Born: 23 February 1855, United States
Died: 26 November 1931
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Clara May Smith
The following is republished with permission from the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail.
Founded in 1892, the Dorchester Woman’s Club united women to promote intellectual growth and community values, led by early members Clara Ripley (1855-1931) and Ella Whiton (1857-1932).
Founded in 1892, the club was non-sectarian and brought together women from all sections of Dorchester. The mission of the club was to foster positive values and the intellectual growth of the community. It began with twenty-eight members and quickly grew to three hundred with a waiting list for membership. In its formative years, the club held classes in local history and chorus and sixteen organized programs annually to stimulate “the thought, the sympathies, or the artistic sense of attending members.” Among the early members who helped establish the club as a successful institution were Clara Ripley and Ella Whiton.
Clara Ripley’s home was the site of the first gathering of the Dorchester Woman’s Club, and she was responsible for convening the early meetings. She served as one of the club’s first vice presidents. After its first few meetings, the club had outgrown its space and moved to a local church. Sufficient funds were raised by the group to purchase a lot and build a permanent headquarters on Centre Street. Designed by architect A. Warren Gould, the building’s left side was named Ripley Hall in Clara’s honor. The Club continued to be active until the 1960s.