St. Wulstan Society (Worcester, Mass.)

The St. Wulstan Society was organized by J[eremiah] Evarts Greene (1834-1902) in 1890 as a social and literary society for men. Meetings were held at the homes of members; following dinner one of the men would present a paper on a topic of interest to the group. These topics ranged from reminiscences of Worcester to discussions of national politics. The original membership included George Frisbie Hoar (1826-1904), Rev. Daniel Merriman (1838-1912), the Very Rev. John J. Power (1828-1902), Samuel Swett Green (1837-1918), Stephen Salisbury (1835-1905), and Dr. Granville Stanley Hall (1844-1924). The membership of the society was always limited to sixteen men.

At the first meeting Henry Alexander Marsh (1836-1914), a member of the society and lawyer for Helen C. Hayward Knowles, Mrs. Lucius J. ( -1884), suggested that the society become trustees of Knowles' estate. She had left a sizable bequest for the advancement of art education in Worcester. The society, through its Art Commission, agreed to administer the estate, and in 1891 the society was incorporated for the purpose of promoting "literature, art, historical and social science in Worcester, and holding and administering the Helen C. Knowles legacy for promotion of art education in Worcester...."

In the 1890s Stephen Salisbury suggested that the society merge its interests with the art museum he was proposing to establish in Worcester. After some controversy, the society decided to maintain its independent status.

Through the years the income from the Knowles bequest was distributed by the society to the Worcester Art Museum, the Art Students Club, the public school system, and various art organizations. In January 1971 the fund was turned over to the Worcester Art Museum, and the society has reverted to its original function as a social and literary society.