KENT—In recent months members of the Kent Informal Club decided to disband the organization that has existed since the 1940s.
The group was formed as an opportunity for women to get together, socialize and educate themselves. The first by-laws from May 8, 1947 state the club’s object as to “bring together congenial people at convenient intervals to consider any subject and engage in any activities that may seem agreeable.”
The first meeting of the group was held Oct. 6, 1944. Membership was open to anyone, although later on there were limits set of 40 people and new members had to be invited to join and two members had to write a letter on the person’s behalf, according to a 2016 talk by former club officer Karen Chase. She said there were nine presidents in the club’s history.
Liddy Baker informed the current members earlier this year that the club was folding because no one had stepped up to “run this small but important organization.” She asked for input on what to do with the club’s remaining funds. The club members responded saying they wanted to split the money between the Kent Memorial Library and the Kent Historical Society. Both organizations will receive $560.
Longtime member Beth Dooley remembers that what kept the group going was the speakers.
“They had wonderful programs and sweets,” Dooley said this week. She believes there were a couple of “lulls” or pauses in the programming over the years.
The club did not meet in the summer months and began its year in September and continued through June.
Marge Smith remembers that her mother was a longtime member and hosted meetings at their home. Her father, Arthur, used to tease Maggie Smith, asking her why she was wearing her pearls to the “Informal Club.” In the early years there were formal teas with silver tea sets as the refreshments, Dooley remembers seeing photographs depicting the scenes.
The late Miss Emily Hopson was one of the members and she was quoted in the Nov. 19, 1999 Kent GTD as saying the Informal Club was started as an alternative to Kent Garden Club. “Not everyone wanted to garden or liked gardening,” Hopson said.
The early minutes and records that are housed at the Kent Historical Society reveal there was a close connection between the two clubs and they regularly had joint meetings and events such as a Christmas party. At the Sept. 28, 1944 meeting of the Garden Club there is a mention of “a new organization to meet informally once a month, the leader of each meeting to read or discuss something along the lines of literature, art, music, cooking, knitting, travel, etc.”
Karen Chase, another longtime member, remembers that one of the other enticing aspects to the meetings were the refreshments. JoAnne Pappano, who was a professional chef, took on the refreshment duties and created delicious offerings each month.
“She made the best food,” Chase said.
The programs and speakers were the heart of the Kent Informal Club. The officers worked to organize interesting speakers from the very beginning and continuing through the 2010s.
“It wasn’t hard to get speakers,” Chase said because there have always been so many interesting people living in Kent. She said they tried to find timely topics.
“Many times I was the backup speaker,” she said. When she spoke about the club’s history in 2016, Chase shared that the goal was always to have interesting and unusual speakers.
Sometimes the meetings were trips to an artist’s studio, visiting the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association, visiting a member’s garden and in the 1990s Doris Devaux hosted each May at her home, Constitution Oak Farm.
Former First Selectman Bruce Adams liked to do a “State of the Town” talk each November to update the members. In 1991, the club hosted the three candidates for first selectman, Republican John Scholl, Democrat Bill Tobin and incumbent Maureen Brady. They focused their questions to the candidates on the then recently published book by Ron Powers, “Far From Home,” critiquing some his choices in the story, which was based on Kent.
By the 2000s membership was open to men and women and when President Irene Connors took over attendance was steady with a wide variety of speakers that were very local. Membership reached as high as 70 members. Hiram Williams spoke about the Kent Barns complex; Jim Lovett spoke about being a Hollywood stuntman; a panel of fitness specialists spoke about their offerings; five farmers talked about farming and providing food; new businesses were featured and local topics in the news were always offered.
“Meeting the speakers in person was particularly appealing for Kent residents, as well as for the businesses. It established a real relationship for all,” said Liddy Baker, who joined in 2005 and served as the long-time treasurer.
In the early years there was an annual musical performance each year. There was also an annual Christmas party. In 1949, the president was Mrs. William Batstone (no first names for the women were shared in those years) and the joint party with the Garden Club was titled “Christmas Around the World.” They invited George Otto, a native of Germany, to speak about his homeland, a letter was read by Mrs. Howard R. Stone from her daughter who lived for “some time” in Mexico; and Miss Allice Fullerton, a missionary in the Philippines, shared holiday rites from that country. Christmas carols from various nations were shared by Miss Anne H. Chapin, including Holland, France, England, Sweden, Poland and Russia. Gifts were also collected to donate to the Fairfield State Hospital.
A couple of years later at the Christmas party, the members dressed in vintage fashions and the attire “ranged from styles of the mid-19th century to those of the early “Gibson Girl” period.
The last program was held prior to the Covid Pandemic in March 2020 titled “Spring – Time to get Healthy and Energized” with Shannon Strong and Ann Sherwood. No meetings were held for over a year due to the fear of contracting the virus.
There was a lunch at the Fife ’n Drum in June 2021 where the members tried to bring the club back to life and then an opening luncheon at the Fife in October 2021. President Connors stepped down and asked others to step up, but no one did.
The group always met on a weekday afternoon – early on it was Thursdays and then it moved to Wednesdays at 2 p.m. While in the earliest decades members hosted meetings in their homes, they later moved to the Swift House and then to Kent Town Hall. Much of the club’s internal records include clippings from the Kent GTD announcing the monthly speaker. Guests were always welcomed at the meetings.
Kent Informal Club programs and newsletter topics 2015 – 2021
(compiled by Liddy Baker)
September 2015
Opening Luncheon at the Fife & Drum. Speaker: Ruth Epstein – Kent Community Fund
October 2015
Acupuncture and Therapeutic Touch and Reiki, Jessica Ifshin & Marcia Engle
November 2015
“State of the Town” – Bruce Adams
February 2016
Roberta Willis – 64th Assembly District Representative but had to cancel
March 2016
Plans for the Kent Village Barns – Hiram Williams
April 2016
South Kent Schools’s Center for Innovation: Andrew Vadnais, Head of School
May 2016
Kent Art Association – Connie Horton
June 2016
Roberta Willis – rescheduled
September 2016
Opening Luncheon at the Fife & Drum – speaker, Karen Chase, the history of the Kent Informal Club
October 2016
Hollywood Stuntman – Jim Lovett
November 2016
“State of the Town” from Bruce Adams, First Selectman
February 2017
Five new stores in Kent: Kent Apothecary, Kent Coffee & Chocolate, Main Street Antiques, Morrison Gallery and Black Sheep Yarns.
March 2017
John Cilio and his new book “Women’s Work in WWII”
April 2017
Panel of Fitness Specialists: W. Rhythm Fitness, Kent Yoga & Body Works, Movement Learning Resources, Strong Core, Kent Biomedical Acupuncture.
May 2027
John Jenner speaking on Roger Sherman “the Forgotten Founding Father.”
June 2017
Panel of local “Farm to Table” farmers: Maria LaFontan, Phil Lang, Megan Haney, Gordon Ridgeway and Dan Hayhurst.
September 2017
Opening luncheon at the Fife & Drum: speaker Tim Good for the Chamber of Commerce and the “Gilmore Girls” event.
October 2017
Four new businesses in town: Bella Jewelers, Ace Hardware, Kent Station Pharmacy plus Bill Bachrach about the upcoming “Night of a Thousand Pies.”
November 2017
“State of the Town” from Bruce Adams, First Selectman
February 2018
Kent’s Streetscape Committee, Michael Everett
March 2018
Kent’s newest restaurant – Joel Vreeland, chef
April 2018
The Bull House, its restoration and new restaurant, Swyft.
May 2018
Kent Historical Society – “Preservation and KHS”
June 2018
High Watch Recovery Center: President Jerry Schwab, Medical Director Dr. Gregory Boris, Lead Clinician Dana Pollack
September 2018
Opening Luncheon at the Fife ‘n Drum. No speaker, just share your summer stories
October 2018
“What’s going on at the Library”, Speaker – Sarah Marshall, new director of the Kent Memorial Library, and Lucy Pierpont.
November 2018
“State of the Town” – Bruce Adams
February 2019
Cricket Valley Energy Center – Wendy Murphy and Carol Franken
March 2019
Scottish Bagpipes – Don Hicks of “Celtic Cross Pipes and Drums”
April 2019
Lynn Mellis Worthington, Educator and Reporter
May 2019
Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust: Catherine Rawson, Executive Director & Paul Elconin, Director of Land Conservation
September 2019
Opening Luncheon at the Fife & Drum. No speaker, just share your summer stories.
November 2019
“State of the Town” – Bruce Adams
December 2019
“Happy & Joyous Holiday Season
February 2020
“Our American Performance” – Ron Marasco, retired professor of Acting and Theatre.
March 2020
“Spring – Time to get Healthy and Energized” – Shannon Strong and Ann Sherwood.
Covid Pandemic hit
April 2020
Simply – Good Health and Safety Wishes for our members
May 2020
First issue – Information on local restaurants menu offerings
Second issue – other businesses in Kent providing services by phone
September 2020
Information from First Selectman, Jean Speck about Covid and flu
January 2021
Vaccine Procedures – Jean Speck
February 2021
More information from High Watch on vaccinations plus more from the IGA and The Fife
June 2021
Trying to bring the Club back to life – lunch at the Fife & Drum
October 2021
Opening Luncheon at the Fife & Drum
