The Silent Auction and Dinner, held on April 13, 2002 at the Newton Marriott was a huge success financially and socially. One hundred and thirty auction items had been donated by sixty Massachusetts businesses, many branch members and several branches.

Two Educational Foundation fellows gave fascinating and heart warming presentations. Our husbands and guests were particularly impressed. Sabina Panth of Nepal, received her M.A. from Brandeis University this spring, in sustainable international development (communication development)

Sabina has produced a variety of communications materials for women's literacy and savings-led micro-finance and micro-enterprise program in Nepal. She is investigating other communication tools and methods used in international development to cultivate and facilitate rural women's micro-finance networks.

Tashi Zangmo of Bhutan received her M.Ed. in International Education from UMass, Amherst. Tashi taught young Buddhist nuns in her village, Nangshing, in Bhutan. She then earned degrees in Buddhist philosophy and developmental studies in India and the United States. Returning to her village, she began an educational project for women and girls. She plans to expand the program after graduation.

Barbara Hyle entertained us as she led the live auction of celebrity items, which were donated by Governor Jane Swift, Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops, the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins. The Newton Marriott's dinner of Grilled Sea Bass was superb, as was their attention to service all evening.

Thirty-seven members and guests were in attendance. The total profit for Massachusetts own Sema M Faigen International Fellowship was $6,682.11, as noted - Auction - $5,782.00; Dinner Tickets - $665.11; and Branch and Individual Donations $235.00.

The auction committee also included Arline Broberg and Kerry Degnan, Boston Branch, Annalise Conti and Ursula Daley Melrose-Wakefield Branch, Liz Fragola, Danvers-Topsfield Branch, and Massachusetts website manager Cynthia Randall, Newburyport Branch.

At the April 28 AAUW-MA annual meeting five branches were recognized for outstanding membership development based on the February 1 Association numbers. Taunton Area branch (June Cooney, Membership Vice President) increased by 2.2% and Bedford-Lexington (Nancy Moore, Membership Vice President) rose 4.8%. Danvers-Topsfield branch (Tamara Gaydos, Membership) was awarded a free state membership for its increase of 5.3%. Congratulations are doubly in order for Danvers-Topsfield. Since 1999 their rate of growth is 66.7%! The Hingham Area branch (Sheila Doherty, Membership Vice President) received two free state memberships for its growth of 7.9%. Attleboro, Inc. branch (Kristina Occhino, Membership Vice President) walked away with first place and three free state memberships with its growth rate of 17.8%!

It is no accident that the Attleboro branch was able to achieve such outstanding membership growth. A number of factors contribute to membership growth: leadership committed to AAUW on the branch, state and national level, mission-driven programming, energetic, enthusiastic determination on the part of the membership vice president, and the cooperation of branch members. Attleboro has all these factors in abundance. Outgoing President Maxine Johnson was recognized by her branch for her dedication to AAUW. In addition to its regular mission-driven programming, the Attleboro branch participates in the "A President Among Us": Leadership Development Program for Boys and Girls, presented by Katherine Honey at the Winter Conference. No doubt it is easier to recruit and retain members in an active, well-functioning branch, but it is the membership vice president who is the driving force in membership growth. Kristina Occhino, Membership VP deserves much of the credit for Attleboro’s membership success. A wife, a mother of two daughters, an artist, a teacher of watercolor to adults, Kris simultaneously embarked on a new business venture (the Treetop Studio) while taking on the duties of membership vice president. Extremely organized and enthusiastic, Kris developed a strategic plan in conjunction with her board and set goals. She made time in her busy schedule to attend state meetings and designed an outstanding "Grow Your Membership" display for the Spring State Convention and Annual Meeting. Kris has consented to share her membership goals. Separately each is attainable and together they form a formidable strategic plan.

Here are Kris’ Membership Goals for 2001-2002:

Thank you Kris Occhino, Membership Vice President, Attleboro branch, for leading the way to growing our membership. Kris is ending her term as Membership Vice President to assume the duties of President-elect.

Public Policy Co-chairs Patricia Ho and I, also coordinators of the 2002-2003 Impact Grant for Public Policy, report that the grant year is complete as of July 1, 2002.

One of ten states to be awarded the grant last June, Massachusetts joined Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and New York in a year of intensive public policy focus. Each state received a monetary grant for the period, and had to develop and submit a plan of action by August 2001.

Goals included: increasing AAUW members' subscriptions to ACTION ALERT and Get the Facts; building participation in diverse coalitions; organizing at least two issue forums and other media events; laying plans to get out the women's vote in 2002; involving as many branches, branch members and members-at-large as possible; developing a congressional district coordinator structure throughout the state; increase the use of technology in advancing public policy priorities; creating a plan for increased public policy activism, visibility, membership recruitment, and diversity efforts; and evaluating the project's impact on state priorities.

Patricia and I, as we complete our final report due in Washington by August 1, are grateful for the enthusiastic support of Marion Kilson, who applied for the grant; for the assistance of Linda Britt, our intrepid fiscal agent; for the tireless publicity efforts of Rita Jean Dunn; for the work of web page coordinator, Cynthia Randall; for the invaluable help of Diversity Task Force guru, Nancy Moore; and for assistance in March and in April by Boston Branch, and Melrose Wakefield Branch, respectively. Carol Carbaugh and Hollie Bagley, in their roles of program and membership, were valued advisers, too.

As you know, we did hold two large forums: the March 14 "Brown Bag Lunch With Women Legislators"; and the April 27 "Partnerships in Diversity" conference in coalition with One Lowell.  The State House event was held in cooperation with several co-sponsors: the Caucus of Women Legislators; the Girls Coalition of Boston; the Junior League of Boston; Massachusetts Association of Older Americans; Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women; Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus; and Women's Educational and Industrial Union.

Some of our goals were only partially reached, some (such as the Congressional district coordinator structure) not at all--but as we look back at this busy year, we are pleased to have come as far as we did, and know that your new Public Policy Chair, Arline Broberg, will take us even farther as Election 2002 approaches.

Newburyport Area 400%

Plymouth Area 135%

Taunton 111%

Bedford-Lexington Area $38.25

Danvers-Topsfield $31.25

Bedford-Lexington Area $2486

Cape Cod $1170

Taunton $1075

Send registration form and check to: Linda Britt, Registrar, 16 Ellsworth Rd.,

978-531-6116 or Lbritt@vnab.org

• Take exit 31B (Route 225/4) for Bedford.
• Travel west on Route 225/4 for approximately 2.2 miles.
• Immediately after the Bedford Shopping Center and the Bedford Post Office (both on the right side), take a right turn onto Hillside Avenue (which becomes Springs Road) to a 4-way stop intersection.
• When safe to do so, directly cross the 4-way intersection and continue traveling on Springs Road for approximately 1.6 miles where you will reach the South Entrance of the MCC Bedford Campus, on the right side of Springs Road.
• Look for signs to the Campus Center as well as AAUW signs.

• Travel on Route 62 to its intersection with Routes 225/4.
• Travel towards Bedford Center for 0.3 miles to a full traffic signal.
• When permissible, take a left turn onto Springs Road, then bear right to a stop sign.
• Take a left, continuing on Springs Road to a 4-way stop intersection.
• When safe to do so, directly cross the 4-way intersection and continue traveling on Springs Road for approximately 1.6 miles where you will reach the South Entrance of the MCC Bedford Campus, on the right side of Springs Road.
• Look for signs to the Campus Center as well as AAUW signs.

President 781-862-0760

Marion D. de B. Kilson marion.kilson@salemstate.edu

marionkilson@worldnet.att.net

Past President 978-470-1941

Pamela A. Collins F-978-470-1437

ppcollins@attbi.com

Program H-508-420-0207

Vice President W-508-830-8551

Carol Carbaugh Carbaugh@aol.com

Membership 781-749-6274

Vice President holbagley@aol.com

"Hollie" Bagley

Educational Foundation H-617-497-6956

Vice President W-978-542-6865

Elizabeth T. Kenney elizabeth.kenney@salemstate.edu

Legal Advocacy H-781-862-5811

Fund Vice President lawrence.baturin@prodigy.net

Florence Baturin

Treasurer H-978-531-6116

Linda A. Britt W-617-779-3331

F-617-779-3340 Lbritt@vnab.org

Recording Secretary 617-441-0485

Kerry Degnan kerry_degnan@harvard.edu

Publication Projects 978-369-3684

Coordinator sluvsmith@aol.com

Luverne F. Smith

BayStater Editor H-978-681-8976

Nancy Pollock W-978-689-8015 x232

F-978-688-1846 jimandnancy@attbi.com

Web Master 978-777-4343

Barry Carver barry@CarverTeam.net

Fundraising 617-232-1725

Coordinator peteandtrudi@igc.org

Trudi Feinstein

Communications TBN

Bylaws 508-697-8113

Alice Hooper Alwh23@aol.com

Parliamentarian 508-945-0253

Phyllis Richter

Historian TBN

Nominating 508-747-4319

Traude Stroheschneider TraudeS@aol.com

Chair

Laurel McGregor 508-824-9635

Susan Tatelman H-781-284-0154

W-617-422-7289

Tatelman@nesl.edu

Enid Wilson H-781-235-1328

W-617-353-3715

Enidw@bu.edu

Bridget Fancher (alt.) 508-230-7805

bFancher@MassEd.net

Barbara Burgo (alt.) 508-822-0558

BJMonteiro@aol.com

Special Projects H-978-689-8368

Barbara Hyle bhyle@aol.com

Diversity Task 978-318-1996

Force Chair Loiswgallo@aol.com

Lois Sanford-Gallo

Public Policy Chair H-781-665-8108

Arline Broberg W-617-632-9580

F-617-632-9701 abroberg@caregroup.harvard.edu

College/University 781-646-5867

Relations Chair 71043.2212@compuserve.com

Barbara G. Seyon

International H -508-653-6098

Relations Chair F-508-653-2761

Sema Faigen faigenis@attbi.com

Girls’ Coalition 978-744-1265

Liaison amberley96@aol.com

Patricia Ho

Campaign for Choice 781-275-0090

Liaison bpulliam@world.std.com

Lois Pulliam

Council for Fair H-617-232-0567

School Finance Liaison W-617-426-0681 x14240

Jennifer Kilson-Page kilsonpage@teri.org

State Lobbying H-781-284-0154

Liaison W-617-422-7289

Susan Tatelman Tatelman@nesl.edu

Accountant 978-470-0290

Patricia Bachman kevkeara@attbi.com

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Volunteers are needed for two AAUW-MA Board positions:

If you are interested in being considered for one of these positions, please contact Marion Kilson

781-862-0760 or marionkilson@worldnet.att.net

It is a great delight for me that Lois Sanford Gallo will be the next chair of the Massachusetts  Diversity Resource Team! Lois has been a member of the team for two years, and has contributed great insights into the whole spectrum of diversity in AAUW. Many of you may recall her from the workshop she gave on the handicap category in the Association Diversity Statement at the Year 2001 State Convention in Salem. I look forward to her fresh perspectives on the diversity work that is still so important to the State and to the Association, and I am excited about being one of the team members under her chairmanship. I might add that this a good opportunity for several prospective new members of the team to step forward to work with Lois! Call State President Marion Kilson to let her know of your interest, please.

Looking back on the year, I feel that the DRTeam contributed in good measure to the Partnerships in Diversity full-day program on Saturday at the State Convention in Lowell in April. It was lots of fun working with Lois Pulliam and Patricia Ho on the diversity elements of the Public Policy Impact Grant Program that they were spear-heading, and all three of us learned much from the coalition work that we did with the folks in Lowell.

I believe that AAUW can honor its own work as well as those with whom we work in coalition when we continue the good connections that we make with our coalition partners as we work with them on particular programs. We move ever onward, and it is not contrary to moving onward when we sustain good ties with those past partner groups, which bring such great benefit to the work of AAUW.

This is my last Baystater contribution as DRTeam leader, and I appreciate all your positive responses to our efforts over the last four years. Please do the same for Lois! I will be leading the committee to revise the Association Toolkit on Diversity, due next March. The new thrust of the Toolkit 2003 will be toward implementing all that we have learned, and are learning, into every aspect of the Association Programs. If you have a great idea, pass it on to us!

Good cheer, Lois Gallo, may the Force be with you.

Harbinger of the AAUW Eleanor Roosevelt Fund

This final article for the Women's History Corner reviews the contributions of Ellen Swallow Richards in paving the way for women to undertake careers in science.  Ellen Swallow, admitted to MIT in 1870, was grudgingly acknowledged by the professors as a capable scientist, yet she was always aware of her responsibility, as the first woman chemistry graduate in the U.S., to avoid criticism.  "I hope I am winning a way which others will keep open."  She was not a suffragist, but adhered to traditional women's roles to lower male hostility and win allies.  One of her severest critics, Robert N. Richards, Professor of mining and engineering, was forced to recognize her scientific ability when she discovered a new element, vanadium, in his ore samples.  He changed his opinion!  He proposed to her in the chemistry lab and they were married in 1875.

She was responsible for calling the initial meeting of seventeen women college graduates in November 1881 at her Women's Science Lab at MIT.  She was also instrumental in organizing the Association of Collegiate Alumnae in January 1882, but introducing women to the study of science was her passion.  The ACA became AAUW in 1921; nearly seventy years later the AAUW Educational Foundation instituted the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund, which had as its original goal encouraging girls in math and science.  We must acknowledge Richards' perception of this need nearly a century earlier; it was a priority with her.

E.S. Richards was especially concerned with water and air quality and put her knowledge to practical use in the Richards' home.  She was this country's first female industrial chemist and produced systems for clean air in factories.  She was a pioneer in analyzing water for impurities and in sanitary chemistry.  She gained many "firsts", too numerous to mention here.  You may call or e-mail me for further information:  508/945-9973 or ahaven@capecod.net.

It has been my pleasure over these four years to present facets of women's history.  My thanks go to Cindy Randall, the BayStater editor (and my guide) at the beginning of this series, and to Nancy Pollock for continuing to publish the articles.  Likewise, Presidents Pam Collins and Marion Kilson both allowed me to pursue my concept of the role of an AAUW State Historian.

P.S.:  The Players Group of the Cape Cod Branch will present a re-enactment of the fateful gathering in 1881 of seventeen women college graduates.  You are invited to enjoy this program on March 25, 2003 in observance of the Branch's 40th anniversary and National Women's History Month.