Women's Organization Turns 90

CONNECTICUT CHAPTER OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION CELEBRATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 4, 2024: Chapter “A” New Haven of PEO international (www.peointernational.org) celebrated 90 years of awarding thousands of dollars in grants, scholarships and loans to women and girls in New Haven, Hamden and Cheshire, Connecticut.

Chapter members gathered for a tea in North Haven, along with the Connecticut State Board of PEO (www.CTpeo.org) to celebrate the accomplishment.

PEO was founded in 1869 by seven women at Iowa Wesleyan University with the mission of helping women complete their education. The founding of Chapter A, now one of 28 chapters in Connecticut, was organized in 1934 by prominent women in New Haven, employed and dedicated to extending this assistance to deserving women. One of the original founders, Marjorie Hays, came from Oklahoma where she had been a member of the international organization. Marjorie, who lived on Alden Street in New Haven, became the first Chapter A President. Another original member, Jean Barrett, came to New Haven from PEO’s home state of Iowa. She was a “Chief Supervisor” at New Haven Hospital.

Along with Marjorie and Jean, another New Haven resident, Ruth Hays, helped to organize the chapter. There were 8 new initiates in this New Haven Chapter. One of the initiates, Martha Jayne, was a nursing student at Yale University and went on to become the Dean of Nursing, University of Bridgeport.

PEO International has awarded over $415 million through their projects: the Educational Loan Fund, International Peace Scholarship, the Program for Continuing Education, PEO Scholar, Star Scholarship and Cottey College.

Those eligible and interested should refer to the website and contact cgwpeo23@gmail.com with “90TH ANNIVERSARY” in the subject line.

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For information: Christine Whitten, cgwpeo23@gmail.com