History

College Club of Cincinnati History

Proud Past, Poised for a Bright Future

The history of The College Club of Cincinnati represents a veritable “Who’s Who” in Cincinnati history. This venerable organization will celebrate its one hundred and twenty-fifth birthday in 2017.

Janet Walsh
/ Categories: History

The First 50 Years

EARLY HISTORY AND FOUNDING

 

The College Club of Cincinnati was founded in 1892 by eight young women in their twenties. Miss Susan Peabody and seven of her friends initially met in her parents’ home on McGregor Avenue near Auburn. Susan Peabody and three others had graduated from Wellesley College, and membership was limited to Eastern colleges and state universities in Ohio. 

In establishing their own collegiate club, these young women had already demonstrated a streak of independence and sidestepped organizational hurdles. After graduating from Wellesley in 1886, Susan Peabody had been appointed Director for Ohio by the then-new Association of Collegiate Alumnae (now the Association of University Women). A survey of college graduates in Ohio found that the majority lived in the northern part of the state: therefore, the headquarters for this territory was established in Cleveland. A small group appealed to Miss Peabody to organize a branch in Cincinnati. Because the Association of Collegiate Alumnae required that its members be graduates of accredited four-year colleges and some of the Cincinnati group had attended college only two years, however, they decided to form an independent organization.

In the spring of 1892, Miss Peabody returned to Cincinnati from Chicago, where she was teaching, to give her blessing and be hostess to the club at its first meeting. In attendance were Elizabeth R. Kellogg, Sarah Hickenlooper, who later became Mrs. John M. Withrow; Mary L. McMillan; Helen Sage, later Mrs. Fran W. Cottle; Adelaide Miller (Mrs. William Henry Walker); Ada Bremfoerder (Mrs. George Bassett); and Jessie Clinton (Mrs. Lelan Banning), who became the first President. 

Currently, our history reflects graduates from Smith, Vassar, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke as well as The Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati as well as many other academic institutions.


 

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RSS Upcoming Programs

20 Sep 2025 JULIA DENT GRANT: THE UNTOLD LOVE STORY OF GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT 9/20/2025 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
JULIA DENT GRANT: THE UNTOLD LOVE STORY OF GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT

Reception Invitation

All Members, Candidates for Membership, and Guests are invited

Time: 11:30 AM
Location: The Cincinnati Woman's Club Drawing Room
Honoree: Carol Parsons, President
Note: Board members please arrive at 11:15 AM

12:00 PM

Luncheon and Performance in the Tea Room

JULIA DENT GRANT:
The Untold Love Story of General Ulysses S. Grant

Performed in character and in costume by
Joyce Lovins-Browning
Lovin History's "histalorian"

Program Leadership

Chairperson of the Day: Rosalyn Fuller

Hospitality: Carolyn Ludwig

Menu

  • Hot Chicken Salad
  • Dilled Green Beans
  • tomato aspic
  • quick breads/stickies
  • Mandarin Orange Cake
18 Oct 2025 THE ART THIEF 10/18/2025 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
THE ART THIEF

The Art Thief

12:00 PM

Presented by Phil Weintraub, Cincinnati Art Museum Docent.

Do you love to read? Love art? Join us for this presentation of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The Art Thief by Michael Finkel, cited as “one of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of the 21stCentury.” You’ll marvel at the book’s tie-in with artwork on display in the Cincinnati Art Museum’s galleries. And will want to go see it!

Board Meeting 11:00 AM

Luncheon in the Lecture Room at noon.

Program Leadership

Chairperson of the Day: Christine Neitzke

Hospitality: Marcallene Shockey

Menu

  • Kentucky Hot Brown with sliced turkey breast on toasted points, with cheddar cheese, Bacon crumbles,  Diced tomatoes, and Green onions.
  • Sliced apple cake with cream cheese frosting
15 Nov 2025 You To the Rescue 11/15/2025 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
You To the Rescue

You To the Rescue

12:00 PM

Luncheon and Performance in the Tea Room

Presented by Amy Miller, You to the rescue, Founder and Executive Director

You to the Rescue is a non-profit upscale resale shop that’s made its home in downtown Montgomery since November 2020.  This donation-based business “rehomes” unwanted men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, accessories, home goods, pet items and furniture to benefit the Animal Adoption Foundation (AAF), the Save the Animals Foundation (STAF) and the Stray Animal Adoption Program (SAAP). All three are no-kill animal shelters in the Cincinnati tri-state area that have collectively received over $300,000 to date. 

Board Meeting, 11 AM.

Luncheon in the Lecture Room at noon.

Note: We will be collecting any type of dog or cat food or treats at this meeting.  Cash donations are also welcomed for these worthy causes!

Program Leadership

Chairperson of the Day: Nancy Glasgow

Hospitality: Rosemary Ennis

Menu

  • Traditional Turkey dinner and mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing,  cranberry sauce,
  • green beans,
  • Pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
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RSS Past Programs

17 May 2025 FENDING OFF FRAUD 5/17/2025 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
FENDING OFF FRAUD

“Scam Alert!” Have you ever felt you were scammed? What did you do about it? The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office recently established a new initiative, the “Elder Justice Unit,” to protect Senior Citizens from fraud, scams and financial exploitation. These crimes are under-reported because elderly victims are often too embarrassed to report them. Learn how to protect yourself, what to do if you have been scammed and how to prevent future abuse.

Nancy Glasgow                                                           Chairperson of the Day

Diane Kasarda                                                                             Hospitality

Board Meeting, 11 am.; Past Presidents’ Meeting, 11:30.

Luncheon in the Lecture Room at noon

President presents the Annual Report, recognizes any new members and will introduce the new Board of Governors.

All Past Presidents are honored at t

19 Apr 2025 FROM THE KENTUCKY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA : ITS FLOOD WALL JAZZ SEXTET 4/19/2025 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
FROM THE KENTUCKY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA :   ITS FLOOD WALL JAZZ SEXTET

Hold on to your seats! The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra’s subsidiary group, the Flood Wall Jazz Sextet, will wake you up in a very good way. The group specializes in the music of Claude Bolling, Vince Guaraldi, Dave Brubeck, and others, bringing together a true hybrid mix of classical and jazz entertainment.

Honorary College Club member Paula Steiner has had a personal connection to the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra since 1997. It was then that the business in which she was a partner, Medical Research Laboratories, took on a benefactor role. Since 2004, as the company was sold to a corporation, Paula remained very active and supportive of the KSO, to this day, serving several terms on the board, including board president.

Paula Steiner                                                               Chairperson of the Day

Irene Diesel                                                                                 Hospitality

Luncheon in the Tea Room at noon followed by the concert in the Auditorium

15 Mar 2025 THE RISE AND FALL OF FRISCH'S BIG BOY 3/15/2025 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
THE RISE AND FALL OF FRISCH'S BIG BOY

Our very own Mr. Frisch had the first franchise for the Big Boy restaurants. Whoever would have thought that his Cincinnati‘s favorite restaurants would be disappearing?  Come hear about great successes and recent failures of this originally local family friendly chain. You’ll even see several Big Bob figures in the American Sign Museum!

Janet McDaniel                                                            Chairperson of the Day

Donna Perzigian                                                                           Hospitality

Board Meeting, 11 am

Luncheon in the Lecture Room at noon

The slate of officers will be announced, followed by any nominations from the floor, then election and introduction of officers.

Our Organization

The College Club of Cincinnati (CCC) is a group of college-educated women whose mission is 

"to promote a continuing interest and participation in philanthropy, the arts, education, social welfare, and civic improvement."

Meeting Location

College Club of Cincinnati
330 Lafayette Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45220

Email

Admin@CollegeClubOfCincinnati.org