The April meeting of the 20th Century Club was held at the home of Linda Minyard. Juanita Findley serve as her co-hostess.
The meeting was called to order by the president, LaQite Wisner, with the reading of the Collect. Minyard called roll and read minutes of the last meeting which were approved. There were 14 members present, and one new member, JoAnn Gregory. There was also one visitor, Margaret Murchison from August, Ga., who is the sister-in-law of Renee Mitchell.
Peggy Koen gave the treasury report and collected dues for 2012-2013. The only business was a reminder of the May 15 meeting, which will be held at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Building from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Jeannie Cheek passed around sheets to sign up for next year’s meetings.
After the business meeting, Minyard gave a very interesting report on Barnoness Bertha Felicie Sophie Von Suttner, who was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for peace in 1915. She was born June 9, 1843, the only child of Count and Countess Joseph Kinsky in Prague, what was then the Austria-Hungarian Empire. She married Arthur Von Suttner in 1873. She later became an author, publishing her first book in 1883. In 1892, she published “Lay Down Your Arms”, which became a worldwide bestseller. Through the influence of this book, Alfred Nobel left his entire fortune to creating the Nobel Foundation and in 1905 through his will Bertha became the first female recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. She became a popular speaker and founded the Austrian Peace Society.
She was very active in the Hague Peace Conference. She remained very active in promoting world peace until her death on June 21, 1914. Only weeks after her death, the assassination of the heir to the Austrian empire launched World War I, an event that would have brought great sorrow to the advocate of peace.
After the report, the meeting adjourned for a time of fellowship, coconut cake and other goodies.