The Sans Souci Club

I was never aware of any particular social pecking order in our small town, but I guess the Sans Souci Club (meaning “without concern”) came as close to social stature as any women’s group.  Perhaps the Masonic Lodge, Elk’s Lodge, Tahoe Club, and Rotary served a similar function for men.

The Sans Souci Club must have been formed around 1932, the year my parents were married.  It was a women’s bridge and social club that had around thirty charter members.  According to my mother, they only inducted one additional group of women a year or so later.  I always thought that was humorous because they had sown their own seeds of self-destruction.

All of the women were around my mother’s age.  They included, among the many, Emma Evans, my aunt by marriage to my father’s oldest brother, Marsha Cranston, Betty Waddle, who’s younger daughter has been a long-lasting friend, Blair Dobbas, and Merriam Griffith, my first grade teacher (and the only unmarried woman I can remember in the group).

Monthly meetings were rotated among the homes of the members.  Several rubbers of bridge were followed up with a dessert and some dry sherry.  When my mother hosted the Club, the chatter usually kept me awake, although I had little interest in monitoring the conversation.  There would be an occasional outburst of laughter, and I guess the local gossip and opinions on political events was traded around.

In the following morning, the living room was heavy with stale cigarette smoke, and overflowing ashtrays.  This was an era when smoking was equally enjoyed by both sexes.

I never heard anyone outside of the Club membership ever mention the Sans Souci Club.  That’s why it’s hard for me to assess it’s importance, if any, to anyone outside of it’s own members.  I do know that this group formed my mother’s social network, and that it was important for her to have this long lasting group of friends.  My mother stayed active in this group until her death in 1981.