Celebrating
Founders Day and Our History
The P.E.O. Sisterhood was organized in 1869 in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, by seven young women on the campus of Iowa Wesleyan University.
At our January 14 meeting at the Best Western, Kate Dolan presented a video that talked about each of these remarkable women. Following is notes from that presentation:
Alice Bird Babb was a talented writer, performer and public speaker who wrote some of P.E.O.’s earliest documents including the first rudimentary constitution which is the basis of our present day objects and aims. She was the first Founder to take the Oath and served as the first president. She also served as associate editor of The P.E.O. Record in its first few years.
“We were earnest and even then desired something broad and substantial. We did not for one moment wish it to be a mere college fraternity; we wished for a society of more lasting name and reputation.”
Alice Coffin was known for her generous spirit and her talent as a seamstress. She was a beloved teacher, and one of her students recalled ,“whatever Miss Coffin did, she did it superlatively.” Alice suggested the star as the symbol of P.E.O. She helped sew clothes for her students whose parents could not
afford the special outfits required.
“I greet you as sisters. May you raise the standard of true womanhood, elevate the fallen, help the weak, give smiles, scatter rose blossoms, making light the burdens of the oppressed, and may... we indeed be stars among women in whatever vocation we fulfill.”
Ella Stewart was an excellent student, but because of her responsibilities helping run her mother’s boarding house, Ella was unable to graduate from Iowa Wesleyan. Even so, she went on to become a dedicated teacher at the Iowa Industrial school. She first read the oath to Alice Bird who read it to others.
Ella’s emblem is believed to be the only original one still in existence.
“When I think of the past, look at the present, and dream of the future, I am filled with hope and ‘great expectations’ lure me onward. And I trust that our little effort, like the ripples on the lake, will widen and extend until they shall touch that shore whose
Things you should know
2025-26 YEARBOOK
The new yearbook insert will be going to press soon, so please carefully review your contact information in the current yearbook.
Maybe you’ve dropped your landline, or converted it to a cell phone number?
Maybe your email has changed?
Do you have a second home address or a P.O. box number you’d like to share?
We would also love to include your photo in our yearbook!
Please send your updates and photos directly to me at kfd819@gmail.com at your earliest convenience.
The next meeting of Chapter AG will take place in the Coeur d’Alene Public Library’s Community Room on the lower level at noon on Tuesday, January 28. Ample free 2-hour parking is available at the library and in the lot south of City Hall.
Hosted by Kristi Rietze and co-hostessed by Connie Anderson, Rayelle Anderson and Bobbi Freeman.
The program features Britt Thurman, Executive Director of the Museum of North Idaho. Weather permitting, we may be able to take a short walk to check out the exterior of the Museum’s new location at the base of Tubb‘s Hill.
DUES ARE DUE FEBRUARY 1.
bounds we cannot see. Let us be proud of our beautiful star.”
Franc Roads Elliott was a talented artist who was involved in the woman’s suffrage movement and was a strong proponent of women’s education her whole life. She stayed involved in P.E.O. and often spoke at conventions. Several of her paintings are displayed in the P.E.O. Centennial Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
“We worked out an oath and an embryonic constitution. The fact that we were like-minded seemed the most important thing. There was no holding back on the part of anyone and this made for good teamwork in perfecting the organization.”
Hattie Briggs Bousquet was described by a classmate at Iowa Wesleyan as the best hearted girl that ever lived. And her family’s home on the NW corner of campus was always open to her friends. She taught art and music after graduation. Her legacy lives on in several generations of P.E.O. relatives.
“Let us form a compact to perpetuate our friendship; to seal our love, for all time, for all eternity.”
“We talked, we thought, we planned over and over at different meetings, and not infrequently in between meetings, to work out the problems of how to be.”
Suela Pearson Penfield was charming, lighthearted and gracious. She married and moved to Ohio, so was not able to be involved in P.E.O. But later, her daughter Rose was a charter member of a chapter in Cleveland. Suela was an outstanding musician and excellent in elocution. She had a great wish that her daughter would become a P.E.O.
“I look back with profound admiration to you who have followed in our plans laid down in that happy yesterday so long ago, and trust that each succeeding year may find you recording a living monument to be handed down to our daughters throughout all time.”
Starting in January 2025, P.E.O.s are encouraged to re-envision Founders’ Day celebrations with a new concept—International P.E.O. Day!
Honor our Founders on January 21 by:
• Engaging in community service or acts of kindness
• Showing P.E.O. pride—wear P.E.O., daisy or star apparel
• Talking about P.E.O. and sharing the impact of our educational philanthropies
Mary Allen Stafford was dedicated to her friends and family, and stayed involved in P.E.O. her entire life. She spoke at many conventions, and even attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the P.E.O. Memorial Library in 1927 shortly before her death. First P.E.O. meeting was in her home, which was near campus. Her husband served as president of Iowa Wesleyan from 1891-1899, which brought her back to Mount Pleasant.
CHAPTER AG PROJECT UPDATE
STAR SCHOLARSHIP
Emily Shafer
• Senior Coeur d’Alene HS
• Dual enrollment student with CHS, NIC and the U of I in CDA
• GPA 4.188
• Recipient of North Idaho Top 10 Scholar Award
• Educational focus - Elementary Education
• She has been accepted by several universities, but has not made her final decision
STAR Awards will be announced in April
LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP
Heather Muse
• Dual enrolled at NIC and Spokane Community College
• Educational Goal: Associates in Applied Science
– Echocardiography
• GPA – Above 3.5
• Heather has two small children, ages 6 and 4
• Heather’s goal is to be a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP
Kate Klopotek
• Enrolled at North Idaho College
• Educational Goal: Associates in Psychology
• First Semester GPA – 4.00
• Kate’s educational pathway includes earning her associates degree at NIC and then applying to the University of Idaho to earn a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
• Kate’s ultimate goal is return to Kootenai County after earning her Psychology degree to establish mental health supports for children in the community.
Presented by Ann Schumacher
NIC - P.E.O CHAPTER AG SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be managed in accordance with the North Idaho College Foundation’s Scholarship Management and Awards Practice.
Scholarship Amount: $1,000 to be awarded Fall Semester 2025
Criteria:
• Female Student
• Kootenai County resident
• Minimum GPA 3.0
• Full-time student
• Special consideration given to women affiliated with P.E.O
EDUCATIONAL LOAN FUND
Access to quality education has the power to shape destinies. The P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund stands as a guiding light of opportunity, offering lowinterest rate loans to qualified women, paving the way for brighter futures.
ELF Facts:
• Applicants are recommended by a local chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood
• Women in a wide variety of programs and degrees are eligible
• 2% interest rate
• No origination fee
• Maximum loan amounts - $20,000 for a master’s degree
Women helping women reach for the stars!
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS
Betsy Martin presented several suggested amendments to AG’s bylaws:
• Article 1, section 1 (p. 44 in yearbook) The second paragraph to read “Social events of Chapter AG may be held in August, September and December”.
• Chapter AG Traditions*/ Members ( p.48) replace voting “Pro” or “Con”, with “show of hands”.
• Chapter AG Traditions/ Membership ( p.50) To read “Prospective members will attend at least two events or regular lunches before meetings, to meet as many members as possible.”
• Chapter AG Traditions/ Membership (p.51) Delete “When possible, the retiring president, or another who has served as president, shall be elected as the vice president.”
• Chapter AG Traditions/ Membership (p.51) Replace “two years for a new member to be part of our Sisterhood before serving in an office” with “one year”.
• Chapter AG Traditions/Fund Raising and Expenditures (p.52) Replace the second paragraph with “The state organizer will be housed in a member’s home, or the chapter will pay for a hotel of the chapter’s choosing.”
The Chapter will vote on these in the next meeting.
*The traditions are guidelines for the Chapter and not included in the official bylaws that are sent to the state.
Thank you Connie
For all the years of amazing Prattles!
You set the bar high.
Connie was presented an orchid in appreciation of her hard work by Betsy Martin.
LADIES IN RED... AND BLACK
For story ideas, photos and anything worthy of sharing with the Chapter, please email Ali at ali–shute@mac.com.
A little color-coordination by sisters Kara Kral, Ann Schumaker and Bobbi Freeman.
