In 1927, Mary Florence (Rafter) McCusker and Isabel (McMurty) Voigt founded a small group for fellow members of the Brown Alumnae Club of Providence. The group's name became the Pembroke Afternoon Reading Group (PARG) when the Brown Alumnae Club's name was changed to the Pembroke College Club of Providence. Although loosely affiliated with the Alumnae Club, PARG led an independent existence.
PARG's by-laws state that its aims were "sociability, sewing, reading, and handiwork." In her 1967 history (see folder #1), Helen (Thayer) Paxton reported that early meetings consisted of a book review followed by an elaborate tea. In 1928, play reading and drama reviewing were added. The group occasionally raised funds for Pembroke College. The organization dissolved in 1991 after its once large membership had dropped to eleven.
From the guide to the Pembroke Afternoon Reading Group records, 1927-1991, (John Hay Library Special Collections)
