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CLIONIAN SOCIETY

    In the early years Clubs and Societies were a main way people could get involved in their communities. Keep in mind communication was not like it is today, people either read information or gathered together to promote progress of many different types.

    The Vernon Clionian Society was named by local High School girls in honor of Clio, the Greek Muse of History, it was officially organized with its own constitution by 1858. A dated copy of their constitution was discovered when the first high school building in Vernon was torn down in 1920. In the 1830's through the 1850's Greek architecture and literature were big in America and organizations were often given Greek names.

    According to the Clionian Society's constitution, the purpose of the group was established as, "The object of the club is for the moral, social, educational and civic upbuilding of our town and community and a united effort to fulfill all duties as laid down in our year book."

Charter Members of the Clionian Society
I checked the 1850 census for the women listed below and was surprised at how young some of them would have been in 1858 when the Clionian Society began. Ages of some in about 1858 are listed, which shows involvement by High School age girls.
Mary Vawter
Leu Denham
Clara Cooke - 23
Nellie McCammon
Eleanora Basnett - 15
Ella Vawter
Viola McGannon - 15
Hannah Huckleberry - 16
Lucia M. Barnum - 17
Nutia Butler
Viola Twadell - 15
Aeg Wagner
Emma Basnett - 17
Sarah Loise Peak - 18
Catherine Ann Steinberger
Myra Barnum
Annie Fink - 16
Mary Lattimore -18
Jennie Vawter
Martha Vawter
Sarah Vawter
Adelia A. Atkinson
Mary L. Vawter
Past Presidents of the Clionian Society
Emma Benson 1920-1924 Florence Nauer 1924-1926 Katheryn Wenzel 1926-1928 Carrie Basnett 1928-1930
Almeda Welker 1930-1932 Hazel Dawson 1932-1933 Anna Trapp 1933-1934 Madge Jordan 1934-1935
Faye Jordan 1935-1936 Phoebe Whitcomb 1936-1937 Della Stafford 1937-1938 Mary Whitcome 1938-1939
Otha Ale 1939-1940 Maggie Abbot 1940-1941 May Barnhart 1941-1942 Maggie Fisher 1942-1943
Lois Whitcomb 1943-1944 Bernadine Boggs 1944-1945 Stella Ochs 1945-1946 Mary Childs 1946-1947
Florence Simpson 1947-1948 Carrie Haile 1948-1949 Gladys Stewart 1949-1950 Goldia Hailman (Heilman) 1950-1951
Daisy Drescher 1951-1952 Opal Kirkham 1952-1952 Mary Whitcomb 1953-1954 Edna Hyder 1954-1955
Marie Crist 1955-1956 Maude Wenzil 1956-1957 D'Ette Layman 1957-1958 Madge Jordan 1958-1959
Alta Armstrong 195-1960 Mildred Day 1960-1961 Isabelle Dawson 1961-1962 Jane Rogers 1962-1963
Dorothy Day 1963-1964 Katheryn Vance 1964-1965 Norma Bonnet 1965-1966 Naomi James 1966-1967
Treva Stark 1967-1968 Marie Crist 1968-1969 Mary Childs 1969-1970 Lois Whitcomb 1970-1971
Bernadine Boggs 1971-1972 Mae Corya 1972-1973 Margaret Adamaitis 1973-1974 Ruth Corya 1974-1975
Joan Marsh Bentz 1975-1976 Ann Grimes 1976-1977 Ann Grimes 1977-1978 D'Ette Layman 1978-1979
Treva Stark 1979-1980 Dorothy Stewart 1980-1981 Bonnie Wilson 1981-1982 Ruth Corya 1982-1983
Millie Leathers 1983-1984 Mabel Ross 1984-1985 Frances Johnson 1985 Peggy Percifield 1986
Mabel Ross 1987 Kathy Herr 1988 Sarah Bentz Ross 1989 Joan Marsh Bentz 1990
Maggie Norman 1991 Jackie Nentrup 1992 Lindy Kirk 1993 Sue Redicker 1994
Sue Bailey 1995 Rose Simpson Eder 1996 Margaret Kahrs 1997 Rose Simpson Eder 1998
Ruth Skelton 1999 Lillian Carmer 2000 Margaret Kahrs 2001 Dana Canfield 2002
Peggy Adams 2003 Sandra Callahan 2004 Marie Garrity 2005 Sarah Bentz 2006
Peggy Percifield 2007 Erma Campbell 2008 Linda Pettit 2009 Sarah Bentz 2010
Sheila Roane 2011 Judy Malone 2012 Sandra Calahan 2013 Karen Branham 2014
Emma Campbell 2015 Kathryn Johnson 2016 Jane Reynolds 2017 Sandra Calahan 2018
Cheryl Thill 2019 Cindy Daeger 2020-2021 Mary Lynn Whitcomb 2022

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