SOROPTIMIST FOUNDING HISTORY
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Charter Member, Founder/President Violet Richardson. An attendee at the First Meeting of Members Committee Luncheon, Violet accepted the Presidency only on the condition that the Soroptimist Organization be international in scope. |
 Attorney Eloise B. Cushing, major writer of the first Constitution and By-Laws. These were required for the filing of the Charter, and they subsequently served as guidelines for all national and international clubs. Cushing was a life-long Soroptimist, and one of Violet's closest and longest-lived friends. |
 Helena M. Gamble, the first Soroptimist club secretary, who later became Historian for Life for her meticulous collection of early records and photographs. Soroptimists owe much of our early written history to this lady, including reports of the many problems, disputes, pleasures and accomplishments of the early Soroptimist clubs. |
Following the organizing of this first, county-named Soroptimist Alameda Club, Mr. Morrow began to fulfill the vision of an international Soroptimist organization. He started, however, by chartering three additional important and influential national clubs in 1922: San Francisco on March 6, Los Angeles on July 19, and Washington, D.C. on November 27. This accomplished, the enterprising Mr. Morrow, who was familiar with Great Britain and Europe from having promoted Rotary Clubs there some years earlier, crossed the Atlantic. In England he organized the Greater London Club in 1923, with Kathleen, Vicountess Falmouth as Founder President and 112 Charter members. The London Club installation was reported to be the social event of the season, attended by 250 people, including members of the British Royal family.