and all for humanity. We cannot all serve alike but we can all serve willingly and well”. A building fund was established in 1922 and a limit of $20,000 was set for the purchase of a clubhouse site. Membership was more than 400 in January of 1923. St. Petersburg Woman’s Club officially became a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs November 26,1923. The club was incorporated on October 21, 1924 allowing it to own property.
They started the year of 1925 with 764 paid members and held meetings in hotel ballrooms. In January of that year, the club used the Coliseum for their meeting. Attendance was 1200 for guest speaker Princess Cantacuzene, Countess Spiransky. She was an American author and first born grandchild of Ulysses Simpson Grant and Julia Grant, born in the White House during her grandfather’s presidency.
Benefit card parties were begun on December 17, 1925 at eh Huntington Hotel for the clubhouse building fund. Clippings from 1926 and 1927 describe the club balls held at hotels as “Brilliant social events”.
Club programs varied often featuring famed speakers from states and abroad and they continued classes in languages, philosophy, psychology, arts, current events and sociology. The annual luncheon on January 20, 1926 at the Vinoy Hotel featured Paul Whiteman’s orchestra. Paid membership on February 25, 1925 was 818, the largest club in the state.
Throughout the mid 1920’s the search continued for a site for the clubhouse of which they dreamed!
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